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

Agnes Davidson (c1868-?)

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

Agnes Davidson (grades 6-10), Miss E. B. Fisher (grades 1-5)

1918-1919

Agnes Davidson (grades 6-11), Miss Thirza Smith (grades 1-5)

1919-1920

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

Isabella School (circa 1911)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspector Photos GR2664, C65.

Isabella School comprised of several one-room schoolhouses

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

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: 7 January 2024

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