Historic Sites of Manitoba: Inkster School (633 Inkster Boulevard, Winnipeg)

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

The Inkster School is named for members of the Inkster family who arrived in this region in the early 1800s. Construction started in 1948 following a sod-turning on 18 June presided over by Peter Taraska. The original configuration designed by local architect William A. Martin had eight classrooms and a gymnasium. It opened for classes in November 1949. Four more classrooms were added to the school in 1952-1953 and portable classrooms were brought to the site in 1964 and 1997. A four-room expansion in 1999-2000 included a life skills area, science laboratory, and multi-purpose room.

Principals

Period	Principal
1949-1953	Barbara Marguerite McCord (1901-1954)
1953-1955	Lewis Edwin “Lew” Walker (c1910-1968)
1955-1958	Clifford Garfield Saunders (1900-1991)
1958-1962	Rachel Margaret “Rae” Scott (1906-2000)
1962-1969	Dorothy Ruth Matheson (1911-1999)
1969-1974	Phyllis I. Moore
1974-1981	Irmgard Epp (c1929-1983)
1981-1986	E. P. Reimer
1986-1993	Harry Kreel
1993-1999	William B. “Bill” Hinther
1999-2005	Darryl Stevenson
2005-2014	Sandra Stevenson
2014-2018	James Gray
2018-?	Dino DiFabrizio

