By Ashley Harper Written for Look Back at the Past, an initiative by the Township of North Dundas This year marks one century since construction began on the North Mountain Consolidated School in Hallville. On August 8, 1922, four hundred people gathered to witness the school’s cornerstone being laid at the southwest corner of County Road 43 and Shaw Road. Founding a consolidated school, which would accommodate students from kindergarten to Grade 13, was an ambitious plan for this little community. At the time, the school was said to be only the second of its kind in Eastern Ontario, and it remains the first and only consolidated school in the history of Dundas County.
The school was a source of pride for the community but falling enrollment over the years threatened its survival. In 1960, all secondary students were transferred to South Mountain Continuation School, which became known as Mountain District High School. The consolidated school became Hallville Public School. The same issue of low enrollment caused both schools to close just ten years later in June 1970. While secondary students were split primarily between Seaway High School and North Dundas District High School, elementary students got a new facility: Nationview Public School. The old buildings were temporarily revived during the 1970/71 school year when the construction of Nationview was delayed. To mark the end of an era, a giant reunion for students of the two schools was held in the summer of 1970 with about 1,200 people in attendance. Another was held in 1995 and a third was planned for 2020, which would have marked the 50th anniversary of the closing. However, it was postponed due to COVID-19.
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