CCI REUNION 170TH

A grammar school was established in Collingwood in 1857 for older students from well-to-do families. It was held in a hotel, students had to pay to attend and the Headmaster was Rev. John Langtry. It moved to several different locations over the first 15 years.

"Collingwood High School" had its own building in 1874 on Hume Street. Above the main entrance, was a masonry plaque with the school motto in Latin, "Sapere Aude" (Dare to be Wise) and the school symbol of the wise old owl!

Did you know that a group of owls is called a parliament?? The phrase comes from medieval times, with writers imagining owls holding wise meetings under the moonlight. The phrase caught on after C.S. Lewis used it in "The Chronicles of Narnia".

In 1879, Collingwood became the first Collegiate Institute in Simcoe County. Students came from all over the province to attend.

It is believed that our school colours - black & yellow (later gold) - were established in 1901.

While rehearsing for the Christmas commencement ceremonies at the Opera House on December 21, 1923, students sang about the school burning down. Practice was interrupted by fire trucks racing down the street, and the discovery that the school was, in fact, on fire!!

In 1926, the school was rebuilt on the same site on Hume Street. In 1951, it became known as Collingwood District Collegiate Institute, as students were bused from Creemore, Stayner, Wasaga Beach and surrounding communities.

In 1954, 710 students watched as the flag was lowered from the Hume Street building and they marched down Hurontario Street to the new building, which is still CCI today.

CCI got its first full size owl mascot in the 1980s and named him Ozzie.