LOCAL HISTORY

The Paris Armoury Was Used As A Hospital In 1918

In 1881, the Town of Paris built King’s Ward Elementary School at 3 Broadway E , behind the First Baptist Church beside King’s Ward park, so named after Hiram “King” Capron the town’s founder. By 1910, King’s Ward School was closed and put up for sale. Students of King’s Ward would now attend the new Paris Central Public School directly behind King’s Ward, facing Grand River St. North. On May 30, 1910, Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier allowed the purchase of King’s Ward School to become an armoury with “B” Squadron of the 25th Dragoons in Paris to occupy the building. Renovations began with military orders to prepare plans for improvements When the contractors began work on the former classroom floors, they discovered that the hobnailed boots of restless children had worn deep grooves in the thick plank floorboards. This flooring was replaced. The present Paris Central Public School is now on this site of the old King’s Ward School/Armoury.