Arthur Voaden Secondary School

Arthur Voaden Secondary School is a high school in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. Voaden is part of the Thames Valley District School Board.HistoryOriginally named as simply Arthur Voaden Vocational School, it was one of the first vocational schools in Ontario. It was constructed in a time where secondary school was considered a privilege, and was meant for those entering university or white-collar jobs. Arthur Voaden, M. D., a native of nearby Talbotville, was a man that wanted to give educational opportunities to all. Initiating this project to build AVS as one of few “down-graded” vocational schools around did create some friction, with debate over the Flora Street site, and the fears of costs. However, after a year of construction, the doors were opened in September 1926. It did struggle in its early years, especially due to the Great Depression, when employment was scarce, and even trained and experienced workers had difficulty. It did slowly gain acceptance, and proved invaluable during World War II. The war made for a manpower shortage to a point where even second and third year students were plucked from the school to fill the void. The school created special twelve week courses to train adults for war work, and war emergency classes were made available year round.Dr. Voaden was principal of the school from its opening until he died in 1931. His remains were laid in state at the school.