Stratford Normal School

Located within the grounds of Queen's Park, the former Stratford Normal School occupies a prominent position in the southwest corner of the park. Montreal Architect, Frederick G. Todd was consulted on the landscape design for the school.

The Stratford Normal School is associated with the Government of Ontario's involvement in the education of teachers during the late 19th and early 20th century. During this period, the government undertook construction of several Normal Schools, to provide regularized training practices, for teachers. The building is one of four Normal Schools constructed in the province at the time (North Bay, Peterborough, Hamilton and Stratford). The school, which became known as the Stratford Teacher's College in 1953, trained close to 14,000 teachers before closing, in 1973.

The Stratford Normal School reflects the Italian Renaissance style of architecture. Of the four Normal Schools built in 1907-1908, the Stratford school is the only one to survive without substantial alterations. The three storey building consists of a rectangular floor plan with a central bay projection, portico entrance and a copper clad dome. The window pattern around the building is a double hung, single pane configuration with pre-cast sills, lintels and voussoirs. There is a continuous brick parapet on all sides adorned with minimal metal detailing.