Historic Sites of Manitoba: West Ward School / Park School (Lorne Avenue, Brandon)

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

Built in 1904 by the Brandon Construction Company, under supervisor T. M. Harrington, on the south side of Lorne Avenue between 14th and 15th streets in Brandon, Park School was opened to the public at a ceremony on Arbor Day, 4 May 1905. It replaced the former West Ward School at this site. Designed by Brandon architect W. A. Elliott, the school’s interior was decorated with walls of mahogany and western pine with floors of British Columbia fir. The two-storey brick and stone building had ten classrooms, principal’s office, reception room, a teachers’ room, and an assembly hall on the second floor. The cost was around $38,000.

In the early 1970s, the Brandon School Division declared the building redundant and, in November 1975, its remaining students transferred to the newly constructed Betty Gibson School, built on the site of the demolished Alexandra School. The Park School building was sold to Brandon University for $1, for use as office space and a day-care centre. However, in late 1977, when costs of renovations were found to be excessive, the university returned ownership to the Division. No other offers to purchase the old school building were received and it was demolished in September 1978.

Principals

Period	Principal
1905-1906	Laura Marie Antoinette Mott (1868-1949)
1907-1909	Lee John Cranston (1880-1924)
1909-c1922	Shirley Annie Redmond (1876-?)
c1922-1923	Donald S. Lent
1923-1926	Hugh S. Brown
1926-1927	Albert Wallace Craigie (1891-1964)
1927-1929	?
1929-1931	Perry Bell (1897-1956)
1931-1941	Vernon Albert Shewfelt (1903-1982)
1941-1942	Henry Frederick Hyson (1904-1979)
1942-1944	Roy Bernard Lobb (1903-1981)
1944-1946	William John Peden (1903-1991)
1946-1954	James Irving Bateman (1911-2000)
1954-c1960	Donald Sutherland Sumner (1928-2014)
c1960-c1964	?
c1964-1965	Edward Tierney Cantwell (1917-1985)
1965-1967	?
1967-1968	Robert T. Blair
1968-1974	?
1974-1975	Mr. Hamburg

Teachers (partial list)

