Portage la Prairie
School Division #24
This book contains the histories of the rural schools of
Portage la Prairie School Division #24 up to the date
of their closure, approximately 1966. All were written
by someone from the district, most before
consolidation, though to complete the project about
one-third were written more recently.
Much credit is due Mrs. Annie Cuthbert who kept
the majority of these stories all these years, with the
hope of having them published. It is our wish that
with the printing of this book, future generations will
know what the one-room rural schools were like
when their parents or grandparents received their
education.
Sincere thanks to the many, many people who
contributed in any way to this book.
Muriel Wright 1996
Table of Contents
Page
Introduction
i
Table of Contents
ii
The Country School
1
ADELAIDE S. D. # 32
2
BEACONSFIELD S. D. # 54
3
BEAUTIFUL VALLEY S. D. # 924
4
BELCOURT S. D. # 1694
7
BELLE PLAIN S. D. # 46
9
BERNIER S. D. # 718
11
BRENNAN S. D. # 2255
13
BURNSIDE S. D. # 24
15
COCHRANE S. D. # 43
18
CONNOR S. D. # 476 (Macdonald, Dundonald)
24
CURTIS S. D.
28
# 1187 (East & West)
DALE S. D. # 705
30
DELTA BEACH S. D. # 1810
32
DUNDONALD S. D. # 1322
34
EAST POPLAR POINT S. D. #15
37
EAST PROSPECT S. D. # 111
39
EDWIN S. D. # 735
42
ELM RIVER S. D. # 622
45
ELSMITH S. D. # 648
48
EUCLID S. D. # 197
50
FLEE ISLAND S. D. # 527
52
FORTIER S. D. # 741
57
GAINSBOROUGH S. D. # 1941
59
GLENGARRY S. D. # 77 (1888-1908) # 1419 (1908-1960)
61
HIGH BLUFF VILLAGE S. D. # 771 (Aberdeen)
63
HOOD S. D.
70
# 1381
INGLESIDE S. D. # 831
72
ii
Table of Contents
Page
KELVIN S. D. #1347
74
LAYLAND S. D. # 2090
76
LONG CREEK S. D.
77
#93 (Longburn)
MILL CREEK S. D. # 929
79
MINNETONKA S. D. # 659
81
MOUNT PLEASANT S. D. #50 ( & South)
83
NAIRN S. D. # 42 ( & West)
86
NEW ROSEDALE S. D. #2381
90
NORA S. D. # 1551
92
NORTH HIGH BLUFF S. D. #23 (Wilton)
93
OAKLAND S. D. # 57
94
OAKVILLE S. D. # 655
96
OLD HIGH BLUFF S. D. # 13 (High Bluff)
98
OVERHILL S. D. # 2084
100
POPLAR BLUFF S. D. # 734
104
PORTAGE CREEK S. D. # 505
108
PROSPECT S. D. # 112
111
RIDGE ROAD S. D. # 730 (North & South)
113
ROB ROY S. D. #1324
116
ROSEGROVE S. D. # 2216
120
SALEM S. D. # 623
121
SUNNYSIDE S. D.
# 2384
THE LANDING S. D.
125
# 951
126
WEST OAKLAND S. D. # 110
WEST POPLAR POINT S. D.
128
#12
132
WEST PROSPECT S. D. #112
133
WESTBOURNE S. D. #11
135
THE MANITOBA RURAL SCHOOL
A1
MAP: The Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie
A2
MAP: The School Divisions
A3
iii
The Country School
O, little country school whose walls once held
The seat of learning for our nation's youth,
What has become of you; where have you gone?
Our hearts are grieved to know the sad, sad truth.
They tell us our children's lives will be
Enriched with knowledge gained to excel
Where little country schools could not cope;
But can we know they will turn out as well?
For there's closeness and warmth in a one-room school
That larger schools can not attain,
Like one big family, all the children seem;
They know each other's happiness and pain.
And what of Christmas concerts that we had.
They were the highlight of the year;
Teacher, pupils, parents all combined
To make the evening one to hold dear.
Perhaps some day we'll see it was best
For little schools to go their way;
Meanwhile we'll have our memories to help
Until we can accept the newer way.
Author unknown
1
ADELAIDE S. D. # 32
by Mrs. Myrtle Burton
excerpts from "When the West was Bourne"
Adelaide School # 32 was formed by the Protestant section of the
Board of Education on February 22 1876, on land donated by David
Morrison. The first school building was on a three-acre piece of land
on the south-east corner of the south-east quarter of 7-14-8, on the
east side of Rat Creek. The first three teachers were Harry Evans,
Mary Gerrond, and Maggie Irwin. Miss Irwin's family had moved into
the Totogon area in 1878 and remained only a few years before
moving to Rapid City, Manitoba. The first trustees were, David
Morrison, William Shannon and Peter Ball as secterary-treasurer.
When Peter Ball returned to Merriton, Ontario, he was replaced by
John Irvine, and in 1884 Peter Cameron became secretary-treasurer.
John Irvine then became a trustee and David Morrison and William
Shannon stepped down.
In the early 1880's the school site was moved up Rat Creek just
under three-quarters of a mile to one acre of land on the south east
corner of the north-west quarterof 5-14-8. The school board bought
this piece of land from William Shannon for $50.00.
William Pye was the first teacher and remained until 1884-85, when
he went to teach at the Long Creek School for one year. During that
time the Adelaide students were taught by a D. A. Nickware. Mr. Pye
returned and remained at the Adelaide school until 1890.
Teachers from 1890 to 1912 were: D. F. Sinclair, Annie Dale, Laura
Mott, L. Cameron, Maggie Bemister, C. E. Bates, Edith Van Alstine,
Maude Kerr, Belle Glennie, Rowena Bourne, William Cameron,
Christina McMillan, Robina Coughbrough, Luella Mary MacRae,
Florence H. Howden.
In the fall of 1912 the students moved to The Landing School, while
remaining in the Adelaide School District. This school district was
dissolved on April 1 1967 and absorbed into the Portage la Prairie
School Division #24.
2
BEACONSFIELD S. D. # 54
by Isabelle Matthews
The school district of Beaconsfield # 54 was formed in May, 1878.
The school was located on the south-east quarter of 18-12- 8, land
purchased from James McGee for one dollar. The first teacher was
Thomas Adams.
The school did not seem centrally located for the district, so was
moved in 1895 to the north-west quarter of 16-12-8, to land at that
time owned by Mr. Tom Oliver.
The school district was dissolved in January, 1967 and it became part
of Portage la Prairie School Division # 24.
1967-68 was the last year classes were held in Beaconsfield School
# 54, with Mrs. Anne Pallister as teacher. Barry Matthews and
Brenda Moran started school that year so were the last two beginners
.
It is of interest to find out how this school was named. Benjamin
Disraeli was Prime Minister of Britain from 1874 to 1880, and during
those years was knighted by Queen Victoria to become the first Earl
of Beaconsfield. Hence the name Beaconsfield seemed fitting for this
new school district.
Many people have thought of the school always as Rignold School
because it sat at Rignold siding, but the plate on the front of the
school clearly stated:
Beaconsfield School
No. 54
1895
The school building has been moved from the property and now sits
as a workshop on the farm of Shawn Moran--one half mile west of its
school day's location.
3
BEAUTIFUL VALLEY S. D. # 924
by A. J. Moore
One thought uppermost in the minds of the pioneers of this area was,
how could schooling be provided for the few children there were and
for those to follow. The Oakville area differed from others on the
fairly clear grassy Portage Plains, in as much that it was covered by
dense bush. Throughout this bush there were many large oaks, from
which the village of Oakville derived its name.
In a period where travel was either on foot or by horse-drawn
vehicles, the areas from which students could be drawn together
daily was therefore limited. It would appear that three miles seemed
to be about the limit which children could either walk during the
summer or go by sleigh in winter. Quite a creditable performance
when judged by the 1966 standard, when a child living more than one
and a half miles from school must be provided with transportation in
any Consolidated school area. That fast diminishing number of oneroom rural school students, in this motorized era are taken to school
in cars. Having made the comparison with the 1966 method of
transportation, let us return to one of the great chapters in the
educational development of Oakville generally and Beautiful Valley in
particular. It must be remembered that for many years after 1890 this
area was still mainly covered with heavy bush. The first indications
that our pioneers were waging an uneven contest with nature was
that every mile or so small clearings appeared and log buildings
provided evidence of the pioneers industry. It was from these first log
shacks that the women among our pioneers made their voices heard.
Going back nearly seventy years, names which can be remembered
among the Beautiful Valley settlers were the Page family, Carsons,
Kitchens, Nicholls, McMullens, Maloneys, Lees, Hollidays, and the
Stewart family. Doubtless there were others who came and went, but
descendents of several of the 1890's settlers are stiill farming here
today, in 1966.
It is therefore fitting, as we come to Canada's centennial year of
1967, that we travel back down memory lane to a small house four
miles north of Oakville in 1896. This was the home of the Stewart
family. The house stands at a turning of the Provincial Road #430,
but this corner has been known a Stewarts Corner as far back as
4
anyone remembers a road being there. Gathered at that house were
a handful from those I have named, to plan a school for the district. It
had been found that there were six or seven school aged children in
the district, enough to petition the Rural Municipality of Portage la
Prairie to pass a bylaw permitting funds to be allocated for the
building of this school.
Who were the children who attended the first class? For this we
would have to rely on the memories of the second generation, for the
oldtimers are passed away, and the original school records have
disappeared. However it is safe to assume that some of those early
families were represented. Perhaps the most interesting fact relative
to the naming of the school must remain a legend.
Several different sources have informed me over the last twenty
years that one of the ladies in the original group was asked to name
the school and she offered the name of a district she had come from
in Ontario and hence the Beautiful Valley School District # 924
acquired its name. The location for the school was on a farm five
miles north of Oakville on the town line marked on the survey as
south-east of 12-12-5. A search of the By-laws with painstaking care
by the Portage la Prairie Rural Municipality secretary-treasurer Wm.
McMillan revealed that the by-law to build a school was passed in
1896 and at sometime in the next year or so it was built by a Mr. Bill
Wilson. Mr. Wilson was a roving carpenter and his name appeared
from time to time during research for my pioneer history, "The
Deeper Roots of Oakville," as being the builder of several farm
homes and a church or two before the turn of the century.
Names of three of the early teachers at the Beautiful Valley School
were Mr. McKenzie Gunn, Miss Lander, and Miss Greenlay. We pay
tribute to their memory in this record of the school. They were the
ones who had the task of seeing that cordwood was on hand in
winter for use in the old Quebec heaters, long before a basement
was made or before a coal furnace became a reality. A hardy
student was paid about a dollar a month to come to school an hour
early to put the fire on. That dollar was as hard earned as any other
dollar which fell into the pocket of our pioneers.
5
Teachers who taught Beautiful Valley school from 1898-1965 were:
B. McKenzie Gunn, F. C. Lander, B. Greenlay, Alex Armstrong, Jane
Wilton, Annie Richmond, Pearl Rundle, Mabel Finch, Lucy Baldry,
Ethel Finch, Edna Beal, Myrtle Whitmore, Mrs. Murray Colborne,
Bertha McBain, Louise Blight, Illa Tidsbury, Edna Vint, Melissa
O'Neil, Ruth Ewen, Dorothy Williams, Mrs. George Finnigan, Myra
Parrot, Viola Daigle, Mary Andrews, Anna Bruce, Nora Gibbons,
Dorothy Bell, Donald Hayward, Peggy Butler, Jean Blair, Isabel
McKay, Zada Lytle, Lara Kristjanson, Rhoda Halliday, Marjorie Wood,
Freda Bradley-Hunt, Isabel Smirl, Anne Poyser, Eva Mair, Muriel
Barker, Joan Delbridge, Marlene Hunt, Vera Maloney, Ann Cleaver,
Aynsley Shearer, Rae Creed.
Since its inception, the school has been administered, even in its
closing out period, by three trustees, unpaid and elected at a public
meeting of voting residents. The trustees have the assistance of a
secretary whose stipend has increased over the years from a nominal
fee to fifty dollars in 1966. For many years the school had been used
on Sundays for religious gatherings. Older people will recall an
Oakville minister named Mr. Inglis preaching there and later a Mr.
Garrioch who drove down from Portage la Prairie to administer to a
Presbyterian flock. Over the past eighteen or twenty years the
Christian Alliance Church has held services in the Beautiful Valley
School until recently, when a church was established in Oakville.
The concluding paragraphs of this school history must be termed an
obituary to a school which has served well for many years. Some of
the most successful and respected men in this area learned the three
R's at Beautiful Valley School. In 1965 the school was closed and
the pupils sent to the larger Oakville school offering more advanced
educational facilities. Today the Valley school stands empty and
silent, a faithful servant, it's duty done. Whatever transpires from
modern mathematics, larger school areas, multi-room schools, all
miles away from most students' homes, let us pay tribute to the fact
that it all began in the little one-room country school.
Footnote: The school building was sold to Gordon Nicholls, as was
the barn in earlier years.
6
BELCOURT S. D. # 1694
by Ed and Cel Nott
excerpts from "Our First Hundred Years"
In 1888 the need for a Protestant school was becoming apparent in
the Belcourt area and application was made for the formation of a
school with these boundaries: parish lots 51-102, parish lots 120-181,
sections 7,8,17,and 18 in township 12 range 3 and sections 13, 14,
15 and 22, 23, 24 in township 12 range 4. The school was to be
named Baie St. Paul and situated on parish lot 136. The site finally
chosen for Baie St. Paul School # 534 was parish lot 137.
This school remained Baie St. Paul West until 1912 when a petition
from a number of ratepayers on the south side of the river, to form a
school district separate from the north side of the river, resulted in the
following by-law being passed: That Baie St. Paul West district be
divided into two districts, that portion north of the river to be known as
Belcourt # 1694 and that portion south of the river be and form the
Baie St. Paul West # 534.
The Baie St. Paul West school district now became predominantly
Catholic and Belcourt predominantly Protestant. Through the years
this division on religious grounds became less as the population
merged.
Belcourt School District #1694 came into being in August 1913. The
original district consisted of that portion of the Parish of Baie St. Paul
lying north of the Assiniboine River, namely lots 120-181. In 1950 the
boundaries were lots 123-158.
The register for the first year shows an attendance of twenty-six. At
one time the registration was forty-five in that one-room school.
Trustees for the first year of operation were Tom Brown, Van Mills
and A. Sveinbjornson secretary-treasurer. The last trustees were E.
Nott, August Duclos, J. Heppner and Jewel Pritchett secretarytreasurer.
In the middle 1920's when Violet Bruce (later England) first taught at
Belcourt, grade one work consisted of the times table, phoenics and
7
sight reading using the Maple Leaf primer. Grade two were taught
the rudiments of adding and subtracting and began using the
Canadian Readers. By grade seven, arithmetic included a review of
commission and interest, language was a study of paragraphs and
business letters, grammar dealt with clauses, reading was from the
Canadian Reader and library books, history was the study of The
British Empire, Wars of the Roses and The Peasants Revolt.
The school was heated with wood until 1953 when an oil space
heater was purchased. For many years water was carried from the
wells of residents adjoining the school. Later on, milk cans were
purchased and the water arrived from Winnipeg on the milk truck.
Finally an underground cistern was built and a pump installed in the
building. In 1957 cupboards were built beneath the windows and a
room made to house the new pail a day toilets.
Teachers were: Bertha Totten, Margaret E. Wood, Martha D. Crowe,
Hazel J. Miner, E. M. Code, E. M. Lovell, Nora Zotyna, Edith M. Reid,
E. Ledger, Violet I. Bruce, M. Finlay, Charles Ursel, Lionel Clench,
Sybil Caithness, Pat Milbrandt, Robert McElroy, Marge Knight, Bertha
Hilding, Evelyn McKinstry, Jessie Hay, Lara Christianson, Helen
McGowan, Edna Klein, Mr. Boyd, Evelyn Marlow, T. Sveinbjornson,
Alice Sydor, A. Dirks, Doris Horosko, Florence Hogue, Florence
Wicklow, Ilona McLean, Jan Augustin, Carol Everett, Violet England.
Trustees were: Van Mels, Peter Kirton, Angus Smith, Charles Kirton,
Mrs. E. England, R. Wells, Mrs. H. England, Walter Lacroix, Ed Nott,
Jim Tully, Isaac Penner, Frank Falk, Allan Nott, A. Sveinbjornson, A.
E. Gobelle, Harry Nott, R. Tiede, Mrs. T. Smith, N. M. Pettis, Thomas
Nott, Alan Kelly, Mrs. A. Kelly, Jewel E. Pritchett, Tom Brown, R.
Brown, H. England, H. Hogue, W. Pritchett, J. D. Heppner.
When Belcourt school was closed in 1966, the community took over
and purchased the building and grounds from the Portage la Prairie
school board for the sum of eighty dollars. In October of 1986 this
building was moved and replaced with a new community hall.
8
BELLE PLAIN S. D. # 46
by Shirley McKay
The Belle Plain School District # 46 was established in 1877. The
name Belle Plain is descriptive of the beautiful prairie on which it is
located.
The site of the log school, built in 1880, on the north-east corner of
19-12-7, was one square acre, leased from Mr. J. Scott for the sum of
five cents per annum. The first known teacher was Miss M. Campbell
and the secretary-treasurer was Mr. Phillip McKay. Approximately
thirty pupils were enrolled and the school term began in early spring
and ended in December.
Descendants of these pioneer scholars like to recall " Many a Tale".
Older boys often rode two year old steers to school. These animals
later would be used as oxen. The Saskatchewan Trail cut deep by
Red River carts, passed near to the school. This proved to be an
ideal spot for a game of "Hide and Seek".
In 1895 a new frame school was built across the road, on the northwest corner of 20-12-7, on an acre of land purchased from Mr.
Jonathon Henderson on July 5 1895 for the sum of fifty dollars. J. T.
Smith contracted to build it at a cost of $629.00. Trustees were J. A.
Fisher, James Scott and John McKay. The first teacher in this new
school, Mr. R. G. Taylor, received a salary of $450.00 a year.
The old school was used as a school barn for many years, then in
1950 it was torn down and all the material except a few logs were
used in the construction of a building in the V. R. Bruce's yard.
Due to lack of pupils, school closed from August 1939 to June 1941,
reopening again in August 1941 with pupils from West Oakland in
attendance.
Belle Plain School welcomed pupils for four generations from one
family, namely the Batters. Also several three generation families
named Thurstons, Kitsons, Caskeys, Trimbles, and McKays.
Belle Plain pupils have been successful contenders for both
academic and athletic awards. Many pupils have gone on to higher
9
education in the fields of teaching, nursing, agriculture and
journalism.
The teachers in order were:Margaret Ann Campbell, Sarah Clarke,
John Freeborn, Louisa Hill, Jessie Ptolemy, Agnes C. Laut, Minnie A.
Ranton, Carter, Johnny and Emma Scott, Eda Wilson, Emeline Scott,
R. Gardner Taylor, T. A. Broadfoot, Wm. H. Burns, H. J. Everell,
Lizzie Ross, Maude J. Kerr, Edythe Garland, Agnes Brydon, Mary V.
Springstein, Mildred Trimble, Grace G. McArthur, Margaret L.
Fletcher, Hazel Martin, Gertrude C. Hurton, Maude Pogue, Amy J.
Roe, Madeline Bradshaw, Eva P. McKelvey, Sarah R. Craig, Jean
McMaster, Gladys M. Caskey, Kathleen Beckett, Maybelle Curtis,
Violet R. Wilds, Fred Hyde, Beatrice R. Hyndman, Clara Chritchley,
Mildred Tidsbury, Charlotte M. Finlay, Wm. M. McMillan, Elsie Burton,
Helen Sanderson, Anne Henderson, Winona Horner, Reta Delgatey,
Rosemary Matthews, Louise Cook, Shirley Dalgarno, Velma Kolesar,
Marionne Sykes, Ila Morgan, Betty Boyachek, Sheila Foxton, Reva
Cairns, Lynn Andres, Mrs. Flora Bell.
The last school board to serve were: Mr. George Wolfe, chairman,
Mr. Kenneth Moffit, Mrs. Laura Adams (the only lady trustee in our
district), and Mr. Reg Bruce, secretary-treasurer.
Belle Plain, like many another "Little Red Schoolhouse", closed in
June 1965, and the pupils were sent to Macdonald Consolidated
School. However, its contribution to the educational and social
requirements of the community will not be forgotten.
Footnote: This frame school was sold and moved to the Bruce family
farm where it is used as a workshop. A memorial cairn was erected
in 1967 on the school site.
10
BERNIER S. D. # 718
by Mrs. Anita Lavallee
Bernier School District # 718 was formed in 1907. It was a one-room
log school situated on the south-east quarter of 1-15-5. In 1915 a
new one-room frame school was built at this same location but in
1944 because of increased enrollment another room was added and
two teachers were then hired.
In 1955 the school was moved about three-quarters of a mile north to
where the church and the cemetery are located on the south-east
quarter of 11-15- 5. After this move another classroom was added
and the school became a three-room school complete with hydro and
waterworks.
Bernier school was named for its first school inspector. Two other
school inspectors were Mr. Muirhead and Mr. Rhind. One of the first
teachers was Veronica Chartrand Gaudry who came back to St.
Ambroise to teach from 1964 to1968 when she retired.
From 1907 to 1969 St. Ambroise school was known as Bernier
school. Some names of school trustees were: Daniel Ducharme,
Bruce Chartrand, M. Flamand, Mr. Lamirande, Elizabeth Trost
(served the longest), Leonard Lepine, Linda Ducharme and Ido van
Denbrock.
From 1947 to 1969 Bernier school was placed under the
administration of an official trustee. Mr. Cameron was one of those
trustees.
The Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Hyacinth Quebec came to teach at
Bernier school from 1948 to1959. Sister Rose La Croix was the
principal.
In 1958 and 1959 the Old Rectory building was used for grades one
and two. This made a four-room school where grades one to twelve
were taught. In the spring of 1959 the Old Rectory and the Convent
burned and grades one and two were moved back into the school.
11
A new Rectory was ready for the opening of school in September
1959 and grades nine to twelve were taught in the basement of this
new building.
In 1969, for religious and cultural reasons, the parents petitioned to
have Bernier school administered by the White Horse Plain Division.
This was granted and the Bernier school name was changed to St.
Ambroise School.
Some of the teachers remembered were: Irene Peloquin, Mary
Ruskka, Julliet Delorme, Lorraine Morin. Others who came from St.
Ambroise and taught at St. Ambroise were: Steve Lavallee, Stella
Zeck Hiebert, Roberta Ducharme Graham, Anita Ducharme Lavallee,
May Lambert McKinnon, Lucille Lepine, Linda Ducharme, Phillip
Klyne, Betty Anne Ducharme Lavallee.
I was the last school teacher. I started in 1958 and taught full time or
substituted until June 30 1975. In September of 1975 I became
principal as well as teaching full time.
Two years after Bernier school came under White Horse Plain School
Division # 20, grades nine to twelve were moved to St. Laurent
school. Later grades seven and eight were moved, and in 1984
grades five and six were also moved, leaving kindergarten to grade
four. In 1989 the enrollment was down to eight children. Due to the
low enrollment the school was closed on June 30 1990. With the
closing of the school all the children are taken by bus to St. Laurent.
The building now stands unoccupied.
12
BRENNAN S. D. # 2255
by Elma Maendel
Brennan School District was formed February 5 1935. In 1934 the
Elm River Hutterite colony came into being, having bought the Alex
Brennan farm being all of section 20-11-5 and three quarters of 1811-5. In 1935 they approached the trustees to have their land taken
out of Curtis School District and have a school in the colony. The
Elm River Colony then built a school on the north-east quarter of 2011-5 and called it Brennan after the name of the man they bought the
land from.
The first school building, a wood frame building, was moved in from
Rosedale Colony at Elie. The first teacher was Erma Bergman.
Before long a church was built on the colony and then the younger
children attended school in the first school building and the older
ones attended school in the church.
Family names then were Hofer, Waldner and Maendel. The German
teacher was Jacob Maendel.
Next a combination school and church was built. Around 1968 the
current school was built, a two-room school with two teachers.
Recently the colony decided, that with advancing technology, more
education is required. Now students are taking high school right in
the colony, being taught by four high school teachers hired by the
division. These teachers rotate around to all the eleven colony
schools as well as teaching "on-line". This amounts to each school
having a teacher in person every other day. Elm River Colony
currently has three students studying to be teachers. They are
Clarence Hofer, Elma Maendel and Robert Maendel.
A partial list of teachers follows: Erma Bergman, Esther Ross,
George Williams, John Enns, Myrle Zimmerman, Bessie Blair
(substitute), Sarah Smith, Margaret Lesperance, Bentina Erlison,
Peggy Alford, Louise Delesky, Mr. Leckie, Rudy Horkie, Jake Horkie,
Dorothy Lasser, Rose Disoba, Mr. Clark, Mr. Bias, Miss Peters, Bert
Ditpenner, Melrose Brown, Mrs Maloney, George Frith, Gertrude
Emery, Leona Philipot, Fay Brown, Pat Moore, Mary Isaac, Mike
13
Tkachuk, Jessie Gates, Dale Christof, Bonny Pirt, Judy Hughes, Pam
Stinson, Mike Davies, Rose Froese, Deb McLeod. The current
teacher is Dianne Diggle and the teacher assistant is Alana Walker.
The German teacher is Herb Hofer. The assistant German teacher is
Linda Maendel.
This school district was dissolved into Portage la Prairie School
Division #24 in April of 1967, and in 1996 at the time of this writing, it
continues to operate under their jurisdiction.
14
BURNSIDE S. D. # 24
by Ernie Askin
The rural district of Burnside dates back many years before the turn
of the century. The first settlers in the district remained east of Rat
Creek due to action of the Indians at that time. Whether this was by
agreement or more forceful means I cannot substantiate at present.
Before too many years went by it was evident that a school was
necessary, and in the year 1875 a "bee"was held under the direction
of Angus and Thomas Ferris when a school building was erected on
the east bank of Rat Creek a few feet north from the site of the
present school.
Due to the predominance of people of Scottish descent and the fact
that the school and most homes were located along the side of the
creek or "burn" the district was named "Burnside".
Members of the first school board were Matthew Ferris, Jonathon
Troop and William Kitson secretary-treasurer.
The original building was of poplar log construction with a rough
wood floor and shingled roof. It was heated by a "huge black pot
bellied stove that glowed red on many occasions."
As this school was operating before the formation of the Rural
Municipality of Portage la Prairie the operating funds were collected
directly from the residents.
Names appearing on the assessment
roll of 1875 were:- Matthew Ferris, Angus Ferris, Thomas Ferris,
Albert Ferris, G. M. Yeoman, Sarah I. Hunt, John Hunt, Sam
Buchanan, Hudson's Bay Company, Robert Bell, William Rutledge,
Mrs. Rutledge, Jonathon Troop, John Rutledge, Joseph Wells, Sam
Graham, Thomas Leader, Neil McEachern, Archie McEachern, Mr.
Munroe, James Munro, Archie Linkler, William Bell, Charlie Fawcett,
William Kitson, Daniel Sissons, William McKay, Hugh Grant and
Kenneth McKenzie.
The log school served well for approximately twenty years. At the
annual ratepayer's meeting of December 2nd 1895 it was "Moved by
James McKenzie seconded by K. McKenzie that the secretary call a
15
special meeting to discuss the advisability of building a new schoolhouse." After several special meetings, resolution, and much
discussion, it was finally decided on February 7 1896 to "build a new
school 26'x36', of brick construction with a stone foundation."At this
meeting it was "Moved by James McKenzie, seconded by W. W.
Ferris, that the trustees of this district be authorized to borrow the
sum of $700.00 by issue of debentures for the purpose of building a
new school-house--carried." This school was completed in the fall of
1896 and still is in use as of this writing.
