Description of Historic Place

Hillview School is a Municipal Heritage Property located on .8 hectares of land in the Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, approximately ten kilometres northwest of the Village of Harris. Surrounded by a shelterbelt of hedges, the property features a one-room, wood-frame schoolhouse with gable roof, which was constructed in 1906.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of Hillview School lies in its status as one of the first schools built in the area. Constructed in 1906 on donated land, the school opened in 1907 and served the rural community's educational needs until 1953 when school consolidation forced its closure. Though larger than the typical one-room schoolhouse, the building is a good example of early rural schoolhouses. Purpose-built to support the teaching style of its era, the rectangular, wood-frame, gable-roof construction reflects elements of the standard one-room school plan that was widely used by school districts in the early 1900s. The west-facing window wall provided natural light to the interior, and the large porch, with its hip roof and pedimented doorway, gives the building's gabled roofline a sense of symmetry. Purchased in 1961 by the Hillview Community Club, the schoolhouse remains a focal point in the community and is still used for bridal showers, club meetings, educational classes, and concerts.

Source:

Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316 Bylaw No. 6/1987.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of Hillview School resides in the following character-defining elements:
-features that express the schoolhouse construction, such as its rectangular form and massing, wood-frame construction, gable roof, large porch with pedimented doorway, open classroom space, west-facing window wall and other window openings; flagpole, and signage.