Historic Sites of Manitoba: Rossburn School No. 128 / Rossburn Consolidated No. 2358 (Rossburn, Municipality of Rossburn)

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

The Rossburn School District was established in October 1881 and the first school in the region was built one mile north of the present town of Rossburn, in what is now the Municipality of Rossburn. Built from locally cut and hewn logs, the school also served as a church and community hall. The building was condemned by the school inspector in 1896 and a new building was constructed in town. By 1908, this building was overcrowded so a two-storey wood frame schoolhouse containing four classroom was constructed. Eight years later, it was enlarged with four more classrooms.

In 1958, the Rossburn School District became Rossburn Consolidated School No. 2358 when it was consolidated with Perth School No. 575 and Bruan School No. 888. The original building served the educational needs of the community until 1959 when the present Rossburn School, designed by the Winnipeg architectural firm of Pratt Lindgren and Associates, was built nearby. The old building was then demolished.

The Rossburn Collegiate was constructed on its present site between 1965 and 1966.

In 1968, the school became part of the Pelly Trail School Division.

Principals (Rossburn School)

Period	Principal
1908-1912	Hope Barber
1912-1915	Victor Harvey Hugo (1888-1972)
1915-1916	Robert Cameron Mulligan (1889-1976)
1916-1917	Otto Brown Cossitt (c1876-1964)
1917-1918	Alice Carson
1918-1923	Otto Brown Cossitt (c1876-1964)
1923-1927	John Hammond Irwin (1886-1952)
1927-1928	George Edgar Haywood (c1902-1985)
1928-1932	Victor Harvey Hugo (1888-1972)
1932-1943	Stanley James Weatherley (1902-1975)
1943	William Charles “Charlie” Rhind (1904-1982)
1943-1946	Alexander John Wilson (1913-1991)
1946-1947	John Gilbank Anderson (1912-2003)
1947-1948	Howard F. Neabb
1948-1957	Joseph Edwin Murphy (1897-1973)
1957-1958	A. M. Lindsay
1958-1959	J. B. Robertson
1959-1961	Charles H. Kester
1961-1963	Frank C. Denham
1963-1975	Con Erickson
1975-1980s	Daniel Shtykalo

Principals (Rossburn High School / Rossburn Collegiate)

Period	Principal
1963-1965	Donald W. Smith
1965-1968	Dennis L. Hennessy
1968-1980s	Mr. W. E. Stefanuk

Teachers

The teachers in the first Rossburn School (1882-1896) included Mr. Bartram, Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Cram, Mr. Reddington, Mr. Seller, Mr. Thompson, William Young, Thomas Young, Miss Home, Miss McLeod, Miss Ross, Miss Starrat, and Miss Thorn. Teachers in the second Rossburn School (1896-1908) were Miss Kate Horne, Henry McKeen, Miss Jennie Galloway, Miss Margaret McKinney, and Miss Minnie McKinney.

Teachers between 1896 and 1908: H. H. McKeen.

