H. B. Beal Secondary School 4.72

The H.B. Beal Secondary School is a high school in London, Ontario. It is named after Herbert Benson Beal, the founder and first principal of the school. H.B. Beal is the second largest school in Thames Valley District School Board with approximately 2,000 students currently enrolled. The school property sits on almost two whole city blocks in downtown London. The actual building sits on one, while the other block is used for parking and the Athletics field including a football field and a track.General school description and historyIn 1911, Beal recognized the need for a program of technical education that would reflect the emerging needs of society. The London Industrial School opened its doors in 1912 and began offering both day and night programs. Demand was growing rapidly and in 1918, students began moving to a new school building near Dundas and William Streets. After many additions and increased program demands, it was decided to completely renovate Beal so that it could continue to be a leader in the field of education.After much re-building, the official opening of "The New Beal" took place in June 1999. Beal now offers approximately 225 courses and 18 Cooperative Education courses.Originally, the entire school was to be demolished which caused some mild controversy, but because the Queen Elizabeth II visited the school once in the 1950s, it was decided that it was a historical landmark, and the centre wing, which was part of the original school was saved.