Historic Sites of Manitoba: Assiniboine School (175 Winston Road, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Principals | Vice-Principals | Teachers | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

Designed by the architectural firm of Pratt and Ross and constructed by the firm of Hazelton & Walin, Assiniboine School was completed in October 1922. Brick, wood and stucco infilling combine with ubiquitous limestone trim to offer visual interest and a lively optimistic feeling around the exterior. Contrasting red brick accentuates corner and window trim details. Large brackets and exposed rafter tails add horizontal emphasis.

The entry hall features a large striking mural depicting an aboriginal campsite, one of two stylized murals installed in 1930. Both murals were painted in the 1920s by students from the School of Art at the University of Manitoba. One of the murals disappeared in the 1960s and its whereabouts remains a mystery. It is believed the remaining painting is by student artist Lulu Bingham.

In 2023, an MHS Centennial Organization Award was presented to the staff and students of Assiniboine School.

Principals

Period

Principal

1922-1926

Earl Augustus Ross (1890-?) - co-administrator with Britannia School

1926-1928

Fred E. Tinker

1929-1930

Robert Cecil Paris (1885-1964)

1930-1936

William John “Bill” Wallace (1900-1988)

1936-1952

James F. Holmes

1952-1959

Ervyn Milne Houck (1905-1993)

1959-1964

Kristjan Bergthor Sigurdsson (1899-?)

1964-1966

Paul Pura (1914-1999)

1966-1969

Donald Taylor McKinnon (1926-2012)

1969-1970

Lincoln Lautermilch

1970-1974

Conrad Sigurdson

1974-1977

William Theodore “Bill” Betz (1936-2022)

1977-1978

Mr. P. Lewis

1978-1981

Gordon Charles “Gord” Tovell (1939-2021)

1981-1989

Peter D. Carney

1989-1990

Sharon Smith

1990-1994

Maureen Monk Irvine

1994-1996

?

1996-2000

Roger Lacroix

2000-2015

Stella Hussey

2015-2016

Sandra Melo

Vice-Principals

Period

Vice-Principal

1954-1956

Norah Winnifred Maude Thompson (1899-1992)

1956-1958

?

1958-1963

Sophia Moffett

1963-1964

George Peter Krahn (c1933-2012)

1964-1968

Bertha May Blackburn “Birdie” Ellison (1921-2012)

1968-1969

Conrad Sigurdson

1969-1973

Glen Harper

1973-1974

Gail Marriott

1974-1983

?

1983-1984

Daniel Maharaj

1984-1985

Lucille Mollot

1985-1986

Peter Mingo

1986-1988

Maureen Monk Irvine

1988-1989

L. Harris

1989-1990

P. Thibodeau

Teachers

School Year

Teachers

1922-1923

?

1923-1924

?

1924-1925

?

1925-1926

?

1926-1927

?

1927-1928

?

1928-1929

?

1929-1930

?

1930-1931

?

1931-1932

?

1932-1933

?

1933-1934

?

1934-1935

?

1935-1936

?

1936-1937

?

1937-1938

?

1938-1939

?

1939-1940

?

1940-1941

?

1941-1942

?

1942-1943

?

1943-1944

?

1944-1945

?

1945-1946

?

1946-1947

?

1947-1948

?

1948-1949

?

1949-1950

?

1950-1951

Mabel Morrow, ?

1951-1952

?

1952-1953

M. Steve Gerelus, ?

1953-1954

Borislaw Nicholas Bilash, ?

1954-1955

?

1955-1956

Mrs. Pearl Aconley, Miss Irene Catellier, Keith Chorneyko, Miss Emily Ferguson, Miss Elizabeth Joan Freeberg, Miss Catherine J. Grahame, Donald Hall, John E. Laxdal, Mrs. Dorothy M. McDonald, Mrs. Ruby McDonald, Miss Margaret E. Moore, Flora Isabell Pollock, Miss D. H. Richardson, Mrs. I. Strilkiwski, Mrs. S. B. Thorsteinson, Miss Joan B. Westberg, Mrs. Nancy E. Woodrow

1956-1957

?

1957-1958

?

1958-1959

?

1959-1960

?

1960-1961

?

1961-1962

?

1962-1963

?

1963-1964

?

1964-1965

?

1965-1966

?

1966-1967

?

1967-1968

?

1968-1969

?

1969-1970

?

1970-1971

?

1971-1972

?

1972-1973

?

1973-1974

?

1974-1975

?

1975-1976

?

1976-1977

?

1977-1978

?

1978-1979

?

1979-1980

?

1980-1981

?

1981-1982

?

1982-1983

?

1983-1984

?

1984-1985

?

1985-1986

?

1986-1987

?

1987-1988

?

1988-1989

?

1989-1990

?

1990-1991

?

1991-1992

?

1992-1993

?

1993-1994

?

1994-1995

?

1995-1996

?

1996-1997

?

1997-1998

?

1998-1999

?

1999-2000

?

2000-2001

?

2001-2002

?

2002-2003

?

2003-2004

?

2004-2005

?

2005-2006

Renee Allard, Suzanne Desousa, Marguerite Godin, Jennifer Hernandez, Carmen Lachance, Jacqueline Legay, Allison Menec, Lindsey Noel, Yvonne Perry, Daryl Reimer, Robert Senecal, Lysanne Vanderwey

Photos & Coordinates

Assiniboine School

Assiniboine School (1939)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, George Harris Fonds, Acc. 1979-141, P7451, Album 14, Page 31.

Assiniboine School

Assiniboine School (June 2013)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Assiniboine School

Assiniboine School (May 2022)
Source: George Penner

Assiniboine School

Assiniboine School (May 2022)
Source: George Penner

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87774, W97.21065
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Business: Pratt and Ross

Manitoba Business: Hazelton & Walin

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Assiniboine School (Aspen Street, Oak Lake, RM of Sifton)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Assiniboine School No. 148 (RM of Whitehead)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Assiniboine School / David Livingstone School (1303 Assiniboine Avenue, Brandon)

Sources:

“Wallace named as Principal of St. James School,” Winnipeg Tribune, 14 May 1936, page 5.

“Assiniboine students honor retiring principal,” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 June 1952, page 3.

“Address List, Municipal School District of St. James No. 7,” St. James Assiniboia School Division.

Assiniboine School History, St. James Assiniboia School Division, 1974.

The Winnipeg School of Art: The Early Years by Marilyn Baker, University of Manitoba, 1984.

We thank Mari-Jean Nachtigall, Christopher Pate, Nathan Kramer, Maureen Monk Irvine, Dorothy Young, Stella Hussey, and George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Reid Dickie.

Page revised: 15 November 2023

Historic Sites of Manitoba

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