Eden High School (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)

Eden High School, 1949
Creator: Henry J. Wiens (1885-1975)
Digitized by Hiebert Library. Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies.

Eden Christian College, 1967.
Photo: Eden Christian College Annual Catalogue 1967-1968.

Eden High School, St. Catharines, 2019.
Google Earth street view.

In 1945 the Bible Society of Virgil decided to add a high school department. Henry B. Tiessen was called to teach Grades 9 and 10 to 36 students in the crowded homestead where the Bible School also conducted classes.

When enrolment in the high school reached 70 in the second year, Rev. Abram H. Redekop, Annie Wiebe, and David Boschmann helped Henry Tiessen instruct Gr. 9, 10, and 11.

In November 1946, Henry J. Dueck, chairman of the Eden Board, and Henry Tiessen went to Toronto and obtained accreditation for Eden with the Ontario Department of Education.

In 1946 the Society decided to construct a new high school building. They borrowed $25,000 from the Dominion Bank, and $16,000 from Waterloo Trust. Many volunteers helped to clear the bush near the Stone Road, several hundred yards from the Bible School building. Under the direction of Jacob Bartels, the building was completed in the spring of 1947. It contained four classrooms, an office, a chapel and library on the main floor, and a science lab and games room in the basement.

In September 1947, four teachers and 70 students in Grades 9-12 began the school year in a new building. Art Harder joined the staff as math. and science teacher. The first 12 graduates of Eden received their diplomas in June 1948. The Ontario Mennonite Brethren Conference assumed responsibility for both Eden Bible and High School that year. The building debt of $45,000 was paid off by the churches within two years.

In 1948, Rev. and Mrs. Isaak Loewen were hired as caretakers and as house parents for the dorm students. The latter were accommodated in the upstairs and rear section of the Bible school building, as well as in a renovated building behind the brick homestead. Students came from as far away as Leamington, Port Rowan, Kitchener and Vineland.

In 1950 teachers were David Neumann, principal, John Thiessen, Louise Wiebe, and Art Harder.

As enrollment increased from 87 in 1950 to 183 in 1955, the conference decided to add 4 more classrooms and a gym-auditorium seating 1,200. Total cost of the project was $73,000. The school was named Eden Christian College in 1955, a name that was used till 1991.

In the 1970s enrollment sky-rocketed to 280 with 71% coming from Mennonite Brethren homes, 18% from United Mennonite families, and 11% from other denominations. The board proceeded to enlarge the school once again. A larger gymnasium equipped with shower rooms, exercise room, and a large foyer was added. The debt of $314,000 was paid off within five years.

During the 1960s the average dorm population was around 20, and reached 37 in the 1970s. Most students went home for the weekends. Herman and Irene Kroeker, John and Nelly Klassen, Nick and Katharina Wiebe, Peter and Molly Froese and others served as house parents.

By 1987 Eden's tuition was so high and enrollment had declined to the point that the conference had to make a decision. With the strong encouragement from the public board, Eden was turned over to the Lincoln Board of Education. Starting in September 1988, Eden began to operate as an alternative school with a Christian philosophy and staff, but funded by the government. The school continued to operate in the original building in Niagara-on-the-Lake for 7 more years until June 1995. Eden High School then moved to St. Catharines and for 5 years was located in the former Scottlea School at 497 Scott Street. In September 2000, Eden High School moved again, this time to share a building with Lakeport Secondary School at 535 Lake Street in St. Catharines. Lakeport Secondary School closed in June 2011 and Eden continued. By 2000 the enrollment had climbed to 507 students with 30% coming from Mennonite Brethren homes. By 2011 Eden High School served over 850 students annually. The Ontario Mennonite Brethren Conference continued to fund the Bible teachers' salaries and to have several members on the school's advisory board. The Lincoln Board of Education amalgamated with the South Niagara Board of Education forming the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) in January 1998.

The principals at Eden during the period when the school was totally administered by the Ontario Mennonite Brethren Conference were Henry Tiessen, David Neumann, Rudy Bartel, George Wichert and Ray Ratzlaff. Rudy Bartel was principal during the transition to becoming an alternative school within the public school system and Keith Vrieszwyk and Ray Smith were the first vice-principal and principal appointed by the Lincoln Board of Education.

The original Eden Christian College property in Niagara-on-the-Lake was sold by the Ontario Mennonite Brethren Conference in 1997 for 1.3 million dollars. In the year 2000, the Conference approved a grant to the DSBN in an amount not to exceed $704,000 from its capital fund toward the expansion of a cafeteria and a chapel at the Lakeport Secondary School, a project that was completed by September 2001.

Additional Information

Address: 535 Lake St, St. Catharines, ON L2N 4H7

Telephone: 905.646.9884

Website: Eden High School

Author(s)	C. Alfred Friesen
	Alf Redekopp
Date Published	November 2019

Cite This Article

MLA style

Friesen, C. Alfred and Alf Redekopp. "Eden High School (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2019. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Eden_High_School_(St._Catharines,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=166151.

APA style

Friesen, C. Alfred and Alf Redekopp. (November 2019). Eden High School (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Eden_High_School_(St._Catharines,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=166151.

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