Historic Sites of Manitoba: Cypress River Consolidated School No. 2357 / Cypress River Museum (Cypress River, RM of Victoria)

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

Originally known as Somerset School No. 342 when it was established in 1882, at 13-7-13 west of the Principal Meridian, in the Rural Municipality of Victoria, five years later the school was moved to the new railway town of Cypress River. It was later renamed Cypress River School No. 342. The present two-storey brick structure was erected in 1896, on a design by Winnipeg architect Hugh McCowan.

Cypress River Consolidated School, located on Connon Street in Cypress River was created in April 1958 with the consolidation of Cypress River School No. 342 with schools from the surrounding rural areas, including Glencove School No. 205, Selton School No. 291, Richmond Hill School No. 363, Bru School No. 368, Cypress Valley School No. 394, and Oliver School No. 1766.

A new elementary school was built at Cypress River in 1958, students in grades 1-8 transferred there in January 1959. This two-storey structure then became a high school before its closure in June 1966, at which time its bell was removed from the tower for reinstallation on a monument nearby. The building sat vacant until 1970, when as part of Manitoba centennial celebrations, it was reopened as a seasonal community museum, which operated for about 20 years.

When the museum closed permanently, its artifacts were returned to the original donors, were transferred to other museums, or were sold at a public auction. The building was then sold to a local resident. It has since suffered significant structural damage, with outer brick courses having been removed from the first and second levels on its south-facing side.

Principals

Period	Principal
1898-1900	William Nelson Denike (1871-1948)
1900-1901	Theophilus Grant Finn (1865-1934)
1901-1902	Daniel Baldwin (1872-1949)
1902-1904	Edward Alfred Hemsworth (1872-1955)
1904-1905	Wilfred John Fee (1881-1933)
1905-1906	John Sawford Peach (1883-1968)
1906-1907	William Thompson Shipley (1870-1922)
1907-1909	Francis Kethel “Frank” Coleridge (1865-1944)
1909-1911	Thomas Keenan
1912	?
1912-1913	Lloyl Truman Hayward (c1880-1969)
1913-1914	Otto Brown Cossitt (c1876-1964)
1914	Solomon Wolfe Kestenbaum (1888-?)
1914-1915	John Marshall Nason (1887-1963)
1916-1918	Harold Ludlow Albright (1888-1955)
1918-1920	Donald McLeod
1920-1921	George Robert Farrar Prowse (1860-1946)
1921-1923	William Alexander Moon (1893-1944)
1923-1925	Louis Shere (1900-1988)
1925-1929	Robert Edward Beecher (1892-1978)
1929-1933	Thomas William Ebbern (1879-1970)
1933-1941	James Alvin Leslie (?-1973)
1941-1945	Richard Buck (1907-1994)
1945-1951	Samuel Stewart Bryan (1889-?)
1951-1958	Rene Allen Ollivier (?-1982)
1958-1961	Henry Lambert Williams (1890-1976)
1961-1963	Peter Frederick Kutcher (1918-2013)
1963-1964	George Russell Pearson (1906-1987)
1964-1965	Ronald Charles Beech
1965-1966	?

