1905 – Former Central School, Calgary, Alberta

Architectural plans for the new 10-room school were sent from Winnipeg, possibly by J.B. Mitchell who designed many schools for that city, and adapted for Calgary use by local architect William M. Dodd, who also designed Calgary City Hall. Mitchell’s early plans for schools were invariably based on a symmetrical three storey configuraton with a central entrance tower. Costing $75,000 and finished in sandstone, it was topped by a distinctive 40-foot domed metal cupola.

In 1938, the school was renamed James Short in honour of a former principal. In 1968, due to declining pupil numbers, the school closed and was demolished in July 1969 to accommodate the construction of a new Greyhound bus depot. The school’s domed cupola was salvaged and stored until 1990, when it was placed in an adjacent park.