Historic Sites of Manitoba: Decker School No. 320 (Decker, Municipality of Hamiota)

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

A monument in the village of Decker, in what is now the Municipality of Hamiota, marks the former location of Decker Consolidated School No. 320. Formed originally in July 1884, Decker School became one of the first to participate in the consolidation movement of the early 20th century when, in May 1912, it merged with Arrowton School No. 728.

In late 1920, a four-classroom brick veneer school building was designed by Winnipeg architect Alexander Melville and constructed at a cost of about $40,000. Opened for classes in January 1921, it was destroyed by fire on 6 November 1935. A one-storey brick replacement measuring 48 by 80 feet with a full basement, containing four classrooms and an auditorium, was constructed while classes were held in the community hall. The new school opened officially on 8 June 1936 at a ceremony attended by MLA T. Wolstenholme, W. Iverach of Isabella, J. Spalding of Miniota, and school inspector J. W. Clarke.

The school closed in June 1968 and the building was demolished. The school’s catchment area became part of the Birdtail River School Division. A school of the same name operates on a Hutterite colony northwest of this site, at SE25-15-25W.

Principals

Period

Principal

1920-1924

John Walter Clarke (1920-1924).

1924-1925

James Clark Whenham (1896-1970)

1925-1927

Joseph Edward Cooper (1887-1973)

1927-1931

Ernest Sidney Heys (1903-1979)

1931-1933

William Lineham Logan (1898-1987)

1933-1937

Ella Bryson Cumming (1899-1985)

1937-1939

Keith Ian Sanburn Smith (c1908-1972)

1939-1956

George Russell Pearson (1906-1987)

1956-1958

Gordon Victor Reynolds (1926-1964)

1958-1960

William A. “Bill” Johnstone

1960-1962

Joyce Isabelle Richardson Lief (1930-1963)

1962-1963

Mary Joan Foxton (1936-2015)

1963-1968

Maureen Milne

Teachers

School Year

Teachers

1913-1914

Mr. Moore

1914-1915

Miss A. Howeth, Miss Myrtle Sunley

1915-1916

Mr. Shore, Miss Walker

1916-1917

Ethel Andrews, John J. McCruden

1917-1918

Ethel Andrews, John J. McCruden

1918-1919

Ethel Andrews, Cameron Bean

1919-1920

Cameron Bean, Miss Grace McConnell

1920-1921

Miss Forrest, Miss Hamilton, Miss Evelyn Hardaker, Miss Grace McConnell

1921-1922

Miss Hamilton, Miss Grace McConnell

1922-1923

? Jenkins, Miss Grace McConnell

1923-1924

? Jenkins, Miss Grace McConnell

1924-1925

? Jenkins, Miss Grace McConnell

1925-1926

Ella Barbour, Miss Grace McConnell

1926-1927

William Andrew, Miss Grace McConnell

1927-1928

William Andrew, Miss Grace McConnell

1928-1929

William Andrew, Miss Grace McConnell

1929-1930

Mr. Burnside, Miss Grace McConnell

1930-1931

Miss Grace McConnell

1931-1932

George Pearson

1932-1933

George Pearson

1933-1934

George Pearson

1934-1935

George Pearson

1935-1936

Marion T. Frame, Miss Edith King, George Pearson

1936-1937

Marion T. Frame, Miss Edith King, George Pearson

1937-1938

Miss Edith King, Kathleen King, George Pearson

1938-1939

Miss Edith King, Kathleen King, George Pearson

1939-1940

Miss Edith King, Kathleen King

1940-1941

Kathleen Kidgell, Winnifred Northcott

1941-1942

Winnifred Northcott, Alfred Stevens, Ronald Watson

1942-1943

Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, I. Kathleen Drake, Mrs. E. McInnis

1943-1944

Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, Laura Wallace

1944-1945

Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, Laura Wallace

1945-1946

Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, Laura Wallace

1946-1947

Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, Laura Wallace

1947-1948

Alfred Pierre Champagne, Betty Emerson

1948-1949

Betty Emerson, Lily May Nevin

1949-1950

Lily May Nevin, Verna Pennycook

1950-1951

Lily May Nevin, Gwen Vigfusson

1951-1952

Lily May Nevin, Gwen Vigfusson

1952-1953

Bernice Carson, Lily May Nevin

1953-1954

Evelyn Houck, Lily May Nevin

1954-1955

Lily May Nevin, Mrs. Frances Peel

1955-1956

Mrs. Frances Peel, Oscar Andrew Wurster

1956-1957

Cliff Glenn, Mrs. Frances Peel, Mrs. Leila Roby

1957-1958

Cliff Glenn, Mrs. Frances Peel

1958-1959

Cliff Nichols, Maria Tivey

1959-1960

Cliff Nichols, Estelle Hall

1960-1961

Estelle Hall

1961-1962

Estelle Hall

1962-1963

Agnes Bridge, Estelle Hall

1963-1964

Agnes Bridge, Estelle Hall

1964-1965

Louise Hyndman

1965-1966

Louise Hyndman

1966-1967

Nora Davidson, Mrs. Sadie Higgins, Louise Hyndman

1967-1968

Louise Hyndman

Photos & Coordinates

Decker School

Decker School (no date) by J. B. Morrison
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 22.

Decker School

Decker School (no date) by J. W. Clarke
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 22.

Decker School commemorative monument

Decker School commemorative monument (October 2011)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.26976, W100.78397
denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

“Tenders for Decker Consolidated School,” Winnipeg Tribune, 12 June 1920, page 39.

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

“Decker Consolidated School burned down,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 November 1935, page 17.

“Decker proud of new school opened with appropriate program,” Brandon Sun, 10 June 1936, page 17.

“Formal opening of new Decker School,” Winnipeg Free Press, 11 June 1936, page 9.

“Teachers are named,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 August 1937, page 9.

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

“Mrs. Boyd Lief enters into rest,” Hamiota Echo, 8 May 1963, page 1.

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.

Decker Memoirs: A History of Decker and Community, 1880-1970, Decker Women’s Institute, 1970.

Funeral announcement [Mary Joan Foxton (Teal)], Campbell Funeral Home.

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

Obituary [Verna Ruth Louise Pennycook], G. R. Carscadden Funeral Chapel.

We thank Nathan Kramer, and Ken and Vicki Smith for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Blaine Little.

Page revised: 28 November 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.

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!