Teachers

Period	Teachers
1893	James C. Butchart
1894-1909	?
1910	Jennie E. Down (grades 1-2), Thomas Keenan (senior grades), Ella Somerville (grades 6-8), Ethel Thomas (grades 1-2), ? (other grades)
1911	Thomas Keenan (senior grades), J. A. McCullough (grades 1-2), ? (other grades)
1912	Eva G. Graham (grades 1-2), Jessie Walls (grades 7-8), ? (grades 3-6, senior grades)
1912-1913	Eva G. Graham (grades 1-2, 1912), L. Wilton Hayward (grades 1-2), L. T. Hayward (grades 9-11), ? (grades 3-8)
1913-1914	?
1914-1915	Irene E. Christie (grades 1-2), Mabel Jeffrey (grades 1-2, 1915), Solomon Wolfe Kestenbaum (grades 9-11, 1914), Olive Lillian Mills (grades 3-5), John Marshall Nason (grades 9-11)
1915-1916	Harold Ludlow Albright (grades 9-11, 1916), Mabel Jeffrey (grades 1-2), Olive Lillian Mills (grades 3-5), John Marshall Nason (grades 9-11, 1915), ? (grades 6-8)
1916-1917	Harold Ludlow Albright (grades 9-11), Clara Victoria Hills (grades 1-2, 1917), Mabel Jeffrey (grades 1-2), Olive Lillian Mills (grades 3-5), ? (grades 6-8)
1917-1918	Harold Ludlow Albright (grades 9-11), Clara Victoria Hills (grades 1-2), Florence Pounds (grades 3-5), Olive A. Whiteford (grades 6-8)
1918-1919	Dolina Campbell (grades 3-5), Clara Victoria Hills (grades 1-2), Donald McLeod (grades 9-11), Olive A. Whiteford (grades 6-8)
1919-1920	Myrtle M. Christie (grades 3-5), Clara Victoria Hills (grades 1-2), Frances A. Jonah (grades 6-8), D. McLeod (grades 9-11)
1920-1921	Mabel Gardiner (grades 3-5, 1921), R. Vanden Hauten? (grades 1-3, 1920), Clara Victoria Hills (grades 1-3, 1920), Frances A. Jonah (grades 6-8), George Robert Farrar Prowse (grades 9-11), Jean R. Rankin (grades 1-3, 1921), Violet G. Ward (grades 3-5, 1920)
1921-1922	Frances J. Carson (grades 1-3, 1922), Mabel Gardiner (grades 4-5), William Alexander Moon (grades 9-11), Lena Morden (grades 6-8), Jean R. Rankin (grades 1-3)
1922-1923	Frances J. Carson (grades 2-4, 1922), William Alexander Moon (grades 9-11), Lena Morden (grades 6-8), F. Ruth Owens (grades 4-6), Jean R. Rankin (grade 1), Ethel T. Stephens (grades 2-4, 1923)
1923-1924	Myrtle L. Johnston (grades 1-2), Edna M. Mills (grades 3-4), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 7-8), Nellie M. Stevenson (grades 5-6), Louis Shere (grades 9-11)
1924-1925	Frances J. Carson (grades 3-4, 1925), Myrtle L. Johnston (grades 1-2), Edna M. Mills (grades 3-4), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 7-8), Nellie M. Stevenson (grades 5-6), Louis Shere (grades 9-11)
1925-1926	Robert Edward Beecher (grades 10-11), Frances J. Carson (grade 9, 1925), J. C. French (grade 9, 1926), Myrtle L. Johnston (grades 1-2), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 6-8), E. Clara Watkins (grades 4-5)
1926-1927	Robert Edward Beecher (grades 9 and 11), Mary Roberta Carter (grade 10), Myrtle L. Johnston (grades 1-3), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 6-8), E. Clara Watkins (grades 4-5)
1927-1928	Robert Edward Beecher (grades 9 and 11), Mary Roberta Carter (grade 10), Myrtle L. Johnston (grades 1-2), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 6-8), ? (grades 3-5)
1928-1929	Robert Edward Beecher (grades 9 and 11), Mary Roberta Carter (grade 10), Audrey E. Leech (grades 1-2), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 6-8), Mary Rankin (grades 3-5)
1929-1930	Charles Manly Belton (grades 6-8), Thomas William Ebbern (grade 11), Beatrice Lenore Graham (grades 9-10), Audrey E. Leech (grades 1-2), Mary Rankin (grades 3-5)
1930-1931	Thomas William Ebbern (grade 11), Lucy Gladys Harvey (grades 9-10), Mary Eileen Kennedy (grades 3-5), Audrey E. Leech (grades 1-2), Elizabeth Maud Patmore (grades 6-8)
1931-1932	Thomas William Ebbern (grade 11), Mary Eileen Kennedy (grades 3-5), Audrey E. Leech (grades 1-2), Elizabeth Maud Patmore (grades 6-8), Kathleen Ina Rodgers (grades 9-10)
1932-1933	Thomas William Ebbern (grade 11), Mary Eileen Kennedy (grades 3-5), Audrey E. Leech (grades 1-2), Elizabeth Maud Patmore (grades 6-8), Kathleen Ina Rodgers (grades 9-10)
1933-1934	Mary Eileen Kennedy (grades 3-5), Audrey E. Leech (grades 1-2), James Alvin Leslie (grade 11), Kathleen Ina Rodgers (grades 9-10), ? (grades 6-8)
1934-1935	Audrey E. Leech (grades 1-2), James Alvin Leslie (grade 11), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5), Kathleen Ina Rodgers (grades 9-10), ? (grades 6-8)
1935-1936	Audrey E. Leech (grades 1-3), James Alvin Leslie (grade 11), Mary Effie Frances Mills (grades 9-10), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5), ? (grades 6-8)
1936-1937	Audrey E. Leech (grades 1-3), James Alvin Leslie (grade 11), Mary Effie Frances Mills (grades 9-10), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 4-5), ? (grades 6-8)
1937-1938	Myrtle Bernice Albright (grades 9-10), Myrtle Sara Blackwell (grades 1-3), James Alvin Leslie (grades 11-12), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 4-5), ? (grades 6-8)