Teachers in the third Rossburn School (1908-1959) included Miss Darnley (1908-1912), Miss Daggett (1912), Mr. R. Mulligan (1915), M. MacKinnon (1914-1915), Jessie M. Nickel (1914-1915), Myrtle Dixon (1917-1918), Lottie Hodkinson (1917-1919), Isabelle Phizacklea (1917-1919), Pearl Strong (1918-1920), Violet S. Lawman (1919-1920), Annie B. Sinclair (1919-1920), Mr. Homfeld (1920-1922), Elsie B. Fisher (1920-1922), Ester Birch (1921-1922, 1923-1924), Haze A. Ogston (1921-1922), Eva Vickery (1922-1923), S. Crook (1922-1923), Alice Mellor (1922-1924), Sara E. Moffat (1922-1924), J. H. Irwin (1923-1925), M. Hutchinson (1924-1925), Helen Garvie (1924-1925), Isabelle K. Smith (1924-1925), M. McDougall (1930-1932), Margaret Bell (1930-1935), Mary Jean Coulter (1930-1934, 1936-1937), Violet Rowe (1930-1934), Vina Harlow (1932-1934, 1935-1938, 1940-1941), Z. W. Peden (1933-1934), Gerald Lepper (1933-1935), Alberta L. Griggs (1934-1937), A. B. Cunningham (1935-1936), Harris T. Huston (1935-1938), Gladys Radley (1936-1938), Margaret Dallas Kennedy (1936-1941), E. George Goodwin (1937-1938), B. E. Kent (1938-1939), Stephen Clare Sparling (1938-1939), W. J. D. Fulford (1938-1939), Marjorie M. Stevenson (1938-1941), John Parsons (1939-1941), A. R. Low (1939-1949), S. Hamilton (1940-1941), Adeline E. Smith (1941-1942), Kathleen Watson (1941-1943), Helen Forrest (1941-1944), Verna Hughes (1941-1944), Maude Shewfelt (1941-1942), R. Hines (1942-1943), Olive M. Andrews (1943-1944), Phyllis Chopp (1943-1944), A. J. Wilson (1943-1946), Bertha J. Davis (1943-1945), Grayce I. Lehmann (1944-1945), Eleanor Deane McMillan (1944-1945, 1949-1951), Lorna Veitch (1944-1954, 1955-1956, 1957-1959), Lois E. Cochrane (1945-1946), M. H. Rolph (1945-1946), Dorothy E. Woods (1945-1948, 1950-1951), Lois E. Blair (1945-1946), J. G. Anderson (1946-1947), E. Carlyle Mayes (1946-1947), M. I. Mazier (1946-1947), Ruth Yvonne Graham (1947-1950), J. M. Hemphill (1947-1948), H. F. Neable (1947-1948), O. A. Stechkewich (1947-1949), F. Clucas (1948-1951), Lloyd Sulymka (1948-1950), J. E. Murphy (1948-1952, 1954-1957), M. Rosecki (1949-1950), Harry M. Middlemass (1950-1956), Ed Lytle (1950-1951), Amy Zink (1950-1951), A. M. Mayes (1951-1952), Mary Murphy (1951-1954, 1955-1957), Maurice Chomica (1951-1956), John Kolosky (1952-1953), M. Elvers (1953-1954), C. C. Antoniw (1954-1956), Elsie E. Laycock (1954-1955), Patricia G. Finlay (1955-1956), Dianne MacDonald (1955-1956), J. Rogan (1955-1956), E. A. Gunn (1956-1959), M. J. Tokar (1956-1959), Margaret Hay (1956-1959), R. Stitt (1956-1957), L. R. Neil (1957-1958), F. K. Schultze (1957-1959), Cecil V. Gunn (1957-1959), Beverley Leitch (1958-1959), and Isabel Strand (1958-1959).

