Historic Sites of Manitoba: Brunkild Consolidated School No. 1281 (Brunkild, RM of Macdonald)

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

The first school in the Brunkild district was the Poersch School completed in February 1897 on NE18-7-1 west of the Principal Meridian, in the Rural Municipality of Macdonald. A new building was built in Brunkild in April 1904 and later became a residence for caretakers and teachers. In February 1920, the Brunkild Consolidated School was opened, the builders having the forethought to pre-wire the building for electricity, which arrived in 1949. The school had four large classrooms, full basement, science room, steam heating, washrooms and office, and offered a full slate of subjects for grades one to eleven.

In 1960, the high school came under the jurisdiction of the Morris-Macdonald School Division and the high school students were bused to Sanford. Eventually, the elementary grades were obliged to do the same, despite an overwhelming vote to remain in Brunkild. The school property was sold to the Brunkild Memorial Recreation Centre to be used as a playground and park. The building was demolished in 1978.

A monument was erected in 2003 by Elsie Steinke on the old school site, in commemoration of the founders, school trustees, teachers, caretakers, and students of Brunkild schools.

Principals

Period

Principal

1920-1924

Thomas Wilbert “Wib” Emerson (1888-1969)

1924-1925

Charles Foulsham Laine (1888-1945)

1925-1926

Leonard Kruger (c1898-1991)

1926-1930

Thomas Wilbert “Wib” Emerson (1888-1969)

1930-1931

Charles Edward Clare Durnin (c1903-1974)

1931-1945

Henry Wall

1945-1947

John S. Schellenberg (?-?)

1947-1949

Dietrich Richard Dick

1949-1950

George Wesley Denstedt (1896-1979)

1950-1954

Stanley Robert Kitchen (1915-1988)

1954-1960

Alex Sabeski (c1923-2014)

1960-1963

Daniel Heide

1963-1964

Edward Raymond “Ed” Arndt (1939-2019)

1964-1972

Clifford Delbert Hall

Teachers

Year

Teachers

1920-1921

Lora M. Blanks (grades 1-3), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 3-7)

1921-1922

Lora M. Blanks (grades 1-3), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 6-8), Irene Robinson (grades 3-5)

1922-1923

Lora M. Blanks (grades 1-2), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 6-9), Irene Robinson (grades 3-5)

1923-1924

Lora M. Blanks (grades 1-3, August-December), Marjorie Casey (grades 3-6, May-June), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 8-10, August-December; grades 6-10, January-April; grades 7-10, May-June), Rupert Hoppa (grades 5-7, August-January), Margaret Sutherland (grades 1-3, January-June)

1924-1925

Charles Foulsham Laine (grades 7-11), Lucy Slaughter (grades 4-6), Helen Louise Verrall (grades 1-3)

1925-1926

Etta Jenkins (grades 1-3, January-June), Leonard Krueger (grades 9-11), Lucy Slaughter (grades 4-7), Helen Louise Verrall (grades 1-3, September-December)

1926-1927

Thomas W. Emerson (grades 8-11), Etta Jenkins (grades 4-6), Helen Louise Verrall (grades 1-3)

1927-1928

Ivodell Viola Busby (grades 1-2, April-June), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 7-10), Etta Jenkins (grades 3-6), Helen Louise Verrall (grades 1-2, August-April)

1928-1929

Ivodell Viola Busby (grades 1-2), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 7-10), Mildred Olive Warren (grades 3-6)

1929-1930

Thomas W. Emerson (grades 8-11), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 1-3), Eleanor Slaughter (grades 4-7)

1930-1931

Charles E. Durnin (grades 8-11), Ida Martha Jeske (grades ?), ? (grades 1-7)

1931-1932

Wilmet Margaretta Bowler (grades 1-2), Lily Annie Gillespie (grades 6-8), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)

1932-1933

Wilmet Margaretta Bowler (grades 1-2), Lily Annie Gillespie (grades 6-8), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)

1933-1934

Selma Margaret Davidson (grades 1-2), Lily Annie Gillespie (grades 6-8), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)

1934-1935

Linda Ruth Braun (grades 3-5), Selma Margaret Davidson (grades 1-2), Lily Annie Gillespie (grades 6-8), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)

1935-1936

Joseph Donald Huston (grades 6-8), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Isobel Malcolmson (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)

1936-1937

Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Harry Edwin Lawson (grades 6-8), Isobel Malcolmson (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)

1937-1938

Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Harry Edwin Lawson (grades 6-8), Isobel Malcolmson (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)

1938-1939

Evelyn Maude Fletcher (grades 3-5, January-June), Margaret Ellen McArter (grades 1-2), Mrs. W. F. Poersch (?), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Isaac F. Wiens (grades 3-5, August-December), ? (grades 6-8)

1939-1940

Evelyn Maude Fletcher (grades 3-5), K. Elizabeth “Beth” Hoole (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (graes 9-11), Isaac F. Wiens (grades 6-8)

1940-1941

Mary Elizabeth Robinson (grades 1-2), Edith May Somerville (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Isaac F. Wiens (grades 6-8)

1941-1942

Ruth E. Bailey (grades 1-2), Edith May Somerville (grades 3-5), Benjamin “Ben” Unruh (grades 6-8, January-June), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Isaac F. Wiens (grades 6-8, September-December)