1938-1939	Myrtle Bernice Albright (grades 9-10), Myrtle Sara Blackwell (grades 1-3), James Alvin Leslie (grades 11-12), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5), ? (grades 6-8)
1939-1940	Myrtle Bernice Albright (grades 9-10), Myrtle Sara Blackwell (grades 1-3), Mrs. Harold Johnson (grades 6-8, 1940), James Alvin Leslie (grades 11-12), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5), George O. Owens (grades 6-8, 1940), John Arthur Ward (grades 6-8)
1940-1941	Myrtle Sara Blackwell (grades 1-2), Clementine Fraser (grades 6-8), Bessie Edith Kent (grades 9-10), James Alvin Leslie (grades 11-12), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5)
1941-1942	Myrtle Sara Blackwell (grades 1-2), Richard Buck (grades 11-12), Bessie Edith Kent (grades 9-10), Edith Margaret Miller (grades 6-8), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5)
1942-1943	Myrtle Sara Blackwell (grades 1-2), Richard Buck (grades 11-12), Eleanor Eaton (grades 6-8), Ellen Mae Lennox (grades 9-10), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5)
1943-1944	Richard Buck (grades 11-12), Eleanor Eaton (grades 6-8), Jessie Evelyn Meldrum (grades 1-2, 1942), Edith May Nelson (grades 1-2, 1943), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5), Louise Isobel Taylor (grades 9-10)
1944-1945	Richard Buck (grades 11-12), Eleanor Eaton (grades 6-8, 1944), Christina Herd Hogue (grades 6-8, 1945), Edith May Nelson (grades 1-2), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5), Louise Isobel Taylor (grades 9-10)
1945-1946	Margaret Bryan (grades 3-5, 1945 substitute), Samuel Stewart Bryan (grades 11-12), Christina Herd Hogue (grades 6-8), Edith May Nelson (grades 1-2), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5), Louise Isobel Taylor (grades 9-10)
1946-1947	Samuel Stewart Bryan (grade 11), Sylvia Mae Olson (grades 1-2), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5), Louise Isobel Taylor (grades 9-10), ? (grades 6-8)
1947-1948	Samuel Stewart Bryan (grades 11-12), Sylvia Mae Olson (grades 1-2), Marion Kathleen Marguerite “Kae” Owens (grades 3-5), Margaret Louise White (grades 9-10), ? (grades 6-8)
1948-1949	Marion Kathleen Marguerite Owens “Kae” Anderson (grades 3-5), Samuel Stewart Bryan (grades 11-12), Marjorie Ruth Greenlay (grades 1-2), Sylvia Mae Olson (grades 3-5, 1948 substitute), Margaret Louise White (grades 9-10), ? (grades 6-8)
1949-1950	Edith Marian Kristine Breckman (grades 3-5), Samuel Stewart Bryan (grades 11-12), Marjorie Ruth Greenlay (grades 1-2), Helen Jean Hampton (grades 9-10), Marjorie Ruth Greenlay (grades 1-2), Harriett Marie Phillips (grades 6-8)
1950-1951	Samuel Stewart Bryan (grades 11-12), Marjorie Ruth Greenlay (grades 1-2), Helen Jean Hampton (grades 9-10), Marjorie Ruth Greenlay (grades 1-2), Phyllis Myrtle Keddie (grades 3-5), Harriett Marie Phillips (grades 6-8)
1951-1952	W. James Eastcott (grades 6-8, 1951), Phyllis Myrtle Keddie (grades 3-5), Irwin Labovitch (grades 9-10), Rene Allen Ollivier (grades 11-12), Violet Adeline Palmer (grades 6-8, 1952), Marjorie Ruth Young (grades 1-2)
1952-1953	Fay Alexandra Dixon (grades 1-2), Phyllis Myrtle Keddie (grades 5-6), Rene Allen Ollivier (grades 10-12), Violet Adeline Palmer (grades 7-9), James M. Richtik (grades 3-4, 1952), Grace Mary Smith (grades 3-4)
1953-1954	Fay Alexandra Dixon (grades 1-2), Rene Allen Ollivier (grades 11-12), Helen Jean Hampton (grades 9-10), Violet Adeline Palmer (grades 6-8), Grace Mary Smith (grades 3-5)
1954-1955	Arthur Haldane Davis (grades 9-10), Fay Alexandra Dixon (grades 1-3), Rene Allen Ollivier (grades 11-12), Violet Adeline Palmer (grades 6-8), Grace Mary Smith (grades 3-5)
1955-1956	Rene Allen Ollivier (grades 11-12), Violet Adeline Palmer (grades 6-8), Grace Mary Smith (grades 3-5), Esther Ruth Young (grades 1-3), ? (grades 9-10)
1956-1957	Rene Allen Ollivier (grades 11-12), Violet Adeline Palmer (grades 6-8), George Russell Pearson (grades 9-10), Grace Mary Smith (grades 4-5), Esther Ruth Young (grades 1-3)
1957-1958	Rene Allen Ollivier (grades 11-12), Violet Adeline Palmer (grades 6-8), George Russell Pearson (grades 9-10), Grace Mary Smith (grades 4-5), Esther Ruth Young (grades 1-3)
1958-1959	(1958 grades 1-8, see Cypress River Consolidated School), George Russell Pearson (grades 9-10), Henry Lambert Williams (grades 11-12)
1959-1960	Mary Roberta Campbell (grade 10), Henry Lambert Williams (grades 11-12), George Russell Pearson (grade 9)
1960-1961	Mary Roberta Campbell (grade 10), Henry Lambert Williams (grade 11), George Russell Pearson (grade 9)
1961-1962	Mary Roberta Campbell (grade 11), Peter Frederick Kutcher (grade 12), George Russell Pearson (grades 9-10)
1962-1963	Mary Roberta Campbell (grades 10-11), Peter Frederick Kutcher (grade 12), George Russell Pearson (grade 9)
1963-1964	Mary Roberta Campbell (grade 10), George Russell Pearson (grade 11), Edith Marian Kristine Richmond (grade 9)
1964-1965	Ronald Charles Beech (grade 11), Mary Roberta Campbell (grade 10), George Russell Pearson (grade 9)
1965-1966	?