Although there is some contradiction to this, according to the minutes
of a meeting on December 7th 1896 , the old school property was
disposed of as follows:
• "The old stove was sold to Thomas Hunt for $3.60."
• "The drum was sold to J. Troop at $1.75."
• "Stove pipes were sold to Thomas Hunt at 6 cents per length"
• "Moved by J. Troop, seconded by James McKenzie that the
old school be set aside for a stable. Three ratepayers
objected to it being used for a stable."
• "The bottom of the old school floor was sold to George
Jardine for $3.05."
• "The porch was then sold to C. B. Lee for $1.60."
• "Blackboards were sold to Dave Lee for 65 cents."
• "The old school was sold to W. W. Ferris for $10.70."
These minutes were signed by Kenneth McKenzie chairman and
George Jardine, secretary.
The wood and labor supply must have been much more readily
available than today according to the minutes of the December 2nd
1895 meeting.
• "The contract to supply ten cords of wood was let to John
Pallister at 93 cents per cord."
The enrollment in the school varied considerably with sixty-five
pupils, including a number of "winter boys desirous of the essentials,"
attending in 1907 and as low as seven enrolled in 1953.
The first teacher in the district was Miss S. L. Harvey in 1875. Other
teachers in order were:-Mr. Edwards, Miss Irwin, Matthew Fletcher,
16
Thomas Adams, Miss Blythe, Miss Sproule, W. J. Bodkin, Mr
Macklin, Miss Hayes, John Wood, Miss Neilson, Miss Philan, A. S.
Argue, R. G. Taylor, Grace Pollard, Miss S. A. (Gussie) Rowe, all in
the old school. The first teacher in the new school was Miss Baldwin
followed by :-Miss Stewart, G. M. Booth, Miss Grace B. Jones, W. S.
Young, Thomas W. Ebbern, J. W. Hansford, R. H. Cottingham, J. W.
Richardson, Miss Margaret Bell, Miss Mildred Walker, Miss M.
Blowers, Miss C. Madill, Miss Ella Ingham, Miss Pearl Crealock (sub),
Miss Ruth Oberg, Miss Eva McKelvy, Miss Maude Pogue, Miss Lee,
Miss Lund, Miss Emily Geddes, Miss Anne McKenzie, Miss Hood,
Miss Hickling, Mr. William Taylor, Miss Hilda Lathrope, Mr. Walter
Green, Miss Irene Carson, Miss Irene McCallister, Miss Louise
Thornton, Miss Ruth Haley, Miss Frances Edwards, Miss Dorothy
Genest, Mrs. M. Glidden, Mrs. V. G. Honey, Mrs J. Campbell, Miss
Audrey Donald, Miss Margaret Coulthard, Mrs M. Bell, Mrs. C.
Matthews, Mrs. Helen Orr, Mr. Douglas Muir, and Miss Diane Code.
This covers ninety-one years of education in the Burnside District,
seventy years of which have been in the present school. With the
tendency towards consolidation and single district boards, another
era in our history may well be nearing its end.
Footnotes: Burnside School closed in 1969. Pat Ellwood was the last
teacher. The school building was sold to Paul Stangl and torn down.
17
COCHRANE S. D. # 43
by Marjorie Stewart
Cochrane School District # 43 was formed in the year 1876. The
school and district was named in memory of Archdeacon Cochrane,
the Anglican missionary who came to the Red River settlement under
joint sponsorship of the Hudson's Bay Company and Lord Selkirk
who paid him to minister to the needs of the settlers at Red River. He
carried on his very valuable work there from 1825 until 1853 when he
made a trip down the Assiniboine River, to Portage la Prairie. He
brought many settlers with him and built a church and school there.
In 1859 he built a church and school at Poplar Point and at High
Bluff. He later built another church and school at Westbourne. The
Archdeacon Cochrane was the man who really settled these areas
and it is to the everlasting credit of this pioneer district that they
named their district "Cochrane".
The first meeting to form the district was held at the home of Mr.
Archie Macdonald. He owned a sawmill on the Assiniboine River.
The trustees who were appointed were: Mr. Thomas Dalzell, Mr.
James Lytle and Mr. James Harkness. It was decided to build a
school on Mr. Charles Cuthbert's farm, which is Murray Young's farm
now and was situated just east of Murray's buildings. Miss Moss was
engaged as the first teacher.
The school district of Cochrane at that time included the districts now
known as Nairn, High Bluff Village, Prospect, Dale and Cochrane.
This district was formed before there was a Municipality to levy taxes,
so the funds had to be collected from the families of the district. Mr.
William Laird was the assessor and the tax collector was Mr. Thomas
Dalzell.
Among the early families of the district at that time was Thomas
Dalzell, James Lytle, Dr. Morrison, James Harkness, George
Cadman, Roderick McKenzie,
James Stewart, James Dalzell, Francis Muir.
In 1882 it was decided to build a new school. This one was built on
the farm of Mr. Albert Muir, which is one half mile south of the present
location, on the west side of the road. It is not known why they built
18
this new school, but it is likely because the old one was too small with
the district filling up with new settlers from Ontario. At any rate the
old building was sold for the sum of forty-five dollars. The first
teacher in this new school was Miss Waind who later became Mrs.
John Macdonald of Prospect. The late Mrs. E. H. Muir also taught at
this school for two years 1890 to 1892.
There is a story told about Myrtle Muir who was the eldest daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Muir. When the little girl started to school here
she was very proud of her new slate and books and very carefully
carried them home each night--much to her mothers disgust. Finallly,
Mrs. Muir said "For goodness sake child, leave your books in your
desk". Myrtle reluctantly did so. That night the school burned-books
and all. This was in 1896.
The new school was soon built on the corner of George Muir's farm,
which is the present location of north west corner of 25-12-6. While
the building was being constructed, school was held in a log house
on what was at the time the James Dalzell farm and is just east of the
present Homer Muir buildings. The first teacher of this school was a
Mr. Macdonald of Woodstock, Ontario.
Cochrane was blessed with many good teachers, some of whom
were Miss Mary E. Oliver later Mrs. John Allison who passed away
December 1964, at the age of 91. Miss Nellie Purvis of Portage la
Prairie, later Mrs. W. Hall of Langruth, some time deceased. A Mr.
Craigen, who was a veteran of the Boer War, and a Mr. Moore of
Clinton, Ontario. Then came George Ingham of Portage. Mrs.
Matilda Craik whose home was where Ron Tidsbury farms, taught
several years at Cochrane. Miss J. Woodman of Portage taught the
next year and Miss Mary Cadman of High Bluff came the next year.
Then came Miss Brandon of Selkirk, Miss Isabelle Strande of
Dauphin taught the next few years, and Miss Sommerville of Morden
followed. During all these years the late Mr. James Threadkill was
secretary-treasurer.
Many excellent school concerts were held in Cochrane School with
Mr. Moff Cook, Mr. E. H. Muir, Mr. M. G. Tidsbury taking part in the
old fashioned dialogues. Mr. Walter Bailey, Mr. Melville Jackson and
others provided music on the autoharp and mouth organ. Money
19
raised by these concerts went to purchase books for the school
library, which was a credit to the district.
This school also burned in 1930 and was replaced with a new one on
the same location in 1931. During the building of the new school,
twelve students were taken into the High Bluff Village School.
During the late thirties there was an epidemic of sleeping sickness
that affected the horse population. Every farmer in the whole of the
plains and their children felt the pangs of grief at seeing their favorite
horse take sick, and as the disease was almost always fatal, the
animals had to be shot. It was during this time that Alfred Muir was
caretaker of the school. He was a popular boy, being very well liked
by the younger children at school. One morning as Gard Young was
ready to leave the yard to take his daughters to school in the buggy,
his wife, Frances called "Gard, just a minute, Alf Muir is sick and they
want you to take over a 222". The little girl, who was just starting
school, hearing this, broke into a storm of tears. The mother said
"Whatever is the matter with you"? She sobbed " I like Alf--sob--I
don't want them to shoot him". The poor girl mistook the 222 tablet to
mean a twenty-two rifle.
Among the students who attended Cochrane and later received
scholarships were:
Peggy Muir
The Isbister Scholarship 1950
(Peggy is now Mrs. Wm. Henderson St. Catherines, Ont. Daughter of Neil Muir).
Gwen Muir
The Governor General Medal 1953
(Gwen is now Mrs. Robert Bauschel Castlegar B. C. Daughter of Neil Muir).
Wilma Young
1953-Grade V111 Proficiency Cup
1954-Grade 1X Proficiency Cup
1955-Grade X Proficiency Cup
1956-Second Isbister Scholarship
Ruth Rebecca & I.O.O.F. United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth--Trip to U. N.
1957-United College Women's Auxiliary Entrance Scholarship
1958-Florence May Riddell Scholarship
1960-Bachelor of Arts degree from St. John's College
20
1961-Certificate of Education
1963-McGill University Book Award for Oral French
"A" Standing
(Wilma is now Mrs. William Shirriff, Portage la Prairie Daughter of Mr. Gardner
Young).
Denise Muir
1955-The Isbister Scholarship
1956-A Brewery Scholarship
(Denise is now Mrs. William Harvey-- presently in Melbourne Australia--to be in
Toronto, Ontario. Daughter of Mr. Neil Muir).
William Muir
1957-Ruth Rebecca & I.O.O.F. Trip to United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth
1957-Manitoba Government Bursary
1958-Manitoba Government Bursary
1959-Manitoba Government Bursary
1960-Manitoba Government Bursary
1961-Manitoba Government Bursary
1961- Massey Ferguson Scholarship
1962-Association of Professional Engineers (Sask) 1st prize
1962-Encyclopedia Britannica Books Prize
1963-Universityof Illinois Fellowship
1964-National Research Council Studentship
1965-National Research Council Studentship
1966-National Research Council Studentship
(Bill is the son of Mr. & Mrs. W. L. Muir of High Bluff. He is at present studying
at the University of Saskatchewan. He also won the Queen Scout Award).
The people of the district have taken their responsibilities seriously,
serving on school boards,and church boards and in every way
helping their friends and neighbors in good times and bad. Mr. W. T.
Muir served as Reeve of the Municipality in 1900 and his brother E.
H. Muir served on the council from 1909 and was Reeve from 1915 to
1922 continuously. Mr. E. H.Muir also served for many years on the
board of directors of the Portage Mutual. Mr. James Threadkill was
also on the Municipal Council for many years.
This district has contributed much to our rich heritage in dispersing in
all directions good and useful citizens.
In closing I wish to thank Mrs. Opal Cheater and Mr. Neil Muir for
their contributions to this composition. Mr. Muir had some years ago
21
written a short history of Cochrane School which won first prize in a
competition at the fair. His closing words were a verse from
Longfellow:
"The lives of great men oft' remind us
We can make our lives sublime
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time."
Footnotes: In 1963 the school land was sold to High Bluff School
Division #2418. A list of teachers to 1951 from the school division
records follows: A. A. Rae, Annie Dale, Leslie Hannah, D. Stevenson,
Sara Brown, Augusta Bredin, H. C. Nesbitt, G. C. McBoodie, Nellie
Purvis, Mary Oliver, F. H. Wimberley, John A. MacDonald, A. E.
Moore, George Ingham, Mary Cadham, Ethel Brandon, Isabelle
Strong, Susie M. Somerville, Theresa Lamb, Annie M. Monnder, I. K.
Wabuesley, Laura Hamilton, Anna Muckle, Pearl Crealock, Catherine
M. Boughton, Nettie P. Cramer, Ruby Crealock, Bessie M. Campbell,
Theresa M. Gair, Tammy Jones, C. D. Walden, Jessie E. Wallace, M.
Tidsbury, Thelma Muir, May Pollock, A. Cruickshank, Margaret
Lloyd, Evelyn Alice Earls, Edna Louise Cook, Elsie Stacey, Joy
Warner, Doreen Aulda Gardiner, Mina Ammeter, Mrs. Loraine
Arnold, Girnith George, Margaret Tidsbury.
22
CONNOR S. D. # 476 (Drumconnor & Macdonald)
by Myrtle Burton
The Macdonald School operated for fifty-seven years under the name
of Connor, to the confusion of applicant teachers. Previous to that,
for twenty years it was even more confusing---it was Drumconnor.
In 1881-1882 a branch line of the C.P.R. was built from Portage to
Minnedosa. In those days the building of a railroad was a slow
process. There was a lengthy hold-up due to a siding being put in
and a bridge being built across Rat Creek. A little village grew
around the construction camp. Much of the land was being settled in
the vicinity. Mr. Balfour petitioned the government in Ottawa for a
post office under the name of Drumconnor in honor of his hometown
in Ireland. When the railroad was completed Mr. Robert Watson,
head of the construction company, named the siding Macdonald after
one of his engineers. Later, as the village was growing, the C.P. R.
promoted the siding to a regular station and Ottawa changed the
name of the post office from Drumconnor to Macdonald.
Before the change was made in the name of the post office, the
school district was formed. Mr. Elias Brown, Mr. Henry Clark and Mr.
Thomas Connor were appointed trustees and in 1885 a school-house
was built, in the then most central position about a half mile north of
the railroad track on the bank of Rat Creek. It was duly registered as
Drumconnor School District # 476 and Miss Mary Morrison was
engaged as the first teacher. When the school building was
completed there was no money left for furnishings so the seven
pupils were provided with benches, the higher ones to serve as
desks. No provisions were made for the comfort of the teacher.
However a young man by the name of Willie Brown, who was handy
with hammer and saw and had an eye for the pretty blonde teacher,
built for her a desk and a chair. They married, lived for twenty years
in the district, and contributed appreciably to the attendance of the
school. They had ten children.
In 1905 a new and larger school was built in the village. Long and
loud were the arguments over the naming of the new school--some
wanted it changed to Macdonald, others held for Drumconnor.
Finally Mr. Elias Brown settled the matter. He said "We have no
23
instrument of any kind--and if we had--no one could play it, so let us
drop the drum and call it “Connor". and Connor it remained until
1962.
This new, one-room school was of the most modern design as
approved by the Department of Education. It was a large school for
the time--built to accommodate forty pupils.
It was a frame
construction, painted fawn with brown trim, and topped by a chimney,
a large ventilator--the newest thing in air-conditioning--and a belfry.
At the rear was attached a coal shed and a few yards further on were
two out-houses, complete with ventilators. At the far end of the lot
was a small stable and the entire one acre was surrounded by a fine
board fence. The entry was a cloak room, the width of the building,
with a swinging door at either end leading to the classroom. Between
the doors was a long line of coat hooks and directly in front of the
entrance door hung the bell-rope. It was a two inch rope, at least ,
and could have supported the heftiest girl in the district had she
chosen to emulate the fair maiden of "Curfew Shall Not Ring
Tonight."
The classroom, which ran from east to west, had three large windows
on the south side, and one on the west. At the front of the room was
a raised platform on which stood the teacher's desk and chair flanked
on one side by a large globe and on the other by a huge Webster's
Dictionary on a metal stand. There were six rows of desks--each with
the seat attached to the front of it, a pencil groove and a sunken
inkwell--and before many years well carved with initials. On the west
and north walls were the blackboards and over the front blackboard
hung a wooden case of wonderful maps and a framed picture of the
reigning monarch, King Edward V11. At the front of the room and to
the left, in direct line with the coal shed door, stood the heating
system--a monstrous pot-bellied stove with an iron guard rail
surrounding it, which was a dandy place for drying wet mittens in
winter time. This insatiable monster had to be shook down and fed a
bucket of coal every hour and consequently the air was a
combination of ashes, coal gas, and the nostalgic odor of scorching
wool, never entirely dispelled by the ventilating system. The pupils at
the front of the room roasted, those at the rear, by the swinging doors
froze. At the back of the room was the library which before the era of
a mandatory allotment for books, contained the complete works of
24
Charles Dickens and little else--and a piece of standard equipment--a
water pail, on a chair, with one enameled cup beside it.
This room with few alterations, was in use for forty-one years. It sat
out the reigns of Edward V11, GeorgeV, Edward V111, George V1,
and was there to welcome Elizabeth 11.
The depression years brought about forming of the Connor High
School in 1935. The former Methodist Church was rented for a
classroom and Miss Lillian Rennie was the first teacher. This High
School served not only the Macdonald people but those from outlying
districts as well. In 1936 the Presbyterian Church, adjacent to
Connor School, was bought, converted to a High School room, and
used until 1946 when it was closed for the lack of pupils.
After forty years Connor grade school, the pride of 1905, was
showing the wear and tear of two generations of pupils. Although the
building which housed the High School had been built in 1894, as a
Presbyterian Church, it had not suffered too much abuse, so the
grade school was moved into it in 1946--with electric light, modern
sanitation, and a furnace in the basement. An interesting item
appeared in the trustees report book under the above date to the
effect that "It was agreed to sell the former Connor School, three
buildings". It was sold, renovated inside and out, and still sits proudly
on the original foundation, labeled "Macdonald Memorial Hall".
By 1950, with the coming of a section of the army to the local airport
and the population explosion, the one room was inadequate so an
additional room was built to the north-west corner of the school
running lengthwise. By 1954 there was need for a High School again
so a second addition was built to the north side of the school, running
crosswise, creating an outstanding piece of architecture.
Consolidation came about in 1962. The school districts of Dundonald,
Longburn, and West Oakland united with Connor. As the original
upholders of the name long since had gone to their graves, the new
set-up was registered under the name of Macdonald Consolidated
School # 2401. In 1964 Belle Plain, and in 1966 Elsmith, came in as
closed school districts.
25
Since1964 the High School pupils attended the Portage Collegiate
and the three rooms in Macdonald operated with over seventy pupils
and three teachers. Four buses are required to gather in the children
and take the high school pupils to Portage. It is a far cry from the
little one-room school built on the creek bank of Rat Creek in 1885.
Macdonald School has not, as yet, produced a prime minister, nor, as
yet, has one of her sons or daughters been hanged, but she has had
some fine co-operative trustees, some wonderful and inspiring
teachers, and she has turned out a goodly number of responsible
men and women who are scattered the length and breadth of Canada
and beyond. And so, at the risk of being trite, we say--"God Bless
Them, Every One".
Footnote: A list of teachers as supplied by the school division follows:
M. A. Numsin, M. A. Morrison, Belle Grant, Isabelle Mathiesau,
Edmund Todd, A. M. McColgair, Isaac Harrison, E. J. Jollow, David
McKenzie, Belle Glennie, W. Norman Stewart, John B. Stewart, Clara
M. Leslie, Laurie Gunnesson, William Lightbody, E. Millicent
Hodgson, Hugh F. Field, Elsie McIntosh, Elma Drysdale, R Rochford,
Bertha E. Reid, Mary Kerr, Elsie Metcalfe, Gertrude E. Jackson, Myrtle
J. Elgert, Rita Hipwell, Marguerite Rodger, Anna R. Gray, Lulla
Foster, Pearl Foster, Ruth Hartford, Myrtle Thompson, Florence M.
Street, Borden B. Johnson, Barbara M. Highfield, Opal Cheater, Mary
Forsythe (Curtis), Esther McArthur, Florence Glennie, Mabel Curtis,
Evelyn Hose, Joyce Clark Highfield, Margaret Stephen, Dorothy
Dawson, Evelyn Trumbla, Norma Abel, Catherine Jackson, Michael
Dyrda, Verla Loney, Effie Sloik, Mrs. Verna Wilson, Audrey Stevens,
Allan Kamberg, Flora Bell, Jennie Cosinski, Wayne Corbin, Doris
Corbin, Verla Bird, Marshall Effler, Wilda Beam, Ruth Oakes,
Andrew Aleniuk, Walter Kiliwnik, Betty Younger, Merril Kiliwnik.
26
CURTIS S. D. # 1187
by Jack Tully
The school district of Curtis # 1187 was formed in 1902, being
bounded on the north by the Assiniboine River, on the south
approximately one and one half miles south of the present Oakville
Road (#331), on the east to just past Newton Siding and the west
limits were to the bend of the river later known as the Whoop and
Holler Bend.
At that time the westerly part of the district was heavily wooded and
had few permanent settlers, so it was decided to build the school
some distance east of the centre of the district. The school was
therefore built on the south-east of 19-11-5 on the road now known
as the Oakville Road. The land on which it was built belonged to the
Kenny Co. and is now part of the J. W. Lee Tully farm. Miss Hetty
Grime was the first teacher.
Through the years the land became owned by smaller farmers and
especially the west end which was cleared of bush and cultivated.
The school population increased, so in 1920, the ratepayers decided
that two schools should be built in the district, but that the district not
be divided. It was decided to build West Curtis on the south-west of
24-11-6 and East Curtis at the Newton corner being the south-east of
21-11-5. These schools were built in 1921 and 1922 by H. Doherty.
The old school was sold in 1922 to F. Tryhurn for $305.00 and moved
to his farm. In the spring of 1924, the trustees still having title to the
school, sold it to the Ukrainian Community Club for $250.00 and they
moved it to the Whoop and Holler Bend of the river where it was used
as a hall. On this club disbanding, the building was sold to George
O'Neil, who moved it to his farm and turned it into a house. So the
old school, after three moves, is still in use today.
In 1934, the Elm River Hutterite Colony came into being, having
bought the Alex Brennan farm, being all of 20-11-5 and three
quarters of 18-11-5. In 1935, they approached the trustees to have
their land taken out of Curtis district and have a school in the colony.
Faced with the choice of building another school or letting the land
go, the trustees agreed to surrender the land with the proviso that
27
any other land in the district which the colony might acquire was to
remain in the Curtis district for tax purposes. The colony then built a
school and called it Brennan.
The two schools, East and West Curtis, were fully modern with wood
or coal furnaces, then oil, and electric lights when hydro came in.
The outdoor toilets were replaced with modern indoor ones in later
years.
As the years went by, the West school became overcrowded and for
a time some of the pupils were transported to the East school, but in
1960 it was decided to build another classroom on the West school
with a teacherage for the two teachers at a cost of $8000.00. This
solved the problem until the spring of 1968 when the Portage District
Board took over. The children from the East school went by bus to
Oakville, and that school was sold and moved to Elm Creek.
However, due to lack of space in Portage, the West school ran on
another year, finally closing in June 1969. The children now go to
Portage by bus.
Over a period of sixty-seven years a great many teachers have
taught in these schools, the last two being Mrs. McKinnon and Mrs.
Holliday. These were the last of many teachers who taught ably and
well for nearly seventy years. Also over that period a goodly number
of the ratepayers (too many to mention by name) have served as
trustees and given of their time and energy to keep the schools
running as smoothly as possible.
The last board consisted of Mike Kupybida, Lindsay Clements, Bernie
A. Dyck with Emil Lamblez as secretary-treasurer.
On the closing of the West Curtis School, the residents of Curtis and
adjoining lands, got the school and grounds from the Division Board.
They formed a Community Club and are keeping the old school as a
Community Centre, for use as a hall, a meeting place for 4-H clubs,
and the treed grounds as a picnic spot.
28
DALE S. D. # 705
by Mrs. J. J. Mumm
Pursuant to notice a public meeting was held August 5th 1892, at the
residence of George Dale for the purpose of considering a school site
and building. Elected to the board of trustees were Andrew Moggey,
John Dale and Elijah Eagle with Thomas Hewitson, auditor. October
17th of the same year a meeting of the ratepayers authorized the
elected trustees to borrow the sum of five hundred dollars by issue of
debentures for the purpose of erecting and furnishing a schoolhouse,
loan to be repayable in three annual instalments.
The south-east corner of 4-13-6, an acre of land from the farm of
George Dale, at a cost of twenty-five dollars, was the selected site-the district to be known as Dale School District # 705. Head and
Bossons, an architechtural firm, charged twenty dollars for plans and
specifications of the building.
Building operations must have commenced immediately as of
November 19th the sum of two dollars insurance was paid B. Snider.
Between November 24th 1892, and March 14th 1893 the sum of six
hundred and sixty-five dollars was paid to the contractor, Ben
Whitmore, uncle of Eden D. Smith. Seating arrangements for twentyfour pupils were made with the purchase of one dozen school desks,
two chairs and tables for $64.75. The opening date was April 1st with
Miss M. Mackie in charge at a monthly salary of forty dollars. A pump
from J. O. Cadham Hardware on June 21st cost seven dollars and
sixty cents.
Although these pioneers have now passed on, in the years closely
following opening date, names noted in the minute book include John
Dezell, father of Clifford Dezell, Andrew Wishart, grandfather of Don
and Gordon Bradley, Herbert Lyttle, father of Douglas Lyttle, Thomas
Smith, grandfather of Leslie, Wilmer, Harold and Eden Smith, Andrew
Moggey, grandfather of Neil, Garth and Clifford Moggey, Elijah Eagle
and Thomas Annison, uncles of J. J. Mumm and Thomas and John
Dale, distant relatives of J. J. Mumm. In the early 1900's the name of
William Crampton appeared along with J. M. Cook, father of Ted
Cook. Thus we end the early history of Dale district.
29
In the ensuing years many improvements and modifications were
made from wood box stove consuming a four foot cordwood stick, to
automatic oil furnace, telephone, electricity, radio, indoor toilets,
paneled walls, linoleum covered floors and re-arrangement of the
lighting system, for which many school boards are to be commended.
In 1963, seventy years after erection, the district, with only half a
dozen pupils, merged with East Prospect, and the school building
was moved to that site and is known as Dale-Prospect. The land,
now owned by Clifford Moggey, has returned to agricultural use and a
well-known landmark, around which centered the community life, is
gone.
Footnotes: Some of the teachers throughout the years were: Maggie
E. Mackie, Kate Moore, Una Spencer, W. A. Ruttan, Alex Armstrong,
Thomas Stevenson, Kate McKinlay, Agnes Bannerman, Dorcas
Crake, Perley Livingstone, E. Cook, Myrtle Pope, Edna Cook, Minnie
Dalzell, Alen Armstrong, Ernest G. Smith, Edna Voole, Vera Lyon,
Opal Muir, Gladys Crampton, Ila Tidsbury, Helena M. Williams,
Annie I. Price, R. Evelyn Russell, Bertha Muir, Eleanor Nichol, Isabel
Ferguson, Rudy Dankesreiter, Violet Gallant, Helen Sklepowich,
Ferne Webster, Edna Webster, Doris Boak, Ada Rice, Betty
Thompson, Betty Jones, Patricia Benson, Lorelie Gudnason, Lois
Vust. The last trustees were W. O. Smith, Don Bradley, Leslie Smith.
30
DELTA BEACH S. D. # 1810
by Mrs. C. E. Hutchinson
During the years 1899 to 1902 the first summer cottages appeared at
Delta Beach. Up until this time the residents of the beach were all
fishermen and trappers. In those days they fished with boats in the
summer and through the ice in the winter. After 1906 the summer
fishing was stopped, but the winter fishing is still carried on. The
Armstrong Trading Post operated in those days near the spot where
Hutchinson's store now stands.
Later the big store that most people remember was built by a Mr.
Palmer as a hotel. After the first war this store was purchased by the
McDonald Brothers, Gordon and Archie. The McDonalds operated
this store until 1953.
Among the earliest residents on the beach were Hawkinsons,
Dutsons, Lebels Cruzelles, Palmers and Hutchinsons. The railroad
was built in to Delta Beach in the year 1901 and operated until 1943.
Today there are nearly two hundred cottages on the beach, besides
twenty-four families that reside here the year round. Many are still
fishermen and the rest are employed by the Delta Waterfowl
Research Station.
In the year 1916 on May 8th the first school board was formed at
Delta Beach. On this board Mr. G. Dutson was secretary-treasurer
and the trustees were Leo Lebel, Gus Hawkinson and William
Hutchinson. The first auditor was J. H. Stanton. This board of
trustees borrowed $1500.00 to build and equip the school. The
materials were supplied by the Corona Lumber Company, and P.
Fulford was hired as foreman at sixty cents an hour. The next year
the school was painted by labor at twenty-five cents an hour. Mr.
