Education in Alberta: The First 160 Years The history of education in Alberta is a fascinating story, beginning with the first mission schools established by religious orders and their ending with the fast-paced high-tech world that today's students inhabit. We have condensed this entire journey to a 10-minute tour, or you can pick a decade and find out what school was like in your parents' or grandparents' time. The First Schools: Books, Beaver and Bibles (1839-1868) The early schools are started by religious orders, with financial contributions from the ever-present Hudson's Bay Company. Rule Britannia (1869-1879) When the Hudson's Bay Co. gets out of the school business, the imperial British government steps in and takes over education. Education Goes Public (1880-1892) Edmonton is home to the first public school. Schools Go Secular (1893-1904) And teachers begin to receive training. Meanwhile, religious training is restricted to the last half hour of the school day. Oh Canada! (1905-1913) Alberta enters Confederation, and Edmonton becomes the capital. School attendance rises above 60 per cent. In the Shadow of War (1914-1918) Schools plant Victory Gardens, and the school year is shortened so that young men can farm. Basketball is big, and a flu epidemic closes all schools. Top The Roaring Twenties (1919-1928) Farmers lead the government for 14 years. Elementary school correspondence courses are a hit. The Gloom of the Depression (1929-1938) Teachers salaries plummet to 1917 levels, and banks foreclose on many farms. Keeping the Home Fires Burning (1939-1945) Cadet training is introduced into the schools. Heavy enlistment in the armed forces results in a shortage of teachers. Black Gold (1947-1954) Schools are in short supply as returning service men crowd the classrooms. An oil boom increases school population by 50% resulting in a surge in school building. Black Gold and Babies Boom (1955-1959) A booming population brings modern schools, while modern technology enters the classroom. University Bound in the Computer Age (1960-1979) Vocational training takes off, Universities are established in major centres across the province. Technology makes further inroads in the classroom. To the Millennium and Beyond (1980-2000) Alberta leads the country in making the education system responsive and affordable. High tech rules the classroom.