Historic Sites of Manitoba: Mennonite Educational Institute (Altona)

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Principals | Vice-Principals | Teachers | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

The Mennonite Educational Institute, built in 1908 at Altona on the present-day fairgrounds site, was intended to train teachers for schools in Mennonite settlements across southern Manitoba. It originated from a dispute between two groups within the Mennonite community. One group wanted to erect a new building at Gretna to replaced the aging Mennonite Collegiate Institute there. A second group wanted the facility moved to Altona, which was believed to be more centrally situated. Each group fundraised separately, resulting in a new building at both places. In January 1926, the building was destroyed by fire and was not rebuilt.

Principals

Period	Principal
1909-1914	Jacob J. Balzer (1860-1946)
1914-1918	Gerhard G. Neufeld (1884-1945)
1918-?	J. S. Schultz
?-1926	Gerhard Friesen

Teachers

No information.

Photos & Coordinates

Postcard view of Mennonite Educational Institute (no date) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2012-0158 Postcard showing the Mennonite Educational Institute at the end of College Avenue in Altona (circa 1910) Source: Walter Beatty Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.11079, W97.56633 denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

“Mennonite Educational Institute (Altona, Manitoba, Canada)” by H. H. Hamm, Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online, 1953.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 20 July 2020

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