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Kitchener–Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School, commonly called Kitchener Collegiate Institute or KCI, is a public secondary school in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. It is a member of the Waterloo Region District School Board. The school dates from 1855, making it one of the oldest high schools in Kitchener and Waterloo. Its sports teams are known as the Raiders.

History

The school opened on April 2, 1855 as the Berlin Senior Boys' Grammar School It was initially located at the corner of King and Eby streets in the downtown area; tuition was five shillings per month. From 1857 to 1871, it occupied space in the Berlin Central School (now Suddaby Public School) on Frederick Street. Girls were admitted to the school in 1866. With increasing numbers at the Central School, the school moved to the former Swedenborgian Church on Church Street.

In 1874, $650 was spent to purchase land at the school's current location on King Street West, nearer the Waterloo border. The building cost $5,804 and opened in 1876. It was now called Berlin High School (Ontario legislation passed in 1871 renamed grammar schools "high schools").

In 1876, science teacher David Forsyth pioneered laboratory experiments. By 1891, the curriculum had grown to include commercial subjects, music, manual training, and athletics.

In 1903, building commenced on the first of ten additions to the school During construction, some classes were moved to the Kitchener City Hall and Carnegie library. On November 30, 1904, a Provincial-Order-in-Council raised the school to the status of a collegiate institute, and the school was renamed the Berlin Collegiate Institute. By 1905 the new building was in use. The school changed names toKitchener Collegiate Institute, along with the city, in 1916 during World War I.

By 1919, office and other rooms were being used as classrooms. As the Dominion and Provincial governments had recently announced a policy to assist with school funding, the municipality eventually approved an expansion plan in 1921. The plan called for demolishing the 1876 building, modernizing the 1903–4 building, which still stands, and placing in front of it a new gymnasium, auditorium, front hall, and classrooms, including a classroom east wing. Construction started on July 2, 1922, and the new school opened on September 4, 1923. At the formal opening on April 4, 1924, the school received its current name, Kitchener Collegiate and Vocational Institute.

The 1924 enrolment of 550 students incrased to 1,418 students by 1932. Because of cramped conditions, grade 9 classes were held in downtown Victoria Public School and in neighbouring King Edward Public School from 1933 to 1951, when the west-wing addition was completed.

In 1948, KCI introduced driver education, one of the first schools to do so.

In 1955, KCI celebrated its 100th anniversary. For the previous century, KCI had been the only public high school in Kitchener and Waterloo. However, in 1956, Eastwood Collegiate Institute opened, the first of seven additional high schools built in the following 20 years. Several of their principals were former KCI teachers.

In 1969, the Kitchener and Waterloo High School Board, the school's governing, was succeeded by the Waterloo County Board of Education (now the Waterloo Region District School Board).

In the 1970s, the City of Kitchener designated the front foyer of the school as a heritage structure under the provisions of the Ontario Heritage Act.

The school's 125th anniversary celebrations took place on the weekend of May 16–18, 1980. Over 6,000 thousand former students took part.

In 2003, considerable controversy arose when the Waterloo Region District School Board was selecting a high school to close, in order to open a new school in the southwest Kitchener, as required under the provincial funding model of the time. A large public outcry began when the staff report recommended the closure of KCI, along with Southwood Secondary School. Although the school was plagued with many heating, plumbing and electrical problems due to its age, sentimentality and emotions won the day and some repairs and renovations were decided upon. Critics of this proposal noted that KCI had a significant history and a unique culture among secondary schools in Kitchener and Waterloo, partly due to the wide variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds among its students. Regardless of the enormous job and associated costs, further analysis of the financial situation by trustees, eliminated the need for a Kitchener school closure.

In 2004, football coach Ed Dietrich was selected runner-up "NFL/CFL High School Coach of the Year".

In 2005, the school celebrated its 150th anniversary reunion from May 27–29.

The school underwent extensive renovations in 2006, with money from the provincial government. Some students are concerned that there is still no air conditioning.

In March 2017, KCI opened its renovated main office. The space now includes a new meeting room, staff mailbox area and unisex washrooms; the construction used wood reclaimed from the original office.