Lebel supplied ice for drinking water in those days.
The first inspector was Mr. Maguire who officially opened the school.
The first teacher at Delta Beach was Miss Emily Inkster followed by
Miss Bertha Peck in 1917. Miss Lorna Moore came in 1918 and after
the war there was Miss Brewster and Miss Olive Jackson. Space
31
does not permit mention of all the teachers but special mention
should be made of Mrs. Mary Rutledge and Mrs. Elsie Dugard who
taught at Delta Beach eight and nine years respectively.
The same men served many years on the school board. Mr. Archie
McDonald served as secretary-treasurer for twenty-five years.
The school that stands today is the original building. An addition was
built on in 1953 and at the same time, an oil furnace, pressure pump
and an indoor lavatory were installed.
At the present time there are ten pupils enrolled at Delta Beach.
As of January 1st 1967, Delta Beach consolidated with seventeen
other districts to form the Portage la Prairie Consolidated School
District. This will be the last year that Delta Beach School District
operates as such.
As a note of interest, Mr. William Hutchinson never missed an annual
meeting of ratepayers from the year 1916 until he passed away in
1958. Also Mrs. Hutchinson boarded every teacher in the early days.
Special thanks to C. C. Fairbairn for dates re-the railroad etc. Mr.
Fairbairn has spent his summer holidays at Delta Beach all his life.
Footnotes: The Delta school was located on the south-east quarter of
14-14-7 on land received from Margaret Cook and purchased by the
Delta Community Club in 1968. The last trustees were Eileen
Henderson, George Tomalin, Peter Ward and Carol Fraser. A partial
list of teachers follows: Emily Inkster, Bertha Peck, Mona Oulton,
Ailleen M. Moore, Olive Jackson, Ruth Brewster, P. Sargent, Mrs.
Mary Rutledge, Mrs. Elsie Dugard, Dalton Gilbert, Gail Cochrane,
Margaret Lesperance, Kenneth Haffenbrak.
32
DUNDONALD S. D. # 1322
by Ralph Bailey
The Little Red School House, a once familiar structure which dotted
the countryside and served as a focal point, not only for education,
but as a community center, is becoming almost a legend. These
school-houses which provided education for innumerable rural
students, many of whom have taken prominent part in the
development of our country, have become the victims of progress.
They have yielded to consolidation and centralization, and their
passing leaves a feeling of nostalgia and a vacant spot in the
community which is hard to replace.
Dundonald School District #1322, is one of these schools. It was a
small one- room school built in 1905 and located in a fertile area
between Macdonald and Longburn, some seventeen miles northwest of Portage la Prairie. For years the school was a landmark, and
strangers trying to orient themselves in the area, inevitably used the
school as a central point, that is to say so and so lives so many miles
either way from the school.
Dundonald School was built to serve a number of families living in an
area some two and one half to three miles wide by about four miles
long. The distances seem small by present standards but in the
earlier days they were significant, as transportation was either by
horse or a good number of times by foot.
This school was built by a local farmer, Henry Kirkwood and his
brother Alfred. At the time of its construction it served four families-the Kirkwoods, Henry Baileys, Arthur Beams and McBains.
The first Board of Trustees were: Henry Kirkwood, Henry Bailey and
Sylvester Ferguson. The original pupils were: Stanley Kirkwood,
Olive Kirkwood, Lissa Kirkwood, Wilson Kirkwood, Elsie Beam, Nellie
Beam, John Beam, Stanley Beam, Norman Beam, Bert Bailey, Annis
Bailey, Myrtle Bailey and Dan McBain. Due to the fact that the
original registers were lost it is difficult to place the first teachers.
Some of these teachers were: Miss Moffatt, Miss Morris, Miss
Langford and Miss Beatrice Sissons. It is believed that either Miss
Morris or Miss Moffatt was the first teacher.
33
It is interesting to note that several grandchildren of the first pupils
received their education at this school. Mrs. Walter Brown (nee
Myrtle Bailey) had two grandchildren attend this school. They are
Scott and Cathy Brown, children of Mr. and Mrs. Barry Brown.
Cartney McLeod also had grandchildren attend. They are Morley and
Dennis McLeod, children of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur McLeod. Several
pupils who attended here, returned later to teach. Some of these
pupils were: Myrtle Bailey (Mrs. Walter Brown), Carrie Bailey (Mrs.
Roy McCartney), and Bernice Bailey (Mrs. J. Crawford).
Some of the teachers from Dundonald still live in the area. Among
them are: Myrtle Elgert (Mrs. E. Burton), Ruth Kenner (Mrs. K.
James), Mrs. W. McCartney, Lillias Stewart (Mrs. Skatfeld), Margaret
Coubrough (Mrs. Bud Kitson).
Over the years Dundonald School had its ups and downs.
Sometimes it flourished, sometimes it lingered on the point of
oblivion. The attendance at times was very small, once the
enrollment was down to five pupils and the school was on the verge
of closing, however new families moved in to save the day.
Sometimes it was a family moving on to a farm, another time it was
an elevator agent who moved in with a family outnumbering the
present enrollment. And so it went. The familiar red was replaced by
a sombre grey. The old outhouses were replaced by indoor
plumbing. The old C. P. R. pot bellied stove yielded to an oil burner.
Continually prodded by the Department of Education, the school
board tried to keep up with the times, then suddenly it was all gone.
In 1960 due to a small enrollment and pressure applied from every
angle, it was decided to close the school and consolidate with
Macdonald and Longburn. The last teacher was Miss K. Morrison.
The last pupils were: Cathy Brown, Scott Brown, Robert E. Brown,
Alex Arbuckle, Wendy Arbuckle, Morley McLeod, Dennis McLeod and
Allan H. Walker. The last school board consisted of: J. A. McLeodchairman, C. Barry Brown, R. W. Walker, W. A. McCartney
secretary- treasurer.
The author who was born the year the school was built would like to
have known the number of pupils who received part of their education
34
here. However the first registers obtainable only date back to 1927,
and the school had been operating twenty-two years prior to that
date.
Although the early records are not available it may be of interest to
note some of the salaries paid. We have information indicating that
salaries were from $ 450.00 per year to $2800.00 per year.
In 1961 the school was sold to Robert Adrian and moved to his farm
where it now stands and serves as a garage and workshop.
Thus endeth a noble school which served its purpose well, and
provided education for a succession of pupils who are scattered over
every province in the Dominion.
Footnotes: Dundonald school was located on the north-east quarter
of 16-13-8 on land bought from Henry Bailey and William Wishart for
$60.00.
35
EAST POPLAR POINT S. D. # 15
by Mr. Bend
The original was a one room school. It was situated on River Lot 81
of the Parish of Poplar Point. It stood about one quarter of a mile
north of the old Edmonton Trail or as the trail is known today #4
Highway and was built around 1873 of lumber. It burnt down in 1912
and was rebuilt the same year.
In the year 1918 it was moved to the Village of Poplar Point and
another room added to it. At a later date a new four room school
was built and it has remained the same to the present time.
The people of Poplar Point are justly proud of the scholars who have
gone through the doors of their school. Many of whom have become
outstanding citizens of our country and have done their share to help
to put Canada in the position she holds in the world today.
This school has turned out: Ministers of the gospel, Lawyers, Cabinet
Ministers,-Doctors, Reeves, Councilors, Nurses, Mounted Policemen,
City Police, Mechanics, Education Supervisors, in fact every line of
endeavor our country needs. This of course has been attained by
careful planning by the trustees whom the people put in office to run
the operations of the school.
From the school playground have come some of Canada's finest
athletes in the fields of Hockey, Running, Jumping, Baseball,-becoming champions, not only of the Province but of the Dominion.
Our school teachers have been of the finest. The first that comes to
mind coming to teach from Eastern Canada in the year 1888 was H.
T. McKinstry who taught for seven years. He was followed by:
Mr. R. Brown, Mr. W. G. Sanburn, Mr. Robinson, Miss Harvey, Mr. J.
Bannerman, Miss McCorrister, Miss C. Christie, Miss Tidsbury, Mrs.
Mountain, Miss Totton, Miss McAllister, Miss Armstrong, Miss
Berryhill, Miss McCaw, Miss Gahan, Miss Vanstone, Mr. Bathgate,
Mrs. Coates, Miss Campbell, Mr. Berlyn, Miss Frayme, Miss Thomas,
Miss McIntosh, Mr. Bowman, Miss Pollock, Mr. O. Holmes, Mr. F.
Cavers, Mr. C. Voigt, Miss G. Gowler, Mr. R. Bend, Miss O. Bend, Mr.
Parsons, Miss H. Garland, Miss G. Wheatley, Miss M. Wilton, Mr. E.
36
Calverley, Miss M. Powell, Miss J. Nisbet, Miss E. McKinstry, Miss L.
Grogan, Miss I. McKay, Miss K. Shorthose, Miss G. Freedy, Miss L.
Barker, Miss G. Thompson, Miss M. Bruce, Mr. J. Bock, Mr. Laird,
Mr. R. Mulligan, Mr. Denstead, Mr. Stasiuk, Mr. McDonald, Mr. R.
Thiessen, Miss Zellers, Miss Friesen, Mr. M. Boychuk, Miss P.
Caldwell, Miss S. Larcombe, Miss Elaschuk, Miss V. Sinclair, Mr. Z.
Matiation, Mrs. C. Edmondson, Mrs. Thompson, Miss F. Bosinski,
Miss G. Klassen, Miss L. Perret, Mrs. Rintoul, Mr. & Mrs. Buschau,
Miss B. Crewson, Miss G. Borthistle.
37
EAST PROSPECT S. D. # 111
by Ida Wishart Brown
First of all I must tell you how East Prospect got its name. In the
year 1871 the late Mr. S. M. Marlatt came to Portage la Prairie and
homesteaded the south-west quarter of 30-12-6. Shortly after he
came to his homestead he had a "bee" to build a house. There were
not many neighbors in those days, but in spite of the small numbers a
house was soon built. Someone asked what he proposed to name
his farm? He thought for a while and then he said "Prospect." " Why
Prospect?" came the question, and he replied, "Because there was a
prospect of starvation," so from there on the farm and district was
Prospect. The first school was built in 1876 on the south-west
quarter of 36-12-7 and was named "Prospect". This building was
actually built for a home, but was later used as a school, and served
the purpose until 1879. The district got to be quite large and the
distance too far for many, so the settlers decided to build another
school. However, they had difficulty in selecting a location, so
decided to split the district and build two schools, naming them East
and West Prospect.
The second home that was used for a school was the home of the
late Mr. G. Thomson situated on the north-west quarter of 18-12-6,
but in 1880 they built a school on the north-east quarter of 18-12-6.
At this time each farmer was charged $3.00 per quarter to pay for the
school and the expenses of running the school. The taxpayers of the
district in 1881 were: E. W. Snider, David Custer, James Moffat, J. A.
Patterson, W. P. Smith, John Moffat, Alex Moffat, Gaddis Thompson,
John Dallimone, J. P. Riach, Fred Pope, James Cowas (MD), John
Simpson, Charles Mair, Wm. Thompson, George A. Tucker, James
Ferguson, David Thompson, Margaret MacDonald, Wm. McCowan,
Higgins and Young, D. D. Fraser, John McLilland, R.A. Neilings, A.
J. Green, David McCowan, James and Robert Sheild, Thomas
Swales, W. Wishart, James Trow, George Brandon, Henry Moss,
Fred Westgate and John Grant.
Some of the stories that the pioneers used to tell were very
interesting, especially how they got their education, which was not
very much as they had to help at home. Some of them walked to and
38
from school four and one half miles, then ploughed with the oxen until
dark. The ladies also had their share of hardship as they had no
conveyances to go to church or town. They had to walk and carry
their baby with them and also carry their groceries home.
The only list of teachers in the earlier days that I could find were the
following names: Alice Laut, Annie McLeod, J. A. Bowman, Harry
Cook, Essie Huston, Annie Cameron, Minnie Spire, Mary McKinnon,
Mr. Delimore, Walter Shaw, G. C.
Boothe, R. G. Taylor, James L.
Bowman, Miss Cook, Mr. A. Bowman, Effie Smith, Dorcas Crake,
Jessie A. Graham, Etta McCracken, Grace Burns, Sydney Gardner,
Edward J. Hatheway.
In the year 1910 they decided to build a new school and have it a half
mile south of the present one. This school is still in use, but is
consolidated with Dale district. They went into consolidation in July
1963, so now the district is Prospect Dale. As near as I can find, the
following is the list of teachers who taught and lived in the district up
until consolidation: Maude Campbell, Alison Drysdale, Charlotte
Lambert, Isabelle Jacklin, Edna Cook, Nell Dayton, W. Mack, Ella
Pearson, Ernest G. Smith, Florence Lye, Myrtle Moffat, Margaret S.
Courtice, Myrtle Pearson, Blanche Homes, Bertha Hill, M. White,
Helen Sanderson, Jean Sanderson, G. Mellen, G. Glen, Isa Gleddin,
Irene Burton, Denise Dowfler, G. Ballance, L. Skabinski, Mrs.
Hayward, Mrs. McKinley, Verna Bell and Iris Braden.
There were a great many horsemen in the district over the years.
One of them was the late John Wishart, who showed Clydesdale
Hackneys at the Portage Fair and in Winnipeg. Mr Wishart was also
president of the Horse Breeders Association of Manitoba and served
as one of the Rural Councilors for a few years. Also there were the
late David Little, John McCowan and W. J. Smith. Another man who
did a lot of showing was A. M. Brownridge who is retired and living in
Portage. He was also president of the Clydesdale Association for
years.
We had a great number of ploughmen in our district, and quite a few
of them have gone east to Ontario to compete there. One of the
younger ploughmen was Mickey Demman who won the contest to go
39
to the "Old Country". He was not successful there but made a good
showing.
One of our well known men was the late J. G. Cowan who took part
of his education at the East Prospect School. He went through for a
lawyer and practiced law for thirteen years. He was made Minister of
Mines and Natural
Resources, then was the first Deputy Minister
of Public Utilities in Manitoba. This post he held until his sudden
death in 1966 from a heart attack. He was also chairman of
Manitoba Oil and Gas Conservation. Jack, as he was so well known
to us all, will be greatly missed as he had been in public service for
thirty-three years. It was a great shock to us all when we heard of his
sudden passing.
The students of East Prospect down through the years, have
scattered far and wide. Some of them still live in the district, others
have taken professions such as doctors, druggists, teachers,
business men etc. to make their living.
Around the year 1900 or 1901 the first car came north of Portage to
the Prospect district. It belonged to the late John McLean who
farmed in this district. Those days the wheels were wooden and
covered with rubber. John McLean Jr. who is retired and living on
Second Street S. in Portage is busy trying to put his father's car
together after all those years. Several pieces cannot be bought so
he is making them.
If I have omitted any names in the history of East Prospect that
should have been in it, I hope I will be forgiven as I had no records to
go by --only stories that have been told to some of our older
members.
40
EDWIN S. D. # 735
by Mrs. Helen Boak
The first meeting of the ratepayers of Fox School District was held at
the home of Henry Treffry on July 27 1893. The first board elected
at this time was Joseph Patterson, Henry Treffry and William
McConochie. The site chosen to build a school on was the southeast corner of the south-west quarter of 16-11-8. The logs for the
school were cut by Bill Kelly and Blake Ferris. The amount of
$300.00 was borrowed to purchase the remaining material.
School opened the fall of 1895 with Miss Beddome as the teacher.
Her salary was $210.00 per annum. The special school tax at this
time was $160.00.
In December 1896 a motion was made to hold church in the schoolhouse.
By 1900 teacher's salaries had increased to $400.00. The school
was heated with wood which was purchased for 95 cents per cord.
We think that free text books in the schools is something new, but
they were also available from the Department of Education in 1903.
At the annual meeting in 1904 a motion was made to build a new
brick schoolhouse 26x40, and $3000.00 was borrowed for this
purpose.
In 1905 the new school was completed and the name of the district
was changed from Fox to Edwin. The school board at this time was
John McConochie, R. J. Fawcett and J. H. Crewson. Miss O'Leary
was in charge of teaching duties.
By 1921 the student population had grown to the extent that it was
necessary to convert the school into two classrooms. A porch was
also added to the west. With the added classroom two teachers were
hired, these being Miss Fox and Miss Wallace. The latter stayed for
several years.
41
In the fall of 1924 arrangements were made to teach up to and
including Grade X11. Board at this time was Charles Larkin, John
Pallister and J. E. Crewson.
The following year it was found necessary to enlarge the school yard.
The land was purchased from Herb Bowland. Miss Kay Scott was
hired as teacher and as years went by a sister Miss Rae Scott and
brother Joe Scott also taught here.
In 1930 Rudy Dankesreiter was hired. Though handicapped, he was
very active in sports and remained in the district for seven years. The
school board consisting of W. O. McConochie, J. S. Boak and W. F.
Patterson served for many years, the latter being secretary-treasurer
for twenty-three years.
We were fortunate in the mid-thirties to have two sisters teach here
again. These were Edna and Margaret Nicoll of Rossendale.
Through the forties, teacher salaries increased slightly, a hardwood
floor was put in the school and the usual repairs were kept up. The
old gas lamps were put in the cupboard, and the school was wired for
electricity. The old barn was torn down and a new one was erected
in its place.
In April 1958 a special meeting was called to discuss the possibility of
joining the Portage la Prairie Secondary School Area. The motion
was carried. This was another step forward in education.
The summer of 1960 brought more changes. The old brick school
was torn down and the present school was erected. School board at
this time was Nick Chepil, Lloyd Slater and Robert Gould. The
former board member retired in 1964, and Mrs. Roy Boak was
elected. She was the first lady trustee to serve on the board in the
district.
Now the trend is toward larger schools. In May 1966 Edwin voted to
form a Consolidation with twenty-two other school districts. This
school was to be built in the western outskirts of Portage.
42
There have been several families with three generations attending
Edwin School, namely Pallisters, Goulds, Boaks, Slaters, and
Fergusons.
Some caretakers who served faithfully through the years were Tom
Cail, Cecil Hadley and Roy Boak.
People come and go. Some students who went on from Edwin to
further their education in nursing were Frances McDermott (Young),
Bessie Allardyce (Manhard), Mary Larkin (Gibson), Helen
McConochie (Troop), and Loretta Larkin (Smith).
In the teaching profession, Mary Chepil (Onysko), Jessie Pallister
(Crosby), Doris Boak (Smith), Beryl McConochie (Johnston), Verna
Patterson (Howarth), Della McIntosh (Evans), Rudy Dankesreiter and
John Bowland. Two teachers Mrs. Roberta Chepil and Mrs. Anne
Pallister have stayed in the district.
Soon the doors will be closed, but memories of our days spent in the
country school-house will never be forgotten.
Footnote: Edwin school closed in 1969, although grades seven and
eight pupils attended Portage schools in 1968. All students are taken
to Portage schools by bus. The building and property were
purchased from the Portage School Division board and are now the
Edwin Community Club.
43
ELM RIVER S. D. # 622
by Ilene Botterill
It is difficult to say just when Elm River District first originated, but in
the centre of the district where the school now stands, three milles
south and two miles west of Oakville, it's beginning probably centres
around the land acquired in 1889 by Finlay Robertson. This land was
practically all bush and scrub and the drainage poor until the
dredging of the Elm River and the construction of a Big Ditch in 1903,
at which time one of the outstanding farming areas of Manitoba had
its beginning.
Elm River school # 622 was built right opposite the Robertson home
in 1890, and Mr. Robertson, for years, served as trustee on the
school board. His son Everett likewise did the same. The original
school was burned down in 1913 at which time Margaret Wood (the
late Mrs. Alford) was the teacher.
Classes were then held in the Elm River church until the school was
rebuilt, which was shortly afterwards, and this building still remains in
use. The Elm River church was built a mile or so west and south of
the school, about the same time 1890, as the first school, and it was
the first church erected south of the Assiniboine.
Neighbors at this time Wm. Thompson, Colin Macdonald, Eli Blight,
Lloyd brothers, Moxhams, Morrows, Warks, Littles, Wm. Whitman
and Fred Dresser helped to build the church. In the year 1940 the
church celebrated its 50th anniversary and a fowl supper was held in
the church shed. Guest speaker was Reverend Pritchard, the pastor
thirty-eight years ago.
In those early years, Mr. Moxham operated a small store and post
office one mile west of the school.
Other settlers soon followed: John Thompson 1895, Dave Thompson
1897, Harry and Levi Staples, Wm. Solomon, Dave Alexander and J.
S. Wood.
In 1909 there was an enrollment of fifty at the school and Edna
Robertson (the late Mrs. Bray) was the teacher. Some of the pupils
44
then were Margaret and Jaffray Wood, Everett Robertson, Ernie
Moxham, Hartley and Mabel Thompson, Vic and George Thompson,
Alexanders, Thynnes, Reggs, Foulds, Bourke, Wisharts, Spence,
Langford, Tryhurn, Blanchard and Staples.
In 1919 the enrollment was still close to fifty and here some of the
pupils were: Tom, Tressa, John and Myrtle Sherritt, Art and May
Botterill, Roma, Hazel, Myrtle and Lena Thompson, Ann, Margaret
and Rosella Denton, Gordon Hogaboam, Dorothy, Elsie and Orville
Coates, Cora and Harvey Nixon, Wheatleys, Johnsons and
McKinnons.
This area continues to support a relatively large population as the
enrollment in this Centennial year (1967) is still over thirty.
In listening to some of these former students, comes such tales
as,"Remember when Tom Sherritt lit the waste paper basket under
the teacher's desk," or "when Norman and Clarence Fust were
known as Biggest and Littlest" or "Remember the Jack Rabbit Arena,"
a skating rink in Thompson's bush.
The school building and grounds for years have been the centre of
gatherings for Christmas concerts, whist drives, dances, showers,
picnics, ball games and events that are a pleasant memory to many.
When the little rural schools are no longer in use, the era of districts
like Elm River will gradually be absorbed into the larger centres such
as Oakville and Portage.
A list of the teachers follows: Miss McLaughlin, Eleanor Mills, M.
Whitmore, Minnie Alford, Robert Alford, Edna Robertson, Margaret
Wood, Lorna Moore, Edith Starrat, Ethel Hedley, Miss Webster,
Florence Fahitey, Merrill Brigden, Dorothy Coates, Mary Muir,
Bernice Graham, Harriett Scarlett, Norma Bell, Marjorie Sinclair,
Margaret Denton,
Lillias Stewart, Edna Nicoll, Hazel Poyser,
Rowena Sherritt, Christina Hunter, Edna Irvine, Helen Gossen, Gwen
Tooth, Peggy Karlowski, Gwen McIntosh, Faye Patterson, Robert
Wood, Shirley Inverarity, Rae Creed, Barbara Varga, Shirley Blight,
Frieda Dyck, Ellen Hunter, Elfrieda Dueck, Shirley Case.
45
In closing might I quote these words as composed by the present
teacher, Mrs. Shirley Case (Wishart) and sang at the last Christmas
concert in 1966 by the pupils whose names still follow the pattern of
some of the original settlers: Miller (Robertson), Butler (Thompson),
Woods, Botterills, Dentons, Hogaboams and Fusts.
Quote:
Should Elm River be forgot,
And never brought to mind,
Should Elm River be forgot
And days of Auld Lang Syne.
We've learned a lot in this old school,
Yet had a lot of fun,
We'll often think back to these days
When our education's done.
Consolidation's coming soon
And from here we will go,
We'll take with us fond memories,
Of the good times we now know.
Should Elm River be forgot,
And never brought to mind,
Should Elm River be forgot,
And days of Auld Lang Syne.
Footnotes: Elm River school was built on the north-west corner of the
north-west quarter of 35-10-5. The school closed in 1967, and the
thirty pupils were bused to Oakville School. The building was sold
to Norman and Myrtle Fust who converted it to a modern home
which Myrtle still occupies.
46
ELSMITH S. D. # 648
by Dorothy Crealock and Muriel Wright
The first school was erected on the south-east corner of the northeast quarter of 2-12-9 on land donated by Joseph Martin. Originally
named Bagot, the wood frame structure, built at a cost of $620.00,
opened on May 4 1891 with teacher Miss Margaret Patterson. Prior
to this school being built, classes were held in a granary on the
Crealock farm. When a school # 1204 was constructed in the Bagot
Village in 1902, # 648 was renamed Elsmith in honour of two district
pioneer families, the Elliotts and the Smiths.
The original building was destroyed by fire and replaced in 1911.
While the new school was being built, classes were held in the
kitchen at the McKay farm, just one-quarter mile north. Hope
Radclyffe Burch can remember throwing lunch kits and books out the
window of the school while it burned.
Over the years enrollment varied from six to fifty-one students.
Elsmith school was a union school, serving children of both Portage
and North Norfolk municipalities. When consolidation came in 1966,
the district was divided and students were transported to both
Portage and MacGregor district schools. For three years, until
Yellowquill school was opened in the fall of 1969, elementary grades
for Portage schools attended Macdonald Consolidated School #
2401. Transportation by car was provided by Mabel Charlton.
Teachers were as follows: Margaret Patterson, Joe Livingston, Ina
Gourlay, J. B. Anderson, H. A. McMillan, Clara Elliott, Helen Bate,
Sadie H. Lundy, Hazel Kitson (first teacher in the renamed Elsmith),
Pearl Charlton, Eva Johnston, Lena Davey, Maude M. Campbell,
Mabel Prout, Minnie Dalziel, Ella Jean Martin, Margaret Kerr, M.
McKinstry, Pearl Crealock, Jessie S. Laurie, Catherine Ritchie, Jean
Kerr, Winnifred Woods, E. May Tidsberry, Hazel Gorham, Iona
Lounsbury, Pat Lovell, Gladys Lounsbury, Florence McKay, Elsie
Allen, Bertha M. Shields, Miss Gorrie, Mary Forsyth, Margaret
Lamont, Jean Blair, Gladys McKinley, Mary Isabel Morris, Jean
Ziegler, Vida Dring, Lilley Humiski, Lola Coltart, Alice Goldsborough,
47
Dorothy Thompson Crealock, Elsie Black, Audrey Gemmell, Wilda
Beam, Elvira Hamm, Joanne Voesenek, Dalton Gilbert.
Some of the trustees were: Barry Crealock, Adam Smith, John
Elliott, Bella Crealock, Jack Kerr, W. G. Burch, George Kelly, Hugh
McKay, Howard Roberts,
Alex Paul, Wally Gray and Malcolm
Coubrough. The last trustees were Stanley Crealock, Frank Lander
and Mabel Charlton.
The school building was sold for use as a church, dismantled in 1982,
and a new church now stands on this site.
In July 1992, one hundred and one years after the original opening of
#648, a cairn was placed on the old school site on Elsmith Road. At
the dedication ceremony the plaque was unveiled by Anne Kerr and
Merle Bailey, who are direct descendants of the Elliotts and the
Smiths. The rock, used for a cairn, came from the headland of the
property known locally as the Elliott Place. Hope Burch, Wm.
Crealock and Ted Radclyffe, some of the oldest living students
shared a few memories.
48
EUCLID S. D. # 197
by Richard Sanderson
Euclid School #197 is situated seven miles north of Portage la
Prairie. In 1887 a meeting was called to organize and form a school
district to consist of forty quarter sections. It was held in the home of
Mr. John Ingram, presently owned by Mrs. Cecil MacDonald. Others
present at the Ingram home were J. Gibb, Ves Carter, William
McCowan, James Thompson, Fred Byers, Robert McCowan, John
Sanderson, William McDonald, Ed McDonald, Dan McDonald, and
Ves Chapin. William McDonald gave an acre of land on the northwest corner of 6-13-6. The school was built in 1888. "Euclid" was
suggested by Mr. Ingram who was also a teacher. When the school
opened approximately twenty pupils attended. The first teacher was
Miss Minnie Sinclair. The school operated until 1950 when it was
replaced by a new building which is still in operation with ten children
in attendance.
