Historic Sites of Manitoba: Kelner School / Elma School No. 1286 (Elma, RM of Whitemouth)

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

Known as the Kelner School District when it was established in May 1905, it was renamed Elma in 1918. A schoolhouse operated just outside Elma in the Rural Municipality of Whitemouth. A new three-room school building was constructed in 1953 and the old building was sold off and removed from the site. In 1968, the district became part of the Agassiz School Division. In April 1971, it was announced that Elma School would close at the end of the school year. Six months later, it was sold to the community to become Elma Community Club. The existing building was renovated to include a large cloakroom and commercial kitchen and an extension was added for use as a hall.

Principals

Period	Principal
1952-1953	Isaak J. Warkentin (1885-1971)
1953-1954	John Duchominsky (1906-1977)
1954-1955	Alfred John Patrick Moran (1903-1967)
1955-1956	Thomas Adam “Tom” Kalichak (1927-1973)
1956-1961	Alexander John Shewchuk (1933-2015)
1961-1969	?
1969-1970	Harry Onuphrius Hryhorka [Onufry Hryhorkiw] (1914-1988)

Teachers

Among the other teachers who worked at Elma School through the years were J. H. Barsarabowicz (1911), J. H. Golembioski (1915), A. P. Trowsdale (1920), R. Green (1920), Mabel McQuade (1920), Mrs. J. W. Sibinski (1925), John Sibinski (1925), A. Neyedli (1930), W. O. Yacula (1930, 1940), Genevieve Rudneski (1935), M. Sadoway (1935), Sam Yacula (1935), Jennie Sernyk (1940), M. R. Labay (1945), M. A. Lebit (1945), J. E. Senicie (1950), William Kachur (1950), S. Smelski (1956), Caroline Korlak (1956), E. Curtis (1960), Elsie Shewchuk (1960), Miss B. C. Griffin (1965), Dennis Herntier (1965), Miss J. Cook (1971), Mrs. Jean Borsa (1971), and Miss F. Niecarz (1971).

Photos & Coordinates

An earlier Elma School building (no date) by J. H. Plewes Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 91. The former Elma School building, now a community hall (1992) Source: George Penner The former Elma School building, now a community hall (October 2013) Source: Gordon Goldsborough The former Elma School building, now a community hall (May 2021) Source: Rose Kuzina Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87826, W95.91518 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Elma School / Maplestead School No. 1090 (RM of Grey)

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.

Trails to Rails to Highways edited by Bob Porth and Craig MacKenzie, Whitemouth Municipal Museum Society, 1979.

We thank Robert Porth, Christian Cassidy, Rose Kuzina, Nathan Kramer, and George Penner for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 29 April 2023

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