Historic Sites of Manitoba: I. L. Peretz Folk School / St. John’s Leisure Centre (601 Aikins Avenue, Winnipeg)

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

First proposed in 1947, construction of a satellite facility for the I. L. Peretz Folk School at 418 Aberdeen Avenue began at this site in November 1949. The single-storey, red brick building containing classrooms, kindergarten, office space, and auditorium was erected by A. Ackman & Sons at a cost of $120,000. The school opened its doors to students on 5 September 1950 and it was opened officially on 1 October by Mayor Garnet Coulter, W. C. Miller, and members of the school’s board. With its opening, smaller facilities on St. Johns Avenue and Matheson Avenue were closed. The school was closed in 1969 with consolidation to their Jefferson site. The building became home to the St. John’s Leisure Centre and adjoining Community Health Centre of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

Principals

Period	Principal
1950-1955	Morris “Moishe” Cantor (c1899-1963)
1955-1962	Philip Herstein
1962-1966	Harav Shimshon Heilik (1917-2005)
1966-1969	Yosef Bar-El
After 1969	See 600 Jefferson Avenue

Teachers

School Year	Teachers
1950-1951	?
1951-1952	?
1952-1953	?
1954-1954	?
1954-1955	?
1955-1956	Moishe Cantor (grade 7), ?
1956-1957	?
1957-1958	?
1958-1959	?
1959-1960	?
1960-1961	?
1961-1962	?
1962-1963	?
1963-1964	Eva May Calder, ?
1964-1965	?
1965-1966	?
1966-1967	?
1967-1968	?
1968-1969	?

Photos & Coordinates

The former I. L. Peretz Folk School (March 2016) Source: Nathan Kramer Grade 7 graduating class at the I. L. Peretz Folk School (1955) Left to right top row: Miriam Minuk, Norma Karlinsky, Bernie Granovsky, Arnold Slotnikov, Mel Stern, Diane Unrode, Kenneth Jeffries. Middle row: Doreen Wright, Sara Lee Faerman, Jerry Snukal, Darlene Posner, Michelle Aspler, Reeva Rich, Sharon Primack, Ruthy Simkin, Leslie Meloff. Bottom row: Moishe Cantor (teacher), Aaron Tennenbein, David Rich, Per Waksvig, Gary Diamond, Elaine Dixon, Rochelle London, Philip Herstein (principal). Source: Gary Diamond Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.92780, W97.12746 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Hebrew Free School (Talmud Torah) (220 Andrews Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Winnipeg Hebrew Free School (Talmud Torah) / German Society Building (121 Charles Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Manitoba Agricultural College / Asper Jewish Community Campus (Tuxedo Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: I. L. Peretz School / I. L. Peretz Folk School (418 Aberdeen Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: I. L. Peretz Folk School / Faith Academy / Faith Academy Middle School (600 Jefferson Avenue, Winnipeg)

Manitoba Organization: Jewish Radical School / I. L. Peretz School / I. L. Peretz Folk School / Talmud Torah I. L. Peretz Folk School / Gray Academy of Jewish Education / Asper Jewish Community Campus

Sources:

“Zoning Board defers Peretz School ruling,” Winnipeg Tribune, 17 December 1947, page 5.

“Building permits over 2,000 mark,” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 November 1948, page 23.

[Photo caption], Winnipeg Free Press, 26 September 1950, page 3.

“360 young Jewish children study, play at new $120,000 Peretz School on Aikins,” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 September 1950, page 3.

“Today’s roster of club events [Anniversary Dinner],” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 January 1963, page 19.

“A special day for a special school,” Winnipeg Tribune, 1 May 1964, page 9.

“School to open addition,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 January 1969, page 3.

“Yiddish alumni to mark a once in-a-lifetime event,” Winnipeg Free Press Winnipeg Neighbours, 23 July 2003, page W5.

“Reunion a celebration of heritage,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 August 2003, page A15.

Obituary [Harav Shimshon Heilik], Calgary Herald, 5 March 2005.

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

We thank Gary Diamond and Jacob Heilik for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 4 November 2019

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