Foonotes: From a writeup obtained from the Portage Library:
Euclid School District # 197 was formed July 20 1882. The land was
bought from W. B. McDonald for $10.00 and in 1889 the school
building was insured for $500.00. A description from the 1920's
shows Euclid school to be a one-room school painted white on the
outside. It sat inside a fenced yard which also contained a barn and
two outdoor toilets. The flag pole was near the front door. The
children were called to class by pulling the rope in the porch which
rang the bell in the belfry on the roof. Inside there was the usual
cloakroom area and the classroom. The school was heated by a large
black iron pot-bellied stove, which required much wood and coal on
cold days. In front of the stove were rows of desks, some double, and
on the platform at the front stood the teacher's desk, chair, some
bookshelves and an organ. The community used the school for
dances on weekends and for other social occasions. Some of the early
teachers were Minnie Sinclair, J. Cunningham, Carrie Caston, Minnie
Glennie, Hilda Johnston, Margaret McDonald, Helen M. Young. In
1950 the original Euclid school-house was replaced with a new
building. At the same time an additional piece of land to the south of
the original site was purchased to increase the size of the yard. The
49
new gray insulbrick building, also a one-room school, was built south
of the original school in this new larger yard. The last teachers were
Margaret Lesperence, Irene Blight, Heather Muirhead, Lois
Washington and Irma Gobert. The school district was dissolved
April 1 1967, but the school remained in use by the Portage la Prairie
School Division for two more years. After that it was sold, converted
into a house that is still used today, and can be seen any time you
drive Highway # 240 towards Oakland and Delta.
50
FLEE ISLAND S. D. # 527
by Evelyn Flynn
The Flee Island School District # 527 was formed February 1888.
The original location was on the south-east corner of the south-west
half of 26-13-6, the quarter section where Art Wilkinson and family
now live. That farm was then owned by Marshall Tuck ( in 1878 this
land was homesteaded by John Hancock Gould) and records indicate
that the first ratepayers meeting of the new school district was held at
his home.
Mr. Tuck was the first Flee Island postmaster when the area was
given a Post Office with once a week mail service. A year or two
later it is reported of Mr. Tuck, that when a request was made to the
postal authorities for a three times a week service, he said "Once a
week is enough to receive "dunners". Mr Tuck also established the
first (and only) store that Flee Island ever boasted, so it is probable
that he acquired some experience in sending as well as receiving
"dunners".
Eight ratepayers of the proposed new school, signed the required
petition to the "Reeve and Council of the Municipality of Portage la
Prairie". They were : David Alexander, J. Howard Campbell, George
Collier, Thomas Collier, William Ingram, Edward McDonald, J. W.
Owens, M. H. Owens.
M. H. Owens was Ella, Harry, and Norman's father. None of J. W.
Owens family live in Flee Island or High Bluff. At present two
grandsons, Harold and Don, reside in Portage la Prairie. Hartley
McDonald of Oakville and Norman of Portage are sons of Ed
McDonald. Mrs. Ed McDonald, perhaps the oldest Flee Islander,
celebrated her ninetieth birthday November 1966 and lives in
Portage. The Ingram family is represented in Ingleside district and
the Alexanders at Oakville. Several members of the families of
Thomas and George Collier are in Portage and Austin area. Mrs.
Christina Owens and Mrs. Maud Owens (now deceased) of Portage,
and Douglas of Winnipeg are remaining Campbell representatives.
51
Apparently the new school board acted with dispatch, as classes
began that autumn in a well built one room school-house with Mr.
Peter Hall as first teacher.
One of the highlights of the early scholars was an April blizzard in
1892 which forced all children and the teacher to stay in the school
overnight. The teacher at this time, was a young lady named Miss
Van Alstyne who showed good judgment
and displayed
resourcefulness in keeping all of the children from panicking under
such circumstances. Mrs. Christina Owens, who was one of the
pupils, recalls that when the coal oil for the lamp eventually ran out,
Miss Van Alstyne managed to continue the story she was reading to
them by slightly opening the front door of the big wood stove. The
story she read was "Enoch Arden".
Land was purchased from the North British Canadian Investment Co.
in 1896, and the school-house was moved one half mile to a more
central spot which is the present location . Approximately two miles
south of here a C. P. Railway had been completed in 1880.
A special meeting was held May 28 1897, when the school board
decided to build a school stable 20'x27' with Mr. William Davis to
supervise the building. Others mentioned at the meeting and doing
volunteer work were: J. Rufner, A. Code, M. Tuck, Walter Danby and
John Davis. Treasurer's reports state that in 1899 a special levy tax
on the district was $100.00 per year. Teachers salaries in these
times were $550.00-$575.00 and secretary $10.00 per annum.
At the annual meeting in January 1900, a motion was passed that an
order be placed with Mr. Tuck for fifty-one rods of page wire fencing,
eleven bars, one double gate-twelve feet and one single gate-three
feet, to fence the school yard. Mr. Tuck apparently still had his store
at this time, but the venture wasn't of too long a duration. The railway
remained for a longer time but is now abandoned. It is worth
recording that at one time Flee Island really had a store.
From time to time wood was contracted and hauled from High Bluff.
In 1906 a motion was passed to have a new floor and tarpaper the
school-house, to purchase an organ for fifteen dollars, also a Union
52
Jack Flag. Three years later Messrs. Ritchie and Walters were
contracted for the sum of $453.00 to repair and remodel the school.
Another interesting meeting was called by the school board in August
1905--"having received a complaint one of the students took whiskey
to the school-house and attempted to have the smaller boys drink it,
same boy used filthy and profane language, his father was to be
notified." No doubt the father acted without delay to deal with the
problem.
Elijah Code, for twenty-eight years took an active part in performing
school duties from 1899-1927. In 1909 he was delegated to attend
the Trustees Convention in Winnipeg with expenses paid--fare
$1.45, hotel two days at $1.50.
Other names on old records up to 1927, not previously mentioned in
carrying on school affairs: W. Davis Sr., W. Davis Jr., W. G. Lytle,
James McKnight, T. E. Todd, Thomas Little, George Cornick, R. J.
Martin, C. D. Owens, D. Collier, Ed Vanbuskirt, James Owens, J. J.
Walker, J. N. McDonald, D. Campbell, H. W. Owens, Wm. Little,
Harry, Archie and Walter Davis, Roy Lytle and J. H. Owens.
Church services were held in the school prior to the building of
Jackson Church in 1909.
The district is very proud of one of their sons, Mr. D. L. Campbell,
who after teaching for several months, and farming, was elected to
the Legislature under the Progressive banner in 1922. He has now
served a total of forty-three years, and is still Liberal representative
for the Lakeside constituency. (He retired from politics in 1969).
The early teachers included Miss Kate McKinley, Mr. Wm. Burns who
later became mayor of Portage la Prairie, and member of parliament
for Portage la Prairie Federal Constituency, W. A Conkey, Miss Jean
M. Baird, Miss Dorcas Craik who taught in 1903, her home was on
the farm now owned by Ron and Elaine Tidsbury. She was
succeeded by Miss Jean Wilton, daughter of Maxwell Wilton Sr. one
of the pioneer settlers of the district, Miss Flora Hiltz, James
McKenzie, Miss Margaret Snider, Alex Armstrong, Miss E.Smale,
Miss Olive Roes, Miss Gillespie, Miss L Shanser, Miss Sybil Ellis,
53
followed by Douglas Campbell--former student, Member of
Parliament, Premier of Manitoba, who taught the school in 1914.
Teachers who followed up to the year 1925 were Misses Jeannie
McMaster, Elsie Moggey, Ruby Crealock, Lillian Clements, Mr. H.
McKeen, Mrs. J. H. Owens (formerly Maude Campbell) in 1920, Miss
McCormick, Miss Nora Gair (Mrs. H. Owens of High Bluff) and lastly
Emma J. Haggarty.
The school carried on for over twenty years until 1948, when the
school-house was closed for two years due to a shortage of school
age children. After being moved to a surface foundation and
repaired, the school was reopened August 1950.
In 1959 the school joined the larger school area and in 1963 the (last)
school board R. A. Wilkinson, Ed Humiski, C. W. Flynn, were
requested to attend a meeting re-consolidation. The electors voted to
consolidate on June 30 1964.
Now the school, second of the local services to come, and last to
leave, ,joins the railway, the post office and the store, in merging its
future with High Bluff. Quoting from the book "Assiniboine Basin"
Jesuit missionaries had a Mission at Flee Island in 1750.
Recognizing the community of interest that has always existed
between our neighboring area, and confident that the new
arrangement is in keeping with today's requirements, the Flee Island
School # 527, after three quarters of a century of service, proudly
joins with Cochrane, North High Bluff, Old High Bluff, and High Bluff
Village, to be known as The Consolidated District of High Bluff #
2418.
Footnotes: Flee Island was named because an Indian tribe one-half
mile south, attacked another tribe who fled to the marshes of Lake
Manitoba. A list of teachers as supplied by Portage school records
follows: D. R. Urquhart, Annie McLellan, Nellie Collier, Alice
Cameron, Peter Hall, Maggie Van Alstyn, F. H. McVicar, J. A.
McGuire, J. W. Smith, Kate McKinlay, Wm. Burns, Wm. McConkey,
Nellie Farmer, Jean M. Baird, Maud Read, Jennie Wilton, Flora A
Hiltz, James A. McKenzie, Margaret B. Snider, Alen Armstrong,
54
Esther Smale, Olive I. Rose, Laura Stanger, R. Gillespie, Sybil Ellis,
Douglas Campbell, Jennie McMaster, Elsie Moggey, Myrtle Barron,
Ruby Crealock, Agnes May Dawson, Alda Jones, Grace E. Shaw, Mrs.
Maud Owens, Gertrude E. Morton, Grace Wheatley, Doris Craik,
Lillian Clements, H. McKeen, Miss McCormick, Nora Gair, Emma
Haggarty, Daisy Switzer, June Anderson, Mrs. Earl MacDonald,
Leona Usick, Marion Thomson, Lorna Dankesreiter, Mrs. Martha
Meikle, Nettie Fast. Flee Island school closed in 1966.
55
FORTIER S. D. # 741
by Mrs. Rebecca Mountain
"First must given place to last, because last must have his time to
come, but last gives place to nothing, for there is not another to
succeed"
Bunyan
When the curtain came down on the closing number of the 1965
Fortier School Concert, few realized that they had witnessed the last
of the series of seventy-two annual concerts.
The first one was held in the original schoolhouse in 1893. It is well
remembered by one of its participants. She recalls, that as a sleigh
load of people from Oakville passed through her father's yard on the
way to the concert, she saw an opportunity to arrive early. So, she,
without her mother's final inspection, took off in the sleigh. With her
long hair flying, she took her place on the stage. Luckily, her
recitation was about a domestic doing the spring cleaning. With pail
and mop in hand she quoted, in part
"Taking down the pictures,
dusting off the walls,
No one home this morning,
Should somebody call"
Mr. and Mrs. R. G. Miller and their family of seven arrived in the
district May 5, 1891, and settled on 22-11-4 on land bought from
Blake and Ryan. The Beam brothers settled just east of them in
1892, followed in the winter by Mr. W. P. Smith, on land now owned
by the Huron Hutterite Colony.
The Nixon, Thomas and Marsh families moved to sites along the La
Salle River to the north in 1893, making a total of eighteen school
age children. Mr. Smith being an able organizer, was instrumental in
the forming of a school district , known as Willow Range.
The first board of trustees for the school was comprised of Mr. W. P.
Smith, Mr. W. Beam and Mr. R. G. Miller. The school opened in July
1893, with Miss Ferguson of Winnipeg as teacher. Mr. Balford came
the following July and stayed only two months, followed by Miss
56
Fanny Carr of Portage la Prairie, who stayed until 1898. The
following year was taken over by Miss Jennie Lough, who now
resides in Winnipeg.
The school at this time was located two miles north of the C. N. R
railroad. There was no station but there was a flag stop known as
Blake Siding, later changed in name to Willow Range.
In 1907 the Grand Trunk Railroad was built and a new station site
was designated directly north of Willow Range and was called Fortier.
Mr. Manning's store, Mr. Stewart's Lumber Yard, and Mrs. Trew's
Boarding House were moved to Fortier from Willow Range. The
school was moved from its site in January of 1910, by a mule team
belonging to Mr. Rivard, a task which took two to three weeks.
The Methodist Church was moved from its location where the
Oakville and Fortier roads now intersect, and was placed on the lot
east of the school.
The elevator at Willow Range had burned down and a new one was
built at Fortier in 1909, so a new village was born. Fire struck again
in 1921, burning the school to the ground, and a new one was built
on the same location.
About 1938 the Church was blown off it's foundation by a small
cyclone, so it was torn down and used to renovate and increase the
size of the school.
At present it stands empty and unused, a monument to the education
system of the past. May it rest in peace!
Footnotes: Fortier School closed in 1966 when it consolidated with
Oakville. R. A. Miller was the last secretary-treasurer. The school is
now a grain cleaning building belonging to Bob Miller. Some of the
teachers were: C. M. Ferguson, Mr. Balford, Frances Carr, Louisa
Lough, Howard L. Irvine, Alice A. Jones, Mary Louise Kletzky, Jessie
C. Ewing , Ealnor Crake, Mary V. Woods, Annie M. Townsley,
Lavina Morgan, Florence O. Lewis, Florence M. Beam, Margaret
Maxwell, Sara Cameron, Eleanor Newton, Lila Trimble.
57
GAINSBOROUGH S. D. # 1941
by Isabel Sharp
On November 19 1919 the first school board was formed. The
trustees were Mr. Bob Roe, Mr. Henry Simmons and Mr. Sid Stewart.
Mr. Simmons also served as secretary-treasurer.
Mr. Simmons had circulated a petition to have a school district
formed. So in 1920 the school was opened with Miss Ella Roe in
charge and thirteen pupils in attendance. They were Hubert and
Florence Roe, Josie and Lawrence Gilmore, Mike and Harry Bowden,
Art Simmons, Percy, Dorothy and Emily Stewart, Gerard Verwey, Ella
and Doris Patton.
The school burnt in 1930. So school was finished for that term in
Mrs. Jessie Roe's home and the school was rebuilt right away.
In July of 1939, Miss Janet Nicholson moved that, due to
overcrowding, another room be added to the school. Seconded by
Wallace Bell Sr. So the second room was added to the school and
high school was taught up to Grade X.
Grade X1 was by
correspondence up until 1956, when the High School students went
in to the Portage Collegiate.
In 1956 the school was modernized and the grades were just to
Grade V111.
Over the years the enrollment remained high, at present sixty pupils
with quite a number going to Harold Edwards School at Southport.
There were several different people that served on the school board
since its beginning. At present they are Mr. Aubrey McCleary, Mr.
Stuart Lyall, and Mr. Steve Kowalchuk. Mr. Kowalchuk is also
secretary-treasurer.
Footnotes: Gainsborough school was supposedly named after
Thomas Gainsborough a famous English painter. Gainsborough
school joined the Portage School Division April 1 1967. Two acres of
school land were sold to Gainsborough Co-op Community Club.
58
GLENGARRY S. D. # 77 (1888-1908) # 1419 (1908-1960)
by Bill Alford
excerpts from "Treasures of Time"
The first Glengarry School opened in the McKinnon home in 1888
with Miss Eliza Chisholm the first teacher. A log school was built in
1889 but in 1894 a larger log building replaced it. This school was
located on the border of Cartier and Portage municipalities, on the
south-east corner of the south-east quarter of 36-10-4. Trustees of
1892 were David McKinnon, Alex F. McDonell and Murdoch
McKinnon. Miss Grace Belle Hanley was the teacher that year.
In 1908, Glengarry Union School District #77 became the District of
Glengarry # 1419. In 1909 Arthur Tooth became a trustee. In 1918
thirty-eight pupils registered for school. A new colony had settled in
the area and the Hutterite children attended Glengarry School until
1920.
In 1929 Hubert Vincelette who had been a trustee since 1917,
became secretary- treasurer of the school board. He replaced A. H.
McDonell who had held that position since 1912. In 1942-43
Murdoch E. Vincelette replaced Hubert Vincelette as secretarytreasurer.
Glengarry teachers from 1888 to 1960 were:
Eliza Chisholm, Grace Belle Hanley, Alice M. Thompson, William
Donovan, V. M. Rheaume, M. M. Hannah, Effie Post, Edna
Robertson (Mrs Jack Bray), Olive Arbuthnot, Mabel White, Ella A.
Koake, Margaret Wood (Mrs A. A. Alford), E. M. Fraser, Mabel
Alexander, Jeannie Sullivan, Annie Stewart, Myrtle Christie (Mrs. Burt
Monday), Helen Sylvester, Hilda Vint (Mrs. Bill Wood), Flora
Sexsmith, Kathleen Griffin, S. E. MacKee, Edith Dow, M. E. Sharpe,
Grace Miller (Mrs. Les Dalrymple), Ann Vincelette (Mrs. Jack Bate),
Mary Crain, Norman Newman, Joyce Morrow (Mrs. Don Vincelette),
Delores Carriere, Enid Howard, Alice Puddicombe, Renee E.
Bertoncini, Cecile Legault, Helen Masse, O. MacCosham, Hubert
Bosc, Ralph Trombo, Jeannine Girard, Jeanne Beaulac, Marie
Isobey, Louise Hempe, Anita Legault.
59
On April 25, 1960, Glengarry School District merged with the Elie
School District and Norway School District to form the Consolidated
School District of Elie.
Glengarry School closed its doors permanently in 1960. Luc Legault
bought the school building and land. He built his home in the school
yard. Glengarry School still remains intact in its original location.
60
ABERDEEN later HIGH BLUFF VILLAGE S. D. # 771
by Marjorie Stewart
On July 31st 1893 the trustees of the Aberdeen School District met at
the Post Office for the purpose of deciding on a plan for a proposed
school building to be built in High Bluff Village. Mr. Coxsmith was at
that time the Postmaster and he also was the secretary-treasurer of
the now to be formed school district. They decided the building
should be 24' X 36' with a 6' antiroom. Mr. B. Whitmore, being the
local carpenter was asked to draw up a plan and submit an estimate.
At a later ratepayer's meeting in August tender was let to Mr. B.
Whitmore to build the building for $ 810.00. Those present at this
meeting were: J. Dilworth, J. W. Sparling, George Cadman, William
Reid, W. N. Wallace, R. J. Bell, B. Whitmore, M. Owens, H. W.
Coxsmith and A. Corner, the merchant. There were already schools
situated at Old High Bluff, at Cochrane, at North High Bluff, which is
also called Wilton School, and at Nairn. As a village had developed
after the railroad was built and as the village children were mostly
attending Cochrane, and had some distance to travel, it was desirous
to have a school in the village. A communication was read from the
Department of Education asking the clerk of the municipality to
forward a certified copy of the by-law forming the school district. It
was decided to change the name from Aberdeen School District to
High Bluff Village and the number given was 771.
Land for the school was purchased from Mr. John Dilworth for
$140.00. It was the north-east corner of 13-12-6. Mr. Dilworth
owned that quarter and built the house now owned by Lorne Lytle.
To the west of the school the trees supplied a favorite spot for picnics
and a ball diamond was also set up there. The curling rink and
skating rink were also on this property but were west of Jackson's
blacksmith shop. The school was built about thirty yards west of the
town line in about the middle of the lot running north and south. The
cost of the school was $810.00 and the rate of assessment to furnish
and run the school for that year ran at about $370.00, which was
about seven mills on the dollar. The district borrowed $700.00 at 6%
interest.
61
The secretary-treasurer was Mr. H. W. Coxsmith who served
continuously in this position for thirty-three years. He was also a
trustee through many of these same years. He was one of the men
responsible for the formation of the Manitoba Trustee's Association,
and served as secretary-treasurer of this organization. He made
several attempts at forming a consolidated school district during his
years in school affairs. The trustees at the time the district was
formed were Mr. John Dilworth, Mr. George Cadman, and Mr. Wm.
N. Wallace. Mr. Reid was appointed building inspector.
School opened on November 1st 1893 with Miss M. Wallace as
school teacher at a salary of $480.00. The salary paid to the
secretary-treasurer was $7.50 a year, and the caretaker was paid
$2.00 a month. Non-resident fees were set at fifty cents per pupil per
month.
It seems from the minutes there were some forty families in the
district and there must have been a heavy class in 1894 as an
assistant teacher was engaged for the last two months of the term,
from April till June. Other names of families appearing in the books
were: Mr. G. Greenlay, John A. Lee, S. Dalzell, George King, J. D.
Williams, L. R. Metcalf and Rev. J. Douglas. Also G. McKee,
Thomas Wark, W. L. Hambly, Daniel Ferguson, T. J. Oliver and Rev.
R. E. McCullock.
In 1903 the trustees were J. E. Walker, Wm. Dugdale and Roderick
McKenzie.
At this time it was decided to move the school-house back to the
north-west corner of the lot. They also put in a stone basement and a
furnace and a pump. The yard was to be fenced and a new gate put
on. This work was all done for $260.00. By this time the teachers
salary was up to $950.00 a year and the caretaker was receiving
three dollars a month.
It seems that concerts were put on at the school for the entertainment
of the district and the proceeds were to go to buy an organ. The
organ was bought, but soon disposed of, and in later years they
bought a gramophone and records for the sum of seven dollars and
fifty cents. It was not until 1949 that the school acquired a piano.
62
In 1907 the bell was purchased and placed in the belfry atop the
school. This bell called the children to their classes until the new
consolidated school was built in 1963. As this bell had a very special
place in the hearts of the villagers it is being kept in the district, the
intention being to place it in the church. In 1967, it was mounted on a
cairn on the grounds of the new school as a Centennial project.
Consolidation was being considered seriously by 1912 and a meeting
was called including the following districts: Cochrane, Wilton, Old
High Bluff, Nairn, West Poplar Point and High Bluff Village. A four
room school was considered and Mr. Coxsmith and trustees made a
visit to Starbuck, Sperling, and Warren to study their arrangement.
After several meetings the districts were agreeable, but in order to
have consolidation an area of forty to fifty sections was required.
This was impossible to arrange, so the Village School District decided
to build an addition to their present school which would accommodate
the High School students. Pupils from the surrounding districts could
attend by paying a small non-resident fee. The addition was to be 24'
X 28' built on the north side of the school. The cost of the building,
heating and equipping the new room was estimated at $1200.00.
The board was authorized to borrow this amount of money. Mr. M. H.
Owens was appointed inspector of the addition and the lumber was
purchased from the Forsythe Lumber Yard which was in operation at
High Bluff at the time.
The first high school teacher was Miss Pegler who held classes in the
basement of the Presbyterian Church until Nov. 1st 1916 when the
school was ready. By this time the salary of the teachers had
increased, the high school teacher getting $750.00 a year and the
junior teacher getting $650.00 a year. The secretary- treasurer was
now receiving $25.00 a year and the caretaker getting $20.00 a
month. It was arranged to have hot lunches in the school.
In March 1921 Consolidation was again discussed, taking in the
districts of High Bluff, High Bluff Village, North High Bluff, Cochrane,
Dale, Nairn and West Poplar Point. A resolution was drawn up,
forming the Consolidated School District of High Bluff. The resolution
was voted on and passed at High Bluff. It must have been turned
down in some other districts as no consolidation was formed.
63
The overcrowding in the elementary room was so severe at this time
that when Consolidation was turned down, the schoolboard rented
the Orange Hall and set up classes for grades one to four there. This
continued for three years and in 1924 they returned to the one-room
elementary, grades one to eight.
In 1926, Mr. Coxsmith gave up his work as secretary-treasurer of the
school district, having acted in this capacity since the beginning of
the school in 1893, a period of thirty-three years.
The Cochrane school burnt in 1930 and until they got it replaced in
1931, twelve of their students attended High Bluff. More land was
required for playground, which was leased from Mr. Charles Lytle.
In 1938, Mr. Peter Stewart, who had come to the district as principal
and high school teacher in 1937, requested a teacherage. At a
ratepayers meeting it was decided to build the teacherage. The lot
was purchased from Mr. E. S. Reid for $90.00 and Mr. Whitmore built
the house 26'X22' for $2125.00 and a garage 12'X7' for $100.00. Mr.
Stewart built the fence with the material supplied by the board and
did the landscaping. The end result was a very beautiful lot. Mr.
Stewart was very well liked in the district. He taught ten years, then
left for two years, and returned for another four years. If it was at all
possible to put a student through high school, without a failure, he
was the man to do it. It is said he lost ten pounds every year
between Easter and June and being a small man he could ill afford to
lose this much weight. However this is an indication of his effort and
concern for his pupils.
It was during this time in 1939, that the first mention of a school
bonspiel is made in the minutes. It took in the districts of Cochrane,
Dale, Nairn, North High Bluff, Old High Bluff, and High Bluff Village.
Each district contributed towards the prizes.
As the economy of the country changed, so did the salaries of the
teachers. The first teacher, Miss Wallace was paid $480.00 a year,
and in 1908 the wages were $600.00. They kept increasing and by
1918, the high school teacher was receiving $1200.00 and the
elementary teacher $750.00 a year. By 1920 the salaries were
$1800.00 and $1000.00 then began to reduce being $1400.00 and
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$900.00 by 1924. These wages took a further downward dip and by
1933 were down to $900.00 and $550.00. The salaries began to rise
each year by 1937 and by 1944 were $1700.00 and $1000.00. They
continued to rise each year and by 1962 were $3200.00 for an
elementary teacher with no experience teaching only one or two
grades.
In 1952, a high school curling rink from High Bluff Village captured
first place in the Standard Broom Competition in the Winnipeg high
school bonspiel. The rink was skipped by Hugh Owens, the other
members being Doug Barron, Gard Greenlay, and Barry Donnelly.
The prizes were a wrist watch and a miniature cup for each boy and
the trophy. These were presesnted to the boys by the Premier of
Manitoba, who was Mr. Douglas L. Campbell. This was especially
nice for these boys as they all knew Mr. Campbell personally, as he
came from the Flee Island district which is just north and west of High
Bluff. Mr. Campbell was also justly proud of the achievement of his
young constituents.
Mr. Cecil Greenlay retired in 1953, having given eighteen years
service to the district. Mrs. Wm. Davidson nee Lucy Metcalf, retired
in 1962 after having served the district for thirty-two years as
secretary-treasurer, and four years prior to that as trustee. Upon
retiring she was presented with a wrist watch from the school board
for her faithful attendance to that business.
In 1952 the Home and School organization was formed and served
through the years in their capacity of interested parents, working
closely with the teachers for the extras that help both students and
teachers. Among their greatest achievements were the graduation
exercises held each year for the students graduating from grade
eleven.
In March of 1953 the Cochrane school was faced with such a low
pupil count that they would be unable to open in September. At the
same time High Bluff was faced with extreme overcrowding, so it was
decided to open a third class room. The Community Hall provided a
nice bright room for the grades one to four and gave the children
another playground. The Cochrane students continued coming from
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then on and in 1960 the North High Bluff students were also enrolled
at High Bluff.
In 1956 under the guidance of Mr. F. Solmundson, the high school
teacher, High Bluff school entered a Field Day Competition with the
Oakville and Poplar Point Villages and the surrounding rural schools.
The first year High Bluff was entered, they won the shield. They won
the succeeding four years giving them the privilege of keeping the
shield. This record has to date, not been broken.
The Home and School Association were able to help with the
preparation and canteen for the Field Day. They have also done their
part in organizing the annual school picnic which has always been a
big success and seems to get bigger every year.
We come now to the year 1963, when after many years in the
formation, the surrounding school districts of Cochrane, North High
Bluff, Old High Bluff, Flee Island, Portage Creek and High Bluff
Village joined to become the Consolidated School District of High
Bluff # 2418. It is with much regret that the names of these old
districts are committed to history.
