Historic Sites of Manitoba: Cropper Tops School No. 1186 (Municipality of Minitonas-Bowsman)

The Cropper Tops School District was organized formally in May 1902. It operated a one-room wood frame school building on land donated by Arthur S. Sims, on the southwest quarter of 28-37-26 west of the Principal Meridian in what is now the Municipality of Minitonas-Bowsman. In addition to being the educational centre of the community, the school was used for local meetings, church services, Sunday School, picnics, dances, and school concerts. With declining student enrollment, the school closed in June 1966. The building is no longer present at the site but a plaque unveiled on 1 July 1995 commemorates it.

Among the teachers of Cropper Tops School were Ambrose Lepper (1902), Beatrice M. Fletcher (1926-1927), M. M. Hackland (1930-1931), Beatrice M. Sims (1931-1933 & 1947-1958), Tillie Henkelmen (1943-1944), Rosemary Johnston (1945-1946), Darlene Rose Lungal (1961-1963), Esther Jorgine Nemetchek (1963-1964 & 1965-1966), and Olive Darlene Dawson (1964-1965).

Cropper Tops School (no date) by J. S. Peach Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 74. Former Cropper Tops School building (circa 1986) Source: Historic Resources Branch, Public School Buildings Inventory, slide 682. Cropper Tops School commemorative plaque (July 2012) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N52.20190, W101.12206 denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

Manitoba School Records Collection, Cropper Tops School District #1186 - Minute Books, GR2056, Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Cropper Tops School District #1186 - Cash Books, GR2053, Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Cropper Tops School District #1186 - Cash Books, GR2056, Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Cropper Tops School District #1186 - Daily Registers, GR2056, Archives of Manitoba.

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.

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

Manitoba Heritage Council Commemorative Plaques and Manitoba Community Commemorative Plaques, Fiscal Year 1995-1996, Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Citizenship, page 15.

Boots, Buggies & Buses: Swan Valley Schools in Quest of Education, Swan Valley School Division No. 35, circa 1998.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 7 August 2022

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