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The history of education in the community of Steinbach dates to the Fall of 1875, with the construction of a thatched roof log schoolhouse near the southeast corner of what would become Main Street and Reimer Avenue. The private Mennonite School measured 14 feet by 20 feet and was located on the property of Klaas R. Reimer. Teachers’ quarters were provided in an adjacent annex.
The Steinbach School District was formally established in November 1878, and a two room, dual-use facility was built in 1880-1881, with one end serving as both a community hall / church, and the other end as a school. The teaching space measured 28 feet long, 24 feet wide, and 9 feet in height. This building was initially located within the SW35-6-6-E, though by the mid 1890s it was slightly relocated to NW35-6-6E.
On 28 October 1913, a replacement facility was opened officially by Deputy Minister of Education Robert Fletcher, J. A. Beattie, and School Inspector Andreas Weidenhammer. The new two-storey school building was steam-heated and featured four classrooms along with a basement and was completed at a cost of around $8,000. It was known informally as Kornelsen (sometimes spelled Kornelson) School, named in commemoration of teacher Gerhard Enns Kornelsen. It housed all grades until 1936 when a separate high school was constructed. With the opening of the collegiate, this site was also known as Steinbach School No. 1, and later as by as Central School as additional education facilities were built in the district.
The building was closed and demolished in 1964 and the Kornelsen name was transferred to the former high school, which became a junior high school. Later that same year, Steinbach's City Hall was built on the former site of the school.
Period
Principal
1897-1911
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (1857-1933)
1912-1915
Abraham Penner Friesen (1887-1953)
1915-1916
?
1916-1918
Cornelius Friesen Barkman (1888-1970)
1918-1919
Abraham Hiebert “Abram” Wiebe (1892-1979)
1919-1923
Abraham Penner Friesen (1887-1953)
1923-1936
Julius George Toews (1893-1981)
After 1936
Period
Principal
1936-1946
Peter S. Guenther (1897-1991)
1946-1964
Mary Dyck Kornelsen (1911-1988)
Period
Teachers
1897
Dietrich Friesen (junior grades), Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (senior grades)
1898
Dietrich Friesen (junior grades), Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (senior grades)
1899
Dietrich Friesen (junior grades), Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (senior grades)
1900
Dietrich Friesen (junior grades), Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (senior grades)
1901
Dietrich Friesen (grades 1-2, spring), Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 3-4), Heinrich Rempel (grades 1-2, fall)
1902
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 3-4), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2, fall), Heinrich Rempel (grades 1-2, spring)
1903
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 2-3), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2)
1904
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 2-3), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2)
1905
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 2-4), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2)
1906
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 2-4), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2)
1907
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 2-4), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2)
1908
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 2-4), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2)
1909
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 2-4), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2)
1910
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 2-4), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grade 1)
1911
Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (grades 2-4), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grade 1)
1912
Cornelius Friesen Barkman (grades 1-2), Abraham Penner Friesen (grades 3-6), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grade 1-2)
1912-1913
Abraham Penner Friesen (grades 3-8), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2)
1913-1914
Abraham Penner Friesen (grades 3-8, 1914), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 2-6, 1913), Henry S. Rempel (grades 1-2)
1914-1915
Abraham Penner Friesen (grades 5-10), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grade 1), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 3-5), Henry S. Rempel (grades 1-2)
1915-1916
Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 1-2), Henry S. Rempel (grades 1-3, 1915; grades 2-4, 1916), Mary C. Unger (grades 4-8)
1916-1917
Cornelius Friesen Barkman (grades 4-8), Gerhard Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grade 1, 1916), Henry S. Rempel (grades 2-4), Katherine F. “Kath” Toews (grade 1, 1917)
1917-1918
Cornelius Friesen Barkman (grades 4-8), Henry S. Rempel (grades 2-4), Katherine F. “Kath” Toews (grades 1-2)
1918-1919
