Albert College (Belleville, Ontario)

Albert College

Paci Artibusque, Pacis Faveo
I favour peace and the arts of peace
Address
160 Dundas Street West
Belleville, Ontario, K8P 1A6
Canada
Coordinates 44°09′20″N 77°23′40″W / 44.15556°N 77.39444°W / 44.15556; -77.39444Coordinates: 44°09′20″N 77°23′40″W / 44.15556°N 77.39444°W / 44.15556; -77.39444
Information
School type Private Elementary school and high school
Religious affiliation(s) Non-denominational
Founded 1857 (1857)
School number 885126
Head of School Keith Stansfeild
Grades Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 and Post-Graduate
Language English
Campus Located near the Bay of Quinte and downtown Belleville
Website www.albertcollege.ca

Albert College is a co-educational independent boarding and day school located in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. It is the oldest co-ed boarding independent school in Canada, and the only private school in Belleville. Albert College currently has an enrolment of approximately 300 students from over 20 different countries. The school comprises an Early Primary Learning Centre (Pre-Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten), a Junior School (Senior Kindergarten to Grade 6), a Middle School (Grades 7 and 8), and a Senior School (Grades 9 to 12 and Post-Graduate).

Boarding students are divided into three residences, which are Baker House, for boys in Grade 7 to 9, Graham Hall, for boys in Grade 10, 11 and 12 and Victoria Manor, for all boarding girls. Albert College is also a day school, for local students, who come mainly from Belleville, as well as the nearby communities of Picton, Napanee, and Kingston. Students are transported in school vans, or drive to school, every day and return home every evening. Albert College's facilities include a chapel, dining hall, a number of art rooms, and a science wing. Albert College offers a wide range of co-curricular programs, specialized arts programs, Advanced Placement courses, and an English Foundation Year for first-year English as a Second Language (ESL) students. In addition, ESL is also offered at Albert College during the annual Summer School program. Albert College offers a number of varsity and intramural sports, including swimming, lacrosse, rugby, basketball, soccer, and others.

History

Albert College was founded in 1857 by the Methodist Episcopal Church as the Belleville Seminary. Due to its strong academic record, Albert College received its university charter in 1866 and was renamed Albert University in honour of Prince Albert, the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria. Albert University was an affiliate of the University of Toronto. After the Methodist Episcopal Church merged into the Methodist Church of Canada in 1884, the school federated with Victoria College (University of Toronto). At that time, the school stopped offering university credits and became a high school.

In 1857, the original College was located on what is now College Street East in Belleville. It was designed to accommodate 150 residents with classroom facilities for 400 students. It was partly destroyed by fire in the spring of 1917. Construction on the present Dundas Street West site began in 1923 and the new school opened in 1926, affiliated with the United Church of Canada. When Albert College relocated it admitted boys only. In 1934, girls were welcomed once again.

A plaque was erected by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, Ministry of Citizenship and Culture on College Hill United Church, 16 North Park Street, in Belleville.

“ Albert College

In 1854 the Methodist Episcopal Church, recognizing the need to improve the training of its clergy, began the construction of a seminary on this site. Designed to accommodate 150 residents with classroom facilities for 400 students. Belleville Seminary was opened in July 1857. Under the able direction of its principal, Reverend Albert Carman, the school flourished, producing several eminent graduates. In 1866 it was rechartered as Albert College, an affiliate of the University of Toronto, and five years later it became an independent degree-granting institution. When Victoria College in Cobourg was chosen as official university for the newly formed Methodist Church in 1884, Albert College became a private collegiate. Moved in 1926 to the present location overlooking the Bay of Quinte, it remains a distinguished school.

 ”

Albert College features several stained glass windows including a three light window (1986) by Robert McCausland Limited.

Facilities

Albert's Memorial Chapel is located at the centre of the school. Faculty, residential staff and students begin their day here with an assembly. On certain days, this 15-minute gathering will include announcements relating to school events and features prefect thematic presentations. Each Wednesday morning, there is a more formal Chapel Service of approximately 30 minutes when students are expected to wear their dress one uniform. More formal services are also conducted in November (Remembrance Day), at Christmas, Easter and at Convocation.

Although the heritage of our chapel worship is Christian in nature, great care is taken to honour all religious traditions. Guest speakers and faculty share knowledge of these traditions with the entire school community in the chapel setting. These Wednesday services also include presentations that raise awareness about important issues in the community and globally.

There is no better time for a family to come together than meal times. The meal times at Albert College are always an opportunity to sit, enjoy food, friends and family. One of Albert's many fine features is its beautiful dining room, Ackerman Hall. This great hall has seen many students from all cultures dine together over the years. The flags on display are symbols of the many countries represented in our international community.

Albert owns its food service and offers cafeteria style breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as morning and afternoon snacks. It offers high quality, fresh, homemade, wholesome meals seven days a week. A full array of choices includes a salad bar at every meal and fresh baked goods including muffins, croissants and dinner rolls, home made pies and cakes. The menu is planned with consideration being given to the students' eating preferences and allergies, with menu choices like soups, pasta dishes, vegetarian selections and ethnic dishes being some of the favourites. Ackerman Hall is fortunate to have a dedicated staff with years of experience to provide a happy, healthy environment for students.

Affiliations

References

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to Albert College (Belleville, Ontario).
    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/9/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.