School Year	Teachers
1959-1960	Lorna Veitch, Peggy Gunn, Margaret Hay, Alice Guest, Emily McKinnon, Mike Tokar, Ernest Stefanuk, Frank Cicierski, Cecil Gunn
1960-1961	Jean Fox, Alice Guest, Peggy Gunn, Margaret Hay, Catherine Ament, Mike Tokar, Ernest Stefanuk, Frank Cicierski, Cecil Gunn
1961-1962	Jean Fox, Joan Fuglsang, Myrna Loewen, Margetts Reid, Peggy Gunn, Margaret Hay, Catherine Ament, Mike Tokar
1962-1963	Jean Fox, Myrna Loewen, Margetts Reid, Miss Barker, Peggy Gunn, Margaret Hay, Catherine Ament, Fred Gutoski
1963-1964	Anne Restau, Mrs. J. Nicholson, Leona Gates, Patricia Carr, Jack Brignoly, Margaret Hay, Catherine Ament, Fred Gutoski
1964-1965	Anne Restau, S. Leblanc, J. Renwick, L. Gates, Patricia Carr, W. Winder, Jack Brignoly, Margaret Hay, Tony Kalychen, Catherine Ament
1965-1966	Anne Restau, L. Clark,1. Forbes, S. Lukie, W. Winder, D. Grant, V. Dahl, B. Barclay, Margaret Hay, Tony Kalychen, Catherine Ament
1966-1967	Bernard Biedron, Catherine Ament, Tony Kalechyn, Russell Wychreschuk, Margaret Hay, Garry Woods, Myrna Black, Lorna Hemeryck, Barbara Eshelby, Diane Grant, Irene Forbes, Linda Hansen, Lois Clarke, Margaret Mitchell, Olga Kalyniuk
1967-1968	Catherine Ament, Joan Bell, Bernie Biedron, Ardell Clark, Sheila Cole, Marilyn Collins, Barbara Eshelby, Diane Grant, Linda Hansen, Margaret Hay, Lorna Hemeryck, Tony Kalechyn, Patricia Procyshen, Fay Reader, Constance Shoemaker, Garry Woods, Russell Wychreschuk
1968-1969	Connie Shoemaker, Joan Bell, Marilyn Collins, Linda Hansen, Margaret Winiartz, Diane Grant, Lorna Hemeryck, Sheila Cole, Margaret Hay, Ardell Clark, Germaine Francois, Patricia Procyshen, Mrs. Phyllis Chopp, Keith McMurchy, Nick Sourisseau, Doug Halmarson, Lloyd Elliot, Tony Kalechyn, Catherine Ament
1969-1970	Catherine Ament, Linda Hunter, Audrey Brown, Marilyn Collins, Glenice Wilson, Bonnie Hunter, Marcelle St. Hilaire, Joan Bell, Peggy McLeod, Lorna Hemeryck, Margaret Watson, Nick Sourisseau, Phyllis Chopp, Rick Plaisier, Germaine Francois, Keith McMurchy, Russell Slade, Tony Kalechyn, Sheila Cole, Patricia Procyshen
1970-1971	Linda Warburton, Audrey Brown, Linda Hunter, Linda Rodeck, Glenice Wilson, Bon- . nie Martin, Norma Samocha, Joan Lonsberry, Joan Carson, Maureen Lloyd, Richard Skarban, Gerry Kowal, Rick Plaisier, Keith McMurchy, David Lloyd, Peggy Watson, Duncan Mackenzie, Marion Douglas, Lorna Hemeryck, Patricia Procyshen, Ann Hrycak, Len Derkach, Louise Turner, Bob Lonsberry, Rhoda Sanderson, Glen Jackson, Loreen Jackson
1971-1972	Linda Warburton, Linda Hunter, Audrey Brown, Glenice Wilson, Louise Turner, Bonnie Martin, NormaSamocha, Ann Hrycak, Carol Lewis, Maureen Lloyd, Leonard Derkach, Gerry Kowal, Richard Skarban, David Lloyd, Glen Jackson, Rick Plaisier, Bob Lonsberry, Marion Douglas, Lorna Hemeryck, Cyrilla McPhee, Loreen Jackson, Keith McMurchy
1972-1973	Norma Samocha, Linda Hunter, Audrey Brown, Louise Turner, Loreen Jackson, Bonnie Martin, Carol Lewis, Gerry Kowal, Joan Lonsberry, Maureen Lloyd, Bob Lonsberry, Richard Skarban, Leonard Derkach, Glen Jackson, David Lloyd, Rick Plaisier, Keith McMurchy, Lorna Hemeryck, Marion Douglas