The high school at High Bluff has been in operation for more than fifty
years. During these years the village has educated and sent forth
many men and women who have done their part in making the world
a better place to live. Many of them becoming teachers and nurses,
many of them taking their place in the community rearing fine families
and serving on school boards-on church boards-and on the
community hall committee. Many others also served in sports
projects such as curling- skating-hockey-and baseball, making these
facilities available to young and old. We have had at least two
engineers come from our school and two M. L. A's. namely Charles
Greenlay and Walter Weir. Men from our school have also served
the Rural Municipality, Charles Greenlay being the secretary for
many years. Others have served in the Portage Mutual and many
from this school served on the Fair Board.
Among those receiving scholarships who attended our school were
Earl Hicks who is now in South Africa and Jack Ediger of Winnipeg.
Also William Muir now studying at the University of Saskatchewan,
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Rozanne Simmons and Garry Bowes.
Many others received
bursaries which enabled them to further their education.
Many men served their country during the last two world wars, and of
these, seven gave their lives in the last conflict. The Honour Roll is
listed in the district history.
It is with proud hearts that we pay tribute to the efforts of the great
pioneers and those who follow them. We pray we may not falter in
continuing their great work.
Footnote: High Bluff # 2418 was dissolved into Portage la Prairie
School Division # 24 on April 1 1967. As of 1996 it remains open,
teaching students from kindergarten to grade eight.
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HOOD S. D. # 1381
by Margaret Lamb
Hood school was built by Ed and Arthur Jobin in the year 1901 on the
north-east quarter of 11-10-8. It was named after a family by the
name of Victor Hood who settled on the south side of the Assiniboine
River on highway #305, as we know it today. This man came from
Ontario and had a large family. School was held in his home until a
school was built about a mile south of his home. Victor Hood was an
uncle of Bert, William and George Armishaw who were residents of
the Hood District.
A search was done at the school board office in Portage la Prairie,
Manitoba and the earliest records that could be located for Hood
School were for 1910-11 with five pupils attending. All activities were
held in the school: church, dances, picnics, concerts and elections.
The school caretakers were older children who swept the floor and lit
the fire. Most everyone walked to school, a number had too great a
distance so they came by horse and buggy or cutter. There was a
barn to house the horses on the school property. In winter it would
take until noon for the school to become comfortable, as the school
was heated by a big barrel stove with pipes extending the length of
the school.
Before the school picnic in June, the grass was mowed, the well and
toilets cleaned out and new markings for the ball diamonds. As there
was no hydro it was a concern to keep the ice cream from melting as
it was brought from Portage.
The students took turns bringing milk, and hot cocoa was made for
lunch and also some would bring potatoes and bake them on the hot
coals.
The dances were the entertainment everyone looked forward to.
Everyone came, the babies, toddlers and seniors. The babies were
put to sleep on the back of the school desks. The district was so very
fortunate to have people who had musical talent and would play for
the dances. Everyone learned to dance to the music of Mr. and Mrs.
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Bert Hewitt, Bill and Ozborne Hewitt, Eva Morrison, Harry Lapointe,
Ella and Evelyn Earls (Cook and Burgess).
In 1944 the New Rosedale Hutterite Colony purchased land in the
district. The enrollment increased to forty-nine pupils, the colony had
no school on their property. In 1945 the colony built their own school.
The Hood school closed in 1967. The Hutterites purchased the land
and Gladys Simmons purchased the school. The school was later
purchased by the New Rosedale Colony. The colony later sold the
school and at last report it is still situated a number of miles south of
the original school site. Pupils were then bused to Portage schools.
Families attending Hood school through the years: Forge, Garrioch,
Shearer, Jack, Lyall, Robertson, Anderson, McTaggart, Mazurat,
Wambolt, McConnell, Todd, Gregory, Francis, Cleaver, Bird,
McCulloch, Barrault, Johnson, Henry, Dezeng, Earls, Meshoe,
Simmons, Murray, Moggey, McLaren, Pongoski, Armishaw.
School trustees were John Bradfors, Simon Henry, George
Armishaw, Orville Henry, Art Simmons and Tom Armishaw. The only
three secretary-treasurers of this school were Chris Forge, John
Earls and Gladys Simmons. A. B. Fallis and Eldon F. Simms were
the school inspectors.
A list of teachers follows: Pearl McCullough, Mabel McCullough,
Gavin McCullough, Mr. Banning, Anna Murray, Bernice Whitman,
Ruth Gordon Henry, Fred Storie, Victoria Heap, Margaret Gee, Annie
Timmons, Gladys Smith, Betty McRorie, Margaret McLaughlin, Alex
Paul, Margaret Lesperance, Annie Moxham Lusk, Beulah Wilson,
Muriel Cooper, Miss Stodard, Miss Argue, Ella Earls Cook, Noreen
Owens Pongoski, Mary Armishaw Gourley, Dorothy Cousins, Miss
Baer, Gwen Lesperance, Anne Collins, Audrey Mulligan, Elsie White,
Mrs. Maloney.
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INGLESIDE S. D. # 831
by Mrs. Fred Morrow
This school was built by George McKee and Pete Wishart in 1894. It
stood three quarters of a mile east and half a mile south of its present
location.
Among the families who attended were the Holmes, Christies,
Morrows, Wisharts, Staits, Kirtons, Spencers, Wrights, Robinsons
and MacShannocks. They came to school by team and sleigh or
walked in the winter. They always had a school concert at
Christmsas time. Picnics and baseball in the summer.
Ten years later this school was moved to its present location to be
more central. Church services were held here by Anglicans,
Presbyterians, and Methodists. From 1916 to 1953 eleven ordained
ministers preached in the Ingleside school.
A full-sized basement was built, and with the coming of hydro to rural
Manitoba in 1948, we had better lighting and oil heat. This made it
more convenient for the many concerts and social functions.
Ingleside students made a good showing at the Boys and Girls Club
Fair, organized over fifty years ago and the forerunner of todays 4 H
Club. One year they captured the Manitoba Music Festival Cup.
This school has turned out many good farmers, with an occasional
professional--a doctor, a lawyer, a minister, a nurse, as well as both
music and school teachers.
The records of two world wars show they had a keen sense of
Patriotism.
A list of Ingleside teachers from 1915 to 1967 follows:
Alice Bowler, Ethel Kearns, V. M. Hartlem, Marion Qually, Hilda Vint,
Verna Whitfield, Hilda Vint, Verna Paulin, Lottie Loosmore, Mary
Grant, Mae Ingram, Marge Denton, Edra Bennett, Muriel Precious,
Ella Klass, John Forbes, Hazel Kernaghan, Alice Diehl, Roberta
Johnson, Mrs. Parr, Mary Spencer, Joyce Cartwright, Anne Couch,
Catherine Freeborn, Louise Anderson, Donna Williams, Mary Bogue,
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Helen Freisen, Doris Hansley, Doreen Vassart, Margaret Medwid,
Margot Lane, Helen Karnafel.
Footnote: The first Ingleside school was built on the north-west
quarter of 22-10-4 then in 1899 moved to the south-west quarter of 2810-4 where it remained until the district was dissolved in 1967.
Consolidation with Oakville took place at that time. The school
building was later sold to Grand Colony.
71
KELVIN S. D. #1347
by Wilma Tickle
The School District of Kelvin #1347 was formed in 1907 and the
school was built on land belonging to Mr. R. Morgan on the southeast quarter of 24-10-6, by local labour, and with lumber from a saw
mill owned by Mr. Tufford of the district. The first trustees were L. J.
Scoffield secretary-treasurer, Mr. R. Morgan and Mr. A. Thompson as
trustees. The school was named by Mr. Adam Thompson who came
from "Kelvin" in Scotland, so it was named after his home town.
The first teacher was Miss Margaret Mackay of High Bluff who taught
for one year at a salary of $400.00. Some of the first pupils were
Loye Scoffield, Bruce Hourie, Dorothy Thompson, Maplet Scoffield,
Lenore Thompson, Melville Morgan and Laura Scoffield. Some
family names of early settlers were Skelton, Thain, Tufford, Roland,
Barlow, Jackson, Fries, Morgan, Adams, Thompson, McIvor, Payette,
Shoan, Bowes and Boardman.
The barn in the yard was used for the horses which many children
rode to school or drove with sleighs or cutters in the winter.
This school served the community until 1945 when a new school was
built. There were thirty-two pupils enrolled that year with Wilma
Tickle as teacher and a yearly salary of $825.00. Mr. H. Jackson was
chairman of the board, Mr. J. Boardman as secretary and Mr.
Klassen as trustee.
As with all rural districts the school was the centre for social activities
and was a busy place with the school concert, plays,dances and
meetings. During the summer there was always a picnic and
sometimes Bible School. The Junior Red Cross was something the
students participated in.
The coming of hydro in 1950 brought many changes--instead of gas
and Aladdin lamps, there were now electric lights. The old wood
stove, which was looked after by one of the older pupils, was retired,
and a new oil furnace took its place. There was still no indoor
plumbing.
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In 1952, St. Margaret's Church from High Bluff was taken apart and
re-constructed on the same quarter section as the school. It served
the religious needs of the community until 1960.
The Kelvin Ladies Club carried on for many years as a social meeting
for the ladies of the district. They also contributed to worthwhile
projects, through raffles of articles they made, very often a quilt.
Some families in the district at that time were:Stan Perchak, George
Jackson, Henry Jackson, N. J. Prior, August Heintz, Jake Kowcun,
Ben Kowcun, Alf Borley, Harold Peters, Bob Tickle, Dick Tickle,
Frank Case, Stan Case, Chris Hines, Henry Carpenter, John
Maxwell, Fred Delorme and Terleckyi.
The school was closed in 1964 with Lorraine Dack as the last
teacher. There were too few pupils to carry on. They attended
Salem until it also was closed and the districts joined to Portage. Bus
transportation was provided at that time.
Donald Jackson purchased the school and property and has made it
his home until the present time along with his wife Christine and
family.
The closing of the school brought many changes to the rural
community but those who attended "Kelvin" still have very strong ties
to this district.
A list of the teachers follows: Alex Armstrong, Margaret Mackay,
Clara Findley, Bertha Reid, Marjorie Hall, Harry Mackenzie, Jessie
Craig, Arabella Maxwell, J. Everall, Kate Graham, C. S. Martin, R. D.
Askin, Evelyn Doak, Gertie Bray, Winnifred Jones, Mona Olton, Miss
Buckles, Lily Patterson, Olie Wood, Jeanette Luscombe, Connie
Thomson, Lena Jackson, Audrey Caister, Doug Moore, Mr.
Morisseau, Lorraine Dack, Lois McTavish, Carol Dowd, Miss
Lalonde, Pat Thatcher, Jean MacDonald, Gordon Gunn, Gordon
Anderson, Mr. Macdonald, Treva Cook, Jean McQuarry, Bert
Molinski, Dorothy Woodcock.
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LAYLAND S. D. # 2090
Layland School District was formed May 11 1921, and the school, a
frame building, like so many others of that era, was located on the
south-west quarter of 2-10-6. Layland was named for a local resident
whose name was Leyland, but the spelling was changed.
Family names in the register for 1926 are: Lilley, McIvor, Barnes,
Kirtin, Sandeny, Paul, Aymont, Payette, Swain, Delorme, Carpenter,
Smith, McNabb, Burke, Fifi and Post. At that time the teacher was
Hugh Boyce and the secretary-treasurer was Thomas Smith.
Sadie (Pongoski) Barker who taught on permit after completing her
Grade X11 remembers the pupils as being "very good". Teaching
aids were scarce, so the Eaton's catalogue was an all-purpose
source of activities and lessons. But, for permit teachers, excellent
teaching material was supplied by the Department of Education.
Christmas concerts, as in all schools were long-anticipated and wellattended with some of the parents also taking part in the program.
Eaton's at that time provided a very special service. If the teacher
wrote a letter and listed pupil's names, ages and grade, Eaton's
would send a big box of worthwhile gifts, one for each child, right to
the local post office.
Dances were held in the school to raise money for special events.
A summer picnic was held annually with races and ball games, for
everyone loved to play ball.
The school was closed in 1964 with Evelyn Joyce Bergson the last
teacher. The property was bought by Frank Mazurat and remains
their family residence.
A partial list of other teachers follows: Mrs. Springer, Lena Jackson,
Alice Pickard, Lorraine Fox, Myrtle Franklin and Mrs. Dresser.
74
LONG CREEK S. D. # 93
Information taken from " When the West was Bourne"
The Protestant School District of Long Creek #93, in the Longburn
district, was formed on April 7, 1880. The first school trustees were
John Arksey and William Urquhart.
Although William McKenzie's offer of school land on his quarter
section south-west 36-13-8 was not taken up, after the McKenzies
moved away in 1882 the students were taught in an empty granary
on this property for the first months of the 1883-1884 school year,
until the new building was completed. This building was located in
"Skunk Hollow" (so named by Jack McArthur) found on the southeast corner of the south-west quarter of 35-11-8. This was John
Irvine's land and it is interesting to note that John was the secretarytreasurer of the Adelaide School District at this time. This first school
building is today located on Morley McLeod's land. In 1910 a new
school was built on the south-east corner of the north-east quarter of
34-13-8. This was on Peter McIntyre's land.
Long Creek teachers from 1883-1919 were: F. McRae, William Pye,
Frank Fraser, T. E. Knapp, S. Beattie, Minnie Balmer, T. A Broadfoot,
C. K. Newcombe, Laura Mott, Kate McKinlay, Edmund Todd, Edgar
Smith, Minnie Glennie, Marie M. Lowlie, Mae McRae, Christina
McMillan, Olive M. Oswald, Annie B. McMillan, Jessie Crisholm,
Harry McKenzie, Margaret McDonald, J. A. Everatt, Jean Whitelaw,
Lillian Henderson, Mildred Walker, Marguerite E. Taylor, Margaret G.
Tidsbury, Ruth McMillan.
The names of these teachers who taught after 1919 were supplied by
the residents of Longburn: Jessie MacKenzie, Grace Tucker, Jean
Paterson, Catherine Caskey, Ruth Crosland, Ethel Rinn, Mary
MacDonald, Norma Paterson, Irene Blight, Inez Bray, Florence
Potter.
The Longburn school building closed in the winter of 1949 and was
replaced on the same site with a "Quonset" type school. The
residents of the Longburn area purchased this building themselves
and although the Portage School Board was not pleased with the
structure, there was very little they could do about it. After the
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Longburn school closed in 1962, the building (the board overlooked
their dislike) was moved into Macdonald to be used as a high school.
In 1962 Connor S. D. #476, Long Creek (Longburn) #93, Dundonald
#1322 and West Oakland #110, except certain parcels within the
latter school district, were merged to form the Consolidated School
District of Macdonald #2401.
76
MILL CREEK S. D. # 929
by Mabel Wylde
On May 19 1898 ratepayers met at the Thomas Irvine home to
discuss Mill Creek School District # 929. Those present were: Wm.
Gowler, Thomas Irvine, Robert McIntyre, John Nixon, Wm. Nixon,
Lyle Craig, Robert Hannah, Richard Gent, Thomas Coughlan, Ben
Coughlan, Harold Doar, James Sparkes and Alex Cummings. First
trustees elected were Robert McIntyre, Wm. Gowler, Thomas Irvine
and Alex Cummings, secretary-treasurer.
One acre of land was purchased from Thomas Coughlan for ten
dollars. The school, at an estimated cost of $1000.00 for building and
equipment, was built on the north-east corner of the south-east
quarter of 10-12-4. Miss Marie Cameron of Portage la Prairie was
the first teacher, hired at a salary of $400.00 per year.
In October 1910, Dick Higginson built a stable 14'X24' for thirty-five
dollars. In 1922 tenders were called to build a stable and do some
repairs to the school. It is interesting to note that the former stable
was destroyed by cyclone on June 22 1922.
Grades one to eight were taught in this school. In 1928-1929 fortyeight to fifty students were taught by one teacher. Before grade eight
students could pass to grade nine they had to write exams, sent out
by the Department of Education, commonly referred to as "writing
your entrance". Grade nine was available through correspondence
from the Department of Education.
The Mill Creek School built in 1898 burned down with all its contents
on July 8 1952. The fire started at approximately 3.30 AM at the front
end of the building.
An electors meeting was held in the Mill Creek United Church on July
21, 1952. It was decided the board should secure two more acres of
land and build the new school several rods north on higher land. It
was also decided to put a full basement and build a teacherage at
one end of the classroom. F. E. Watchler Manufacturing Co. was the
contractor for the building. The new school was completed on
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November 18, 1952 at a cost of $13,660.00, and school opened on
November 20, 1952.
Mill Creek school teachers from 1898 to 1967 were: Marie E.
Cameron, Miss L. E. Carr, Howard T. Irvine, Miss L. C. Lander, Mary
Cadman, Olivia A. Thomas, Miss M. Hannah, Miss Elliot, Vivien
Durben, Mrs. C. Parratt, Irma Lyon, Lavina McKenzie, Vera
Whitmore, Elsie M. Code, Ida A. Burke, Thora G. Svienbjornson,
Mabel Thompson, Mina Robertson, Inez Veale, Mary R. Carter, Jean
S. Kerr, Elsie J. Moore, Carrie E. Morrison, Annie H. Terry, Edna E.
Bowman, Gertrude Steiss, Thelma William, Miss A.L.Thompson,
Irene Darkes, Edna Kirkpatrick, Ruth Davies, J. R. Bray, Isabelle
McKay, Dorothy Leonhardt, Mabel Cousins, Gladys Arnold,
Mrs.Muriel Moxham, Mrs. Florence Kirton, Anne Poyser, Verna Allen,
Edna Irvine, Lois M. Peto, Evelyn J. Robertson, Mrs. Ruth Emish,
Joyce E. Bowes, Joan Sandven, Edward Thieson, Mrs. Laura Porte,
Mrs. G. Brown, Mrs. Dorothy Nelson, Mrs. Bell, Mrs. Higgins.
The last trustees on the board for the Mill Creek school were, Stan
Wylde, Jack Burnett, Robert Thornton and James Galbraith
secretary-treasurer.
Manitoba voted on a single district school division on March 11, 1967
and Mill Creek became part of the Portage la Prairie School Division
# 24. The Mill Creek school was moved to Oakville on September 2,
1967, to be used as a classroom for grade four. In 1969 this school
became the Kindergarten classroom of the Oakville district and
remained in this location until it was torn down in 1990.
78
MINNETONKA S. D. # 659
by Evelyn O' Donnell
Before the year 1893 the people of St. Marks had no school to send
their children to. Many of these children attended school at Poplar
Point, and had to travel the twelve miles by horse. Due to the
distance they had to go, these pupils usually quit school at about the
grade three level.
In the year 1893 Mr. J. Merritt--a business man from Portage la
Prairie, who owned land in the St. Marks area, gave an acre of land
to be used to form a school district . This land was purchased from
him for the sum of one dollar with the understanding that if the school
district dissolved he would get the land back.
So on the north-west corner of 14-14 -5 the school was built by the
settlers of the district. The lumber for the building was shipped to
Poplar Point by train. Then the settlers had the hard task of hauling
this lumber the twelve miles over a rough pasture trail by horses and
wagons. By this time there were quite a number of settlers in the
district and they were not long in erecting a school. Some of the old
settlers by name were Henry Taylor, Donald McLeod, John McLeod,
Jack Inkster, James Smith, George Taylor, John Atkinson, and
James Taylor.
So in 1893 the school was completed and given the name
Minnetonka. It is not known just who named it, but it was given this
name because at this time there was a lot of water in the area,
including marsh and lake, and this is an Indian word meaning "Many
Waters"
Mr. James Forbister was secretary of the school board and Mr.
Maguire was the school Inspector. Due to the first seven years of
records being lost we do not know who the first teachers were, but
their salary was around $35.00 a month. The school always opened
in May and went till the day of the school Christmas Tree Party and
then closed for the winter. The children had long distances to travel
and had no other way but by horses or walking. There were twenty
to thirty children all the time to go, but looking through the register it
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showed that some of these never attended more than 15 to 20 days
in the year and yet they seemed to pass.
In October 1935 the school district purchased another three acres on
the same section from the municipality for the sum of $15.00. This
was fenced and remains the same today.
In 1963 the school district purchased another school and moved it to
the district to sit only 100 feet away from the old one. The old school
was put up for sale by tender and was purchased by a local resident
(Bill Logan) who moved it only 1/4 mile down the road and made it
into a home. It has been built on to and is quite comfortable as a
home which should last for years to come despite its 73 years of use.
It is truly an old landmark and we are all glad to see it remain in the
district.
Teachers were: H. G. Elliott, Lizzie Cooper, Marion McKay, Mabel
Gray, B. Lang, Isabel Stewart, Nellie R. Farmer, Grace Findlay,
Clementine Schofield, Christina McCorrister, J. Dudley McLeod,
Margaret L. Fletcher, Edith F. Bowler, Bessie Harcus, M. J. Inkster,
Suna M. McPherson, Isabelle Sutherland, Helen H. Harper, Anna
Eaton, Ruth Swanson, P. P. Shrier, Jean T. Hayes, T. Sigurdson,
Laura Whitman, Olive Bowes, Annie C. Campbell, E. Bernice
Whitman, Marilla R. Whitman, Clara Langreth, Florence Fahey, R.
Ruth Cox, Louise Toits, M. Windsor, Clarence D. Voigt, Isabelle
McKay, Ellenor Nichol, Hester Armstrong, Kathleen Denton, Una
McDonald, Marie Preteau, Jean Halliday, Alice Spraggs, Mary
Ingram, Bernice Poff, Stella Hiebert, Barbara Peterson, Elmer
Beddome, Zetta Kuzyk, Elizabeth Goods, John Wherrett, Bohdan
Balla, Elizabeth Bees, Kenneth Smith , Joyce Atkinson, Jean Scott,
Genevieve E. Brown, William Badiuk, Terence Fairhall.
Footnote: The district was dissolved April 1 1967 into Portage la
Prairie School Division #24. Mrs. Evelyn O'Donnell was the last
secretary-treasurer. By 1984 the school building was used for a
community hall.
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MOUNT PLEASANT S. D. # 50
by Mrs. Mae Carroll
It is indeed a pleasure in this Centennial year, to be able to look back
and to appreciate what our pioneer settlers worked for and
accomplished in the districts which they chose for their homes and
families. Mount Pleasant # 50 was one of these districts.
The first meeting of Mount Pleasant District was held May 18th 1878,
for the purpose of either building a school or renting a house to hold
classes in until a school could be built. The ratepayers appointed
their trustees, Mr. F. A. Brydon, Mr. Robert Sutherland and Mr. Wm.
McCullough who decided on the opening of school in Mr. McBain's
home until a schoolhouse could be erected. No time was wasted, for
school opened June 3rd 1878 with Miss Christina Fraser as the first
teacher. We find an interesting note that Miss Fraser was hired at
the rate of $160.00 for a six month period.
Having school in McBain's home was only a temporary situation. The
next step was to build a school during the three months that followed.
Logs were purchased from Mr. Thomas Leader at a dollar a log and
Mr. James Brydon contracted the building of the school. Money was
borrowed for this purpose and according to records the interest rate
was at 12%. The completed school was built on the north-west
corner of Peter McLean's homestead and was opened October 28th
1879 with Miss Ann Heatherington as teacher. There were forty
pupils, they being the children of John McKay, F. A. Brydon, J.
Robertson, Wm. Sutherland, Robert Watson, Archie Watson, Thomas
Leader, Wm. Ferguson, Malcolm McKellar, James Hall, Mrs. Martin,
John Rutledge, Mrs. Munroe, and Wm. Gair.
Changes came about very quickly in the district. The school was not
adequate for the growing population. A new school was a must. Mr.
John Duncan was awarded the contract in 1893 to build a new school
more centrally located. A new site was chosen one mile further east
from the log school. This newly chosen site was and still is the
present site of Mount Pleasant School # 50.
In 1913 because of low attendance, it was not feasible to operate a
school. As a result the school was closed and the few children were
81
transported to nearby schools. Mount Pleasant was re-opened in
1921.
Time passed without much significance. Once again by 1953 the
district was in need of a new school. A new school was built with
Miss Lillian Beddome engaged as teacher. That particular year a
class of thirteen pupils began grade one. By this time several great
grandchildren of the pioneers of this district were attending school.
Development along the Assiniboine river, and against the west end of
Portage, was taking place. Many new families moved into this
developed area. The school became overcrowded. The district was
faced with the problem of adding an additional classroom. This time
the trustees purchased the Image Creek school-house that had been
closed on account of consolidation. This school was named Mount
Pleasant South and was located on a site donated to the district by
Francis Ogletree. This school was run in conjunction with Mount
Pleasant School. It was opened in January of 1963.
It is enriching to look back, but as we approach our Centennial year
we must look forward to progress. With the many changes that had
taken place in this noble land of ours, from the sickle to combines,
from the oxen to the airplane, from the fur trader to the space
explorers, and all other advancements too numerous to set forth, our
one-room schools have fallen by the wayside. Until now they have
faithfully served us. The time has come when they must be replaced
by larger school areas. After having served in our community for
eighty-eight years, our school district still houses the descendants of
some of our brave pioneers, Brydon, Carroll, Wallace and Hewitson.
Mount Pleasant School is close to retirement. In May 1966 our
school district voted to enter into a consolidation with fifteen other
school districts. The consolidated school will be known as Portage la
Prairie Consolidated School District.
Footnotes: The first log school was built on the south-west quarter of
5-12-7. The second school was built on the south-east quarter of 5-127. In 1961 the Image Creek school was purchased and became South
Mount Pleasant School. These schools were closed by 1969, the north
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school building was torn down and the south building was made into
a residence.
The teachers were: Miss Heatherington, Mrs. Porteous, Mr. D. I.
McGuinnis, Miss Sanderson, James Machessney, Miss Van Koughet,
Miss Crooks, Miss Kerr, Miss Jones, Miss Morrison, Miss A.
Campbell, Miss L. Wickware, Miss A. MacKenzie, Miss K
Fessendean, Miss Lynch, Miss K. Young, Miss Shafer, Miss A.
Murdock, Miss Mary Bell, D. McVicar, Wm. Gordon, Mr. A.
McKinnon, Miss M. McKinnon, Miss Mabel Grobb, Miss A. Brydon,
Cora Grobb, Miss Lindsay, Miss Hall, Miss Sexsmith, Miss Whimster,
Miss Metcalfe, Miss Aileen Moore, Miss Ellis, Miss Brill, Jessie
Porteous, Jean I. Sanderson, J. W. Baydon, Sarah I. Kerr, Dorothy
Freed, Mrs. E. H. McMillan, Gladys Hicks, Mrs. Gladys McMillan,
Mrs. Mildred Barber, Mrs. Audrey Tufford, Jean Jones, Lillian
Beddome, Loreen Lund, Lolveig Sandven, Mrs. Joan Adam, Mrs.
Mary Rutledge, Miss Marie Verwey, Miss Irene Blight, Edith
Dunsmore.
South Mount Pleasant teachers were: Miss Katie Enns, Mrs. Audrey
Tufford, Miss Georgina Reichert, Mrs. Gail Cochrane, Mrs. Anne
Brown.
83
NAIRN S. D. # 42
by Mrs. J. W. Tucker
Settlers arriving from Ontario in 1871, came to a place east or north
of Portage and directly west of High Bluff. These folks, the Stewarts,
McKenzies,
McKays,
McPhersons,
Morrisons,
Fergusons,
Richardsons, Coates, Bannermans, Olivers, Frasers, Bells,
Simpsons, Moffats, McLeods, Scotts and Garnets, along with many
others, roamed around about a bit, first south, then west to Rat
Creek, before making up their minds, that here was the best land
they had seen, and so they settled and built their homes.