Peter S. Buhr (grades 2-4), Katherine F. “Kath” Toews (grades 1-2), Helen A. Steel (grades 2-3, 1919), Abram Hiebert Wiebe (grades 4-8)
1919-1920
Abraham Penner Friesen (grades 9-10), Anne Friesen (grades 2-3, 1919), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 5-8), Susan Neufeld (grades 2-3, 1920), Helen A. Steel (grades 2-3), Julius George Toews (grades 3-4), Katherine F. “Kath” Toews (grades 1-2)
1920-1921
Abraham Penner Friesen (grades 9-10), Helen J. Hiebert (grades 2-3), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 5-8), Susan Neufeld (grades 3-4), Katherine F. “Kath” Toews (grades 1-2)
1921-1922
Abraham Penner Friesen (grades 9-10, 1921; grades 5 & 9-10, 1922), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 5-8), William Kornelsen (grades 3-4), Susan Neufeld (grades 2-3, 1921), Sarah A. Smith (grades 1-2, 1921; grades 2-3, 1922)
1922-1923
Abraham Penner Friesen (grades 5, 7, & 9-10), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 4-5 & 9-10), William Kornelsen (grades 2-4), Edith M. Reid (grades 1-2)
1923-1924
John R. Barkman (grades 4-5), Mary Derksen (grades 2-3), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 6-8 & night school), Edith M. Reid (grades 1-2), Julius George Toews (grades 9-11)
1924-1925
John R. Barkman (grades 4-5), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 6-8), Edith M. Reid (grades 1-2), Julius George Toews (grades 9-10), Agnes Wiebe (grades 2-3)
1925-1926
Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 6-8), Julius George Toews (grades 9-11), Agnes Wiebe (grades 2-3), Annie Wiebe (grades 1-2), Frank Wiebe (grades 4-5)
1926-1927
Peter S. Guenther (grades 4-5), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 6-8), Julius George Toews (grades 9-11), Agnes Wiebe (grades 2-3), Annie Wiebe (grades 1-2)
1927-1928
Peter S. Guenther (grades 4-5), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 9-10), Lena F. Reimer (grades 1-2), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 6-8), Julius George Toews (grades 10-11), Agnes Wiebe (grades 2-3)
1928-1929
Peter S. Guenther (grades 4-5), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grade 9, 1928; grades 9-10, 1929), Helena Friesen Reimer (grades 1-2), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 6-8), Julius George Toews (grades 10-11), Margaret F. Toews (grades 3-4)
1929-1930
Peter S. Guenther (grades 4-5), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grade 9), Helena Friesen Reimer (grades 1-2), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 6-8), Julius George Toews (grades 10-11), Agnes Wiebe (grades 2-4)
1930-1931
Peter S. Guenther (grades 5-6), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grade 9), Helen B. Janz (grade 1), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 7-8), Julius George Toews (grades 10-11), Agnes Wiebe (grades 2-4)
1931-1932
Peter S. Guenther (grades 4-6), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 9-10), Helen B. Janz (grades 1-2), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 7-8), Helen Toews (night school, 1931), Julius George Toews (grade 11), Agnes Wiebe (grades 2-4)
1932-1933
Peter S. Guenther (grades 4-6), Katherine Janz (grades 1-2), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 9-10), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 7-8), Agnes Wiebe (grades 2-4), Julius George Toews (grade 11)
1933-1934
Peter S. Guenther (grades 5-6), Katherine Janz (grades 2-3), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 9-10), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 7-8), Agnes Wiebe (grades 3-4), Julius George Toews (grade 11)
1934-1935
Peter S. Guenther (grades 5-6), Katherine Janz (grades 2-3), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 9-10), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 7-8), Agnes Wiebe (grades 3-4), Julius George Toews (grade 11)
1935-1936
Peter S. Guenther (grades 4-5), Jacob Giesbrecht Kornelsen (grades 9-10), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Aganetha Freisen Reimer (grade 2), Peter J. B. Reimer (grades 5-6), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 7-8), Agnes Wiebe (grade 3), Julius George Toews (grade 11)
1936-1937
Peter S. Guenther (grades 4-5), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Aganetha Freisen Reimer (grade 2), Peter J. B. Reimer (grades 5-6), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 7-8), Agnes Wiebe (grade 3)
1937-1938
Peter S. Guenther (grade 4), Anna Hendricks (grade 3), Anna Janzen (grade 2), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 6), Abraham Peter Toews (grades 7-8), Agnes Wiebe (grade 5)
1938-1939
Elizabeth L. Giesbrecht (grade 4), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Anna Hendricks (grade 3), Anna Janzen (grade 2), Aganetha Freisen Reimer (grade 1), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 7), Abraham Peter Toews (grade 8), Agnes Wiebe (grade 5)
1939-1940
Elizabeth L. Giesbrecht (grade 4, 1939; grade 2), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Anna Hendricks (grade 3), Anna Janzen (grade 2, 1939; grade 4), Aganetha Freisen Reimer (grade 2, 1939; grade 1), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 7), Abraham Peter Toews (grade 8), Agnes Wiebe (grade 5)
