History of EMCS

The first school, called Milnes Landing High School, consisted of several surplus World War II army huts.  Some of the huts were already on the property as it had been used as a training camp during the war.  Other army huts were moved to the property from Victoria. These buildings housed the school for nearly 20 years. 
In the mid-1960's a new school was built on the property.  This building was located where the soccer field is today.  The school's name was formally changed to Edward Milne Secondary School and then to Edward Milne Community School in 1987. 

 

In 1996 the current school was constructed on the old playing field. The old school was demolished and our current soccer field built in its place.

                            

Who was Edward Milne?

It was in the early 1880's that the Milne family from Greenoch, Scotland settled in Sooke. By 1895 Edward Milne was operating a general store and post office at the northwest corner of what is now Sooke Road (Highway 14) and Sooke River Road. This pioneer family played a large role in the history of the district.

The Milne land holdings ran from the river eastward to the boundary of Sooke Indian Reserve No. 1.  In addition to their business and running a horse stage to Victoria, they operated a dairy farm and grew their own grain. The first telephone exchange in Sooke was located in the family home, and the first telephone operators were daughters of the Milne family. The house still stands today, at the northeastern end of Sooke River bridge.

When the eastern wooded portion of the Milne farm was expropriated by the federal government during World War II, an army training camp was established there. At the close of the war, the government made the land available to the newly formed School District and Milne's Landing High School was established. During the 1960's there was a formal name change and the school became Edward Milne Secondary School.