1942-1943

Ruth E. Bailey (grades 1-2, September-December; grades 1-3, January-June), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Katherine Caroline Weber (grades 6-8), ? (grades 4-5)

1943-1944

Ruth E. Bailey (grades 1-2), Laura May Ferguson (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Katherine Caroline Weber (grades 6-8)

1944-1945

Helen Katherine Brown (grades 6-8), Lois Mae Collins (grades 3-5), Marie Louise Friesen (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)

1945-1946

Marie Louise Friesen (grades 1-2), Helen K. Hildebrand (grades 3-5), John S. Schellenberg (grades 9-11), Benjamin “Ben” Unruh (grades 6-8)

1946-1947

Marjorie Jean Fraser (grades 6-8), Marie Louise Friesen (grades 1-2), Audrey Pearl Johnson (grades 3-5, September-December), John S. Schellenberg (grades 9-11), Frederick Patterson “Fred” Sharpe (grades 3-5, January-June)

1947-1948

Dietrich Richard Dick (grades 9-11), Marjorie Jean Fraser (grades 5-8), Jean Gray (grades 1-4)

1948-1949

Dietrich Richard Dick (grades 9-11), Marjorie Elizabeth Ruth Harron (grades 1-4), Joseph A. Zuzanski (grades 5-8)

1949-1950

George W. Denstedt (grades 9-11), Marjorie Elizabeth Ruth Harron (grades 1-4), Mavis Ione Johnston (grades 5-8)

1950-1951

Isabelle Therese Berkvens (grades 1-4), L. A. Grabowsky (?), Evelyn Mary Carmichael Griffiths (grades 5-8, May-June), Stanley R. Kitchen (grades 9-11), Joan F. Murray (grades 5-8, September-December), Mary Rankins (grades 5-8, January-March), T. F. Tyler (grades 5-8, April)

1951-1952

Henry Albert Craig (grades 5-8), Stanley R. Kitchen (grades 9-11), Mary Klym (grades 1-4)

1952-1953

Henry Albert Craig (grades 5-8), Stanley R. Kitchen (grades 9-11), Annie Schellenberg (?), ? (grades 1-4)

1953-1954

Peter Enns (grades 5-8), Stanley R. Kitchen (grades 9-11), Annie Schellenberg (?), ? (grades 1-4)

1954-1955

Peter Enns (grades 4-8), Thelma Enns (grades 1-3)), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11)

1955-1956

Margaret Amy McCullough (grades 4-8), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11), ? (grades 1-3)

1956-1957

Margaret Amy McCullough (grades 5-8), Clara Irene McLeod (grades 1-4, April-June), Anne Veronica Nicolajsen (grades 1-3, September-March), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11)

1957-1958

Margaret Amy McCullough (grades 5-8), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11), Wilma Skeavington (grades 1-4)

1958-1959

Daniel Heide (grades 5-8), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11), Wilma Skeavington (grades 1-4)

1959-1960

Daniel Heide (grades 6-8), Margaret Amy McCullough (grades 3-5), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11)

1960-1961

Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-5), Daniel Heide (grades 6-8), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)

1961-1962

Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-5), Daniel Heide (grades 6-8), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)

1962-1963

Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 4-5), Daniel Heide (grades 6-8), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-3)

1963-1964

Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-4), Edward R. Arndt (grades 7-8), Elma Brandt (grades 5-6), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)

1964-1965

Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-4), Edward R. Arndt (grades 7-8), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)

1965-1966

Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-4), George William Collier (grades 7-8), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)

1966-1967

Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 7-8), Muriel Etta Gehring (grades 3-4), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), J. Neumann (?), Margaret Fern Rose (?), ? (grades 1-2)

1967-1968

Mary Guenter (?), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston (?), Heather Lynne Sylvester (grades 3-4), ? (grades 1-2)

1968-1969

Mary Guenter (?), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston (grades 1-2), Heather Lynne Sylvester (grades 3-4)

1969-1970

Emily Elizabeth Goring (grades 3-4), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston (grades 1-2), Denise Yvonne Gillis Weselake (grades 7-8)

1970-1971

Gail Marlene Evans (grades 3-4), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston Halstead (grades 1-2)

1971-1972

Gail Marlene Evans (grades 3-4), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston Halstead (grades 1-2)

Among the other teachers who worked at Brunkild School were Mr. Graaf and Mr. Schultz.

Photos & Coordinates

The newly constructed four-classroom Brunkild School building, erected at a cost of $35,000

The newly constructed four-classroom Brunkild School building, erected at a cost of $35,000 (circa 1920)
Source: Education Department Report, 1920, Manitoba Legislative Library.

Brunkild School

Brunkild School (no date) by E. D. Parker
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 90.

Brunkild School

Brunkild School (circa 1963)
Source: Ed Arndt

Brunkild School teacherage

Brunkild School teacherage (no date)
Source: Ed Arndt

Brunkild School commemorative monument

Brunkild School commemorative monument (August 2010)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.59116, W97.57354
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Organization: Morris-Macdonald School Division School District No. 19

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.

Memories & Melodies: The History of Brunkild, 1871-1980 by Brunkild History Book Committee, 2003. [Manitoba Legislative Library, F5649.B78 Bru]

Manitoba School Records Collection, Brunkild School District No. 1281 - Daily Registers, GR0638, Archives of Manitoba.

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

We thank Ed Arndt for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 4 September 2021

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