The Brant Historical Society is opening a new museum this summer.
The society said that, from May 31 to Aug. 27, the Margaret Chandler House on the grounds of the W. Ross Macdonald School will be open from 1 pm to 4:30 pm, Tuesday to Friday, and 10 am to noon and 1 pm to 4:30 pm on Saturday. On exhibit will be the work of some of the school’s past students and staff.
The school, which provides instruction from kindergarten to secondary school graduation for blind and deafblind students, is marking its 150th anniversary this year. The house, which fronts on St. Paul Avenue, is the original gatekeeper’s home.
“The school has given us a unique opportunity to help them celebrate their 150th anniversary,” said Callum McDermott, museum educator for the society. “The original gatekeepers house has been transformed to allow the public the chance to see all the creations that the students have made in the past” said Callum McDermott, Museum Educator for the Brant Historical Society.
McDermott was hired through the Canada Summer Jobs program that allows young people under 30 to gain or improve their skills through the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy.
“This partnership with the W. Ross Macdonald School, combined with support from the Canada Summer Jobs program allowed the Brant Historical Society to open this additional site for the summer of 2022,” said Nathan Etherington, program and community co-ordinator.
Etherington noted that the society received funding for six summer student positions this year, which are posted on its website at brantmuseums.ca/about/student-positions/.
The Margaret Chandler House is the oldest building on the school grounds, dating back to 1871. While the house has not been lived in since 1975, Margaret Chandler often would use it for activities with the school’s students.
McDermott has spent the last two weeks cleaning and setting up exhibits. He will be leading tours of the house this summer.
“It is remarkable to see what the students did at the school,” he said. “Some of it just leaves you speechless as you just soak in the difficulty and skill required to make some wicker pieces on display.”
The school was geared to teach the students both academic and vocational skills.
“Many of the skills they were taught include wicker making, sewing, cooking and typing,” said McDermott. “Some of the items that they made date as far back as 1872 are here in the house.”
Admission to Chandler House is by donation or included in the $5 Brant Museum Passport.
No washrooms are available on site.
The historical society operates the Brant Museum and Archives on Charlotte Street in Brantford and Myrtleville House Museum on Myrtleville Drive in Brantford.