Memories of Alexandria Friends
Fred Richards

I would like to reference the image shown below. Since the present Bolton High School is referred to as New Bolton High School (see the post card section on schools), the referenced image is that of the original Bolton High School, which I refer to as Old Bolton High School. It finished its life as Central Grammar School, which is how I knew it. Since it was adjacent to St. Francis Xavier Cathedral -- if that was the church on 4th and Beauregard -- it could logically be inserted in the Postcard Section between St Francis Xavier and New Bolton High School.

For a long time I was confused by the visual similarity between what is presently referred to there as Alexandria High School and Old Bolton High School. In my attempt to sort things out, I now believe that Alexandria High School might have eventually become the school called West End. But I'm not sure. If so, I would guess that AHS and OBHS coexisted as high schools.

In the 1950s, I'm pretty sure the only high school in Alexandria was New Bolton High School. In fact, until the early 1950s when Pineville High School was built, BHS would have served all of Alexandria and all of Pineville. (BTW, that Pineville High School was razed and a new Pineville High School built in its place ahout 10 years ago.)

click to enlarge