Humberside was established in 1892 and has an academic program for students in grades 9 through 12. In addition to the regular curriculum, the school has a strong music program, as well as an Extended French and French Immersion program. It is a semestered school, meaning that the students take eight classes in two semesters. The school was previously operated under a full-year, non-semestered schedule. This changed following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Humberside was established in 1892 as "Toronto Junction High School" in the basement of the local Presbyterian church. It moved to the current site in 1894 in the High Park area of Toronto, with the construction of a new Richardsonian Romanesque building. In 1903, the school was renamed "Toronto Junction Collegiate Institute", after a local street that runs west from Dundas Street West, past Keele Street to the school's main entrance. In 1909, the school was changed to "Humberside Collegiate Institute" and became part of the Toronto Board of Education when the Junction was annexed by the City of Toronto.[3] In 1910 an addition was added by Charles Hartnoll Bishop.[4] During World War I, many students lost their lives in battle. The front entrance is now a memorial to those who lost their lives, and for quite some time,[when?] it was not allowed to be used, until recently.[when?] Names were added to the memorial after World War II. The school's yearbook, Hermes, named for the Olympian god of the same name, was established in 1925. The student council was formed in 1931, and three decades later, the school held its first formal dance.[citation needed]
In the late 1920s, Group of Seven artist Arthur Lismer was commissioned by the school to paint what is thought to be the largest Canadian mural. After being restored the mural hangs in the school auditorium, which was renamed in 1992 as Lismer Hall.[5][6]
1966 saw major renovations to the school. A new north wing was opened, which houses the science laboratories. A new library was also constructed, as well as a new structure at the back which housed the (then) new auditorium, and music facilities. In 1972, Humberside became one of the first schools[where?] to introduce computers as part of the curriculum.[citation needed] Extended French and French Immersion programs were introduced in 1980 and 1983, respectively. Humberside celebrated its centennial in 1992. In 1998, the TBE was dissolved and Humberside became part of the new Toronto District School Board (TDSB).
^"Principal's Message"(PDF). November 2009 Newsletter. Toronto District School Board. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
^Hardy, Edwin Austin (1950). Cochrane, Honora M. (ed.). Centennial Story: The Board of Education for the City of Toronto 1850–1950. Toronto, ON: Thomas Nelson & Sons (Canada) Limited.