Teachers

School Year	Teachers
1949-1950	Frances Madeline Davies (grade 1), Barbara Marguerite McCord (grades 5-6), Annie Galvina McLeod (grade 1), Dorothy Ina Metcalfe (kindergarten), Mary Niven (grade 2), Jean Margaret Robertson (grades 4-5), Rossme Agnes Sterling (grade 3), Mrs. R. Kulba (?*)
1950-1951	Frances Madeline Davies (grade 1), Hedie Elizabeth Dirks (kindergarten), Eileen Ellen George (grade 4), Mary Jones (grade 2), Freida Krahn (grade 2), Barbara Marguerite McCord (grade 6), Annie Galvina McLeod (grade 1), Mary Niven (grade 2), Jean Margaret Robertson (grade 5), Rossme Agnes Sterling (grade 3)
1951-1952	Frances Madeline Davies (grade 1), Hedie Elizabeth Dirks (kindergarten), Eileen Ellen George (grade 4), Freida Krahn (grade 2), Morag Seonaid MacPhail (grade 3), Barbara Marguerite McCord (grade 5), Annie Galvina McLeod (grade 1), Rossme Agnes Sterling (grade 3), Mrs. M. Bourdon (?*), Miss M. Niven (?*)
1952-1953	Esther C. Anderson (grade 3), Frances Madeline Davies (grade 1), Hedie Elizabeth Dirks (kindergarten), Eileen Ellen George (grade 3), John Hamm (grade 4), Mary Jones (grade 2), Barbara Marguerite McCord (grades 4-5), Catherine Elizabeth Shearer (grades 1-2), Miss G. Mueller (?*)
1953-1954	Esther C. Anderson (grade 3), Hedie Elizabeth Dirks (kindergarten), Eileen Ellen George (grade 4), Beverley Lois Graham (grade 1), John Hamm (grade 5), Mary Jones (grade 2), Frieda Krahn (grades 1-2), Jean Thorunn Law (grades 4-5, daughter of Claude elmer Luther Hogarth Law), Eleanor June Ridge (grades 2-3), Annie Eleanor Sweet (grade 6, wife of Weston Sweet), Miss G. Mueller (?*)
1954-1955	Isabella McWhinnie Campbell (grade 5), Clara Ruth Cohen (grades 2-3), Teresa Demchuk (grade 1), Hedie Elizabeth Dirks (kindergarten), Eileen Ellen George (grade 4), John Hamm (grades 5-6), Mary Jones (grade 2), Frieda Krahn (grade 1), Greta Sarchuk (grade 2, September-October), Annie Eleanor Sweet (grade 6), Muriel Dell Waldie (grades 3-4), Laura Wall (grade 2, November-June), Mrs. E. Thorlakson (?*)
1955-1956	Paula Achtemichuk (grade 1), Isabella McWhinnie Campbell (grades 5-6), Clara Ruth Cohen (grade 3), Teresa Demchuk (grade 1), Lilian Mary Drysdale (grade 1), Eileen Ellen George (grade 4), Frieda Krahn Klassen (grade 2), Michael John Mazur (grade 5), Nora Kathleen McKay (grades 1-2), Clifford Garfield Saunders (grade 6), Muriel Dell Waldie (grades 3-4)
1956-1957	Paula Achtemichuk (grade 1), Margaret A. Bastin (kindergarten), Isabella McWhinnie Campbell (grade 5), Clara Ruth Cohen (grade 3), Teresa Demchuk (grade 1), Eileen Ellen George (grade 4), Frieda Krahn Klassen (grades 1-2), Michael John Mazur (grades 5-6), Nora Kathleen McKay (grade 2), Clifford Garfield Saunders (grade 6), Jennie Schwartz (grades 3-4)
1957-1958	Paula Achtemichuk (grade 1), Isabella McWhinnie Campbell (grade 5), Clara Ruth Cohen (grade 3), Teresa Demchuk (grades 2-3), Andrew R. Gibb (grades 5-6), Audrey W. Graves (kindergarten), Frieda Krahn Klassen (grades 3-4), Nora Kathleen McKay (grades 2-3), Rhea Mae McKillop (grade 4), Clifford Garfield Saunders (grade 6), Marjorie Mae Wightman (grades 1-2)
1958-1959	Paula Achtemichuk (grade 2), Isabella McWhinnie Campbell (grades 5-6), Ruth Cartney (grades 3-4), Clara Ruth Cohen (grade 3), Teresa Demchuk (grade 1), John Jaman (grade 5), Violet Anna May Luciw (grade 4), Rhea Mae McKillop (grade 4), Margaret Eleanor Murray (kindergarten), Rae Margaret Scott (grade 6), Marjorie Mae Wightman (grades 1-2), Mrs. O. Kaye (?*)
1959-1960	Paula Achtemichuk (grade 2), Isabella McWhinnie Campbell (grade 5), Ruth Cartney (grades 3-4), Clara Ruth Cohen (grade 3), Teresa Demchuk (grade 1), John Jaman (grade 5), Violet Anna May Luciw (grade 4), Maria M. Michaelchuk (grades 1-2), Margaret Eleanor Murray (kindergarten), Rhea Mae McKillop (grades 5-6), Norma Kathlene Peterson (grade 6), Miss D. McGarva (?*)
1960-1961	Isabella McWhinnie Campbell (grade 6), Ruth Cartney (grades 3-4), Clara Ruth Cohen (grades 2-3), Teresa Demchuk (grade 1), John Jaman (grade 6), Leone Margaret Johannson (grade 1), Violet Anna May Luciw (grade 4), Rhea Mae McKillop (grade 5), Margaret Eleanor Murray (kindergarten), Norma Kathlene Peterson (grade 5), Norma Aileen Reid (grades 1-2)
1961-1962	Isabella McWhinnie “Isabell” Campbell (grade 6, September-October), Ruth Cartney (grade 3), Clara Ruth Cohen (grades 2-3), Teresa Demchuk (grade 1), Leone Margaret Johannson (grade 1), William Gary Lally (grade 6), Rhea Mae McKillop (grade 4), Margaret Eleanor Murray (kindergarten), Norma Kathlene Peterson (grade 5 & Principal relief), Mary Elizabeth Taylor (grade 2), John R. Young (grade 6, October-June), Mrs. J. Koshelanyk (?*)