Among the other teachers of Cypress River School was Arthur James Manning.

Photos & Coordinates

The original Cypress River School (no date) by G. H. Robertson Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 34. The Cypress River School teacherage (no date) by G. H. Robertson The building stood northeast of the school on James Avenue Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 34. The former Cypress River School teacherage (October 2022) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Cypress River School (August 1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Architectural Survey - Cypress River 2. The former Cypress River Consolidated School building (circa 1986) Source: Historic Resources Branch, Public School Buildings Inventory, slide 1397. The former Cypress River Consolidated School building (June 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough The former Cypress River Consolidated School building (May 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina The former Cypress River Consolidated School building (May 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina Closeup of damage to the building’s south wall (June 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Closeup of damage to the building’s south wall (May 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.55581, W99.09312 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Cypress River Consolidated School No. 2357 (Cypress River, RM of Victoria)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Cypress River Pioneers Monument (RM of Victoria)

Sources:

“Teachers at the convention,” Brandon Sun, 15 October 1920, page 6.

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.

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

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.

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

Manitoba School Records Collection, Cypress River School District No. 342 Daily Registers, GR2049, Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Cypress River Consolidated School District No. 2357 Daily Registers, GR2049, Archives of Manitoba.

We thank Georgette Hutlet and Rose Kuzina for providing additional information provided here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 23 February 2023

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