Historic Sites of Manitoba: Gobeil Special School (RM of Piney)

The Gobeil Special School operated under the supervision of a Trustee appointed by the Manitoba Department of Education, due to its small enrollment and consequent need for a subsidy. A one-room schoolhouse was constructed by members of the Gobeil family. It served a small remote area in southeastern Manitoba, now in the Rural Municipality of Piney. In September 1964, the school closed and the students were bused to South Junction School. In 1967, its catchment area became part of the Sprague Consolidated School District.

Among the teachers of Gobeil School were Mr. J. Roy, Mr. Joyal (1955), Mrs. Morin (1955), Henri C. Gregoire (1955-1956), Miss Marguerite Royal (1956-1959), Mrs. Thérése Nelson (1959-1964), and Mrs. Marie Fostey (1965).

Gobeil School

Gobeil School (no date)
Source: Sprague and District Historical Museum

Drilling a well at Gobeil School

Drilling a well at Gobeil School (1964)
Source: Mark Nelson

Students at Gobeil School

Students at Gobeil School (October 1958)
Source: Toronto Weekly Star, 25 October 1958

Students at Gobeil School

Students at Gobeil School (1959)
Source: Mark Nelson

The students in this photo at Gobeil School were all siblings or first cousins with the surname Gobeil

The students in this photo at Gobeil School were all siblings or first cousins with the surname Gobeil (June 1958)
Source: Winnipeg Tribune, 28 June 1958.

Students at Gobeil School

Students at Gobeil School (1964)
Source: Mark Nelson

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.08902, W95.72785
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

MHS Archives: Gobeil School Records (9.5 MB), PDF format

Sources:

“Names the same,” Winnipeg Tribune, 28 June 1958.

We thank Doris Hovorka (Sprague and District Historical Museum), Terry Sturk, Mark Nelson, Wayne Nelson, and Roger Nelson for providing information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 24 August 2020

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