1962-1963	Ruth Cartney (grades 3-4), Clara Ruth Cohen (grades 2-3), Evelyn Alexandria Cumming (kindergarten), Teresa Demchuk (grade 1), Effie Winona Josephine Dennis (grade 1), William Gary Lally (grade 6), Rhea Mae McKillop (grade 4), Hildegard Matsuo (grade 2), Norma Kathlene Peterson (grade 5)
1963-1964	Ruth Cartney (grades 3-4), Clara Ruth Cohen (grade 3), Angela Betty Couchman (grades 5-6), Evelyn Alexandria Cumming (kindergarten), Teresa Demchuk (grade 1), Effie Winona Josephine Dennis (grade 1), Nadia Z. Hanuschak (grades 2-3), William Gordon Hildebrand (grade 6), William Gary Lally (grade 5), Rhea Mae McKillop (grade 4), Dorene Ruby Thrush (grade 2, September-December), Margaret Toews (grade 2, January-June), Miss D. Cooper (?*)
1964-1965	Ruth Cartney (grade 4), Kewal Chohan (grade 6), Angela Betty Couchman (grade 6), Evelyn Alexandria Cumming (kindergarten), Alexandra Christine D’Arcy (grade 1), Effie Winona Josephine Dennis (grade 1), Nadia Z. Hanuschak (grade 3), William Gordon Hildebrand (grade 5), Kathlyn Ann Horne (grade 2), Rhea Mae McKillop (grade 4), Margaret Toews (grade 2)
1965-1966	Ruth Cartney (grade 3), Audrey Judith Chizick (grades 1-2, September-December; grade 2, January-June), Kewal Chohan (grade 6), Evelyn Alexandria Cumming (kindergarten), Effie Winona Josephine Dennis (grade 1), Gloria Mavis Fedorchuk (grade 3), William Gordon Hildebrand (grades 5-6), Kathlyn Ann Horne (grade 2), Angela Betty Couchman Kowalik (grade 5), Rhea Mae McKillop (grade 4), Margaret Toews (grade 2)
1966-1967	Audrey Judith Chizick Boch (grades 2-3, September-December; grade 3, January-June), Kewal Chohan (grade 6), Evelyn Alexandria Cumming (kindergarten), Alexandra Christine “Sandra” D’Arcy (grade 1), Effie Winona Josephine Dennis (grade 1), Angela Betty Couchman Kowalik (grade 5), Rhea Mae McKillop (grade 4), Kathlyn Ann Horne Moonah (grades 2-3), Anthony A. Swidinsky (grade 6), Margaret Toews (grade 2), Marty Toyoko Yasunaka (grades 3-4)
1967-1968	Audrey Judith Chizick Boch (grade 3), Kewal Chohan (grade 6), Evelyn Alexandria Cumming (kindergarten), Alexandra Christine D’Arcy (grade 1), Effie Winona Josephine Dennis (grade 1), Margaret Gail Ellerman (grades 4-5, December-June), Georgiaday Eunice Hall (grade 3, September-December; grades 3-4, January-June), Kathlyn Ann Horne Moonah (grade 2), Helen Station (grades 4-5, September-November), Anthony A. Swidinsky (grade 5), Margaret Toews (grade 2), Marty Toyoko Yasunaka (grade 4)
1968-1969	Doris Elizabeth Backman (grade 1), Audrey Judith Chizick Boch (grade 4?), Kewal Chohan (grade 6), Evelyn Alexandria Cumming (kindergarten), Effie Winona Josephine Dennis (grade 1), Margaret Gail Ellerman (grades 4-5), Olga Fowler (grade 2), Helen Bettina Francis (grade 3?), Josephine Bernice Leckie (grades 3-4), Anthony A. Swidinsky (grade 5?), Marty Toyoko Yasunaka (grades 4-5), Miss G. Sokolyk (?*), Miss M. Waldie (?*)

Photos & Coordinates

Inkster School (no date) Source: Winnipeg School Division Inkster School (May 2020) Source: Nathan Kramer Inkster School (May 2020) Source: Nathan Kramer Principal Lew Walker of Inkster School (1954) Source: George Stewart Teachers of Inkster School, back (L-R): Esther Anderson, Bev Zakaluk, Frieda Krahn, Jean Law; front (L-R): Hedy Dirks, Mary Jones, Eileen George (1954) Source: George Stewart Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.93317, W97.14116 denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

“Majority like idea of school meal plan,” Winnipeg Free Press, 22 October 1974, page 85.

“Teacher deserves golden apple,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 May 1993, page 66.

“New Principals named for five city schools,” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 June 2005, page B6.

Obituary [Paula Achtemichuk], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 October 2018.

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

Manitoba School Records Collection, Winnipeg School District No. 1 (Inkster School) - Daily Registers, GR5756, Archives of Manitoba.

Winnipeg School Division: Celebrating One Hundred Fifty Years, 1871-2021 by Winnipeg School Division, 2021.

We thank the Winnipeg School Division, Henry Sosnowski, Robert Hill, Eileen George, George Stewart, and Carlos de Oliveira for providing information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 5 July 2022

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