Calgary Normal School/ McDougall Centre

When Alberta became a province in 1905, the newly province moved quickly to develop plans for elections, a permanent capital, and expand its railways, telephone lines and education systems. Calgary was chosen as the site of the provinces first Normal School, a training school for teachers. Construction of the school began in 1906, and the cornerstone was laid in 1907 by premier Alexander Rutherford. The Normal School is a classic example of Beaux-Arts style architecture. It was inspired by 16th-century French academic architecture, which was commonly used for public buildings across North America. The building was designed by Provincial Architect A.M. Jeffers, who would also create the Legislature Building in Edmonton. When it was completed, it was the largest educational building in Alberta and cost $150,000 – a considerable expenditure. Featuring a two-storey colonnade on the east and copper cornice are only some of the fine details that make up the Normal School. The school opened officially in 1907, with two instructors and 26 student teachers. Recognizing that the teachers needed practical experience, the Calgary Board of Education opened grade school in the Normal School. In 1922 the Normal School moved to the Current site of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) bought the building and renamed it McDougall School in honour of Missionaries George and John McDougall. Over the next six decades, the school would serve firstly as a junior high and then elementary school before being closed in 1981. In 1959 the CBE added on a gymnasium and a three-story addition on the west side of the building. However, these additions were removed during the restoration of the building in the 1980s as they were deemed to take away from the building’s original character. During the restoration, the McDougall school was turned into offices for the province. In 1987 it officially opened as the McDougall Center, the Alberta Government Center for Southern Alberta. 

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