Historic Sites of Manitoba: Robert Browning School (130 Browning Boulevard, Winnipeg)

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

Robert Browning School was designed for the Kirkfield Park School District by the Winnipeg architectural firm of Pratt Lindgren and Associates, and constructed in 1963 by Taubensee Construction Limited. The school’s 12 classrooms were occupied as of mid-November 1963, although it did not open officially until 9 April 1964. Attending the opening ceremony were Assiniboia Mayor J. H. Belows, Deputy Education Minister R. W. Lightly, a representative of the architects, School Board Chairman A. R. Oliver, and trustees Mr. D. Paulson, Mr. C. Weir, Mr. J. Stevenson, and Mr. W. N. Hallonquist.

The school served the growing suburb of Westwood and, by 1967, it had 25 staff members and over 800 students, with as many as 42 students in some classrooms. The overcrowding was alleviated by the opening of Allard School in February 1967, Bedson School in March 1968, and Columbus School in January 1970, by which time its population had decreased to 600 students. By the end of 1974, it had decreased to about 400 students. The newly empty classrooms were renovated into a science room, multipurpose room, music room, audiovisual room, and library.

Principals

Period

Principal

1963-1969

Michael A. “Mike” Yaremchuk

1969-1973

William “Bill” Burdeniuk (1932-2010)

1973-1980

Mr. G. Brown

1980-1982

Ronald Keith Pettapiece (1926-2010)

1982-1986

Gordon Charles “Gord” Tovell (1939-2021)

1986-1991

Lucille Mollot

1991-1997

Victor A. Mollot

1997-1998

Ray Desautels

1998-2004

?

2004-2006

Elizabeth Corbett

2006-2015

?

2015-2016

Manuel Gomes

Vice-Principals

Period

Vice-Principal

1966-1969

Nell Ruchkall Ramsay

1969-1970

Joyce P. Hill

1970-1973

Ewart David Carruthers (1926-1992)

1982-1986

Lawson Tarbuth

1989-1990

Ray Desautels

1990-1993

Roger Lacroix

1993-1994

Marielle Gaultier-Dow

Teachers

School Year

Teachers

1963-1964

Miss J. Amy, Mrs. V. Dufresne, Miss B. Fraser, Mrs. T. Friesen, Miss S. Graham, Mrs. J. Hutchinson, Mrs. H. Loree, Mrs. I. McElroy, Mrs. D. McRae, Nell Ruchkall Ramsay, Miss E. Shwalk, Miss M. Tinling, Mrs. M. Wasney

1964-1965

Mr. B. Campbell, Mrs. V. Dufresne, Miss J. Frame, Miss B. Fraser, Mrs. T. Friesen, Miss S. Graham, Mrs. J. Hutchinson, Mrs. F. Loptson, Mrs. H. Loree, Miss F. Malarchuk, Mrs. I. McElroy, Miss J. McPherson, Mrs. D. McRae, Mrs. S. Meakin, Lucille Mollot, Mrs. D. Nesbitt, Mrs. I. Patterson, Nell Ruchkall Ramsay, Mrs. J. Reece, Mrs. I. Roberts, Mrs. M. Stallard, Mr. L. Stuart, Mrs. A. Turko

1965-1966

Mrs. D. Baldner, Mrs. E. Bennett, Mrs. R. Bezely, Miss M. Bosinski, Mr. B. Campbell, Mrs. M. Davis, Mrs. V. Dufresne, Miss B. Fraser, Mrs. J. Hutchinson, Mrs. S. Johnson, Mrs. J. Lawrence, Mrs. F. Loptson, Mrs. H. Loree, Mrs. I. McElroy, Mrs. D. McRae, Mrs. S. Meakin, Lucille Mollot, Miss J. Moody, Mrs. D. Nesbitt, Mrs. E. Newans, Mrs. I. Roberts, Mrs. M. Stallard, Mr. D. Thompson, Mrs. A. Turko, Mrs. E. Williamson

1966-1967

Mrs. D. Baldner, Mrs. E. Bennett, Mrs. R. Bezely, Miss M. Bosinski, Mr. B. Campbell, Mrs. A. Cott, Mrs. M. Davis, Mrs. V. Dufresne, Miss B. Fraser, Mrs. J. Hutchinson, Mrs. J. Lawrence, Mrs. D. Marriott, Mrs. C. Matthews, Mrs. I. McElroy, Mrs. D. McRae, Mrs. S. Meakin, Miss J. Moody, Mrs. D. Nesbitt, Mrs. E. Newans, Mrs. A. Rea, Miss J. Sawchuk, Mr. D. Thompson, Mrs. A. Turko, Mrs. E. Williamson

1967-1968

Miss D. Baldner, Mrs. E. Bennett, Mrs. R. Bezely, Mrs. J. Cardinal, Mrs. A. Cott, Mrs. M. Davis, Mrs. V. Dufresne, Mrs. M. Duna, Mrs. J. Hutchinson, Mrs. J. Lawrence, Mr. G. Laycock, Mrs. C. Lenover, Mrs. D. Marriott, Mrs. C. Matthews, Mrs. I. McElroy, Mrs. D. McRae, Mrs. S. Meakin, Miss J. Moody, Mrs. D. Nesbitt, Mrs. E. Newans, Mrs. I. Roberts, Mrs. B. Schille, Mr. D. Thompson, Mrs. A. Turko, Mrs. E. Williamson