Living on the bald prairie was cold and harsh to the Easterners' so
they built shacks in the bush along the Assiniboine, and there they
moved their families for the winter months, returning in the spring to
till their fields.
By 1879 children were in need of instruction, so a school district was
duly organized and a school built. The school was named "Nairn",
after, we believe Nairn in Ontario. Others claim "Nairn" in Scotland,
and it could indeed be nostalgia for both places, as many of these
settlers were of Scottish decent. The district of Nairn at that time
reached far north, within two miles of High Bluff on the east, to the
Assiniboine river on the south, and bounded by Portage on the west.
The southern settlers, namely: George Adams, Mac Setter, Tom Bell,
the McKenzies, Andrew Kirk, Wm. Latta and Charles Henderson,
lived along the now # 4 ( # 26) highway, in that day called "The Front
Road".
Nairn was built on the south-west corner of 10-12-6, although the
square survey did not come into being until 1881. The school site
and farm then belonged to James Whimster, and in 1899 became the
J. R. Tucker farm.
James Whimster was chosen the first secretary-treasurer of Nairn in
February, 1880. His job being to collect taxes from the settlers, pay
the teachers and generally keep the accounts of the district. During
the year he collected $526.57 in taxes and paid out the princely sum
of $370.00 to one Laghlan Galbraith, Nairn's first teacher.
84
This building served until 1881, when the Canadian Pacific Railway
Syndicate, paid the district $610.00 to move the school-house, as
they needed the site for their right-of-way.
On September 15 1881 George Adams sold to the district one and
one half acres of land, for a new site, on Parish Lot 134 of Portage.
Murdock Cameron moved the school to this new site in October of
the same year.
Fire claimed the school early in 1890, and the children attended
classes in a house owned by George Adams, until a new school
could be erected. By September 1890 a new school was built on the
latest site, just east of the burned building. Mr. George Burkell of
High Bluff was the contractor and builder.
This building housed the pupils of Nairn until June 30, 1963 when the
school was closed and the pupils transported to West Nairn. The
building was subsequently sold and moved to East Prospect, where
it housed Grade V11 and V111.
During the early 50's there was a school population explosion, and
the ratepayers of Nairn built a second school, on Parish Lot 126, a
part of the Bell farm. Miss Verla Loney was the first teacher in
charge.
Two schools were operated in Nairn for twelve years. This school
too, was closed in 1966 and the handful of children then attending,
were driven to classes in Portage.
Secretary-treasurers serving their district in the early days were as
mentioned, first, James Whimster 1880-83, Wm. James, Selkirk
Bannerman and Joseph Bowes. Mr. Bowes holds the record for
length of service--1891-1915, twenty-four years, what a record! In
later years Elmer Greenslade worked 1949-1960, eleven years, and
J. W. Tucker for a a nine year period. Between times ratepayers
taking a turn for shorter periods were G. M. Watson, C. Greenslade,
L. Smith, and Earl Bowes.
85
As noted in the beginning Laghlan Galbraith was Nairn's first teacher,
in 1880 followed by M. Fletcher and then Miss Campbell in 1884 who
later became Mrs. John Hamilton. Dr. Hugh Stewart taught in 1886.
In 1887 Angus MacVicar, and G.C.M. Booth in 1893, followed by Alex
Armstrong, and Hugh McKenzie. Sybil MacMorine taught in 1899
and Bella Greenlay in 1901. Maggie Grant also taught in the early
1900's. Later Olive Bowes, Anne Foster, Ella Earls, Betty Cook and
many many others taught the "Young Idea How To Shoot". Mrs.
Walter Rusnak taught in 1963 when Nairn was closed. Mrs. Fingas
was teaching at West Nairn in 1966 when that school closed.
The little red schoolhouse at Nairn gave the first impetus to a number
of scholars who went on to important life work. Hugh Stewart
became a Doctor, Agnes Bannerman a teacher and for a number of
years was Principal of the East Ward School in Portage. Walter
Tucker rose to be a cabinet minister in Prime Minister MacKenzie
King's administration, and Annie Bannerman became a nurse. In
later years Doreen Tucker earned a permanent teaching certificate in
Manitoba. Peggy Tucker won an Isbister Scholarship, went to United
College and secured her B.A. Muriel Bowes earned a degree in
Home Economics, while Joyce Bowes got her B.A. and is also a
secretarial specialist. Kenny Gemmell is a civil engineer, and
Audrey and Peggy Gemmell both have teaching certificates. Garry
Bowes attended the University of Manitoba for his " Masters" in
agriculture.
This year Allen Watson is attending Teachers College, while John
and Vaughn Greenslade are in the University of Manitoba, as is Brian
Bowes. John and Brian are studying engineering and Vaughn is in
agriculture.
There may be other pupils of Nairn who have excelled, which my
research has not found, but this would seem to me to be an enviable
record for any one-room school.
Footnote: A partial list of teachers follows: Laghlan Galbraith, M.
Fletcher, Miss Campbell, Dr. Hugh Stewart, I. McInnes, Angus
McVicar, Mary Scott, John Morrison, Gertie McGee, Maggie Mackie,
G. C. Nesbitt, George Booth, Alex Armstrong, Hugh McKenzie, Sybil
Macmorine, Bella Greenlay, F. R. Phillips, Elizabeth McLean,
86
Margaret Grant, Perley A. Murphy, Mande Santelmann, Garfield
Rice, Barbara MacLean, Sidney Gardner, Phernie Roy, Leonard
Mcquay, Hazel Martin, Ernest G. Smith, Winnifred Henderson,
Margaret Rennie, Margaret Demman, Florence Dreweatt, Winnifred
MacKenzie, Muriel Moore, Anna Alice Hulme, Olive Bowes, Olive
Kathaleen Bowes, Elizabeth McLaren, Anne Foster, Ella Earls, Betty
Cook, Betty McIntosh, Lucelle Blair, Catherine Dyck, Verla Loney
(first teacher of West Nairn), Geraldine Thompson, Margaret Mann,
Martha Holovach, Irene Hajlaz, Anne Young, Mary Hanneson, Mrs.
Lesia Case, Mrs. Edith Lamont, Esther McDonald, Mrs. Linda Rusnak
(last teacher for East Nairn) and Mrs. Fingas (last teacher for West
Nairn).
87
NEW ROSEDALE S. D. # 2381
by Hilda Maendel
New Rosedale School is located on New Rosedale Colony on the
north-east quarter of 14-10-8. It was a one-room school-house 34' by
34', of wooden structure with red brick siding and eight 4' by 5'
windows on the west side. The inside was painted gyproc, with tile
flooring and a library. Greta, Mary and Susie Hofer along with Sarah
Maendel were the painters. A coal stove kept the students warm in
winter. As this school was across a creek from the houses, a 234
foot wooden bridge was constructed to give teachers and students
access to the school in all seasons.
When the colony was first formed in 1944, the children of the colony
attended Hood school. Mary Armishaw was the teacher there at that
time and there were forty-nine pupils registered in that one-room
school. By 1945 the colony had their own school, described above.
In 1961 the school was remodelled to include flush toilets and an oil
stove. From 1958 to 1971 there was also an elementary school in
various places on the colony, ie-- the church and the nursery. In
1971 the school building was moved closer to the houses to be more
accessible to the elementary students. This school then served as
both elementary and high school. With this move came a new roof,
new windows, florescent lighting , carpet, panelling and electric heat.
Darius Maendel Sr. was the carpenter as well as the secretarytreasurer at that time.
A list of the teachers follows. Many of these teachers were teaching
on a permit and for that reason only stayed one year. Victor Adrian
was the first teacher. At that time Jacob Maendel was both the
minister and the German teacher. Others were: Emma Giesbrecht,
Frank Klassen, Peter Peters, Rudy Klassen, Arnold Peters, Jake
Peters, Bill Dyck, Morgan Hunter, Jack Jensen, Mr. Wapamoose, Mr.
Driedger, John Kroeker, Mrs. Gibson, Mrs. Ivanhoe, Mrs. Klassen,
Mr. Tonne, Mr. Shirock, Linda Brisson, Mary Baer, Mr. and Mrs.
Penner, Debbie Moffat, Liz Matthews, Mrs. Phillipot, Mrs. Neufeld,
Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Voth and Mrs. Shirock.
In 1991 a kindergarten room 12' by 13' was added to the school and
in 1993 another room 15' by 12' was added for grades one, two and
88
three. At present in 1996 a trailer houses the high school students,
and kindergarten to grade ten are taught to the twenty-nine students.
For the past six years computers have brought modern technology to
the schools.
At the present time Hilda Maendel is the English teacher with
assistant Bonnie Sawatsky. Paul Baer is the German teacher along
with the minister Arnold Maendel.
Because of the Hutterite
teleconferencing was
introduced in 1991.
interest
in
higher
education,
New Rosedale School # 2381 was dissolved into Portage la Prairie
School Division # 24 on April 1 1967, and remains under their
jurisdiction.
89
NORA S. D. # 1551
by Catherine Mowat
excerpts taken from "When the West was Bourne"
At Gladstone on October 27 1910 a By-Law was passed granting the
petition of C. K. Newcombe and others the right to establish a school
district which was known as the School District of Nora.
This school district was
granddaughter Nora Rhind.
named
after
Charles
Newcombe's
Following the formation of the school district there were never
enough pupils to warrant the building of a school until 1947. William
Mowat transported the pupils to Westbourne for years leaving home
every morning at six-thirty. Separate school registers were always
kept during this period. The first board of trustees were Einar
Einnerson, Sylvester Mowat, Mrs. C. K. Newcombe and Eleanor
Rhind as secretary-treasurer.
In 1947 land was purchased from the Rural Municipality of
Westbourne on the south-west quarter of 30-13-9 and a school was
built. The first school teacher was Mrs. Perry and the last and longest
was Mary Beaudin.
The Nora School was sold in 1962 to the St. Marks School District.
The building was moved across Lake Manitoba in the winter to its
new location as Minnetonka School and is still in use as their
community hall. The land that the school was built on is now
included in the Bloomfield colony.
The last school board, at the time of its inclusion in the Portage la
Prairie School Division #24 in 1967, was composed of Adam Mowat,
Jack Asmundson, Jim Sawers with George Burnell the secretarytreasurer.
90
NORTH HIGH BLUFF S. D. # 23
(also known as WILTON SCHOOL)
The records are missing for this school district but references tell us
that this district must have been formed in the early 1870's. The first
school was built at the end of Max Wilton's lane on 29-12-5.
The second school was built on the south-west of 33-12-5 on land
purchased from William Wilton. This school was destroyed by fire
somewhere between 1943 and 1946. Classes were held at the home
of Max and Frankie Wilton until a new school was built in 1946. This
school was 34' X 38' with one large classroom and three small
rooms, a full basement to store firewood and coal, and an attic to
store costumes for concerts.
Jean Wilton (Law) was Bill Judd's grade one teacher in 1907. Other
early teachers are unknown. The list of teachers starting in 1913 are
as follows: Lucy Metcalfe (Davidson), Eunice Cruikshank (father was
High Bluff minister), Miss Graham, Lena Barron (McKay), Miss
Jackson, Myrtle Moffat (Millar), Myrtle Barron (Metcalfe), Emma
McIntosh, Lillian Tyson, Melba Ross (Scrase), Jose Griffin,
Marguerite Wilton (Pruder), Helen Miller (Judd), Betty Morgan
(Kennedy), Martha Hanson (Warburton), Geraldine Thompson, Irene
Pelk (Murdoch), Ella Earls (Cook), Louise Cook, Sarah Donnelly
(Smith), Mrs. Low, Mrs. Alice Laird, Betty Cook (Stevens), Mrs. Laura
Wilton, Marjorie Greenlay (Young), Dorothy Millar, Ann Wiwchar, Irine
Mcphee, Verna Allan, Miss Enns, Miss Zacharias, Margaret Allan
(Woodward), Mrs. Ethel Tidsbury.
North High Bluff school closed in 1961. The students then attended
High Bluff Village school and in 1963 these two schools along with
Cochrane, Portage Creek, Old High Bluff and Flee Island became the
Consolidated District of High Bluff #2418.
91
OAKLAND S. D. # 57
by Drina Mason
The first Oakland School was built in the summer of 1877 and
opened on September 20th of that year with an enrollment of twentyeight pupils.The school district was formed by the Protestant section
of the Board of Education and was one of the earliest schools in the
area.
This was situated on the south-east corner of 34-13-7 and title to this
half section was taken up by Mr. Thomas Metcalfe in 1884. Since
there is no record or deed of land owned by the school district at this
time we must presume that Mr. Metcalfe donated the land by a word
of mouth agreement. If so, he apparently forgot and sold the entire
half section to Mr. Lewis Eadie in 1896. Not until August 4th 1900 did
the school board finally buy one square acre of land from Mr. L.
Eadie. Also the Board of Education has no records of Oakland
School from 1878 until 1883. Regardless of this, the school carried
out its function as a hall of learning for the youngsters of the first
families in the district including on its rolls, Huddlestones, Loves,
Dentons, Smiths, Turners, Fultons, Thomsons and Herberts. Some
of the earliest trustees are believed to be Thomas Huddlestone,
Thomas Metcalfe, John Smith, Wm. McBride, Mr. Brownridge and
Wm. Fulton, and the first teachers were: Mr. John Ingram, Mr. N. D.
Steele, Miss Christie, Mrs. MacLean, Miss MacLeod, Miss Bannister
and Miss Bannerman.
Some time in the late fall of 1900 this first schoolhouse burned down
and with it were lost all registers, records, books and equipment. The
present barn was built and the pupils continued their years schooling
in this building until the present school was completed in 1901. A
page, ruled for use as a register and believed to be from this period
listed the pupils as: Will Huddlestone, Royce Huddlestone, James
Huddlestone, Davis Huddlestone, Nellie Huddlestone, Sydmer
Turner, Maggie Love, Cecil Eadie, Mabel Eadie, David Love, Will
Wilkinson, Sylvia Huddlestone, George Love. The teacher was Miss
A. T. Glass.
The present schoolhouse , with numerous repairs and repaintings
over the years has continued to serve the district with enrollments as
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high as forty-one pupils in 1933-1934--when the teacher was Miss
Elsie Robinson with a salary of $60.00 per month,--until 1948 when
the school closed from lack of sufficient pupils. In 1953 the school
reopened and continues in use with twenty-five pupils presently
enrolled.
Footnotes: Oakland school closed in June 1968 with Bernice
Leonhardt the last teacher. The high school students attended school
in Portage but Bruce Lyall bused the elementaary children to Euclid
school. When Euclid school closed in June of 1969, all the students
were bused to Portage. Bruce Lyall bought the Oakland school
building, moved it across the road and converted it into a workshop,
which still exists today.
93
OAKVILLE S. D. # 655
by Mrs. M. J. Bartlett
The School District of Oakville # 655 was organized in 1891.
Petitioners were Messrs. James King, John King , Thomas Rutledge,
George Blight, William Wallace, George Brown, John Moffat, James
Moffat, J. O. Cadham, T. W. Prout, Harry Adams, John R. McDonald,
and James Donnelly.
The schoolhouse was built on the south-west quarter of 30-11-4, this
being the geographic centre and was one mile directly north of the
present school grounds. School opened around 1895 and some of
the early teachers were Mr. William Stewart of High Bluff, Dr. Walter
Dalzell of High Bluff, and Miss Olive Jones of Salem. There are no
available records to show who the first pupils were at the opening,
but the Caister and Dalzell families must have been among them.
Just after the turn of the century, quite a few new settlers arrived. To
the north, Cochranes, Craigs, and Brays, moved in. New families
also arrived in the village. With the most of the newcomers having
large families, the school became overcrowed. To relieve this
situation, the Forester's Hall (now part of Vezey's Garage) was rented
and another classroom was set up in the village. A Mr. Joliffe taught
here for a term.
Newcomers were still arriving and a new school became necessary.
This was a two-roomed building and was built on the present school
site. It was built on a high stone foundation and was considered to
be very up-to-date. Mr. Ben Whitmore, a local builder and his
associates built the school which opened in January, 1906.
The first teachers were Miss Olive Jones and Miss Ella Finch.
Grades 1-X inclusive were taught. Miss Jones was Principal and
taught the upper grades. Within three years another room was
needed and the upper room was divided by curtains, another teacher
added, and the classes shuffled around.
This was not very
satisfactory and two more rooms were added to the east side in
1911. Just one room was complete at that time and the upper room
served as a gymnasium for a couple of years.
94
It was not too long before increased population overcrowed the
classrooms again. In 1935, Grade X11 was added on a fee basis
and it was necessary to rent another classroom. This time, it was the
M. F. A. C. Hall that was used for a few terms while two more rooms
were added to the north side. This provided space for a good
laboratory.
With the formation of the large school unit in 1959, Oakville High
School became part of the Portage la Prairie Division # 24 and
certain classrooms were rented to that board.
Fire of unknown origin started in a rear room on a Sunday evening in
May,1959. This spread so quickly that nothing could be saved,
including the old school registers, with all the attendance records,
etc.
Great credit is due to the school board at this time. The school was
burned on Sunday evening and classes were back on the job by
Tuesday. Two halls and a church were pressed into service. Books
were obtained from the Department of Education and elsewhere.
Plans began immediately for the building of a new school and the
present Collegiate and Elementary School were ready in December
1960. However, it seems as though plans made today are out of
date tomorrow. Due to increased enrolllment with Fortier and
Beautiful Valley now educating their children at Oakville, room space
had to be rented from the Oakville Legion to take care of 1966-67
primary class.
95
OLD HIGH BLUFF S. D. # 13
(formerly HIGH BLUFF S. D.)
In 1859 the first school was built under the guidance of Archdeacon
Cochrane. It was built west of the Anglican Church and graveyard
and south on the main trail toward Dilworth Lake now known as
Black's Lake.
The teacher from 1862 to 1870 was John Norquay, later the Premier
of Manitoba. Mr. Gerrond was then the teacher for many years.
In 1876 the school was destroyed by fire, and the sixty-five students
attended school at the Drummond house,just west of the graveyard,
where the Bullock buildings are located. Mr. Drummond kept a store
and Mrs. Drummond helped with the teaching.
That same year 1876 , Cochrane school opened to accomodate the
growing population as homesteaders moved into the district. In 1877
with seventy-seven pupils attending school, plans were being made
to open schools at Nairn and North High Bluff.
A new school 34' X38' was built directly north of the Bullock buildings
on the corner of Highway #26 and the High Bluff road. The land was
purchased from Colin Setter and in 1879 the bell rang for the first
classes in the new school. The last Old High Bluff school was built in
1893 at this same location
In 1893 the school district became known as Old High Bluff School
District # 13 when the High Bluff Village School District # 771 was
formed with a school opening in the New High Bluff Village two miles
north.
Teachers from 1900 to 1963 were: Mary Bell, K. Hammond, Annie
M. Cole, Winnie E. Jeffery, Millie Tweddle, Violet Y. Wilton, Lens J.
Grant, A. G. Huskins, Kennina M. McKay, May Tidsbury, Ethel
Rowley, Vida Lloyd, Ellen Cook, Miss Limbrick, I. Steen, R. G.
Joseph, Sylvia G. Olson, Phyllis McKay, Colena Muir, Bernice Nixon,
Annie Cruickshank, Marion P. Wilkes, Kathleen Trimble, Sally
Williamson ( Sally Hicks), E. Martins, Miss Clark, Gwendalyn Lewis,
Shoemaker, John Jackson, Mrs. Duchny, Vera Arrell, Mrs. V. M.
96
Prestash, Mrs. M. Rutledge, Franz Solmundson, Mrs. Mary Rutledge,
Mrs. Ethel M. Mathews, Mrs. Ethel Tidsbury.
Old High Bluff school closed in 1963, joining Cochrane, North High
Bluff, Flee Island, Portage Creek and High Bluff Village schools to
become the Consolidated School District of High Bluff # 2418. The
building was sold and is now used as a family residence.
97
OVERHILL S. D. # 2084
by Mrs. Charlie Lusk
Canada is now at the end of her first hundred years of nationhood
and in many ways it marks the end of a pioneer era.
The following is a brief history of the Overhill District located south of
Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, in township 10 about ten miles south of
Portage. Overhill is in an excellant ranching district. Over the years
many thousands of pounds of prime beef have been shipped to the
Winnipeg markets from this district.
The first permanent settlement took place in the year 1915. On
March 15th 1915 Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Lusk moved up from Winnipeg
with their two small children, Walter three years old and Clarence one
year old. They settled on the south-west quarter of 28-10-7. They
lived there for eleven years, by this time they had three more
children, Mildred, Muriel, and Elva.
Two years later there were enough families that moved in with
children to vote for a school, and Charlie Lusk organized a school
district. The first meeting was held in the Charlie Lusk home.
A school was built in 1922 on the north-east corner of 22-10-7. The
first trustees were Charlie Lusk, Bill Wendt, and Jim Simmons.
Charlie Lusk was secretary and trustee for ten years. Bill Wendt was
chairman for many years. The first teacher was Miss Nora Maguire
of Portage la Prairie. She was the daughter of Inspector Maguire of
Manitoba Schools. Charlie Lusk had the naming of the school, so he
decided on "Overhill", as no matter what direction you went to the
school you had to go over hills.
Some of the families there at the time the school was built were: Mr.
and Mrs. Andrew Gladue, Mr. and Mrs. Pat Gladue, Mr. and Mrs. Bill
Wendt, Mr. and Mrs. James McIvor and Joe Hogg. Mr. and Mrs.
James McIvor came from Portage in the year 1920, the others were
here for a number of years before that.
98
No Municipal road work or drainage was attempted in the district for
many years and the country was crossed and recrossed in every
direction by trails.
Fire, flooded fields and (yes) drought have taken their toll over the
years in this district, but a number of the older settlers remained and
have lived to see some of their dreams come true.
Light was provided by lamps and lanterns. It was a great pleasure to
us when we got the telephone installed in the year 1950. Then in
1951 we had the most wonderful thing--the electric lights, and all our
wonderful conveniences of the electric kettle and frying pan.
Our first teacher Miss Nora Maguire and those early teachers
deserve much credit for the hardships they endured--wading through
the mud and water in summer--contending with deep snow and cold
in winter--and struggling to keep the school warm with nothing but a
wood burning heater. This first school burnt down in March of 1951.
Mr. Gordon Gunn of Winnipeg was the teacher then.
In September 1951 a new $10,000.00 school was built. We had a
grand opening for the new school. It was an up to date school in
those days and had a coal furnace installed for quite a few years that
was later changed to an oil furnace. Electric lights were put in and a
telephone installed for the teacher.
The first teacher in the new school was Mrs. Pearl McLaughry from
MacGregor, Manitoba. She taught in the new school for four years.
By this time we had a little better road, but teaching in these small
isolated schools is still somewhat of an unrewarding occupation, and
most districts are going along with the government policy of
consolidation. Personally we have nothing against the little one-room
school. Our children and grandchildren have all had their primary
education here in Overhill School, and have gone to obtain training in
Portage Collegiate, and some of our grandchildren have trained for
teachers. One pupil, Russsell Lusk, is in Vancouver B. C. studying to
be a lawyer. He is the son of Walter Lusk. Lois Lusk, Walter's
daughter is a teacher. She has taught in Hartford School, Portage
Schools, in Winnipeg and Regina. She was Mrs. Garry Bowes.
99
Now I must say a few words about the opening of the new school in
1951. More than two hundred attended the opening. Those present
were Premier D.L.Campbell and W. C Miller, Minister of Education at
that time. Also Mr. C. P. Rogers , Chief Inspector of Manitoba
Schools, E. F. Simms inspector of Portage Schools at this time. Mr.
Orville Henry was councilor of Ward Six at that time and
Mr. Watchler the contractor of the school.
Chairman for the evening was Walter Lusk. Ernie Donley was Master
of Ceremonies.
After the speeches were made, dancing was
enjoyed by all and a dainty lunch was served by the ladies of the
district.
Since then many of our residents have moved away, and quite a few
old timers have passed away, but a few old timers are still living in
the district. They are Mr. and Mrs Charlie Lusk, Mr. Peter Duchak
and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Marquette. The trustees for the new school
were Clarence Lusk chairman, Ernie Donley and Glen McIvor. Mrs.
Walter Lusk was secretary for quite a few years. After eleven years
Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Lusk moved across the road to 20-10-7 and
have lived there for forty-one years. They bought the farm from Mrs.
Howard Campbell, mother of Premier D. L. Campbell (he was then)
so altogether we have lived here for fifty-two years.
Our new settlers in the last three years are Mr. and Mrs. Don
Fitzpatrick, Mr. and Mrs. LLoyd Litton and Mr. and Mrs. Les McCuaig.
We have good graded roads now. One of our old timers passed
away in December 1966--Mr. Ernie Overton. He will be missed by
all.
Years ago we had a lot of entertainment at the Overhill school. We
had dances, box socials, and pie socials. People came to them from
miles around in the horse and buggy days, and we used to have
good music. Mr. Bill McDonald used to live in our district. He played
the fiddle and his brother Johnnie played the auto harp. Some of the
ladies played the piano, and also Mr. Andrew Gladue and his son
were good with the fiddle and guitar. They did not charge for playing
in those days. Everybody had a real good time. Mrs. Hogg and Mrs.
Charlie Lusk would clean up the school the next day (we never
100
charged for cleaning up). We had several different teachers. Space
does not permit to name them all.
Footnote: Thanks to Verna Emberly. Overhill School closed in June
1967. Mrs. Lorraine Lestage was the last teacher. On August 17 1967
the school, barn and land were tendered out for sale. On September
21, 1967 the Overhill site was sold to K. K. Tully for $25.00. The barn
was sold to J. A. Dack for $35.00 and the school was sold to Roy Hunt
for $710.00. The school was to become the Hunt family farm home
for many a year until their retirement. Unfortunately the home burnt
in the late 1980's. Pupils are transported to Portage schools.
101
POPLAR BLUFF S. D. # 734
by Audrey Tufford, Marg Munro, Mildred Simpson
Municipal bylaw #197 of the rural municipality of Portage la Prairie
was passed February the first 1893 to establish the school district of
Poplar Grove. The bylaw dealt mainly with transferring lands from
the school district of Mount Pleasant # 50. A second bylaw, #198
dealt with transferring lands from the Burnside district # 24. It also
refers in the text to the district of Poplar Grove, but the photocopy
shows someone has scratched out the word "grove" and put "now
Poplar Bluff". All ensuing communications refer to the district of
Poplar Bluff.
It doesn't require much imagination to decide why it was so named.
Obviously a grove of Poplar trees was on the property, although the
present site has many more Box Elders (Manitoba Maples) than
poplar trees. Many other trees have been added over the years.
The school was to be located at the south-west corner of 30-11-7. Its
location caused some controversy in later years because it certainly
wasn't centrally located. It was much closer to the north end of the
district than to the south, and children from the south had long
distances to travel to school.
Classes began February 1st 1893 under the direction of teacher
Maud Macwhinny. The departmental half yearly returns for December
of 1893 list Poplar Bluff as having twenty-six pupils, twelve boys and
fourteen girls.
The average attendance is given as 9.6, so
attendance may have been a fairly casual affair. One of the very
early pupils was Mary Gair who later became Mrs. James Munro.
Her first teacher was Eda Wilson who married a Gair and later
became the mother of two Miss Gairs who subsequently taught at
Poplar Bluff School.
The building itself was enlarged in the 1920's, as the Smith family ,
now living in the refurbished school, discovered when removing walls.
They found two distinctly different types of construction. The school
yard was increased in 1954 by the purchase of one and threequarters acres from W. F. L. Hyde. Everett Leader made a generous
donation towards this purchase and he and his wife Mabel are largely
102
responsible for the beautiful plantings of Scotch Pine etc. surrounding
the new area, which greatly enhanced the value of the yard to the
students.