1973-1974	Audrey Brown, Leonard Derkach, Marion Douglas, Lorna Hemeryck, Linda Hunter, Glen Jackson, Germaine Kowal, Caroline Lewis, David Lloyd, Maureen Lloyd, Joan Lonsberry, Bob Lonsberry, Bonnie Martin, Keith McMurchy, Faye Orr, Rick Plaisier, Norma Samocha, Richard Skarban, Louise Turner, James Procyk
1974-1975	Audrey Brown, Beverley Brown, Marion Douglas, Nancy Fraser, Germaine Kowal, Yvonne Lawson, Bob Lonsberry, David Lloyd, Maureen Lloyd, Keith McMurchy, Faye Orr, Rick Plaisier, James Procyk, Richard Skarban, Louise Turner, Linda Warburton
1975-1976	Catherine Ament, Beverley Brown, Marion Douglas, Vivian Henderson, Louise Hrubeniuk, Linda Hunter, Barbara Klassen, Deborah Kurylko, Yvonne Lawson, Bob Lonsberry, Vernice Pirie, Rick Plaisier, Patricia Porznak, James Procyk, Deborah Rausch, Richard Skarban, Linda Warburton, Joseph Zurbyk
1976-1977	Catherine Ament, Beverley Brown, Viviane Desrochers, Marion Douglas, Vivian Henderson, Linda Hunter, Deborah Kurylko, Yvonne Lawson, Bob Lonsberry, Linda Mar, Vernice Pirie, Rick Plaisier, Patricia Porznak, James Procyk, Rosemary Smith, Joseph Zurbyk
1977-1978	Catherine Ament, John Calder, Viviane Desrochers, Marion Douglas, Vivian Henderson, Linda Hunter, Yvonne Lawson, Bob Lonsberry, Linda Mar, Peter Morgan, Sharon Nichvalodoff, Rick Plaisier, James Procyk, Rosemary Smith, Muriel Snyder, Marcella Stefaniw, Joseph Zurbyk
1978-1979	Catherine Ament, Linda Hunter, Marcella Stefaniw, Sharon Nichvoladoff, Rosemary Smith, Erva Lindsay, Elizabeth Herman, John Calder, Nick Kalyniuk, Alma Grimard, Joe Zurbyk, Jim Procyk, Vivian Henderson, Rick Plaisier, Bob Lonsberry, Marion Douglas, Yvonne Lillie, Norbert Tanner
1979-1980	Catherine Ament, Linda Hunter, Yvonne Lillie, Erva Lindsay, Sharon Nichvolodoff, Elizabeth Herman, Marcella Stefaniw, John Calder, Nick Kalyniuk, Patricia Spraggs, Joe Zurbyk, Christina Kolek, Jim Procyk, Vivian Henderson, Rick Plaisier, Marion Douglas, Bob Lonsberry, Norbert Tanner
1980-1981	Catherine Ament, Linda Hunter, Yvonne Lillie, Robin Maxwell, Joan Lonsberry, Elizabeth Herman, Carol Fleury, John Calder, Nick Kalyniuk, Patricia Spraggs, Joe Zurbyk, Jim Procyk, Vivian Henderson, Rick Plaisier, Marion Douglas, Bob Lonsberry, Norbert Tanner
1981-1982	Catherine Ament, John Calder, Marion Douglas, Carol Fleury, Vivian Henderson, Elizabeth Herman, Linda Hunter, Nick Kalyniuk, Dennis Kaskiw, Yvonne Lillie, Joan Lonsberry, Robin Maxwell, James Procyk, Patricia Spraggs, Joseph Zurbyk
1982-1983	Sandra Arthur, John Calder, Marion Douglas, Vivian Henderson, Linda Hunter, Nick Kalyniuk, Dennis Kaskiw, Robert Lonsberry, Yvonne Lillie, Robin Maxwell, James Procyk, Patricia Spraggs, Maridee Warner, Cindy Zurbyk, Joseph Zurbyk
1983-1984	Yvonne Lillie, Cindy Zurbyk, Candace Abramchuk, Connie Lyman, Alana Hattie, Linda Strachan, Catherine Hentig, Nick Kalyniuk, Patricia Spraggs, Joe Zurbyk, James Procyk, John Calder, Marianne Bewcyk, Dennis Kaskiw, Marion Douglas, Bob Lonsberry, Linda Hunter