1940-1941
Miss M. Ruth Brown (grade 2), Elizabeth L. Giesbrecht (grades 1-2), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Anna Hendricks (grade 3), Anna Janzen (grade 4), Aganetha Freisen Reimer (grade 1), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 7), Abraham Peter Toews (grade 8), Agnes Wiebe (grade 5)
1941-1942
Miss M. Ruth Brown (grade 2, 1941), Elizabeth L. Giesbrecht (grades 1 & 3), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Anna Hendricks (grade 3), Anna Janzen (grade 4), Rose Sophia Mierau (grade 8), Katharine Margaren Olson (grade 2), Aganetha Freisen Reimer (grade 1), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 7), Agnes Wiebe (grade 5)
1942-1943
Elizabeth L. Giesbrecht (grade 2), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Anna Hendricks (grade 3), Anna Janzen (grade 4), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 5), Katharine Margaret Olson (grades 1 & 4), Aganetha Freisen Reimer (grade 1), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 7), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8)
1943-1944
Elizabeth L. Giesbrecht (grade 2), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Anna Hendricks (grade 4), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grades 3-5), Katharine Margaret Olson (grade 3), Aganetha Freisen Reimer (grade 1), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 7), Rosella Marie Toews (grades 1-2), Anna Janzen Unruh (grade 5)
1944-1945
Elizabeth L. Giesbrecht (grade 5), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grades 5-6), Katharine Margaret Olson (grade 4), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Margaretha Friesen “Margaret” Reimer (grades 1-2), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 7), Wendolyn O. Rempel (grade 3), Eva Ilene Simpson (grade 1), Rosella Marie Toews (grade 2)
1945-1946
Ellie Duerksen (grade 3), Peter S. Guenther (grade 4), Pauline Johnson (grade 5, 1945), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Rossie E. J. Lundy (grades 6-7), Katharine Margaret Olson (grade 6), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Margaretha Friesen “Margaret” Reimer (grades 1-3), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 7), Wendolyn O. Rempel (grade 5, 1946), Rosella Marie Toews (grade 2)
1946-1947
Nettie Frances Enns (grade 2), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Katharine Margaret Olson (grade 4), Elizabeth Regina Reimer (grade 1), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Peter J. B. Reimer (grade 7), Rosella Marie Toews (grade 3), Vernon Kenneth Toews (grades 7-8), John Wittenberg (grade 5)
Period
Teachers
1947-1948
Tina Andres (grade 4), Nettie Frances Enns (grade 2), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Elizabeth Regina Reimer (grade 1), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Peter J. B. Reimer (grades 7-8), Rosella Marie Toews (grade 3), Vernon Kenneth Toews (grade 7), John Wittenberg (grade 5)
1948-1949
[also Steinbach School No. 3] Tina Andres (grade 4), Hildegard “Hilda” Ediger (grades 2-3), Nettie Frances Enns (grade 2), Irmgard Leona Epp (grades 3-4), Nettie Friesen (grades 5-6), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Harvey Van Penner (grade 5), Jacob Jacob Peters (grades 7-8), Elizabeth Regina Reimer (grade 1), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Margaretha Friesen “Margaret” Reimer (grade 3), John Wittenberg (grade 5)
1949-1950
[also Steinbach School No. 3] Tina Andres (grade 4), Constance Doreen Barkman (kindergarten), Elizabeth Bergmann (grade 1), Nettie Frances Enns (grade 2), Irmgard Leona Epp (grades 3-4), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Verna Emmeline Loewen (grade 2), Jacob Jacob Peters (grade 8), Dorothea Reimer (grade 5), Elfrieda Rempel (grades 1-3), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Howard James Reimer (grades 5-6), Margaretha Friesen “Margaret” Reimer (grade 3), Peter J. B. Reimer (grades ?), Margaret Toews (grades 1-3), John Wittenberg (grade 7)
1950-1951
[also Steinbach School No. 3] Tina Andres (grade 4), Constance Doreen Barkman (kindergarten), Elizabeth Bergmann (grade 1), Peter U. Dueck (grades 5-6), Nettie Frances Enns (grade 2), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Emma Gruenke Kornelsen (grade 7), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Dorothea Reimer (grade 5), Elfreda Schroeder (grades 3-4), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Howard James Reimer (grade 7), Margaretha Friesen “Margaret” Reimer (grade 3), Mary Rempel (grade 3), Margaret Toews (grade 2), Edith Mary Wiebe (grade 1)
1951-1952
[also Steinbach School No. 3] Tina Andres (grade 4), Constance Doreen Barkman (kindergarten), Elizabeth Bergmann (grade 1), Peter U. Dueck (grades 5-6), Nettie Frances Enns (grade 2), George E. Ewert (grade 7), Marie L. Friesen (grade 2), Peter S. Guenther (grade 6), Emma Gruenke Kornelsen (grades 7-8), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Dorothea Reimer (grade 5), Elfreda Schroeder (grade 4), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Margaretha Friesen “Margaret” Reimer (grade 3), Mary Rempel (grade 3), Margaret Toews (grade 2), Edith Mary Wiebe (grade 1)