Many a student came to school on horseback, and facilities had to be
provided for the animals. The original barn located just north of the
sc47hool-house was torn down, and a new barn was erected farther
east on the property in the 1950's. This building was sold after the
school was closed.
From its inception Poplar Bluff school became the centre of social
activity for the entire district. It was used for dances, whist drives,
showers and farewell parties. Most important was the yearly
Christmas concert when the building was jammed to capacity, for
everyone attended. Along with the efforts of the children, other local
talent was displayed. For many years this included a mandatory
performance of the highland fling, the sailor's hornpipe or the sword
dance by James Rae.
He was occasionally joined in this
performance by Mildred Simpson. The second most important event
of the year was the annual school picnic, held towards the end of the
school term and featuring races, and of course, ball games. The
school also participated in the large inter-district picnic held in Island
Park. Local schools vied for trophies in the ball games, cheered on
by enthusiastic parents. Poplar Bluff brought home several trophies.
Another important use of the school was for Sunday school which
was connected with Burnside church in the early 1920's. They
shared the task of holding Sunday school each Sunday turn about.
At a meeting at Burnside church on June 20th 1924, Mr. Robert
McCulloch gave a glowing report of the Poplar Bluff Sunday school,
as did Gordon Troop. Reports by Mr. McCulloch were given through
the years1921 to1926.
Courses of religious instruction were
conducted at Poplar Bluff in the 1930's by Reverend Weaver. These
were given during school hours each mid-week. A Sunday school
mission was held at the school during the last two weeks in July in
1938, 1939 and 1940.
4-H clubs have played an important role in the social life of Poplar
Bluff. Beginning in 1930 and then known as "boys' and girls' clubs" a
swine club was established.
It was noted that something unusual
103
about this club was that two girls were enrolled and that both of them
were listed as prize winners. Some very familiar names appeared on
the list of winners in this club, including Alex Simpson, Evelyn Rae
(Armishaw) and Ed McMillan.
In 1939 the Red Rose Poultry Club was established, and two of its
members, Allan Munro and Myrtle Rae (Thomson) were given 4H's
highest award, the trip to Toronto's winter fair. This club raised funds
by holding fowl suppers in the school house.
There was not much activity during the war years, and it was not until
1956 that the 4H movement was again revived under the auspices of
Helen Troop and Roberta Chepil. The group soon divided into two
parts, one meeting at Edwin and one at Poplar Bluff. The Poplar
Bluff Clothing club really took off and was soon listed as one of
Manitoba's top 4H clubs. The second time that Poplar Bluff received
the honour of sending a delegate to the winter fair in Toronto came in
1960 when Jill Tufford was given this award. But the girls won many
trips and for three years in succession, the T. Eaton gold watch
award for the best all-round 4H performance was won by a Poplar
Bluff girl. In 1959 the clothing club combined, taking in boys and the
seed club and woodworking projects. In 1960 the club expanded
again to take in the beef project. This section has probably been the
most successful and certainly the most long lasting as the Poplar
Bluff Beef club is still going strong. It has had several winners of the
champion steer shown at the fair, and several members also won the
gold watch award. Of course it can no longer meet in Poplar Bluff
school as this is now a private residence.
The school however was the scene of many animated school board
and rate payers' meetings. Residents were not reluctant to express
their opinions, sometimes very vehemently. One issue which proved
to be quite contentious was whether or not to join the larger area. A
resolution to join was defeated in 1954 and again in 1955. At a much
larger special meeting called to discuss the matter in 1956, it was
approved with a large majority, and Poplar Bluff became part of the
larger area and its graduates began attending the Portage Collegiate.
At least three attending at this time followed their educational ideals
to the PhD level and became university professors. And it was one of
104
Poplar Bluff's earlier graduates who represented this area as a
member of parliament for many years--Mr. Harry Leader.
In 1967 the school closed its doors as an educational institution and
its pupils were transported to Portage la Prairie. Mrs. Rose
Marquette was Poplar Bluff's last teacher. An attempt was made to
use the building as a base for a community club. A skating rink was
established on the grounds and for a few years hockey games were
scheduled along with free skating periods. But the responsibility of
keeping up the property in this manner proved to be too onerous for
the increasingly busy residents and it was agreed to sell the property.
Everyone seemed very pleased to welcome purchasers Noel and
Leann Smith who have completely renovated the old school-house.
Their account of this renovation can be read in "Beside the Burn" the
Burnside area history book. The following are excerpts from this
report. "Poplar Bluff school building has been a landmark for 100
years as of 1993. At first we were going to build a new house and
rebuild the school into a shop for Noel's business, but the longer we
thought about it, and the more we looked at it, the more ideas began
to sprout about turning it into our home instead.---once we decided to
go ahead, the first and toughest job was to gut the building.---We
kept the hardwood floor with its ink spots and skate scars intact.--Speaking of stories to be told, these walls really do talk; there are
many reminders of the part time inhabitants of this building portrayed
by the carvings on the basement walls and on the floor joists. You
are welcome to come and point out your initials--no erasing please-but come prepared to share a story or two about the days they were
put there."
A generation ago people tended to stay close to home and marriages
between neighbors were common, but since World War Two, the
graduates have travelled far and wide, are established on both
coasts of this country and have distinguished themselves in many
fields of endeavor. Fortunately not all have moved away, for many of
the successful young farmers in this district still bear the surnames of
the original homesteaders and the early pioneers. These include
Munro, Leader, Simpson, Stobie, Rae, Hyde, Troop and Lamb.
105
PORTAGE CREEK S. D. # 505
by Margaret McCowan, Edythe Simpson, Annie Cuthbert
Settlers began arriving in what was later to become the Portage
Creek School District in the early 1870's.
The land on which the school stands was owned by J. F. Bain who
held the first patent deed as early as 1873. This quarter section was
later sold to C. J. Green who deeded one acre to the school district
for five dollars in 1895.
Those signing the petition for the establishing of the school were: G.
W. Snider, Charles Cuthbert, E. E. Snider, C. J. Green, Alf J. Green,
Matthew Howie, J. Trimble, J. McLeod, John N. MacDonald, J. R.
Snider and James McDonald. It was given to the superintendent of
education, J. B. Sommerset on April 15th 1886 by J. W. Jackson
secretary-treasurer of the R. M. of Portage la Prairie.
Built by a Mr. Thomas Coad in 1886 in the north-east corner of 1713-6 it was open for classes in the fall of 1887 with an enrollment of
fourteen pupils. The first teacher in charge being a Miss Louella
Wainde the late Mrs. Matthew Howie. Classes were held for ninetyeight days that term, then closed for the winter months, reopening in
the spring of 1888 with thirteen pupils.
The salary paid to the teacher was $33.331/3 per month.
The grant received for the fall term was fifty dollars.
The first records available show the names of S. C. Higginson,
Charles Cuthbert, C. J. Green secretary-treasurer 1892.
Portage Creek School is named after one of two historic routes used
in early days, both very close by. As far back as the year 1738, the
channel known as Portage Creek was used by La Verendrye in his
expeditions by birch bark canoe. When water was high in the
Assiniboine River, it was possible to travel to Lake Manitoba and
further on via Portage Creek without portaging.
106
The other historic trail is the Yellowquill, coming from the north-east
and crossing Portage Creek within a half mile of the school, going in
a south-westerly direction to the old Fort (La Reine) and on.
Over the years the school was the centre of the community. Previous
to the building of Jackson Church in 1909, services had been held in
the school. Through the years Christmas concerts, social evenings,
meetings, and various gatherings were enjoyed by the district.
Several families can claim to have three generations of pupils
attending Portage Creek School. These include the following: E. E.
Snider, Charles Cuthbert, Robert Brown, Wm. Simpson, Thomas
McDonald and Harry Brook. Three generations each of Simpsons
and Cuthberts have served on the board.
A list of the teachers of Portage Creek School from 1892-1964
follows:
Mary Oliver, Adelaide Muma, Lena McQueen, Margaret Baxter, Lena
McQueen Cooke, Winifred Gilmore, Irene Bradley (sub), Olive
Thompson, Maude Bowman, Bessie Bray, Fred Johnston, Allena
MacGillivory, Dorcas Crake, Bertha Reid, Miss E. Gillbard, H. S.
Doubleday, Ila MacDonald, Fannie Arnott, Frances Arnott,
Violet Lefler, Emily Doak, Miss A. McLennan, Ellen J. Hill, Elsie
Moggey, Lena Slade, Grace Shaw, Mrs. Maude Owens, Alexandra
Jones, Lillian Blackwell, Joyce Heys, Gertie Cranston, Elsie Burton,
Geraldine Thompson, Nellie Tate, Grace Wheatly, Peggy Butler,
Mary Hunter, Sara Waschenfelder, Isabelle Dow, Rose Dubovsky,
John Smolleck, Dorothy Thompson, Fern Banting, Lillian Kapetz,
Lorraine Robinson, Marie Adams, Mrs. L. Beaudin, Jeanette Lacy,
Mrs. B. Williamson, Mrs. Doreen Baker, Mrs. R. K. Morrow, Mrs.
Edna Frame, Miss Anne Porter, Miss Jean Ferris, Mrs. Vernon Ferris
(sub), Robert Hobbs.
Beginning the fall term of 1964 the pupils are now taken by school
bus to High Bluff Consolidated.
Yes, the end of an era has come for the Portage Creek School but
we will not forget those who planned and sacrificed much, that their
children and the future generations could obtain that wonderful
priviledge of having an education.
107
PROSPECT S. D. # 112
by Fred L. Thomson
Prospect school location south west quarter 36-12-7.
Opened May 1, 1876.
Trustees:
Chairman-Mr. Alec Kennedy
Secretary-treasurer- Mr. Sam Marlatt
Trustee- Mr. Thomas Logan
Levied 1st year $200.00
Teacher--Miss M. A. Brown
Salary--$150.00 for six months (School year)
1877-Levy-$150.00 (This was $3.20 per quarter section per year)
1878-Levy-$170.00
Teacher for the year 1878 was Mr. John Fulton. Mr. Fulton traveled
to and from his father's home at Oakland, (the farm where Russell
Fulton now lives). Wading the sloughs he contracted a severe cold
and died shortly after the end of the school term.
Other trustees were:
William Wishart--1877
James Moffat, taking the place of Sam Marlatt who had moved
to Portage.
William Furber
1879--Mr. Walter Henderson was appointed Assessor for the year at
a salary of seven dollars.
Note: This school (which may have been the first truly rural
school in Manitoba), is still standing in this year 1967, on the
same land, which is now owned by Mr. Herbert (Joe) Driver.
108
This school finished the term 1879 and ran into 1880. The minutes
show discussion of building plans etc. dated July 2nd 1880. The
district then became East and West Prospect.
Sidelights;
1. Mr. William Thomson ploughed a furrow from his home to the
school, as a guide for the children and also a path for their
bare feet.
2. A story told to me by Mr. William Wesgate Sr., that he and
my father, George Thomson had "hid out" on at least one
occasion in the Brick Pits south of the school. These pits
were caused by clay being removed to make the bricks for
the present Herbert Driver home. Enough bricks were made
at the same time, at these pits, to build the Logan home, now
the Rose house.
3. The District got its name, according to the story told by Mr.
Hector Wishart, when a neighbor at the house-raising "bee"
of Mr. Sam Marlatt asked what he intended to call his farm,
Mr. Marlatt replied "Prospect---the prospects are we will
starve to death" so Prospect it was.
109
RIDGE ROAD S. D. # 730
by Russell E. Dack
Before the turn of the century the main road from this area to Portage
la Prairie followed along the ridge which tended to divide the Hill
Country of the west from the level plains of the east. The road
became known as "Ridge Road" and was the route used to haul
literally hundreds of loads of wood each year to feed the hungry
furnaces in Portage during the cold winters of the late 1800's and the
early 1900's. A load of wood represented a hard days work and sold
for three or four dollars delivered in town. As the district became
settled and the school was required, the site chosen was along this
road and bore the same name--Ridge Road School District #730.
The building of frame construction, was built in 1893 and situated on
the south west corner of section 9 township11 range 6. It was heated
by a large wood-burning stove in the center of the room.
Early
students speak of double desks and of slate and pencils as being the
only supplies they used. For the first few years the school was
closed during the cold winter months and open all summer. The first
teacher was Harry Balfour while others who taught during those early
years were Miss Carter, Mr. McConochie, Mr. Armstrong and Mr.
Godfrey. L. J. Crowder , Wm. Dunn and possibly Alex Rennie were
members of the first board of trustees. Among other pioneer families
who settled in the district before 1900 were Buggs, Drains, Sharps,
O'Neils, Richardsons, Dacks, Bartletts and Andersons.
For thirty-six years this building served as school, Sunday School,
public meeting place, and a place for social evenings and dances,
until it was destroyed by fire in 1929.
During this time quite a change was taking place. Much of the land
which had been bought as wood lots was being cleared and with
drainage problems being overcome it was discovered that the district
could boast of some fine land for both grain and mixed farming. As a
younger generation today we owe a great deal to those pioneers and
forefathers who laboured so hard to make this a better place in which
to live.
110
Following the fire, classes were held for a year in two locations, one
in a Ukrainian Community Hall along the Assiniboine River to the
north, and the other in a house on the farm of John Brown to the
south. During this year much controversy took place as to whether a
two room school or two one room schools should be built. The final
decision was to build two schools, one on the south-east corner of
17-11-6, a site purchased from Ed Drain at a cost of $125.00 and the
other on the south-west corner of 3-11-6, a site purchased from Ed
Maxwell for $75.00.
The two new schools were built in 1930 with the contract being
awarded to P. Hancock at $6198.00. Members of the board of
trustees at this time were Ed Drain, Harvey Vankoughnet and John
Wood. The first teachers to teach in the new schools were the
Maurer sisters--Victorine and Melba.
These schoolhouses have been modernized during recent years with
the introduction of electricity in 1949 and the installation of oil heat
and water and sewer.
We gratefully acknowledge the many who throughout the years have
given freely of their time in serving on the schoolboard, and would
pay special tribute to Ed Drain, Harvey Vankoughnet Sr. and Nick
Boyachek who we believe have served the longest time as either
trustee or secretary-treasurer.
Many students have passed through the doors of Ridge Road
schools, some have gone to distant places where they have been
successful in various types of business, while others remain in the
district. It is interesting to note that of the original pioneer families
there are some now in the third generation, still actively engaged in
farming in the district. Among these are Drains, O'Neils, Buggs and
Dacks.
A project that no doubt created much interest was the building and
operation of the "Jim Hill" or "Great Northern" Railroad from 1906-1926. This railroad passed right through the centre of the district with
the station and grain elevators at Dunn Siding on the farm formerly
owned by Wm. Dunn and now owned by Harvey Vankoughnet.
111
Mention should also be made that Southport is situated on land that
was once a part of Ridge Road District. The presence of the airport
has meant employment for several of our residents . Also many of
our children attended the Harold Edward School there. We regret
that time and space do not allow us to mention the many other
families and events which all have part in the history and growth of
Ridge Road District.
Footnotes: The last teacher of South Ridge was Audrey Alfred. The
last teacher of North Ridge was Lorraine Dack. The last trustees were
George O'Neil, Fred Nazar and David Balch. The Ridge Road District
was not a divided district and both North and South schools had the
same number-#730 and the same schoolboard. In 1967 when South
Ridge closed, the building was sold to Jack Tully who moved it to his
farm site and uses it as a workshop. In 1968 when North Ridge
closed, the building was moved to Portage where it was made into a
duplex and remains to this day.
112
ROB ROY S. D. #1324
by Isabel Rutledge
The first meeting was held in the West Oakland school-house on
March 22nd 1905 according to notice of Mr. D. W. McCowan,
Municipal Clerk.
Mr. D. W. McCuaig, Henry Clark, John Ferris and James Fulton were
to negotiate with Mrs. Marian Smith of Winnipeg about buying her
land for a school site. $1000.00 was borrowed from the Merchants
Bank. They sold ten debentures at $100.00 each at 6% per annum.
John Ferris, Henry Clark and D. W. McCuaig--also James Fulton,
were the first trustees with John Ferris as chairman and James
Fulton secretary-treasurer.
A site was selected for the school-house on 16-13-7 on a sand ridge
between sections 9 and 16. Rose and Little's tender was accepted to
build the school for $497.50 with the trustees agreeing to do the
excavating. Babb & Kirkland put in the furnace which was a wood
and coal one for $150.00, this being replaced in 1950 by an oil burner
priced at $745.00 installed by Cliff Metcalfe.
Miss Helen Lynch, the first teacher, was engaged to teach the
remainder of the term for $85.00. $450.00 per annum was the salary
paid in those days compared to the minimum salary of 1966 of
$3000.00. There are three of the original pupils here today in the
persons of Russell Fulton, Charles Warren and James Clark.
The first annual meeting was held in the school in 1905 with E. S.
Boddy as chairman and D. W. McCuaig as secretary-treasurer
followed by James Fulton acting as chairman for 1906. Some of the
teachers who taught during this time were Miss Helen Lynch as
mentioned, Miss Grace McArthur (now Mrs. Radley) in 1907, Miss A.
Dale 1907 and Miss Lena Rae 1907, Miss Nan Morrow 1908, Miss
Margaret Sinclair 1909, James D. McCrae 1909, E.S. Everall 1911,
Miss Mary Jeffrey 1912.
113
We move down the years to 1912 where John Scott became
secretary-treasurer, a position he held for seventeen years. Mr. E.
S. Boddy acted as chairman for a good many years as well.
Some of the teachers who taught from 1912 to 1918 were: Miss Anna
Drysdale 1913 (Mrs. McMillan), Miss B. M. Harkness 1914 (Mrs. J.
Scott), Miss Marjorie Madge 1914, Effie McKinnon 1915, Lila Kitson
1916, Miss Jean McArthur 1917 (Mrs. J. Patterson), Miss Ella Roe
1918 (Mrs. R. Hall).
Through the old minute book, we see the names of Mr. McCuaig,
Robert Ferris, James D. Neelin, Wm. Warren, F.K. Jordan, Charles
Warren Sr., Robert MacDonald, James McMurrich, H. Norfield, R.
Fulton, John Robinson, Wm. R. Clark, L. G. Hughes, Charles Ferris,
Gel. Ferris, R. S. Scott, D. White, P. Peters, Ellwood Jordan, C.
Rutledge, J. Boddy, Earle Jordan, Lorne Jordan, Orville MacDonald
and Ray Fischer.
Mr. Wm. Clark acted as secretary-treasurer for fourteen years
followed by L. G. Hughes who was secretary-treasurer for sixteen
years.
Some more of the teachers teaching from 1919 to 1942 were--Miss
Isabel Dow 1919 (Mrs. G. Clark), Miss Eleanor Robinson1920 (Mrs.
J. Sutherland), Miss Margaret Bone 1921-22 (Mrs. J Gordon), Miss
Grace Scott 1922 ( Mrs. Peter Stewart), Miss Jessie McGregor 192324, Miss Evelyn Foster 1925 (Mrs Wm. Parsons), Miss Grace Scott
again in 1927-28, Miss Esther Halstead 1931-32 (Mrs. R. Barker),
Miss Evelyn R. Russell 1932-33-34 (Mrs. Haas), Miss Florence
Adrian 1935 (Mrs. Wm. McMillan), Miss R. Evelyn Russell 1936-3738-39 (Mrs.Hay), Miss Dorothy McMillan 1940-41-42 (Mrs W.
Williams).
The trees you now see surrounding the school grounds were planted
in 1949 (700 of them). Mr. F. K. Jordan was the instigator of this
project. The school was wired in 1949. New desks were purchased
in 1953 which are still serving. The piano was purchased in 1959
and new floors were put in in 1952. The school grounds were
enlarged in 1947 which made for a better playground.
114
Up to a few years ago we had a flourishing Mission Band. Mrs. E. S.
Boddy was the first leader and the Band was instituted by Mrs. John
Scott. Mrs. Hughes carried on as leader for a good many years and
assisted other leaders following her leadership. Several of the
teachers were a great help in connection with the Band. Mrs. Sadie
Jordan was a busy leader also and then Mrs. John Robinson capably
carried on until the change in organization of the United Church. The
Junior Red Cross was also quite active in our school.
Then some more teachers from 1943 to 1949 were:-Miss Elizabeth
Taylor 1943 (Mrs. R.Berry), Miss Doreen Tucker 1944 (Mrs J.
Frizzley), Miss Edith James 1945 (Mrs. Ellwood Jordan), George
Froese 1945, Miss Marjorie Arthur 1946 (Mrs. A. McIntyre), Miss
Mary Niven 1947, Miss Viola Ferris 1947. (Mrs. H. Painter), Mr Cecil
Patterson 1948, Miss Joyce Bullied 1949 (Mrs. Riddell)
They started out from a zero pay for cleaning the school which has
increased to $35.00. As the years have passed the color scheme of
the school has changed from time to time.
From 1950 to the present time the following teachers have taught:Miss N. E. Wonitoway 1950, Miss Verla Bell 1951-52 (Mrs. E. Bird),
Miss Gwen McIntosh 1953, Miss Dorothy Winters 1953, Miss Doris
Hansley 1953-54-55 (Mrs. Ken Morrow), Miss E.M. Maloney 1956-57
(Mrs L. Donald), Miss Joan Robinson 1958, Miss Rosalie Gudnason
1959, Miss Edith Kingdon 1960, Miss Carole Fletcher 1961 (Mrs A.
Anderson), Miss Carole Hamilton 1962, Miss Reva Cairns 1963 (Mrs.
Trochim), Miss Wieler the present teacher in 1964-65.
There were approximately three hundred pupils who attended the
Rob Roy School during the past sixty years. The present enrollment
is sixteen. There have been families of four generations connected
with the school. It is interesting to note the several professions our
different students have chosen.
There may not be an occasion to celebrate such an event as this
again as the changing times necessitate changes in the school
planning, but we are thankful that we were able to get together today
in fellowship with one another and reminisce about the past sixty
years.
115
Footnotes: Rob Roy school was dissolved into the Portage la Prairie
School Division #24 on April 1 1967. Children are bused to Portage
schools.
116
ROSEGROVE S. D. # 2216
taken from "Woodlands Echos"
Rosegrove school is situated on the north-east corner of the northeast quarter of 19-13-4. It opened first at Christmas in the year 1940.
The building was purchased from Arthur Cole, one of the families
whose land the government purchased when setting up the
community pasture. Rosegrove was the first school on that property.
The fact that there was an average attendance of nineteen pupils
points out the need of opening a rural school in the area.
The school was under an official trustee, first under Mr. Cameron and
later under Mr. A. A. McDonald who performed the services rendered
by the local school district trustees and secretary-treasurer.
The teachers in order as listed for this article are: Donald Coates,
Evelyn McKinstry, Marjorie Warburton, Lynn Roblin, Dorothy
McNichol, Muriel Bruce and Treva Cook.
The Rosegrove school has been closed since 1952. At the time of
this writing five students residing in the district are attending East
Poplar Point School.
117
SALEM S. D. # 623
by Shirley Case
(with excerpts from an article in the Portage Library)
The history of the Salem district dates back to 1890 when a log
school was built on the north-west corner of 30-10-5 at the west end
of what was known as Crooked Lake. This lake was formed from
drainage of the land to the west and formed an almost perfect S
across most of the section, providing endless hours of entertainment
for the pupils when great skating parties were organized.
The school itself was a log building with a frame roof, one door in the
east end and three windows along each side. Iron rods on the inside
held the log walls firmly upright. Later, a porch was built on the east
end.
The logs for this building were donated by a local farmer and
preacher, Thomas Jones, who may also have had some choice in the
Biblical name of Salem. The logs were hand hewn by William
Simpson, who also put on the roof and did the inside carpentry work.
The actual raising of the walls was done, as all buildings were at that
time, by a local log-raising bee.
This building was eventually sold to Levi Staples who moved it four
miles to his farm where it was used for several years until it gradually
deteriorated.
Inside the school were two rows of double desks facing west towards
the raised platform where the teacher sat. Behind her was a
blackboard. In the centre of the room stood a large cast iron box
stove which burned thirty-six inch lengths of wood. Stove pipes led
across the room to a roof pipe. Hooks along the log walls held the
children's outer garments: girls' on one side, boys' on the other.
Books were scarce. Most work was done on slates and then erased
ready for the next class. Much of the work was memorized.
The attendance varied from about twelve to as many as thirty. Older
boys were required to stay home and help on the farm during spring
and fall, so were able to attend school only during the winter months.
118
Most of the children walked to school, some for as far as three and a
half miles. A stable was built, however, to provide shelter for the
horses which some children rode or drove.
As well as a school, this building served as a church. The first
children christened there were Matt and Myrtle Moffat.
In 1905 one acre of land was purchased from E. J. Maxwell for one
dollar. The contract to build a new school was given to Henry Fust.
His son Charlie, and his brother-in-law, Andrew Walker, helped.
Stones to strengthen the foundation were bought from William Dunn
and hauled from the south-east quarter of 34-10-6. In the early
spring , Fust, Walker, Jack Hamilton and Jack Patterson brought four
loads of lumber straight south from Portage past the Anglican Church
and cemetery. While crossing the river, the horses went right to their
fetlocks in slush and there were spouts of water gushing from the ice.
They went off the ice at Baziels' (near "Whoop 'n' Holler"). Here the
horses almost did not get up the steep bank because of poor footing.
Across country to Charltons' and then straight south brought them at
last to the building site, the north-east corner of 36-10-6. The
Langford brothers (who lived on the Cy Carr place) did all the
carpentry on the school. (The information in this paragraph is from
an essay written by Sheryl Fust in 1970 as told to her by her
grandmother, Janet (Agnew) who was one of the first pupils in the
new school.)
In 1907 the new building was ready. It was of frame construction,
about 30' by 45', on cement foundation, with shingled roof and bell
tower. There were originally three windows on the north side, two on
the east and one on the west. When it was remodelled in 1952, two
more windows were added on the north side.
There was a back porch on the west end of the school. On a table
there were two basins, one for the boys and one for the girls. A
pump with a sandpoint drew clear water for washing and drinking.
Sometimes in the winter, this pump froze up and then water was
heated on the furnace or the old wood stove in the basement to get
the "water works" working again. In 1952 this porch was altered to
provide a washroom with sink and pump and indoor toilets to replace
the little white buildings west of the school.
119
The heating system was first a wood furnace in the basement. Each
winter one of the older boys was hired to go to school early each
morning to light the fire. At the time of remodelling, an oil furnace
was installed.
The desks were single desks, fastened in rows onto "two by fours" to
make them more easily moved for sweeping. No caretaker was
hired. Instead, the pupils took turns, sweeping, cleaning boards and
brushes, raising and lowering the flag, and any other tasks assigned
by the teacher.
The bell used at Salem was a hand bell, which was amazingly hard to
hear when the children were outside having fun.
In the early days of the school's history, children walked or drove
horses, stabling them in the red barn in the south-west corner of the
school yard. For many years of its operation, parents drove their
children, but in the last two years the school was open, children were
bused in a little blue van driven by Truman and Hilma Johnson.
With consolidation came the end of an era. Salem, like the
surrounding schools, was closed (but not until 1969). The pupils
were then transported by big yellow buses to Portage to attend a
much larger school (Crescentview) with better facilities.
The Salem Co-operative Community Club was then formed. Again
the building was renovated. Plumbing was installed with washrooms
put in the east end and a kitchen in the north-west corner. The
building was then used for fowl suppers, Christmas concerts, plays,
parties, showers, dances, meetings and social gatherings. In 1995,
the Salem Community Club sold the property and, still in good
condition and remodelled again, the former Salem school is now a
private residence, but still serves as a well recognized landmark.
A list of teachers from 1891 to 1969 follows: Isabella Jones, Alice
Land, Maggie Tully, Mabel Barnwell, S. Ruttan, Grace Jones, W. H.