School Year	Teachers
1901-1902	Miss McLeod (grade 1), Miss Maud Pilling (grade 2)
1902-1903	Miss Hilton (grade 2), Miss McLeod (grade 1)
1903-1904	?
1904-1905	?
1905-1906	Miss Ferguson (grade 2), Miss Grant (grade 1), Miss McGee (grade 6), Mr. McLaren (grade 4), Miss McLeod (grade 1), Miss McMillan (grade 4), Miss L. Mott (grade 8), Miss M. Mott (grade 5), Miss Percival (grade 3), Miss Maud Pilling (grade 2), Miss S. A. Redmond (grade 7), Miss Sing (grade 3)
1906-1907	?
1907-1908	Miss C. Alexander (grade 3 Sr), L. J. Cranton (grade 8), Miss M. Grant (grade 2 Sr), Miss Mary E. Magee (grade 6), Miss K. McMillan (grade 4), Miss L. Mott (grade 5), Miss Ethel Pasley (grade 3 Jr), Miss Cecie Pelton (grade 1 Jr), Miss Maud Pilling (grade 2), Miss S. A. Redmond (grade 7), Miss Grace Todd (grade 3 Sr)
1908-1909	Miss A. M. Courtney (grade 5), L. J. Cranton (grade 8), Miss Mary E. Magee (grade 6), Miss McMillan (grade 4), Miss L. Mott (grade 7), Miss Ethel Paisley (grade 3), Miss Cecie Pelton (grade 1), Miss Maud Pilling (grade 2), Miss Annie Ramshaw (grade 1), Miss S. A. Redmond (grade 7), Miss Todd (grade 2)
1909-1910	Miss A. M. Courtney (grade 5), Miss Jennie Fawcett (grade 4), Miss Mary E. Magee (grade 6), Miss Ethel Paisley (grade 3), Miss Cecie Pelton (grade 1), Miss Maud Pilling (grade 2), Miss Annie Ramshaw (grade 1), Miss S. A. Redmond (grade 8), Miss O. L. A. Wright (grade 7)
1910-1911	Miss Jennie Fawcett, Miss Mary E. Magee, Miss T. Kyle, Miss Carrie Parkinson, Miss Maud Pilling, Miss Ethel Paisley, Miss Bertha M. Strome
1911-1912	Miss Jennie Fawcett, Miss E. J. Kelso, Miss I. Kyle, Miss Mary E. Magee, Miss Ethel Paisley, Miss R. Parker, Miss Maud Pilling, Miss R. Rogers, Miss Bertha M. Strome
1912-1913	(partial) Miss Cuthbertson (grade 5), Miss Parker (grade 7)
1913-1914	?
1914-1915	?
1915-1916	?
1916-1917	?
1917-1918	?
1918-1919	?
1919-1920	?
1920-1921	?
1921-1922	?
1922-1923	?
1923-1924	?
1924-1925	?
1925-1926	?
1926-1927	?
1927-1928	?
1928-1929	?
1929-1930	?
1930-1931	Edna Bowman, Annie Cullen, Helen Ferguson, Anne Harrison, Beth Nicol, Tena M. Ross, E. Anna Wood
1931-1932	Edna E. Bowman, Annie E. Cullen, Helen M. Ferguson, Annie Harrison, Elizabeth L. Nicol, Tena M. Ross, E. Anna Wood
1932-1933	Edna E. Bowman, Annie E. Cullen, Helen Ferguson, Laura M. Fisher, Beth Nicol, Tena M. Ross, E. Anna Wood
1933-1934	?
1934-1935	Emerson Christilaw, Miss Anne Cullen, Miss Evelyn M. Dorrett, Miss Helen Ferguson, Miss Dorothy E. Horton, Miss M. F. Keay (exchange teacher), Miss Tena M. Ross
1935-1936	Emerson Christilaw, Miss Evelyn Dorrett, Miss Helen Ferguson, Miss Hazel Fraser, Miss Doris Margeson (exchange teacher), Miss Tena M. Ross, Miss E. Anna Wood
1936-1937	Frances Cater, Evelyn M. Dorrett, Helen Ferguson, Hazel J. Fraser, Tena M. Ross, Alma M. Skeoch
1937-1938	Miss Ella Burkholder, Miss Evelyn Dorrett, Miss Helen Ferguson, Miss Hazel Fraser, Miss Tena M. Ross, Miss Alma Skeoch
1938-1939	Miss Ella Burkholder, Miss Evelyn Dorrett, Miss Helen Ferguson, Miss Hazel Fraser, Miss Tena Ross, Miss Alma Skeoch
1939-1940	Miss Helen Bjarnason, Miss Evelyn Dorrett, Miss Helen Ferguson, Miss Hazel Fraser, Miss Tena Ross, Miss Alma Skeoch
1940-1941	Miss Helen Bjarnason, Miss Bernice Dawson, Miss Evelyn Dorrett, Miss Helen Ferguson, Miss Hazel Fraser, Miss Tena Ross
1941-1942	Bernice Dawson, Evelyn Dorrett, Helen Ferguson, Hazel Fraser, Rena Ross
1942-1943	Miss Evelyn Dorrett, Mrs. A. M. Eley, Miss Helen Ferguson, Miss Hazel Fraser, Miss Tena M. Ross, Miss Janet O. Wilson
1943-1944	Evelyn Dorrett, A. M. Eley, Helen Ferguson, Hazel J. Fraser, Tena Ross, Janet O. Wilson
1944-1945	?
1945-1946	?
1946-1947	?
1947-1948	?
1948-1949	?
1949-1950	?
1950-1951	?
1951-1952	?
1952-1953	?
1953-1954	?
1954-1955	?
1955-1956	?
1956-1957	?
1957-1958	?
1958-1959	?
1959-1960	(partial) Miss C. Eaton, Mrs. G. Hulme
1960-1961	(partial) Mrs. R. Chambers
1961-1962	(partial) Miss L. Popkin
1962-1963	(partial) Miss I. Johnston
1963-1964	(partial) Mrs. E. Robinson
1967-1968	Miss E. Blain (grade 1), Robert T. Blair (grade 6), Mr. R. Deitrich (grade 6), Mr. G. Gibbons, Mrs. I. Kennedy (special), Mrs. L. Keown (grade 5), Mrs. A. McKinney (special), Mrs. D. Old (grade 3), Miss L. Popkin (grade 4), Miss E. Riddle (grade 2), Mrs. F. Snider (kindergarten)
1968-1969	?
1969-1970	?
1970-1971	(partial) Mrs. Lane (grade 1)
1971-1972	(partial) Mrs. Wosney (grade 2)
1972-1973	(partial) Mrs. Thornton (grade 3)
1973-1974	?
1974-1975	(partial) Mr. Hamburg (grade 5)
1975	(partial) Mr. Thompson (grade 6)

