Last week, a big change took place at the former Ryerson Heights Elementary School in Brantford.
The school officially received a name change to the Edith Monture Elementary School with an event that saw community members, the school, and even the Monture family their for the occasion.
250 names were submitted when news broke of the potential name change and that was shortlisted to 11 selections for final consideration.
The school’s name recognizes the contributions and legacy of Monture, an Ohsweken-born World War I veteran who was the first Indigenous woman in the country to become a registered nurse, and the first Indigenous woman and registered band member to gain the right to vote in Canada.
The event saw 25 members of Monture’s family in attendance, including one of its youngest members, newborn Edith Monture, who shares her name with her great-great-grandmother.
Written by Matt LeBlanc