Rennie, Ella Garrioch, Winnifred B. Jones, A. L. Lucking, Jennie
Parkinson, Vera Sinker, Gertrude L. Blow, Mabel Thompson, Agnes
H. Craig, Bessie Price, Lucy Daisy Malloch, Susie M. Hazzelwood,
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Mabel L. Rutledge, Euphemia Fraser, Myrtle Shuttleworth, Anna D.
Bolin, Esther E. Halstead, Helen Sanderson, Gladys MacKinley,
Monica Y. Mortemore, Mary Frizzley, Alice Goldsborough, Eleanor
Hanslit, Irene Wadman, Shirley Wishart, Evelyn Robertson, Anne
Young, Kathleen Simms, Lesia Chorneyko, Mrs. Lesia A. Case, Lena
Jackson, Barbara Varga, Beverly Struthers, Anne Skavinski, Oliver
Bansfield, Linda Smith, Caroline Zdan, Mrs. Shirley Case.
Some of the trustees were: E. J. Maxwell, A. W. Moffatt, B. Theobald,
A. Walker, Wm. Thomas, George Dunn, Joseph Threadkill, T.
Maxwell, A. W. Palmer, Peter Blair, Joseph Charlton, Harold Litton,
George Thomson, George Tonn, Gordon Tufford, May Charlton, Matt
Moffat, Stan Case, J. R. Maxwell, O. Coates, Ben Frohwerk, Dick
Tickle, Frank Case, Jack Cundall.
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SUNNYSIDE S. D.
# 2384
Sunnyside Colony was started in 1940 on the south-east quarter of
32-10-5 with the Jacob Waldner family as the first residents. They
were joined the next year by Joseph Hofer and his family. Jacob
Waldner taught the children both in German and English (and
continued to be the German teacher until 1964 when his son Jake
took over until 1988.
The present German teacher is Bill
Kleinsasser).
By 1942 the Joseph Kleinsasser, Dave Wollman and George Hofer
families arrived from Milltown along with Jake Waldner and his wife
and Paul Wollman. It was decided that the children were to attend
the Salem school, nearly three miles away. Eleven children travelled
by horse and buggy (caboose in the winter) for four and a half years:
Katie, Sarah and Elizabeth Waldner; Barbara, Annie, Rachel and
Mike Hofer; Rebecca, Sarah, Elie and Zack Wollman.
In spite of opposition from various individuals, Jake Waldner was
instrumental in the formation of their own school. In 1947 Sunnyside
School #2384 opened with an enrollment of nineteen and Lena
Neufeld as their first teacher. Added to the eleven were: Lydia, Susie
and Anna Waldner; Marie, Asnath and Dora Hofer; Margaret
Kleinsasser and Mary Wollman.
By the late '50's enrollment had grown to require the hiring of a
second teacher, so grades one and two were moved to another
building. When a new colony was formed about 1962, grades one to
nine were again taught in one room.
In 1992 a fully modern three-room school was built with gymnasium
and up-to-date technology, including computers. Now courses are
offered from kindergarten to grade twelve. The present teachers are
Mrs. Debbie McLeod and Mrs. Louise Froese.
Following is a list of other teachers over the years (not complete):
Herb Peters, Frieda Epp, Mary Nichols, Clarence Labon, Annie Isaac,
Shirley McLeod, Ron Patrick, Carol Case, Shirley Case, Norman
Williamson, Constance Thomson, Evelyn Case, Rose Froese.
122
THE LANDING S. D. # 951
Excerpts taken from "When the West was Bourne"
The Landing School District # 951 was formed May 23 1898 by an
award of Arbitrators appointed by the municipalities of Portage la
Prairie and Westbourne with Inspector Maguire. The first school
trustees were David Stewart, John C. Stewart and Peter McArthur.
Peter McArthur had donated one half acre of land for the school
building on the south-east corner of the south-east quarter 24-14-9.
When the McArthur family moved to Winnipegosis, Peter sold the
piece of land to the trustees for $20.00.
Teachers from 1898-1954 were: C. A. Pedlar, Ruby M. Ingram, Lorna
E. Carr, Mariette Stephens, Janet A. Grant, Clara M. Bemister, Grace
M. Jones, Margaret J. Fraser, Florence H. Howden (moved over to
Adelaide School), Florence Haslaw, Allen Garland, Olive Manness,
Mildred DuPre, Roberta A. Anderson, M. S. Matthews, Charlotte
Lambert, Elsie B. Montgomery, M. G. P. Matchett, Salena A.
Whitman, Gertrude E. Jackson, Annie I. Price, Edith Davey, Mabel D.
Sopp, Edith Davey, Louise Routledge, Helen M. Stewart, Harold
Sigurdson, Gertrude Morton, Myrtle I. Riach, A. Lillias Stewart, Mary
J. Perry, E. Emond, Jean McMillan, Muriel E. Bruce, H. Russell
Moffat, Audrey Hunt, Emilie Paswisty, Lucy Medevid.
In 1912 The Landing schoolboard enlarged the school grounds by
purchasing another acre of land from Peter McArthur. The Adelaide
School students were to start attending this school in the 1912-1913
term, and this meant more playground space was needed. At this
time Duncan C. Stewart, August Poschenrieder and John C. Stewart
were the school trustees.
In the year 1931 there were twenty-five pupils from grades one to
eight. By the year 1936 there were forty.
In the fall of 1954 the students of The Landing school were
transferred to the Westbourne School. The trustees at this time were
Wes Thompson, Henry Poschenrieder and Angus Alex Stewart. Alex
was the secretary-treasurer.
123
At the time of dissolution in 1967, the school trustees of The Landing
School # 951 were Wes Thonpson, Art W. Sneesby and A. A.
Stewart.
Footnote: Just as a note of interest, Annie I. Price (later Mrs. Judson
Mumm) had a Special Interim Permit from the Department of
Education to teach The Landing school in the school term from 19201921 because when she graduated from Normal School in 1920 she
was not yet eighteen years of age. This permit was good from when
school started in the fall until November when she turned eighteen.
124
WEST OAKLAND S. D. # 110
by Cliff Bray
West Oakland School District was organized in January 1881. The
first ratepayers meeting was held in Mr. R. McCuaig's home. The
trustees elected were Mr. Donald McNeil, Mr. John Vance and Mr. D.
W. McCuaig, the secretary- treasurer (he remained until 1905).
The schoolhouse was built in the same year. It was a frame building
built by Mr. R. McCuaig, and was built on the north-east corner of the
south-east quarter of 17-13-7. That is on D. W. McCuaig's farm. The
school was open one month that year, the teacher being Miss Maggie
Ann McCuaig.
The teachers employed during the following years were:
1882--Miss D. McGinnis
1883--Miss Mary S. McCuaig
1884--Miss Maggie Ferguson
1885--Miss Annie McLeod
--Miss Jackson (she was a sister of Mr. Jackson who was
secretary to Louis Riel during the rebellion of 1885)
1886--Miss Maggie Baldwin
1887--Miss Maebravey
1888--Miss Christy McLeod
1889--Mr. W. E. Metcalfe (now a doctor in Portage la Prairie)
1890--Miss Minnie Balmer
1891--Miss Nellie McGhie
1892--Miss Sahara Kennedy
--Miss Eva Ruttan
1893--Miss Emma Conner
1894--Miss Margaret Baxter
In December 1894, the schoolhouse was moved to the north-east
corner of the north-east quarter of 7-13-7. The trustees were Mr.
Thompson, Mr. Hinds and Mr. Dashney.
The first teacher after the school was moved was Lizzie Stewart.
Twenty pupils attended school that year. The pupils were: Sadie
McCuaig, Mary McCuaig, Lawrence Ferris, Mac McCuaig, Gordon
Hinds, Willie McCuaig, Bert Hinds, Maggie Ferris, James Thompson,
125
Bertha Ferris, Jessie Gardiner, Burnett Thompson, Jean Hinds,
George Weidenhammer, Kate Weidenhammer, Agnes Hinds and Will
Dixon.
The teachers employed after Miss Stewart were:
1896--Miss Eva Ruttan
1897--Miss Mary E. McKinnon
1898--Miss Minnie McLeod
1900--Miss Minnie Glennie
--Miss Edith Mills
1901--Mr. C. V. Fehrenback
--Miss Annie Carswell (thirty-one pupils on the roll)
1902-03--Miss Edith Finland
1904--Miss Jean Baird
--Mr. A. W. Grover (thirty-four pupils, the greatest number ever
at
the school)
1905--Miss Lizzie McKay taught half a year before it closed
In 1905 the new school was built on the south-east corner of 13-13-8,
one half mile west of the old school, a fairly large building with
cement basement and furnace, and was built by Messrs. Rose and
Little. The school shed was moved from the old site, a flag pole was
put up, and a large flag purchased. (The first year a flag had been
flown at the school). Miss McKay was teacher. Trustees were
William Beattie, William Bray and Duncan McCuaig secretarytreasurer. Twenty pupils attended.
Teachers of this period:
1906--Miss McDougall
1907--Miss M. Stephens (Mrs. R. J. Caskey)
1908--Miss McLennan
1908--Miss A. B. McMillan
1909--Miss Parker
1910--Mr. H. H. McKeen
1911--Mr. H. H. McKeen
--Miss Whimister
1912--Miss Whimister
1913--Miss Dickson
1914--Miss E. Metcalfe (Mrs. S. Elgert)
126
The last few years there has been a very small attendance. There
were only ten to fifteen pupils attending.They were Fred Clark,
Francis Downing, George Ferris, Velma Clark, Ernest Ferris, Fred
Strong, Hannah Strong, Tony Fredricks, Cliff Bray, Bella Dow, Arthur
James and Esther James. Trustees this year are Mr. McMillan, Mr.
McGillvray and Thomas Clark. Alex Dow was secretary-treasurer.
More teachers:
1915-16-17--Ruth McMillan (Mrs. L. Stevenson)
1918-19--Jean McArthur (Mrs. J. Patterson)
1920--Ivy Stephenson
1921--Jeanette Hutchison
1921-22-23--Carrie Bailey (Mrs. Roy McCartney)
1923--Grace Zealand
1924-25--Sarah Jacobs (Mrs. Darling)
1925--Grace Scott (Mrs. Peter Stewart)
1926--Annie I. Price (Mrs. Jud Mumm)
1926--Peter Stewart
1927-28--Agnes Souter
1928-29--Eva Greenlay
1929-30--Mildred Belton
1930-37--Elizabeth McIvor
1937-39--Elsie Robinson (Mrs. Fred Lake)
1939-40--Jean Byles
1940-41--Esther Pettypiece
In 1889, Addie Thompson (Mrs. Thomas Robinson) attended the first
West Oakland School, along with her brothers Robert, Burnett and
James. The teacher then was W. E. Metcalfe, later Dr. Metcalfe of
Portage la Prairie. He walked or rode horseback from his home five
miles north-east, which is now the home of Ron Eadie.
When the school was moved in 1905, two of Mrs. Robinson's
children, Edna and Mamie (later Mrs. Cecil Rice) attended West
Oakland along with Jessie, Myrtle and Russell Fulton, Rolston,
Russell, Elsie and Everett Metcalfe, Blanche and Eva Bray, Lila
Kitson, Duncan and Angus McGillvary.
127
Two schools were built in July 1905, to replace the old West Oakland
School, namely Rob Roy, and West Oakland. The children were
divided.
Mr. William Bray and Mr. Thomas Robinson hauled the gravel for the
foundation by team and wagon from south of Portage.
From 1905-1912, some of the pupils were Lily, Alex and Bella Dow;
Roy, Blanche, Eva and Clifford Bray; Florence, Wilhemena and Inez
McCuaig; Duncan, Angus and May McGillvary; Lila Kitson; Clarence
and Avaline James; Edna, Mamie, Johnny, Nellie and Elsie
Robinson. 1908-1912, Mr. John Kitson, Mr. Duncan McCuaig, Mr.
Hinds, Mr. T. Robinson were among the trustees.
West Oakland school closed June 30 1941.
128
WEST POPLAR POINT S. D.
by Mrs. N. Braden
# 12
This school in district # 12, is one of the oldest schools in the
province of Manitoba, and has been open continually since July 3
1873.
The first school made of logs and built south of the highway, close to
St. Anne's Anglican Church, was later rebuilt on its present site, two
miles west of the village of Poplar Point, on the north side of Highway
# 4.
Thirty inch cordwood, fed into an old box stove, was one of the first
heating systems. This was followed by coal, and much later an oil
heater was used. At present the school is heated by propane gas.
Unfortunately the records of the early days are lost. But records
dating back to the year 1887 listed the trustees as Mr. Wm. Gowler,
Mr. S. Bannerman and Mr. Charles F. Newman--father of our present
ratepayer Mr. O. C. Newman.
Teachers came from far and near--Miss Totten and Miss Cox coming
all the way from Nova Scotia. In the past, grades one to ten were
taught here, often with from thirty-five to forty pupils. The present
enrollment (1966) is down to eight.
Former pupils have graduated to be professors, dentists, ministers,
bankers, teachers, and nurses, bringing credit to their schooling.
Also proving that in the past, the one-room rural school had its place
in the community.
Footnotes: The school division was formed on July 3 1873 by the
Protestant Board of Education. In 1884 one acre of lot # 58 in the
Parish of Poplar Point was received from the Bishop of Ruperts Land
for $50.00. The school district was dissolved into Portage la Prairie
school division # 24 on April 1 1967.
129
WEST PROSPECT S. D. # 112
from an article in the Portage library
West Prospect School District #112 was formed on January 19
1881. The school was built in 1881 on the north-west corner of the
south-west quarter of 23-12-7 on one acre of land bought from Jennie
Philip for twenty-five dollars.
This school came into being when the Prospect school district
became too large, and the distances children had to travel became
too great. The settlers decided to build two schools, East Prospect
and West Prospect.
West Prospect school was originally of the one-room variety, with
anti-room and shed at the back for toilets. It was built by Mr. Ed
Logan. It had the traditional belfry, but no bell. Between the years
1881 and 1883, it was also used as a church until a church was built.
Over the years, the school has seen many changes: the creation of a
basement, the addition of a front porch in 1948, red siding to insul
brick and back again. Successive heating systems included, in the
beginning, a big box stove, which everyone sat around in the winter
mornings to keep warm. Next came a pot-bellied Quebec heater.
After a basement was built by Walter Brown, a furnace downstairs
with one register in the middle of the room was used, then a hot air
system heated by oil from the basement. The basement eventually
included toilet and washing facilities as well.
The school saw three distinctly different kinds of desks. The original
ones were two-seaters. These were replaced in 1907 by individual
desks and more recently, in 1950, by desks which opened at the top.
The first teacher was John Ingram. The first trustees were Samuel B.
Marlatt, Henry Latimer and William Thomson. There were forty-nine
students in the year 1885-1886. In 1965 when the school closed
there were nine.
A list of teachers follows: J. A. Ingram, Annette Gunne, Alice Laut, I.
McInnis, K. Shillinglaw, Annie Fraser, S. E. Campbell, Mary Moir,
Laura Williams, Edmund Todd, M. L. Pickering, Lillian Berry, W.
130
Dowell Bayley, Wm. Gordon, Florence P. Hall, Maude Bowman,
Annie E. Bowman, Alice P. Fletcher, Jennie Sullivan, Orma W. La
Roche, Arma Drysdale, Gertie Bradley, Anna Drysdale, C. J.
Hutchings, Mabel Demman, Margaret G. Tidsbury, Lorena Brown,
Ruth Pringle, Jessie Ames, Agnes Stevens, Lila Trimble, Irene Lusk,
Esthel Keats, Alice Comte, Anne Cruikshank, George F. Thomson,
W. C. Warrren, Alice Giles, Doreen MacMillan, John Suderman,
Lucelle Blair, Flora Sampson, Flora Bell, Beverly Heintz, Joanne
Verwey, Margaret Froese, Elizabeth Wall.
The last year this school was open was 1964-65. The trustees were
F. A. Mason, A. E. Thomson and A. E. Vanstone secretary-treasurer.
Dorothy Crealock and Irene Irwin were the last teachers.
This school closed in 1965 because of consolidation. Three years
later the school building was moved to the Fort la Reine Museum
where it stands today. Art Thompson bought the land for $81.00.
131
WESTBOURNE S. D. #11
excerpts taken from "When the West was Bourne"
From a newspaper clipping dated January 4, 1955 Reverend Alfred
Cook wrote "Permit me to offer through your columns, most felicitous
congratulations to the Westbourne School board on their report of the
opening of a new school after
Christmas holidays.
But this school has also a record, creditable to itself which very few
know of. It was organized under the superintendence of the
Venerable Archdeacon Cochrane and was therefore of a missionary
character, in the early sixties of the last century. The school was
then under the care of Reverend Henry George till 1871 when on his
removal to Portage he was succeeded by Reverend Thomas Cook
(author's father) who conducted the school as well from 1871. The
attendance was then about twenty. (This school was built in 1859 on
parish lot 9 as a mission settlement school, identified by the
temporary name of "First Crossing ").
It was a log building plastered with mud with a roof thatched or
shingled. All furniture was handmade consisting of a table for the
teacher and for the scholars, without any desks or blackboard at first.
This building which is about to be opened is the fourth, covering a
period of about eight decades. It has for the interest of your readers
the following items, briefly expressed--housing for one hundred
students, four classrooms, a science room, a teachers room, acoustic
tile ceilings, rubber tile floors, flourescent lighting, oil heating, a full
lighted basement and a water pressure system the most modern in
the municipality."
What better way to lead into our Westbourne School story, which was
formed by the Protestant Section of the Board of Education on the
third day of July, 1871---the date the first school districts were formed
in the new Province of Manitoba.
There is no record of when the second school was built. It could
have been when the first school trustees purchased four acres of
land from the Bishop of Rupertsland to move the building closer to
132
the main road around 1874, shortly after the arrival of Reverend
Thomas Cook. It was a two storey red river building-mud frame (logs
went up and down). It was built on 4.13 acres of land (parish lot 9)
bought for $50.00. Principal Charles Kennie Newcombe was in
charge of thirty-one pupils until 1903.
The first school trustees were for 1875-1876--Thomas Taylor and
Andrew Peterson with Harry Burnell as secretary-treasurer. When
the Taylor and Harry Burnell families moved away, the school board
became Andrew Peterson and A. Smalley with Martin Burnell as
secretary-treasurer.
In the fall of 1896 the Westbourne school board realized that they
needed a new school building and in September two loads of lumber
were delivered to John P. Thompson, an early resident in the new
townsite. (John had built the home that he and his family lived in on
the south east corner of the main street, directly across from the
Smalley & Chantler store.) Records show that John was possibly
going to be the head carpenter in this project for the contractors
William Armstrong and John M. Taylor of Portage la Prairie, but at the
time he took delivery of this lumber, the school board did not have the
land to build the school on. In mid-October the contractors issued a
Mechanics Lien against the school board for payment and this
certainly hurried things up. By the end of the month they owned 1.04
acres of land on P.L. 6, which they had purchased from William Clark
of Winnipeg. There is no date when this new school opened and
records show that the old building was still in use in 1900. In March
1903, John Gowan, chairman of the school board sold 4 13/100
acres of the old school property to Frank Cook, the son of Reverend
Thomas Cook. The school was sold to Lord Beaudin and then torn
down.
During the years 1930-1933 the Westbourne school used the
Presbyterian Church to meet the three-room requirements of the
school population.
It is interesting to note that Andrew Fletcher a student of the class of
1896-97, fifty-six years later sold 4.1 acres of P.L. 1 and .9 acres of
P. L. 2 to the Westbourne school board. This allowed them to build
the fourth and most recent school, described in the letter above. The
133
old school and property was sold to R. Lang for $1000.00. The first
teachers in the new school were Mr. Birch (principal), Mrs. Munro,
Mrs. Birch, Mrs. Scharien.
In 1966 Nora, Adelaide, Longburn and Westbourne consolidated into
Westbourne Consolidated School District.
In 1967 the Westbourne School District was absorbed into the
Portage la Prairie School Division # 24.
During the past fifteen years, beginning with grade twelve, the
classes were gradually moved into Portage la Prairie, thus making it
necessary for high school students to commute to complete their
education. When it came time in 1970 for grade seven to move in,
the students were held back to allow the school to remain open.
By 1970-71 Westbourne was wholly elementary, with the addition of
the Departmental Kindergarten class and private Nursery School.
It would not be too far wrong to state that there have been at least
275 teachers at our four Westbourne schools during the past 115
years. The first teacher after the mission was taken over by the
government was Harry Evans who was teaching here in 1875 before
he went to teach in the new Adelaide school. Others were James
Hill, C. K. Newcombe, Mabel M. Wilson, May Baldwin, John S.
Duncan, Jeanie Gray, Jennie Thomas, James H. Kitely, Edna Griffis,
Frances H. Creighton, John D. Evelyn, Jessie H. Angus, E. L.
Hankinson, Jane J. Gordon, Martha Davey.
At the time of the 1881 census, twenty-two year old James Hill was
the teacher. He remained until the arrival of Charles Kenzie
Newcombe. Some young teachers who were born here, married and
moved away. Others came here to teach, married and remained.
Some taught here while they were single and also after they were
married.
134
THE MANITOBA RURAL SCHOOL
by Myrle MacKay
The Manitoba one-room Rural Schools are rapidly disappearing from
our communities. When cousin Brenton Zimmerman (to whom we are
indebted for compiling family history and other articles of interest)
visited Manitoba in 1963, he was quite intrigued by the little two-room
school a mile from the farm of my father, Elmer Zimmerman. This
was the school where my brother Clayton, and I, received our
elementary education.
When we attended this school it was a typical one-room rural school
sitting on approximately three acres of land. A tall flagpole with the
Union Jack waving from nine a.m. to four p.m. and a red barn behind
a pile of cordwood completed the setting. Indoors we found as many
as fifty desks, graduated in size to accommodate the children from
grades one to eight. These desks were well marked, and on
occasion father's and son's initials could be found. A large furnace
located in a full sized basement (a playroom on a rainy day) supplied
the heat. From the furnace a large drum extended up through the
classroom and around this drum we could place our jars of soup or
cocoa to warm for lunch. The students were often janitors for the
furnace and the cleaning of the school.
The educational aspects of this one-room school were in reality
almost beyond one's conception. Students from grades one to eight
were taught by one teacher. It still amazes me, when I recall the
many lessons she taught in a day, and the number of children she
disciplined. These children were her responsibility from nine until
four, for none went home for lunch. Often at noon hour she came out
to the playground to teach us a new game or to umpire our softball
game. We always had a story read to us after lunch. "The Secret
Garden" and "Anne of Green Gables" were two books I recall reciting
chapter by chapter. Classes were combined in as many subjects as
possible to relieve teaching duties. All students heard all the lessons
being taught. Consequently we learned to concentrate and we
learned to study independently. The older students played an
important role in the life of the rural school, in that they helped
younger students with their studies at recess, put on their clothing in
the cloakrooms, and supervised their games outdoors.
135
Highlights fo those who attended a rural school were the Rural
School Picnic and the Christmas Concert. All the schools within a
large radius of Portage la Prairie would assemble for the picnic at
Island Park where races and softball games were held for every age
group. Parents and students alike went home from the picnic hoarse
from cheering for their home teams. In preparation for the Christmas
Concert we would copy out dialogues and recitations (there were no
data machines used) and decorate the classroom with our own
handicrafts. A platform would be erected at one end and the desks
crowded together. A huge tree would be decorated and laden with
gifts and candy bags. After the concert Santa would pay his annual
visit and present every child with a present from the teacher. The
school was usually the Community Center where meetings, dances,
socials, and often Church Services were held. All these activities
were attended by the entire family as a baby-sitter was non-existent
when the one-room rural school was the Community Center.
Clayton started his education in this new rural school in 1921. He
spent eight years here and then he wrote what was then termed the
"Grade 1X Entrance Examination" which qualified him to attend the
Portage Collegiate Institute. During these eight years different
means of transportation to school were used. Usually Clayton rode
horseback. A sideline here might be of interest to some readers.
One day in summer Clayton decided to ride across a creek by way of
the water rather than by way of the bridge. Alas, it had no solid
bottom, and down, down, went "Old Ned" the horse. Clayton finally
gave up trying to coax the horse out and went home for help. Dad
went to the rescue with the team and wagon. A chain was fastened
around the horse's neck and he was pulled out. To this day, mother
has a picture of"Old Ned" covered with mud right up to his neck.
Another means of school transportation was by dog. Clayton trained
a dog which pulled him to school by cart in summer and toboggan in
winter. Mother recalls one very severe winter when there was so
much snow the latter part of the winter that no horse or dog could be
used and Mother used to walk part way with Clayton, until he got over
the snowbanks. After I started, the roads were built up and we
always used a horse and cutter or buggy as the seasons demanded.
We had many a cold winter ride bobbing over the snowbanks. We
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were always warmly clad and we used a horsehide rug over our
knees. We felt we were more fortunate than the many who had to
walk. However, all the rides weren't in the bitter cold and I can still
recall the pleasant sound of jingling sleighbells as the horse trotted
briskly and the cutter skimmed over the well packed snow. There is
no ride today which compares with a cutter ride on a bright winter's
day. In the spring we always had one mudhole to contend with. I
can still see the old buggy shafts bending almost to the breaking
point, as "Old Ned" faithfully pulled us through. During most of my
rural schooldays the teacher boarded in our home and so school
didn't start without us, and we seldom ever missed a day. I might
mention here, that on the weekends, "Old Ned" had his well earned
rest. However on several occasions, when the gate was left open, he
trotted off to the school yard, grazed there until four o'clock and then
returned home. Long before I reached grade eight, the roads were
built up and maintained so that our transportation problems greatly
diminished. Now teachers and students alike travel by bicycle, car,
or bus. A tuition fee is paid for every student traveling one mile
beyond the city limits.
Two of my teaching years were spent in a one-room school in a
Hutterite Colony where I taught grades from one to six. Here
language was the major problem since German was always spoken
in the Colony. Pre-schoolers would open the door and call in "Goodbye" when they meant "Hello". The German teacher taught religion in
German both before and after English classes, and so it was a long
school day for these children. During these two years I drove the car
five miles to and from home in the summer months and boarded a
mile from the school in the winter. One winter I snowshoed across a
field. This is an excellent means of overcoming soft snow when one
has to walk. My salary was $650.00 but was raised to $700.00
during the second term when a minimum of $700.00 was set for
elementary teachers. This was in 1942. The next three years were
spent in the village of Stony Mountain and a graded school where, for
the first time in all my school years, I lived within a few yards of the
school. Here I taught only grades three, four, and five, which was
most enjoyable. My starting salary was $900.00 and I climbed to
$1100.00 in that term. We had a large auditorium and each
classroom contributed to the Christmas Concert. What a contrast to
concerts of my school days. I am tempted to tell you about the
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concert I prepared at the Hutterite Colony but space would not
permit. I shall only say that the old German teacher had our pretty
Christmas tree out in the yard before I returned to school the morning
following the concert.
Progress in education is being made. Two-room schools have
replaced the crowded one-room school and Consolidation is rapidly
replacing others. (I might mention here that Mildred, Clayton's wife
lived in an area which was consolidated. She was transported to
school in a horse-drawn van. In winter the children left home in the
dark and returned in the dark). Salaries have improved tremendously
and in 1960 when Clayton's and Mildred's daughter Beverley started
to teach, the minimum was $2900.00. This fall her sister Donna will
be starting to teach at a salary of around $5000.00 for teaching
mathematics in the High School. She has just graduated in Arts and
will obtain her degree in Education very shortly.
We are all most happy to see progress in Education but it is with a
feeling of nostalgia that I recall my days in the rural one-room school
where the teachers lacked a Bachelor of Arts Degree but they did not
lack the courage to meet the challenge of their day. The standard of
education has improved but we have lost contact with our neighbor
and we seldom experience the family togetherness which existed in
the Community Center--the one-room Rural School.
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