Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (STS) and its thousands of alumni are proud of the School’s heritage and enduring sense of community. STS draws on the traditions of academic excellence and diverse co-curricular programs established by all three founding schools: St. Hilda’s School for Girls (1905-1949), Strathcona School for Boys (1929-1971), and Tweedsmuir: An Academic School for Girls (1959-1971).
1905-1949 Our Founding Schools
Established in 1905, St. Hilda’s School for Girls had an initial enrollment of 40 girls from various cities and ranches across Alberta. St. Hildas’ students were challenged to aspire to the highest standards both academically and morally. At the time when most girls’ schools tended to be finishing schools, St. Hilda’s followed the British tradition, training young women in the humanities and exposing them to athletic and outdoor pursuits in the early pioneering days. After surviving near financial ruin brought on by World War I and the Great Depression, St. Hilda’s School for Girls — the first independent school in Calgary — closed in 1949. Nearly a decade would pass until the spirit that was St. Hilda’s would find a new home and be named Tweedsmuir: An Academic School for Girls.
1929-1971 Strathcona School For Boys
Strathcona School for Boys first opened its doors in Calgary’s Central Park Library in 1929. The School was named after Donald Alexander Smith who received the title Lord Strathcona for his part in organizing the Canadian Pacific Railway. The School’s location changed twice before it moved to 1232 Riverdale Avenue with an enrollment of 40 students. With the move came new school grounds that allowed for activities and events like hockey, Prizegiving, and sports day.
The students, who thrived in the close-knit environment, received individual attention in their academic development and were challenged to take personal responsibility for the choices they made.
In addition to academics, students had the opportunity to play a wide variety of sports from rugby to football while learning about the importance of participation and sportsmanship.
Students from Strathcona School for Boys developed into outstanding young men of character, a lesson which remains a cornerstone of an STS education to this day.
1959-1971 Tweedsmuir: An Academic School for Girls
Tweedsmuir: An Academic School for Girls was named after Scottish-born John Buchan, noted author and Governor General of Canada, who was entailed Baron Lord Tweedsmuir. The School opened in 1959 with 27 students who were initially taught in the basement of Christ Church in Calgary’s Elbow Park before moving to a house on Elbow Drive.
Tweedsmuir students were offered a rigorous academic program and had the opportunity to partake in various artistic and physical endeavours. The School’s enriched curriculum included a balance of natural sciences and the humanities which prepared students for success in their post-secondary studies. Young women were also taught deportment, courtesy, and manners during their years at Tweedsmuir.
By 1968, 110 girls were taught in facilities that were stretched to the limit. It was not long before discussions of amalgamation began between Tweedsmuir: An Academic School for Girls and Strathcona School for Boys.
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