Historic Sites of Manitoba: Kenton School No. 280 (Kenton, RM of Wallace-Woodworth)

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

In 1905, a two-classroom, two-storey brick school building was constructed at Kenton in the Rural Municipality of Woodworth on land donated by A. W. Kent. When it opened for classes in 1906, it drew students from the nearby Ralphton School. In 1914, it became Kenton Consolidated School and, six years later, a new two-storey brick structure was erected on a design by Winnipeg architect Eldred Dodsworth Tuttle. It was opened at a ceremony held on 3 January 1921, and attended by William Albert McIntyre and School Inspector William Robertson Beveridge.

The school district joined the Birdtail River School Division in 1959 and a new four-classroom collegiate and auditorium was built, with classes starting in 1960. Elementary grades continued in the older building under the control of the school district trustees. In 1967, students in grades 11 and 12 were transferred to Hamiota. The following year, grade 10 students followed them and the elementary grades became the responsibility of the School Division. The school building from 1920 was closed in the late 1970s and was demolished in 1980.

A monument at the site contains the original school bell, commemorative plaque, and cornerstone from the building listing the name of the architect and members of the school district at the time of its construction: I. Cormack (Chairman), C. Jones, A. S. Bowes, J. B. Bray, and W. Hudson (Secretary-Treasurer).

Principals

Period	Principal
1920-1925	Wilbur Walter Crosby (1893-1941)
1925-1926	Hugh Hamilton Saunderson (1904-1984)
1926-1929	A. S. Trueman
1929-1930	Myrtle Christina Evans Witherspoon (1906-1998)
1930-1932	Blanche McIntyre (1886-1974)
1932-1934	?
1934-1935	Victor Harvey Hugo (1888-1972)
1935-1938	Frank Jacob Harder (1906-1998)
1938-1941	John Arthur Buchanan (1913-1999)
1941-1943	Harold Payne
1943-1954	John Wesley Lorne Graham (1904-2000)
1954-1967	Thomas “Tom” Tesarski (1924-2018)
1967-1968	Joyce Johnson
1968-1971	Merril A. Kiliwnik
1971-1980	Larry Taylor
1980-1988	?
1988-?	Michael Boyle
?-1998	?
1998-1999	Lloyd McKinney

Teachers

Among the early teachers of Kenton School were Miss L. Willis, E. N. McGirr, C. Langton, L. Stewart, F. Langton, Miss J. Delmater, R. Greeway, Harold E. Riter, Miss E. Black, W. A. Hunter, C. B. MacKay, Ada Pauline Herkes, L. G. Kines, Miss G. Gibson, and Miss A. McKinnon.

