Historic Sites of Manitoba: Isabella School No. 1333 (Isabella, Municipality of Prairie View)

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

A monument marks the former site of Isabella School, in Isabella in the Municipality of Prairie View. Established formally in February 1905, the original one-room schoolhouse was expanded with a second classroom in 1912 and a third classroom in 1913. The former Omar School building was moved alongside in 1923, making four rooms. The district became part of the Miniota Municipal School District No. 1919 in 1919. A single new structure was built in 1954 and the four former classrooms were dispersed, with the former Omar School becoming a private residence in Isabella, two classrooms being renovated into a private residence at Foxwarren, and the fourth classroom was moved to a farm south of Miniota. High school students were bused to schools at Birtle, Hamiota, or Miniota after June 1963 and the school closed in June 1968. The building was later moved to Birtle by the Birdtail River School Division for use as additional classroom space at Birtle School. A stone monument at the original school site, unveiled on 5 July 1980, commemorates it.

Principals

Period	Principal
1915-1916	Miss Annie Slattery
1916-1917	William Robinson
1917-1920	Miss Agnes Davidson
1920-1921	Marjory Thompson Smith (1892-1969)
1921-1922	Mr. P. A. Murphy
1922-1923	Mr. H. M. Anderson
1923-1924	James Clark Whenham (1896-1970)
1924-1925	Carl Stirrat Gow (1900-1977)
1925-1932	George Love Dibblee (1889-1979)
1932-1933	George E. Pickard
1933-1938	Ross Emerson Vasey (1910-2001)
1938-1941	Ronald Smith Broadfoot (1911-1980)
1941-1943	Hugh Arthur Johnson (1910-1967)
1943-1944	John O. Buhr
1944-1950	William Morrow Ingram (1907-1964)
1950-1952	Margaret Doupe Heise
1952-1957	Jean E. Livingstone Johnston
1957-1958	Michael David Kiedyk (1933-2011)
1958-1963	Anton “Tony” Rittaler (1917-2008)