1952-1953
[also Steinbach School No. 3] Tina Andres (grade 4), Constance Doreen Barkman (kindergarten), Elizabeth Bergmann (grade 1), Adeline Enns (grade 3), Nettie Frances Enns (grade 2), George E. Ewert (grade 7), Peter D. Fast (grade 6), Henry P. Friesen (grade 6), Marie L. Friesen (grade 2), Violet S. Friesen (grade 5), Peter S. Guenther (grades 7-8), Agnes Hildebrand (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Elfreda Schroeder (grade 4), Tina Redekopp (grade 3), Gustav “Gus” Reimer (grade 8), Margaretha Friesen “Margaret” Reimer (grade 5), Margaret Toews (grade 2), Edith Mary Wiebe (grade 1)
1953-1954
[also Steinbach School No. 3] Constance Doreen Barkman (kindergarten), Elizabeth Bergmann (grade 1), Adeline Enns (grade 3), Nettie Frances Enns (grade 4), Henry P. Friesen (grade 6), Marie L. Friesen (grade 2), Agnes Hildebrand (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Tina Redekopp (grade 3), LaVerna June Reimer (grade 4), Margaret Toews (grade 2), Adina Veleda Unger (grade 2), Anne Marie Warkentin (grade 4)
1954-1955
Agnes Hildebrand (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Adina Veleda Unger (grade 2), Anne Marie Warkentin (grade 4)
1955-1956
Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), ? (grades 2-4)
1956-1957
Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), ? (grades 2-4)
1957-1958
Rose Mary Ann Kihn (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Henrietta Gerda Reimer (grade 2), Lenna Wiebe (grade 4)
1958-1959
Anne Driediger (grade 2), Rose Mary Ann Kihn (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), John E. Martens (grade 5), Lenna Wiebe (grade 4)
1959-1960
Anne Driediger (grade 2), Rose Mary Ann Kihn (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Eunice Toews (kindergarten), Leanna Wiebe (grade 4)
Period
Teachers
1960-1961
Mona Gail Dulder (kindergarten), John G. Dyck (grade 5), Rose Julia Mary Freund (grade 4), Elizabeth Friesen (grade 3), Martha Goertzen (grade 2), Rose Mary Ann Kihn (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1)
1961-1962
Mona Gail Dulder (kindergarten), Martha Goertzen (grade 2), Rose Mary Ann Kihn (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1)
1962-1963
Margaret Epp (grade 2), Rose Mary Ann Kihn (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Esther Toews (grade 4)
1963-1964
Margaret Epp (grade 2), Rose Mary Ann Kihn (grade 3), Mary Dyck Kornelsen (grade 1), Anne Marie Warkentin (grade 4)
Among the other teachers at Steinbach School / Kornelsen School were Abraham T. Friesen (1875-1876), Gerhard Enns Kornelsen (1876-1880, 1887-1896) and Dietrich S. Friesen (1880-1884), Jacob G. Barkman (1884-?), ? (1884-1887). Later teachers include Miss Winnifred Coates, Miss Irene Dyck, Miss Anne Fehr, Mrs. Rose Freund, Miss Leanna Giesbrecht, Miss Margaret Olsen, and Mrs. Eileen Reimer.
The original Kornelsen School building (no date) by James Tod
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 27
Steinbach City Hall (April 2022)
Source: Rose KuzinaSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.52594, W96.68479
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Kornelsen School (304 Second Street, Steinbach)
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.
Schools - Our Heritage: From 46 School Districts to Hanover Unitary School Division (1878-1968) by John K. Schellenberg, The Board of The Hanover School Division No. 15, May 1985, ISBN 0-919673-93-7.
Steinbach, So Much to Celebrate: 1946-1996, Derksen Printers, 1997. [Manitoba Legislative Library, F 5649.S84]
“Steinbach School opened,” Manitoba Free Press, 31 October 1913, page 15.
“Steinbach’s 32 teachers ... [and their four schools],” Steinbach Carillon, 1 October 1954, pages 12 & 13.
“Slight changes on Steinbach School staff,” Steinbach Carillon News, 28 August 1959, page 1.
School division half-yearly attendance reports (E 0757), Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Steinbach School District No. 65 - Attendance Registers, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Steinbach School District No. 65 - Daily Registers, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Steinbach School District No. 65 - (Kornelsen School) Daily Registers, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Steinbach School District No. 65 - Cash Books, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Steinbach School District No. 65 - Minute Books, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Steinbach School District No. 65 - Miscellaneous Records, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
The Old School - Kornelson School Memories.
Reflections on our Heritage: A History of Steinbach and the RM of Hanover by Abe Warkentin, 1971, page 102.
Give Me This Mountain by Mary Kornelsen, 1974.
Between Earth and Sky by Ralph Friesen, 2009.
We thank Glen Klassen and Ernest Braun (EastMenn Historical Society), Bev Kornelsen, and Rose Kuzina for providing information used here.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 22 January 2024
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