- Target:
- Clearview Community Members
- Region:
- Canada
In March 2010, the Halton District School board named a new public elementary school in the Clearview neighborhood of Southeast Oakville "James W. Hill". This school is scheduled to open for September 2010.
Clearview community members support this name, and wish to express this support to the Halton District School Board. NAMES ON THIS PETITION WILL NOT BE MADE PUBLIC AND WILL NOT BE VISIBLE ONLINE EXCEPT TO THE ADMINISTRATORS.
We, the undersigned members of Oakville's Clearview Community, support the Halton District School Board in their naming of our new public elementary school, James W. Hill Public School.
James Wesley Hill was an escaped slave who crossed the Potomac River into Pennsylvania and then across the border in a packing box.
He made several trips to Maryland, leading an estimated 700-800 African Americans back to Oakville, and ultimately freedom, along the Underground Railroad. Hill’s reputation as a “Conductor” led to a price being put on his head, and in the United States he was wanted “dead or alive”.
Hill rented the 100-acre Samuel Harris farm on 9th Line. He built a house which still stands today at 457 Maple Grove Drive. His strawberry farm, which employed former slaves to help them make a start in Canada. His farm helped to make Oakville the one time strawberry industry capital of Canada.
We, the undersigned, agree that naming our neighborhood school after James Wesley Hill is a tribute to his legacy, and an important part of Canada's and Oakville's history.
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The Support of James W. Hill Public School petition to Clearview Community Members was written by Denise O'Connell and is in the category Education at GoPetition.