Photos & Coordinates

Postcard view of Park School, seen from a public park north of it (no date) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2011-0054. Postcard view of Park School (no date) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2011-0056. Park School (no date) Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-3, page 135. Park School (1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Architectural Survey - Brandon - Park 3. Park School (1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Architectural Survey - Brandon - Park 4. Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.84500, W99.95736 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: East Ward School (200 Fourth Street, Brandon)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Park School No. 1491 (RM of Armstrong)

Sources:

“1,000 children now on the rolls,” Brandon Daily Sun, 6 September 1901, page 1.

“School notes,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1902, page 1.

“New school to be built,” Brandon Daily Sun, 14 October 1903, page 1.

“West Ward School contract is let,” Brandon Daily Sun, 27 April 1904, page 1.

“West Ward School,” Brandon Daily Sun, 29 April 1904, page 1.

“School Board,” Brandon Daily Sun, 9 November 1904, page 2.

“Tenders [West Ward School assembly hall],” Brandon Daily Sun, 4 February 1905, page 4.

“School Board,” Brandon Daily Sun, 8 February 1905, page 8.

“West Ward School,” Brandon Daily Sun, 10 February 1905, page 1.

“West Ward School,” Brandon Daily Sun, 21 February 1905, page 4.

“Opening of the Park School,” Brandon Daily Sun, 2 May 1905, page 1.

“The Park School opened Friday,” Brandon Daily Sun, 6 May 1905, page 1.

“Teaching staff of schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 7 September 1905, page 6.

“New teachers appointed,” Brandon Daily Sun, 6 September 1906, page 1.

“Schools will open Tuesday,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1907, page 1.

“Teachers for city schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1908, page 1.

“Public schools were re-opened this morning,” Brandon Daily Sun, 1 September 1909, page 1.

“Many changes on the teaching staff,” Brandon Daily Sun, 11 August 1910, page 1.

“The city schools will re-open Friday,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1911, page 1.

“Public schools opened today,” Brandon Daily Sun, 3 September 1912, page 1.

Henderson’s Brandon Directories, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

“Have full staff of teachers for public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 1 September 1923, page 1.

“Around town,” Brandon Sun, 1 September 1927, page 9.

“List of teachers public school,” Brandon Daily Sun, 1 September 1930.

“All schools to open Monday for fall term here,” Brandon Daily Sun, 27 August 1931.

“One addition only to city schools staff,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1932.

“Some changes on teaching staff of public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1934.

“Schools to open Tuesday for fall term in city,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1935.

“Few changes in teaching staff as all schools in city open Monday morning,” Brandon Daily Sun, 29 August 1936.

“Five new teachers on staff of Brandon schools for fall term commencing next week,” Brandon Daily Sun, 27 August 1937.

“Teaching staff public school,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1938.

“Schools staff public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 2 September 1939.

“Seven changes on teaching staff of the public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 September 1940.

“Important changes made in teaching staff for opening schools here Tuesday,” Brandon Daily Sun, 27 August 1941.

“Elementary and junior high schools open tomorrow for fall term after long holidays,” Brandon Daily Sun, 26 August 1942.

“Eleven new teachers on staff as schools prepare to open for fall term commencing Monday,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 August 1943.

Brandon Elementary Schools, 1867-1979, Canada-Confederation, Brandon School Division, 1967.

“School population explosion kept early school board busy,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 August 1970, page 8.

“Wreckers demolish Park School,” Brandon Sun, 1 September 1978, page 1.

“Thirty years ago,” Brandon Sun, 13 November 2005, page 6.

“Park School,” Item No. 1-2002.3.1DA16(1), Stuckey Collection, S. J. McKee Archives, Brandon University.

We thank Tom Mitchell, Greg Sigurdson, Catherine Harley, Geraldine Sookorukoff, and James Rodgers for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 31 March 2018

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