Published in The BANAR August 1997
by Lois Kemp
In the 1850’s three families of Daggs settled in the area and it became known as Daggville. As more settlers arrived, a school known as Public School Section #21, was built on the farm of Richard Dagg on Navan Road, Lot 8, Concession 30F. The school burned down in 1915 and school continued in the Orange Hall until the new school was built on Adam Kemp’s farm on the Navan Road (now called Cleroux Crescent).
Public School Section #21 became known as the Blackburn P.S. when the community became known as Blackburn in the 1880’s in honour of Robert Blackburn M.P. who backed the claim of the settlers need for a post office in the community.
On July 12, 1954, Mrs. Wm. Purdy who had taught in the school on the Dagg farm, turned the sod for a new two room school. In 1960 and 1963 additions were constructed.
In 1963 Blackburn, Fairfield, and Glen Ogilvie amalgamated and became the Township School Area Number 2. In 1964 the Minister of Education, Wm. Davis passed a bill that all schools in a Township were to come under one school board and in 1969 the Province passed that the Township Boards would become Regional Board.
The Carleton Board closed the Blackburn Public School in 1994 and it is now used as an Alternate School called the Norman Johnson Site.
Wm. Purdy, John Kemp, and Richard Dagg were the first known trustees to serve and Wm Bradley is known to have served as secretary of the board for at least 36 years.
Sources: Blackburn and Glen Ogilvie Centennial History, Anna Elliott; Papers of the late Grace Johnston.