The first school on the present Lampson Street School site was completed in 1903. It was a brick school of three rooms, valued at $1200. The principal was a Mr. Gordon, who had supervision over 122 pupils. In 1908 the Board decided to add a second storey to the building, to cost only $5000. The contractors' price exceeded the estimate by $3000 and a special permit had to be obtained from the Department of Education. This school, in 1910, had 257 pupils, in five divisions ­ an average of 51.4 per class. One class had 73 pupils. Dr. Young, then Minister of Education, was requested to lay the cornerstone of yet another in September 1913. The official opening was held on April 9, 1914. The new addition cost $60,000 and consisted of fourteen rooms, plus an auditorium. The principal at the time was Mr. John Gale, who resigned in July of 1914, and was succeeded by Mr. W Stacey, the former assistant principal. There were twelve teaches on the staff, plus Manual Training and Domestic Science Instructors. In 1960 the school was abandoned and fell into disrepair. The Victoria School Board did a feasibility study and came to the conclusion that the building could be restored at a lesser cost than building a new structure of the same square footage. The brick and terra cotta had to be torn down and in many areas rebuilt to match the existing materials. Extensive repointing was necessary in other areas of the building. Lampson Street School was originally named the Esquimalt Elementary School and was attended by Emily Carr. It remains one of the treasured landmarks of the municipality.   Masonry Institute Heritage Award