Silverthorn Collegiate Institute

Silverthorn Collegiate Institute (SCI, Silverthorn) is a high school located in the west end of Toronto. It is under the sanction of the Toronto District School Board (the successor to the former Etobicoke Board of Education). The name comes from the "The Silverthorn Woods" that borders to the south and the west . This was the northern limit of an old property known locally as "The Silverthorn Mill Farm".

History

The Silverthorn name, in coming from the Somerset/Wiltshire county areas of Southwest England, have this surname originating from the Holy Thorn of Glastonbury. The first Silverthorns to come to North America seems to have arrived and settled in New Jersey (and Virginia) well before the American Revolution. The New Jersey branch lost all of their land holdings since they were 'loyalists' and came to Canada, receiving land grants via the United Empire Loyalist grants. Although there is no 'official' coat of arms for this surname, there is a very old 'unofficial' one (from the Bristol/Bathe area of Wiltshire County, England) that often surfaces. Researchers of this surname state that there are more Silverthorn's in the Toronto white pages and surrounding cemeteries than any other area in the world. Please refer to the 1982 Silverthorn History published by Frank Fremont Reed, with the English Origins co-authored by William D Silverthorn (both of California, USA).

When Markland Wood was developed in the early 1960s, the Etobicoke Board of Education (the forerunner of the TDSB) decided to build a secondary school for the area. The school was to be named Silverthorn Collegiate Institute after the family who had first settled the area. The cornerstone was laid in 1963 and the school opened in September 1964 with a teaching staff of 24 and a support staff of 7. Murray Young was the first principal. The school had only grades 9, 10, and 11 in 1964. In the next two years it added grades 12 and 13. In 1968-69 the school was doubled in size, with the addition of an auditorium, the library, science labs and technical and business areas. A second gym was added later on.

SCI is a semestered school. Days run from 8:55 am to 3:05 pm. There is a two-day cycle, with Day 7 falling on any date of odd number, and Day 0 falling on any date of even number.

Silverthorn's colours are garnet, green, and silver and its mascot is a Spartan. The school's motto is "Nil Veretur Veritas" which is Latin for "The Truth Fears Nothing".

Notable alumni

• Elfi Schlegel, gymnast and sportscaster
• Kiefer Sutherland, actor
• Estella Warren, actress
• Steve Gilchrist, former Member of Provincial Parliament in Ontario
• Brittany MacLean, 400m Freestyle Olympic Swimmer (Qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London).

See also

• List of high schools in Ontario

External links

• Silverthorn Collegiate Institute website
• TDSB Profile
• Library website