1968-1969

Mrs. E. Bennett, Miss A. Brooker, Mrs. J. Cardinal, Mrs. A. Cott, Mrs. D. Croden, Mrs. J. Dodds, Mrs. M. Duna, Mrs. J. Hutchinson, Mr. G. Laycock, Mrs. D. Lean, Mrs. D. Marriott, Mrs. C. Matthews, Mrs. I. McElroy, Mrs. G. Miller, Mrs. D. Nesbitt, Mrs. E. Newans, Mrs. I. Roberts, Mrs. L. Sievewright, Miss P. Smith, Mr. J. Talaga, Mrs. A. Turko, Mrs. E. Williamson

1969-1970

Mrs. E. Bennett, Mrs. A. Cott, Mrs. M. Duna, Mrs. S. Hancock, Mrs. J. Hutchinson, Mr. G. Laycock, Mr. A. Lea, Mrs. B. Lewis, Mrs. D. Marriott, Mrs. C. Matthews, Mrs. G. Miller, Mrs. P. Moreau, Mrs. G. Morton, Mrs. D. Nesbitt, Mrs. L. Sievewright, Mr. J. Talaga, Mrs. A. Turko, Mrs. E. Williamson

1970-1971

Mrs. P. Belisle, Mrs. E. Bennett, Mrs. A. Cott, Mrs. M. Duna, Mrs. S. Hancock, Mrs. J. Hutchinson, Mr. J. Jenkins, Mrs. M. Kampen, Mrs. I. Kerr, Mr. G. Laycock, Mr. A. Lea, Mrs. B. Lewis, Mrs. D. Marriott, Mrs. G. Morton, Mrs. D. Neelin, Mrs. D. Nesbitt, Mrs. M. Pringle, Mrs. D. Ramsay, Mrs. L. Shellrude, Mr. J. Talaga, Mrs. A. Turko, Mrs. E. Williamson

1971-1972

Miss C. Allan, Mrs. E. Bennett, Mrs. C. Bentham, Mrs. J. Chartrand, Mrs. A. Cott, Mrs. M. Duna, Mr. R. Erskine, Mrs. S. Hancock, Mr. J. Jenkins, Mrs. V. Kelbert, Mrs. J. Kowal, Mr. G. Laycock, Mrs. J. Lee, Mrs. B. Lewis, Mrs. G. Morton, Miss J. Otke, Mrs. L. Shellrude, Mr. N. Soltess, Mr. J. Talaga, Mrs. A. Turko, Mr. F. Wermann, Mrs. E. Williamson, Miss D. Wittenberg

1972-1973

Miss C. Allan, Mrs. P. Belisle, Mrs. E. Bennett, Mrs. J. Chartrand, Mrs. A. Cott, Mrs. M. Duna, Mr. R. Erskine, Mrs. A. Fulham, Mrs. V. Guenther, Mr. J. Jenkins, Mr. D. Johnson, Mrs. V. Kelbert, Mrs. J. Kowal, Mr. G. Laycock, Mrs. J. Lee, Mrs. B. Lewis, Mrs. V. Mahaffy, Mrs. G. Morton, Miss I. Schmidt, Mrs. L. Shellrude, Mrs. S. Smith, Mr. J. Talaga, Mrs. A. Turko, Mr. F. Wermann

1973-1974

Miss C. Allan, Mrs. E. Bennett, Miss P. Bouchard, Mrs. E. Brown, Mrs. J. Chartrand, Mrs. A. Cott, Mrs. M. Duna, Mrs. V. Guenther, Mrs. C. Harman, Mr. J. Jenkins, Mr. D. Johnson, Mrs. V. Kelbert, Mrs. J. Kowal, Mrs. M. Larose, Mr. G. Laycock, Mrs. J. Lee, Mrs. B. Lewis, Mrs. V. Mahaffy, Mr. T. Mayor, Mrs. A. Sawatsky, Miss I. Schmidt, Mrs. S. Smith, Miss A. Swan, Mr. J. Talaga, Mrs. A. Turko, Mr. F. Wermann

1974-2005

?

2005-2006

Michelle Ager, Pierre Bohemier, Rone Boyko, Anna-Maria Coniglio, Winona Dickens, Kathleen Farmery, Remi Gagnon, Marielle Gaultier Dow, Filomena Goncalves, Tara Johnson, Laurent Lacroix, Joanne Lagasse-Kroeker, Mara Luke, Susan Maclean-Pilat, Laura McKenzie, Monique Pedersen, Michel Proulx, Louise Samborski, Bernice Schick, Krystyna Towells

Photos & Coordinates

Robert Browning School

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.87231, W97.29748
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Business: Pratt Lindgren Snider Tomcej and Associates

Sources:

“Jottings from the business world” by Elman Guttormson, Winnipeg Free Press, 16 March 1963, page 62.

History of Robert Browning School: 1963-1974, St. James Assiniboia School Division, 1974.

“St. James - Assiniboine School Board,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 May 1993, page A11.

We thank Mari-Jean Nachtigall, Dorothy Young, Victor A. Mollot, and Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 June 2023

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