Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brokenhead School No. 472 (Brokenhead, RM of Brokenhead)

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

The Brokenhead School District was organized formally in August 1886 and a schoolhouse was built on the farmstead of John Acaster the following year, though the building was later abandoned. A second one-room school building was built in 1907 and operated on the southwest quarter of 6-15-8 east of the Principal Meridian, in the Rural Municipality of Brokenhead. This second structure was expanded, adding another classroom some time prior to 1919. In 1926, that school was destroyed in a fire, and a new third school was built to replace it. In March 1942, that two-room schoolhouse was also destroyed in a fire and classes were held in a community hall until a new $2,000 building replaced it.

In the summer of 1941, a $3,000 debenture was approved to build a one-room schoolhouse to service the eastern part of the district. It was known as the Brokenhead East School. Initial calls for it to be an independent school district were rejected, so it operated within the Beausejour School District into the 1960s. To aid in its distinction, the Brokenhead School facility was informally called Brokenhead West School.

In 1966, it became Brokenhead Consolidated School No. 2436 when it consolidated with Greenwald School No. 1160 and Mars School No. 1774. The school later closed and the building was used for a time as a community centre. It sat vacant for several years before being renovated into a private residence.

Principals

Period	Principal
1936-1937	Thomas Patrick King (1873-1954)
1937-1938	Felix Joseph Kulyk [Kulick] (1911-1995)
1938-1940	Alexandra Vladimira Krett “Alice” Korchik (1909-1995)
1940-1941	Felix Joseph Kulyk [Kulick] (1911-1995)
1941-1944	Edward Alexander Mroz (1908-2001)
1944-1952	Teenie Evelyn Kozier Kozyra (1908-1964)
1952-1954	John Morris Stokotelny (1925-1972)
1954-1955	Mike B. Biluk
1955-1958	William Ferens
1958-1959	Stephen David Bahry (1914-2011)
1959-1960	Arlene Nancy Zielke
1960-1961	D. M. Coates
1961-1962	None
1962-1963	Joan Murash
1963-1968	Eugene Michalow

Teachers

Period	Teachers
1937-1938	Felix Joseph Kulyk (grades 9-11)
1938-1939	Alexandra Krett (grades 7-11), Daniel B. “Dan” Krucik [Krucyk?] (grades 1-6)
1939-1940	Alexandra Krett (grades 7-11), Daniel B. “Dan” Krucik [Krucyk?] (grades 1-6)
1940-1941	Harry Paul Beally (grades 1-4), Elsie Born (grades 1-7, at Brokenhead East School), Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 5-8), Daniel B. “Dan” Krucik [Krucyk?] (grades 5-8), Felix Joseph Kulyk (grades 9-11)
1941-1942	Ella June Bilan (grades 1-4), Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 5-8), Edward Alexander Mroz (grades 9-11)
1942-1943	Ella June Bilan (grades 1-4), Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 5-8), Edward Alexander Mroz (grades 9-11)
1943-1944	Ella June Bilan (grades 1-3), Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 4-8), Mary Mosquin (grades 1-7, at Brokenhead East School), Edward Alexander Mroz (grades 9-11)
1944-1945	Ella June Bilan (grades 1-3), Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 9-11), Olga Nychek (grades 1-3)
1945-1946	E. R. Beally (grades 1-4, August substitute), Sophie Julia Galka (grades 5-8), E. M. Hutsal (grades 1-4, September-June), Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 9-11)
1946-1947	Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 9-12), Jennie Eugenie Senicie (grades 1-8)
1947-1948	Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 7-12, August-January; grades 9-12, January-June), Grace E. Stevens (grades 1-4, January-June), Stella Zubatiuk (grades 1-6, August-January; grades 5-8, January-June)
1948-1949	Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 7-11), Stella Zubatiuk (grades 1-6)
1949-1950	Doreen Joyce Dutchak (grades 1-6), Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 7-11)
1950-1951	Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 7-11), Mary Molinski (grades 1-6)
1951-1952	George Bilan (grades 1-6), Teenie Evelyn Kozyra (grades 7-11)
1952-1953	Evelyn Rose Basiuk (grades 1-6), John Morris Stokotelny (grades 7-11)
1953-1954	Nellie Angeline Lapchinsky (grades 1-6), John Morris Stokotelny (grades 7-11)
1954-1955	Mike B. Biluk (grades 7-11), Nellie Angeline Lapchinsky (grades 1-6)
1955-1956	William Ferens (grades 8-11), Stella Shumila (grades 1-7)
1956-1957	William Ferens (grades 9-11), Stella Shumila Zubatiuk (grades 1-8)
1957-1958	Helen J. Bergen (grades 1-8), William Ferens (grades 9-11)
1958-1959	Stephen Bahry (grades 9-11), Helen J. Bergen (grades 1-8)
1959-1960	Mary Jean Irene Gunn (grades 1-8), Joseph William Ernest Lawrence (grade 9), Arlene Nancy Zielke (grades 9-11)
1960-1961	Joan Murash (grades 1-7), Mary Rak (grades 2-8, at Brokenhead East School)
1961-1962	Joan Murash (grades 1-8)
1962-1963	Erna Bauschke Michalow (grades 1-4), Joan Murash (grades 5-8)
1963-1964	Erna Bauschke Michalow (grades 1-4), Eugene Michalow (grades 5-8)
1964-1965	Erna MBauschke ichalow (grades 1-4), Eugene Michalow (grades 5-8)
1965-1966	Emily Kirner (grades 1-4, April-June), Erna Bauschke Michalow (grades 1-4, August-April), Eugene Michalow (grades 5-8)
1966-1967	Eugene Michalow (grades 4-8), Arlene Nancy Rattai (grades 1-3)
1967-1968	Eugene Michalow (grades 7-8), Sharon Rose Rattai (grades 4-6), ? (grades 1-3)

Among the other teachers who taught at Brokenhead School was Edith Schantz Pierce.

Photos & Coordinates

Brokenhead School (1919) Source: Library and Archives Canada, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, PA-018143, MIKAN No. 3303963. Brokenhead School (no date) by J. E. S. Dunlop Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 66. Brokenhead School (no date) by J. H. Plewes Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 66. The former Brokenhead School building, in use as a community centre (circa 1986) Source: Historic Resources Branch, Public School Buildings Inventory, slide 188. The former Brokenhead school building (March 2012) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.23976, W96.48921 denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

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

One Hundred Years in the History of the Rural Schools of Manitoba: Their Formation, Reorganization and Dissolution (1871-1971) by Mary B. Perfect, MEd thesis, University of Manitoba, April 1978.

They Stopped at a Good Place: A History of the Beausejour, Brokenhead, Garson and Tyndall Area of Manitoba - 1875-1981 by the Beausejour-Brokenhead Historical Committee, 1982.

And They Built an Altar: The History and Heritage of the Brokenhead Lutheran Community by The Brokenhead Lutheran Historical Society, 1983.

School division half-yearly attendance reports (E 0757), Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Brokenhead School District No. 472 - Daily Registers, GR9480, Archives of Manitoba.

Municipal borrowing files (MA 0039), Brokenhead School District No. 472, GR1799, Archives of Manitoba.

A Study of Public School Buildings in Manitoba by David Butterfield, Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, 1994, 230 pages.

We thank Victoria Mosquin Olchowecki for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 27 May 2023

Historic Sites of Manitoba This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only. SEARCH the collection Browse lists of: Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other Inclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner. Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes. Send corrections and additions to this page to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca. Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ Help us keep history alive!