Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Normal School / Model Room School / Agricultural Extension Centre (1129 Queens Avenue, Brandon)

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

This building, designed by provincial architect Victor Horwood and constructed between 1912 and 1913 by local contractor Thomas M. Harrington, was one of four Normal Schools in Manitoba, along with St. Boniface (1903), Manitou (1904), and Winnipeg (1905-1906). Prior to the building being constructed, the Normal School had been held in other local schools including Park School and Alexandra School (1907).

Starting in September 1919, the Brandon School District opened a classroom for school-age children within the premises, known for most of its years as the Model Room School. It served as an instructional setting for both children up to grade six as well as practical classroom experience for teachers-in-training. The Model Room School remained in operation until the summer of 1942. Some of its teachers were Miss Eileen Ritchie (1919-c1921), ? (c1921-1922), Alma E. Campbell (c1922-1923), Miss McIsaac (1923-1924), Lily Amelia Harrison (1924-1942).

With Benjamin Jones Hales as its Principal, the Brandon Normal School served as the centre for rural teaching instruction until the end of the 1941-1942 school year when the building was occupied by the Department of National Defence, and Normal School classes were moved to the Daymin Court.

In 1946, the building was turned over to the Manitoba Department of Agriculture for its southwestern operations. It became the Agricultural Extension Centre in 1959. It is still used as office space by the provincial agricultural department. A commemorative plaque north of the building was erected by the Historic Sites Advisory Board of Manitoba.

Principals

Period	Principal
1906	Archibald Wesley Hooper (1868-1941)
1907-1939	Benjamin Jones Hales (1868-1945)
1939-1942	Clarence Moore (1884-1977)

Vice-Principals

Period	Vice-Principal
1918-1934	William Bodkin Beer (1872-1934)

Teachers

School Year	Teachers
1906	Frank B. Fenwick (musical instructor), Joseph McLaren (drill instructor), Charles Kenning Newcombe
1907	Frank B. Fenwick (musical instructor), Joseph McLaren (physical director)
1908-1914	?
1915	William Bodkin Beer (first assistant), W. Nairn (domestic science), M. F. Reid (second assistant), J. H. Skene (manual training), M. A. Yeomans (drill instructor)
1916-1918	?
1918-1919	Miss McCord, Clara Louise Groff (Domestic Science), ?
1919-1920	Bertha Agnes Pilling, Miss Hotton (Domestic Science), ?

Graduates

Class

Graduates

1915

J. Aitchison, R. R. Alfred, C. Baird, B. Brown, M. Christie, H. W. Clarke, A. Collins, B. Comrie, C. Critchley, R. G. Crookshanks, G. Dandy, C. Dewar, E. Dillibough, T. Duncan, E. Elliott, F. Fairburn, E. Fairlie, E. Finnie, R. Frautz, L. Graham, W. Haggarty, G. Hay, W. G. Hollies, I. Hornick, J. Hornick, A. Hutchison, W. Isaac, R. Isaac, P. Ivey, A. Lee, B. Little, W. H. Little, G. H. Lyons, C. Manley, E. Marrick, I. McColloch, J. McLaren, L. McMacken, M. Mustard, B. Napier, E. Pollock, A. Powell, M. Rankin, W. Rice, M. Roddick, M. Rousley, W. Rowan, F. Rutledge, E. Saunders, E. Scott, J. Serrer, S. Sexsmith, W. Shoup, H. H. Smith, M. Smith, M. Smith, J. Swyryd, E. Unjac, G. Wallace

Photos & Coordinates

Brandon Normal School (circa 1914) Source: Education Department Report, 1914, Manitoba Legislative Library. Postcard view of Brandon Normal School (1930s) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2011-0019 The former Brandon Normal School (June 2013) Source: Gordon Goldsborough The former Brandon Normal School (March 2021) Source: George Penner Auditorium of the former Brandon Normal School (August 2023) Source: Eva Janssen Stairwell of the former Brandon Normal School (August 2023) Source: Eva Janssen Commemorative plaque for William B. Beer at the former Brandon Normal School (August 2023) Source: Eva Janssen Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.83070, W99.95283 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Thomas M. Harrington (1847-1937)

Memorable Manitobans: William Bodkin Beer (1872-1934)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Bell Block / Victoria Block / Daymin Court (1202 Rosser Avenue, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Provincially Designated Historic Sites

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brandon Normal School / Model Room School / Agricultural Extension Centre (1129 Queens Street, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Dauphin Normal School / Whitmore School (First Street SW, Dauphin)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitou Normal School (Main Street, Manitou, Municipality of Pembina)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Central School / Portage Normal School / Prince Charles School (Third Street Southwest, Portage la Prairie)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Boniface Normal School (210 rue Masson, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba School for the Deaf (500 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Mulvey School (750 Wolseley Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Central School No. 944 (1899-1954)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Old Central School (Tenth Street, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Victoria School (32 Fifth Street SE, Portage la Prairie)

Doors Open Brandon

Brandon Normal School, Manitoba Heritage Council Commemorative Plaques

Brandon Normal School, Manitoba Historic Resources Branch

Sources:

“Brandon Normal School,” Brandon Weekly Sun, 21 March 1907, page 8.

“Only six men attending classes at Normal School,” Brandon Daily Sun, 4 September 1919, page 1.

“Examinations in public schools [Model Room at Normal School],” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 June 1921, page 7.

“Promotion lists [Normal School Room],” Brandon Daily Sun, 7 July 1924, page 3.

“Promotion lists [Model Room],” Brandon Daily Sun, 9 July 1925, page 6.

“Model Room,” Brandon Daily Sun, 7 July 1936, page 7.

“Proposed list for elementary schools [Model Room],” Brandon Daily Sun, 7 July 1942, page 7.

“Teaching staff Brandon schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 5 September 1922, page 10.

“Have provided much needed accommodation,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 August 1923, page 1.

“Beginners will be taken into public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 August 1925, page 1.

“Public schools and Collegiate taxed to limit,” Brandon Daily Sun, 3 September 1925, page 1.

“Teaching staff complete for school opening,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1926, page 6.

“Public schools and collegiate open tomorrow,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1927, page 1.

“Temporary accommodation for higher grades,” Brandon Daily Sun, 1 September 1928, page 6.

“All city schools re-open for fall term on Tuesday,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1929, page 1.

“List of teachers public school,” Brandon Daily Sun, 1 September 1930, page 5.

“All schools to open Monday for fall term here,” Brandon Daily Sun, 27 August 1931, page 1.

“William B. Beer died suddenly Friday evening,” Brandon Sun, 4 August 1934, page 2.

“Some changes on teaching staff of public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1934, page 1.

“Schools staff public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 2 September 1939, page 8.

“Seven changes on teaching staff of the public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 August 1940, page 12.

Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

Obituary [Bertha Agnes Pilling], Winnipeg Free Press, 23 January 1965.

Brandon: A Prospect of a City by Mary Hume, 1981.

Manitoba Normal School Principals, 1939-1965, Manitoba Education Library Archives.

We thank Terry Hewitt, George Stewart, George Penner, and Eva Janssen for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 14 September 2023

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