Lunenburg Academy: The Longest Standing School in Nova Scotia

Lunenburg’s Academy is one of the town's most cherished gems. As the oldest educational institution in the province, its history spans from 1895 to 2012 teaching primary to grade nine. Today the building is still in full use acting as the town’s public library, and a host to many community events. 

Molly MacLellan

This week, I had the opportunity to meet Molly MacLellan, a native of Lunenburg, and artist who currently works as a programming and collections coordinator at the Academy. She gave me a tour of the school and shared many stories of it’s significance and what the education system was like in Nova Scotia in the late 1800’s.

One of Molly’s great pleasures of the job is the beautiful location of her work and I have to agree. The Lunenburg Academy sits on top of Gallows Hill and has a looming presence when driving into the town of Lunenburg. She explained to me the history of the building, and how although there is a beautiful maroon and white structure  that we see today, it was once a questionable mix of mustard yellow and brown when first built in 1895.


Today, it is the only surviving 19th-century academy building in Nova Scotia. People are free to come explore the library, see how the school looked when it was once in use, and learn about the history of the building. The first floor is open to the public and houses a public library along with an authentic classroom, preserved in its original state, featuring historical facts about the school on the walls. The second floor accommodates a pre-primary class that continues to serve students today. Finally, the third floor is home to the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance, where world-class musicians gather to perform. Molly says she is lucky to freely listen in on the musicians practicing (one of the perks of the job) ;)


I learned during my visit to the school about what it was like to attend this school in the late 1800’s and onwards. Molly mentioned to me that the class sizes used to hold 60 students per each teacher, with each student expected to follow strict guidelines.


At the time this prestigious school was opened they claimed to be diverse, but by 19th century Nova Scotian standards, this implied openness to the coexistence of different religious faiths, and did not include the Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotians who also lived in the area, their idea of diversity was letting the Catholics and Protestant’s mingle. Because of this division, these neglected groups were pushed to the margins of society allowing room for residential schools and the school for colored children to take responsibility . Girls and boys were also taught differently. Girls were taught domestic arts, domestic science and economics which consisted of learning soap making, bread baking, pottery, and overall knowledge on how to have a well kept home. Boys however were separated into classes teaching manual training and mechanical sciences (including navigation, first aid and aircraft reconnaissance). Many students who worked on their farms at home would be granted early leave from school without punishment because helping out at home took priority over class when agriculture and fishing were so many families' livelihood. This method of schooling was meant to prepare boys and girls for the real world skills they were expected to know at the time.


Thanks to Molly I have been opened to a new perspective of Nova Scotia's Historical school system, and envisioned how much change has been seen in not only our school system but also within the town of Lunenburg.I also learned from Molly about the struggles of Nova Scotia’s past that are still having prominent impacts on today's generations. The marginalized groups and limitations based on race, cultures, religion, and gender had a huge effect on school systems, and the entirety of Nova Scotia in the past. Learning about the way this school was run helps me compare the progress made today highlighting the importance of inclusivity of education. Lunenburg Academy stands today showing the evolution of Nova Scotian culture, and reflects the welcoming spirit that defines the province.

For more information about Lunenburg Academy’s past standards and practices. Click here.