School Year	Teachers
1920-1921	Annie McKinnon, Miss O. Thomas
1921-1922	Wilbur Walter Crosby, Sarah E. Donald, Grace Harrison, Minnie Hutchison, Elsie Miller
1922-1923	Wilbur Walter Crosby, Minnie Hutchison, Sarah McDonald, Elsie Miller
1923-1924	Wilbur Walter Crosby, Sarah McDonald, Marion McKinnon, Elsie Miller
1924-1925	Wilbur Walter Crosby, Emma Fowler, Elsie Miller, Margaret Tidsbury
1925-1926	Agnes Bannerman, E. B. Fowler, Gladys Mann, Hugh Hamilton Saunderson
1926-1927	Jean Babb, Agnes Bannerman, Gladys Mann, A. S. Trueman
1927-1928	Jean Babb, Agnes Bannerman, Gladys Mann, A. S. Trueman
1928-1929	Jean Babb, Agnes Bannerman, Ida Blakeman, Gladys Mann
1929-1930	Agnes Bannerman, Ida Blakeman, Blanche McIntyre
1930-1931	?
1931-1932	Ida Blakeman, Blanche McIntyre, Lorna E. Thorpe
1932-1933	Ida Blakeman, Victor H. Hugo, Lorne E. Thorpe
1933-1934	Ida Blakeman, Victor H. Hugo, Lorne E. Thorpe
1934-1935	Frank Harder, Annabelle McLennon, Esmee White
1935-1936	E. M. Bell, Frank Jacob Harder, Annabelle McLennon, Esmee White
1936-1937	E. M. Bell, D. G. Currie, Frank Jacob Harder, Annabelle McLennon, Esmee White
1937-1938	D. G. Currie, Frank Jacob Harder, Annabelle McLennon, Esmee White
1938-1939	John Buchanan, D. M. Cooper, D. G. Currie, Annabelle McLennon
1939-1940	John Buchanan, J. G. Laird, Margaret Mitchell, Molly Stalker
1940-1941	John Buchanan, Earl Bullock, Margaret Mitchell, Harold Payne
1941-1942	J. G. Anderson, John Buchanan, Harold Payne, Emily Stewart, Audrey A. Young
1942-1943	Phyllis Fraser, Alice Graham, Harold Payne, Audrey A. Young
1943-1944	Ila D. Cannon, Mabel Arletta Geisel, J. W. Graham
1944-1945	Ila D. Cannon, Mabel Arletta Geisel, Wes Graham, Kathleen Reddon
1945-1946	Wes Graham, Kathleen Reddon, Margaret Skuse
1946-1947	Jean Dandy, Wes Graham, Hugh Russell Makepeace
1947-1948	Jean Dandy, Wes Graham, Hugh Russell Makepeace
1948-1949	Jean Dandy, Louise Garnett, Wes Graham
1949-1950	Edith Bruce, Louise Garnett, Marjorie Genung, Wes Graham, Jona Paulson
1950-1951	Eleanor Brown, Edith Bruce, Louise Garnett, Matthew Samuel Pritchard Glowe, Wes Graham, Marion McKenzie, M. Helen Rolph
1951-1952	Madeline Brown, Edith Bruce, June Campbell, Wes Graham, Joyce Poersch
1952-1953	Marguerite Andrew, Louise Bailey, Edith Bruce, Wes Graham, Molly Vance
1953-1954	Marguerite Andrew, Wes Graham, Molly Vance, Joan Veal
1954-1955	Margeurite Andrew, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance, Joan Veal
1955-1956	Helen McGregor, John Russell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1956-1957	Eleanor Beatty, John Russell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1957-1958	Eleanor Beatty, John Russell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1958-1959	Elizabeth Dodds, Margaret Mitchell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1959-1960	Elizabeth Dodds, Marie Godlien, Edith Johns, Margaret Mitchell, Charles Ramsey, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1960-1961	Elizabeth Dodds, Marie Godlien, Edith Johns, Margaret Mitchell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1961-1962	Elizabeth Dodds, Edith Johns, David Lypchuk, Margaret Mitchell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance, Ian Whyte
1962-1963	Janice Bothe, Eileen Grant, Edith Johns, Phillip Johnson, John Longstaff, Margaret Mitchell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1963-1964	Janet Bothe, Eileen Grant, Edith Johns, Phillip Johnson, John Longstaff, Margaret Mitchell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1964-1965	Eileen Grant, Maureen Hay, Edith Johns, Philip Johnson, H. D. Lund, Margaret Mitchell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1965-1966	Jean Embury, Eileen Grant, Maureen Hay, Edith Johns, Joyce Johnson, Dale Lund, Margaret Mitchell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1966-1967	Jean Embury, Edith Johns, Joyce Johnson, D. Lund, Bette McLennan, Margaret Mitchell, Tom Tesarski, Molly Vance
1967-1968	Jean Embury, Lynne Henuset, Edith Johns, Joyce Johnson, Bette McLennan, Margaret Mitchell, Molly Vance
1968-1969	Maisie Blackwell, Jean Embury, Eileen Grant, Edith Johns, Merril Kiliwnik, Erva Lindsay, Helen McGregor, Bette McLennan, Dorothy Smith, Molly Vance
1969-1970	Maisie Blackwell, Sharon Boyd, Jean Embury, Eileen Grant, Edith Johns, Joyce Johnson, Merril Kiliwnik, Erva Lindsay, Lorraine Lonsdale, Helen McGregor, Molly Vance
1970-1971	Maisie Blackwell, Louise Bond, Sharon Boyd, Jean Embury, Eileen Grant, Edith Johns, Joyce Johnson, Merril Kiliwnik, Erva Lindsay, Helen McGregor, Molly Vance
1971-1972	Maisie Blackwell, Velma Doupe, Lorraine Dykman, Jean Embury, Frances Finnie, Eileen Grant, Edith Johns, Joyce Johnson, Erva Lindsay, Helen McGregor, Robert Mitchell, Larry Taylor
1972-1973	Maisie Blackwell, Jean Embury, Frances Finnie, Eileen Grant, Joyce Johnson, Erva Lindsay, Helen McGregor, Wayne Rudd, Larry Taylor
1973-1974	Jean Embury, Frances Finnie, Eileen Grant, Gene Hodgson, Joyce Johnson, Erva Lindsay, Helen McGregor, Larry Taylor
1974-1975	Eileen Grant, Gene Hodgson, Erva Lindsay, Helen McGregor, Molly McLennan, Eleanor Miller, Janice Speelman, Larry Taylor
1975-1976	Jean Embury, Eileen Grant, Gene Hodgson, Helen McGregor, Molly McLellan, Eleanor Miller, Gary Nicholls, Larry Taylor
1976-1977	Eileen Grant, Gene Hodgson, Helen McGregor, Eleanor Miller, Gary Nicholls, Larry Taylor
1977-1978	Jean Embury, Gene Hodgson, Helen McGregor, Eleanor Miller, Gary Nicholls, Larry Taylor
1978-1979	Gene Hodgson, Glennis Hodgson, Helen McGregor, Eleanor Miller, Gary Nicholls, Larry Taylor
1979-1980	Gene Hodgson, Glennis Hodgson, Helen McGregor, Eleanor Miller, Gary Nicholls, Larry Taylor
1980-1981	Gene Hodgson, Glennis Hodgson, Helen McGregor, Eleanor Miller, Gary Nicholls, Larry Taylor

Photos & Coordinates

Postcard view of the original Kenton School, constructed in 1905 (no date) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2014-0271 Kenton School (circa 1911) Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspector Photos GR2664, C65. The Kenton Consolidated School building, erected in 1920, was lighted with electricity. There was a teacherage, skating rink, and curling rink on its seven-acre grounds (circa 1921) Source: Education Department Report, 1921, Manitoba Legislative Library. Kenton School (no date) by W. R. Beveridge Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 14. Kenton School (1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Architectural Survey - Kenton 1. Kenton School commemorative monument (July 2012) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.98787, W100.61915 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Ralphton School No. 280 (RM of Wallace-Woodworth)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Verity School No. 561 (RM of Wallace-Woodworth)

Sources:

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

“Council reports,” Birtle Eyewitness, 3 October 1961, page 10.

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.

Cradle to Combine, Volume 2: Kenton, 1881-1981 by Kenton History Committee, 1981, pages 265-270. [Manitoba Legislative Library, F5648.K45]

“Trustees conduct regular meeting,” Hamiota Echo, 13 September 1988, page 7.

“Teacher assistants,” Shoal Lake Star, 27 July 1998, page 8.

We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 8 March 2025

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