Teachers (Rossburn High School / Rossburn Collegiate)

School Year	Teachers
1961-1962	Cecil Gunn, Frank Cicierski, W. E. Stefanuk, Rev. W. Donovan
1962-1963	Cecil Gunn, Ernest Stefanuk, Frank Cicierski, Vic Hay, Boris Bugera
1963-1964	Ernest Stefanuk, Frank Cicierski, Stephen Dvorak, Miss B. Tellier
1964-1965	Ernest Stefanuk, Frank Cicierski, J. Graham, B. Tellier, Harris Huston
1965-1966	Judi Hammill, Leslie Turnbull, Morry Levin, Morris Cesmystruk, Harris Huston, Ernest Stefanuk, Margaret Miller, Janice McFeetors, Rev. Gordon Fulford
1966-1967	W. E. Stefanuk, Louis Kurchaba, Leslie Wrightson, Nestor Stadnyk, Jack Brignoly, Dennis Wrightson, Joseph Kerbrat
1967-1968	John Brignoly, Dennis Nevin, Joseph Kerbrat, Gloria Kostesky, Louis Kurchaba, George McKinnon, W. E. Stefanuk, Dennis Wrightson, Leslie Wrightson
1968-1969	J. Clark, J. White, G. McKinnon, L. Kurchaba, Mrs. G. Rubeniuk, D. Nevin, C. Durston, J. Kerbrat, J. Michalchuk
1969-1970	Marie Cwiertnia, Carolyn Durston, Harris Huston, Joe Kerbrat, Louis Kurchaba, George McKinnon, Andy Stevenson, William Vandurme, Jerry Samuels
1970-1971	Marie Cwiertnia, Carolyn Durston, Joe Kerbrat, Louis Kurchaba, Bob Lonsberry, Jerry Samuels, Dennis Schoonbaert, Andy Stevenson, William Vandurme, Deryl Ortynsky
1971-1972	William Vandurme, Louis Kurchaba, Jerry Samuels, Carolyn Durston, Marie Cwiertnia, Joe Kerbrat, Dennis Schoonbaert, Andy Stevenson, Deryl Ortynsky, Craig Nelson, Mrs. Caroline Antoniw
1972-1973	Joe Kerbrat, Louis Kurchaba, Marie Cwiertnia, Jerry Samuels, Janet Dowhan, Walter Dueck, Deryl Ortynsky, Adrien De Ruyck, Dennis Schoonbaert
1973-1974	Deryl Ortynsky, Marie Cwiertnia, Janet Dowhan, Walter Dueck, Joseph Kerbrat, Louis Kurchaba, Jerry Samuels, Adrien De Ruyck, Dennis Schoonbaert
1974-1975	Adrien De Ruyck, Janet Dowhan, Walter Dueck, Joseph Kerbrat, Louis Kurchaba, Deryl Ortynsky, Marie Plaisier, Jerry Samuels, Dennis Schoonbaert
1975-1976	Gordon Bettess, Francis Bird, Gail Chitz, Jerry Samuels, Walter Dueck, Joseph Kerbrat, Louis Kurchaba, Deryl Ortynsky, Marie Plaisier, Dennis Schoonbaert
1976-1977	Francis Bird, Walter Dueck, Joe Kerbrat, Chlistina Kolek, Louis Kurchaba, Deryl Ortynsky, Tannis Peters, Jerry Samuels, Dennis Schoonbaert
1978-1979	Beverley Brown, Walter Dueck, Louis Kurchaba, Peter Cooper, Francois Prevost, Joseph Poitras, Gail Rogers, Jerry Samuels, Kathy Shewchuk
1979-1980	Beverley Brown, George Bayly, Peter Cooper, Walter Dueck, Stan Fleury, Louis Kurchaba, Marlene Penner, Joseph Poitras, Jerry Samuels, Norbert Tanner
1980-1981	George Bayly, Beverley Brown, Peter Cooper, Walter Dueck, Stan Fleury, Louis Kurchaba, Marlene Penner, Joseph Poitras, Jerry Samuels
1981-1982	Beverley Brown, Don Jackson, Walter Dueck, Stan Fleury, Louis Kurchaba, Marlene Penner, Joseph Poitras, Chris Jones

Photos & Coordinates

The third Rossburn School building, constructed in 1908 and expanded in 1916, demolished in 1959 (no date) by G. W. Bartlett Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 43. Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.67556, W100.81245 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Business: Pratt Lindgren and Associates / Pratt Lindgren Snider Tomcej and Associates

Sources:

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

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.

“Tenders - a ten classroom school [Rossburn Consolidated School],” Winnipeg Tribune, 12 July 1958, page 22.

On the Sunny Slopes of the Riding Mountains, A History of Rossburn and District, Volume 1 by Rossburn History Club, 1984. [Manitoba Legislative Library, F5648.R78 Ont]

A Study of Public School Buildings in Manitoba by David Butterfield, Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, 1994, 230 pages.

We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 25 April 2023

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