Historic Sites of Manitoba: Jon Bjarnason Academy (652 Home Street, Winnipeg)

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

In 1913, a private Icelandic school was established by cleric Jon Bjarnason and located in a rented building at 720 Beverley Street. On his death the following year, it was renamed in his honour. The school moved to a new location at 652 Home Street. It operated there until the end of the 1939-1940 school year when it closed permanently. The building was later used as a communal residence. Details about school operations are contained in a thesis written by former teacher Roy H. Ruth.

Principals

Period	Principal
1913-1914	Jón Bjarnason (1845-1914)
1914-1940	Runolfur Marteinsson (1870-1959)

Teachers

The other teachers at the Jon Bjarnason Academy were Baldur Jonsson (1913-1914), Jonas Jonasson (1913-1914), Rev. Hjortur Leo (1914-1915, 1917-1919, 1922-1926), J. G. Johannson (1914-1916), Miss S. E. Johannesson (1915-1916), Miss Margaret Paulson (1916-1917), Olafur T. Anderson (1916-1917), Miss Thorstina Jackson (1917-1919), E. S. Halldorson (1919-1936), Asta Austmann (1919-1920), Miss May Anderson (1920-1922), E. Thorlakson (1922-1923), Rev. R. O. Sigmond (1924-1925), H. W. M. Eastvold (1925-1926), Miss Gudlaug Geir (1925-1926), Miss V. Bleakley (1926-1929), J. O. Bildfell (1926-1928), V. G. Clark (1927), Theodore Sigurdson (1928-1930), A. R. Magnusson (1929-1940), Miss Beatrice Gislason (1932-1935), Roy H. Ruth (1934-1936), T. J. Oleson (1936-1938), Miss Elva Eyford (1936-1939), Mrs. Matthildur Frederickson (1938-1940), Miss J. Belton (1939-1940).

Photos & Coordinates

The former Jon Bjarnason Academy (May 2015) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.89616, W97.16762 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Jón Bjarnason (1845-1914)

Sources:

A History of Education of the Icelanders in Manitoba by Roy Herbert Ruth, MEd thesis, University of Manitoba, 1960.

We thank Janis Magnusson and Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 December 2020

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