Historic Sites of Manitoba: Lord Kitchener School / John Pritchard School (1490 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg)

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

One of three schools built in this area in 1915, along with Lord Wolseley School and Salisbury School, this school was designed by architect John Danley Atchison and built at a cost of $75,000, on property purchased from market gardener Herbert Whellams that had previously belonged to pioneer John Pritchard. It was known originally as Lord Kitchener School when it opened on 1 September 1915, in recognition of British military commander Horatio Herbert Kitchener (1850-1916). Suffering from low student enrollment, the school closed after a single year of operation, with students going to Lord Wolseley School one mile south of its location. It reopened the following year and has remained openly continously ever since. An expansion in 1947 was designed by Edgar Prain.

A large addition was made to the school in 1967, including a two-storey wing of classrooms (known as Manitoba Hall), a gymnasium/auditorium, and audiovisual room. Around this time, the school was renamed John Pritchard School in recognition of Pritchard’s pioneering role in the education of children at the Red River Settlement. More expansion occurred in 1975 with the addition of two science rooms and a laboratory, industrial arts shop, music room, multipurpose room, and custodial room. Another wing, named Jackson Hall in honour of the school’s first Principal, was added in 1985.

Principals

Period	Principal
1915-1926	Daisy Jackson (1889-1973)
1926-1953	Hubert Harry Hooper (c1886-1963)
1953-1956	?
1956-1959	John Sigfus Helgason (?-1978)
1959-1960	Wesley Sterling McGill (1904-1986)
1960-1975	Mr. H. V. Neufeld
1975-1977	Mr. R. V. Purvis
1977-1986	Mr. H. V. Neufeld
1986-1989	Mr. H. Kojima
1989-1998	Mr. G. Bowles
1998-1999	Dr. L. Cartwright
1999-?	Mr. T. Stoesz

Vice-Principals

Period	Vice-Principal
1973-1982	Hendrikus “Henry” Visch (1927-2021)

Teachers

School Year	Teachers
1966-1967	Mrs. M. Dyck, A. Gurney, Mrs. B. Halchen, G. Hinther, Miss A. Koop, Mrs. J. Lange, Miss E. Lenzmann, Miss P. Loewen, W. C. Malenchak, Mrs. J. Morgan, R. Pauls, Miss S. Pauls, Miss A. Penner, Miss M. Rempel, Miss B. Robinson, Mrs. R. Schroeder, Miss L. Smart, Mrs. Stewart, Mrs. S. Stewart, Mrs. M. Strand, Miss P. Wilson
1967-1973	?
1973-1974	Mrs. Bagu, Mrs. Doucette, Mr. Ferschau, Mr. Gurney, Mrs. Hatchen, Mr. Kroeker, Mr. Lakusiak, Mr. Lebedeff, Mr. Lynch, Mrs. Mehta, Miss Pauls, Mr. Penner, Mr. Reimer, Mr. Sawatzky, Mrs. Steer, Mr. Toutant

Among the teachers of Lord Kitchener School were Elsie Rowena Ritchie and Henry Schmidt (1953-1955).

Photos & Coordinates

Lord Kitchener School (circa 1927) Source: Education Department Report, 1927, Manitoba Legislative Library. John Pritchard School, formerly known as Lord Kitchener School (April 2013) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.94681, W97.08598 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: S. R. Henderson Cairn (1490 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg)

Memorable Manitobans: John Pritchard (1777-1855)

John Pritchard School - School History, River East Transcona School Division

Sources:

Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.

“N. Kildonan teachers listed,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 September 1966, page 13.

“This Old School – John Pritchard School” by Reid Dickie, Winnipeg Free Press, 29 August 2005, page F3.

1915 - Lord Kitchener School - Winnipeg MB, Dated Buildings and Cornerstones, Waymarking.

Obituary [Hendrikus Visch], Winnipeg Free Press, 6 February 2021.

We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Peter McLure.

Page revised: 6 February 2021

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