Traditions

The school colours are red, yellow, and black (adopted from the flag of Germany because of the city's German heritage), and its motto is Veritas Vincat (Latin, May Truth Prevail); until 1916 the motto was Höher Hinauf (German, To the Heights). At various points since his introduction, there have been contentious debates about the propriety of the former school mascot, a First Nations raider named Rodney. Citing the issue of racism and pressure from special interest groups, the school changed the mascot to a pirate while maintaining the "Raider" name.

Notable alumni

The most famous alumnus of the school was William Lyon Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada for over 21 years, who was a student between 1887 and 1891. During the school's 150th anniversary celebrations, a statue of him as a student was unveiled on the front lawn of the school.

Other noted alumni and former students of the school include:

• June Callwood, Journalist and activist
• William Daum Euler (student 1891–1893), Minister of National Revenue between 1927 and 1930
• Jack Gibson (graduated 1896), hockey player and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
• Ross Macdonald, (attended 1930–1932; taught at the school 1939–1941) author, creator of Lew Archer
• Margaret Millar novelist, mystery and suspense writer
• Master T, MuchMusic vj
• Jeremy Ratchford, actor (Cold Case)
• Al MacInnis, National Hockey League Hall of Famer 1981–2003
• Art Binkowski, boxer
• Miranda Ranieri, professional squash player
• Milt Schmidt, National Hockey League player, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
• François Charles Archile Jeanneret, academic
• John Oswald, composer, Governor General's Award Laureate (2004)
• Chris Johnson, Olympic bronze medalist (boxing)
• Nick Hector, filmmaker and academic
• Alexi Zentner, Giller Prize-nominated author
• Matt Hughes, author
• Robert "Bob" Steckle, three-time Olympic wrestler and 1956 flag-bearer
• George Herbert Bowlby, physician, surgeon, mayor, and major in the Canadian Army Medical Corps
• Micky Colton, female Canadian Military pilot
• Karl Schweizer, author and historian

See also

• List of Waterloo Region, Ontario schools
• List of high schools in Ontario
• List of oldest buildings and structures in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo

References

1. "KCI - Kitchener–Waterloo Collegiate & Vocational School". Archived from the original on 2006-05-04. Retrieved 2006-08-19.
2. Boulden, 1980
3. "Comm_schools presentation book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2006-08-19.
4. "Canadian University Sports". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-08-19.
5. 1981 NHL Entry Draft - Al MacInnis
6. Hicks, Jeff (November 4, 2006). "Kitchener's Great One". The Record, Kitchener, Ontario. p. A1, A8, A9.

• Boulden, John; et al. (2005). Grumbler 150th Anniversary Edition. KCI 150th Reunion Committee, Kitchener, Ontario.
• Brown, H.W., B.A. (1927). "The Kitchener and Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School: Its History". Fifteenth Annual Report of the Waterloo Historical Society. 15: 268–284.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Stauch, Warren (1980). "Preserving Waterloo Region's Architectural Heritage". Waterloo Historical Society. 68. Kitchener, Ontario: 61–71. ISSN 0315-5021.
• Woodley, Don (1980). "K.C.I.'s 125th Anniversary". Waterloo Historical Society. 68. Kitchener, Ontario: 71–73. ISSN 0315-5021.
• Boulden, John (1980). "The Echoes of History". Waterloo Historical Society. 68. Kitchener, Ontario: 74–89. ISSN 0315-5021.

External links

• http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1981/81015.html. Retrieved August 19, 2006.
• https://web.archive.org/web/20070927082247/http://www.universitysport.ca/e/championships/vaniercup/2004/print_story.cfm?ID=3634. Retrieved August 19, 2006.
• https://web.archive.org/web/20060504010231/http://kci.wrdsb.on.ca/about_profile.php. Retrieved August 19, 2006.
• Home page

• Waterloo Region District School Board
• Educational institutions established in 1855
• High schools in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
• Schools in Kitchener, Ontario
• 1855 establishments in Canada