Teachers

School Year	Teachers
1905	Miss Rose Cole
1906	Miss Mary I. Frazer
1907	Miss Margaret M. Elliott, Miss Mary I. Fraser
1908-1909	Miss Margaret M. Elliott
1910	?
1911	Miss Margaret M. Elliott
1912	Miss Laura Heise, L. Smith
1913-1914	Miss Margaret M. Elliott (grades 5-10), Miss Laura Heise (grades 1-4)
1914-1915	Miss Margaret M. Elliott (grades 5-10), Miss Laura Heise (grades 1-4)
1915-1916	Miss Vera Heise (grades 1-4), Miss Annie Slattery (grades 5-11)
1916-1917	Miss E. B. Fisher (grades 1-5), William Robinson (grades 6-11)
1917-1918	Miss Agnes Davidson (grades 6-10), Miss E. B. Fisher (grades 1-5)
1918-1919	Miss Agnes Davidson (grades 6-11), Miss Thirza Smith (grades 1-5)
1919-1920	Miss Agnes Davidson (grades 5-11), Miss Thirza Smith (grades 1-4)
1920-1921	Marjory T. Smith (grades 5-11), Miss Thirza Smith (grades 1-4)
1921-1922	Miss H. B. Corbett (grades 4-8), Mr. P. A. Murphy (grades 9-11), Miss E. V. Stevenson (grades 1-3)
1922-1923	Mr. H. M. Anderson (grades 9-11), Miss H. B. Corbett (grades 4-8), Miss E. V. Stevenson (grades 1-2), ? (grade 3)
1923-1924	Miss H. B. Corbett (grades 5-8), James C. Whenham (grades 9-11), ? (grades 1-4)
1924-1925	Miss Jean Doig (grades 5-8), Carl S. Gow (grades 9-11), Miss E. V. Stevenson (grades 1-2), ? (grades 3-4)
1925-1926	George L. Dibblee (grades 9-11), Miss Jean Doig (grades 6-9), Mrs. T. Heise (grades 1-2), Miss E. V. Stevenson (grades 1-2), Miss O. Thompson (grades 1-2), ? (grades 3-5)
1926-1927	George L. Dibblee (grades 9-11), Miss Lottie Clarke (grades 6-8), Miss Lottie Dotten (grades 4-5), Miss O. Thompson (grades 1-3)
1927-1928	George L. Dibblee (grades 9-11), Miss Lottie Dotten (grades 4-5), William Harvey (grades 6-8), Miss O. Thompson (grades 1-3)
1928-1929	George L. Dibblee (grades 9-11), Miss Nora Corke (grades 6-8), Miss Lottie Dotten (grades 4-5), Miss O. Thompson (grades 1-3)
1929-1930	Miss Nora Corke (grades 3-5), George L. Dibblee (grades 9-11), Miss Janet Rorke (grades 6-8), Miss O. Thompson (grades 1-2)
1930-1931	George L. Dibblee (grades 9-11), Miss Genevieve Hills (grades 3-6), Miss Naomi Kenner (grades 7-8), Miss O. Thompson (grades 1-2)
1931-1932	George L. Dibblee (grades 9-11), Miss Genevieve Hills (grades 4-6), Miss Effie Schmidt (grades 7-8), Miss O. Thompson (grades 1-3)
1932-1933	Miss Genevieve Hills (grades 4-6), George E. Pickard (grades 9-11), Ross E. Vasey (grades 7-8), Miss O. Thompson (grades 1-3)
1933-1934	William Blight (grades 7-8), Miss Genevieve Hills (grades 4-6), Miss Gwen Thompson (grades 1-3), Ross E. Vasey (grades 9-11)
1934-1935	William Blight (grades 6-8), Miss Genevieve Hills (grades 4-5), Miss Gwen Thompson (grades 1-3), Ross E. Vasey (grades 9-11)
1935-1936	William Blight (grades 6-8), Miss Genevieve Hills (grades 4-5), Miss Molly Stalker (grades 1-3), Ross E. Vasey (grades 9-11)
1936-1937	William Blight (grades 7-8), Miss Genevieve Hills (grades 4-6), Miss Molly Stalker (grades 1-3), Ross E. Vasey (grades 9-11)
1937-1938	Miss Annie Laurie Hills (grades 5-8), Miss Molly Stalker (grades 1-4), Ross E. Vasey (grades 9-11)
1938-1939	Ronald S. Broadfoot (grades 9-11), Miss Annie Laurie Hills (grades 5-8), Miss Molly Stalker (grades 1-3)
1939-1940	Ronald S. Broadfoot (grades 9-11), Keith Calverley (grades 5-8), Miss Annie Laurie Hills (grades 1-4)
1940-1941	Ronald S. Broadfoot (grades 9-11), Keith Calverley (grades 5-8), Miss Annie Laurie Hills (grades 1-4)
1941-1942	Christina Fraser (grades 5-8), Miss Mavis Hanlin (grades 5-8), Hugh A. Johnson (grades 9-11), Miss Marion Wright (grades 1-4)
1942-1943	Hugh A. Johnson (grades 9-11), Miss Dorothy Stowe (grades 5-8), Miss Marion Wright (grades 1-4)
1943-1944	John O. Buhr (grades 9-11), Miss Margaret Rowan (grades 1-8)
1944-1945	William M. Ingram (grades 7-11), Miss M. Rowan (grades 1-6)
1945-1946	William M. Ingram (grades 7-11), Miss M. Rowan (grades 1-6)
1946-1947	William M. Ingram (grades 7-11), Miss M. Rowan (grades 1-6)
1947-1948	William M. Ingram (grades 7-11), Miss Eileen Ebell (grades 1-6)
1948-1949	Miss Nora Edney (grades 1-8), William M. Ingram (grades 7-11), Miss Alix Wood (grades 1-8)
1949-1950	William M. Ingram (grades 7-11), Miss Margaret Kopetsky (grades 1-6)
1950-1951	Miss Margaret Doupe (grades 9-11), Miss Audrey Sanderson (grades 1-4), Miss Margaret Small (grades 5-8)
1951-1952	Miss Margaret Coutts (grades 5-8), Margaret Doupe Heise (grades 9-11), Miss Audrey Sanderson (grades 1-4)
1952-1953	Miss Margaret Coutts (grades 5-8), Miss Jean E. Livingstone (grades 9-11), Miss Audrey Sanderson (grades 1-4)
1953-1954	Miss Margaret Coutts (grades 5-8), Miss Donna Douglas (grades 1-4), Miss Jean E. Livingstone (grades 9-11)
1954-1955	Miss Margaret Coutts (grades 5-8), Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Miss Jean E. Livingstone (grades 9-11)
1955-1956	Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Miss Jean E. Livingstone (grades 9-11), Mrs. C. Shewfelt (grades 5-8)
1956-1957	Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Miss Fern Kellett (grades 5-8), Miss Jean E. Livingstone (grades 9-11)
1957-1958	Miss Pat Davison (grades 5-8), Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Michael D. Kiedyk (grades 9-11)
1958-1959	Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Miss Orma McCartney (grades 5-8), Anton “Tony” Rittaler (grades 9-11)
1959-1960	?
1960-1961	Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Miss Donnaleen McLachlan (grades 5-8), Anton “Tony” Rittaler (grades 9-11)
1961-1962	Donnaleen McLachlan Gilchrist (grades 5-8), Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Anton “Tony” Rittaler (grades 9-11)
1962-1963	Miss Judy Bayko (grades 5-8), Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Larry Moldowan (grades 5-8), Anton “Tony” Rittaler (grades 9-11)
1963-1964	Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Ruth Teasdale (grades 5-8)
1964-1965	Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4), Ruth Teasdale (grades 5-8)
1965-1966	Hugh Fraser (grades 5-8), Donna Douglas Johnson (grades 1-4)
1966-1967	Hugh Fraser (grades 5-8), Miss Frieda Sawatsky (grades 1-4)
1967-1968	Hazel Bailey (grades 4-5), Miss Joyce Kamentz (grades 6-7), Miss Frieda Sawatsky (grades 1-3)

Photos & Coordinates

Isabella School (circa 1911) Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspector Photos GR2664, C65. Isabella School comprised of several one-room schoolhouses (no date) by H. L. Albright Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 52. Isabella School commemorative monument (October 2011) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.26959, W100.87518 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Isabella Museum (Isabella, Municipality of Prairie View)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Omar School No. 1194 (Municipality of Prairie View)

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.

Rural Reflections, Volume 2: 1879-1982 by Isabella History Committee, 1982, pages 46-50.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 3 February 2021

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. SEARCH the collection 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!