Educator.
Born in Russia in 1910, he immigrated to Winnipeg in 1921. He received BA and BEd degrees and began teaching school in 1934. When Grade 12 was only offered via university enrollment, he founded his own small school around 1937, operating out of his 259 Pritchard Avenue residence, and incorporated Grade 12 courses within the high school curriculum taught to attendees. He taught at Machray School (1940-1941) and St. John’s Technical High School (1942-1954) and went on to be Vice-Principal of Luxton School (1954-1956) and Daniel McIntyre Collegiate (1958-c1969), and Principal of David Livingstone School (1956-1958) and Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate (?-?) before retiring in 1985.
He was a member of the Winnipeg Jewish Musical Club, the Schoolmasters’ Golf Club, Manitoba Teachers’ Society, and played a lead role in the creation of the Manitoba’s first teacher pension plan. He served as Cantor at Jewish High Holiday celebrations and was President of Winnipeg Young Judaea. He was Board Chairman of the West Kildonan School District, Chairman of the Seven Oaks School Division, and served on the Department of Education Curriculum Review Committee and the school system’s promotion committee (1960-?). Active politically with the CCF (later NDP), he was the NDP River Heights candidate in the 1969 provincial general election. He wrote several well-circulated algebra and geometry textbooks used in Manitoba and elsewhere. In recognition of his community service, he received a City of Winnipeg Community Service Award (1974).
On 10 August 1935, he married Sarah “Sally” Studnitz (c1913-1987) and they had three sons.
He lived in Winnipeg for most of his live, save for brief residences in Edmonton, Alberta and Los Angeles, California. After retiring, he moved to Israel in August 1985, where he died on 24 January 1987 and was buried in Kibbutz Yakum. He is commemorated by the Jack and Sally Silverberg Scholarship Fund at the Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate.
Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Attention!” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 August 1937, page 18.
“The Schoolmasters’ Golf Club [...],” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 June 1945, page 12.
“Principals appointments for city schools listed,” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 May 1954, page 3.
“See conflict of interest for teacher-trustee,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 January 1959, page 5.
“He didn’t like this ‘maneuver’,” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 December 1959, page 3.
“Political pressure on teachers alleged,” Winnipeg Free Press, 1 December 1961, page 3.
“What’s new about maths,” by Jack Silverberg, Winnipeg Free Press, 13 May 1966, page 6.
“My name is Jack Silverberg,” Winnipeg Free Press, 23 June 1969, page 15.
“Anniversaries [Jack and Sally Silverberg],” Winnipeg Free Press, 24 August 1985, page 27.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 27 January 1987, page 31.
Obituary [Sally Silverberg], Winnipeg Free Press, 19 November 1987, page 69.
Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 17 August 2024
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