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The first school in the Brunkild district was the Poersch School completed in February 1897 on NE18-7-1 west of the Principal Meridian, in the Rural Municipality of Macdonald. In April 1904, a new building was built in Brunkild and it later became a residence for caretakers and teachers.
In February 1920, the Brunkild Consolidated School was opened, the builders having the forethought to pre-wire the building for electricity, which arrived in 1949. The school had four large classrooms, full basement, science room, steam heating, washrooms and office, and offered a full slate of subjects for grades one to eleven.
The high school came under the jurisdiction of the Morris-Macdonald School Division in 1960 and the high school students were bused to the Sanford Collegiate. Eventually, the elementary grades were obliged to do the same, going to J. A. Cuddy School in Sanford, despite an overwhelming vote to remain here in Brunkild. The school property was sold to the Brunkild Memorial Recreation Centre to be used as a playground and park. The building was demolished in 1978.
In 2003, a monument on the old school site was erected by former student Elsie Steinke (1918-2007), in commemoration of the founders, school trustees, teachers, caretakers, and students of Brunkild schools.
Period
Principal
1920-1924
Thomas Wilbert “Wib” Emerson (1888-1969)
1924-1925
Charles Foulsham Laine (1888-1945)
1925-1926
Leonard Kruger (c1898-1991)
1926-1930
Thomas Wilbert “Wib” Emerson (1888-1969)
1930-1931
Charles Edward Clare Durnin (c1903-1974)
1931-1945
Henry Wall
1945-1947
John S. Schellenberg (1899-1977)
1947-1949
Dietrich Richard Dick
1949-1950
George Wesley Denstedt (1896-1979)
1950-1954
Stanley Robert Kitchen (1915-1988)
1954-1960
Alex Sabeski (c1923-2014)
1960-1963
Daniel Heide
1963-1964
Edward Raymond “Ed” Arndt (1939-2019)
1964-1972
Clifford Delbert “Bill” Hall (1920-1995)
Year
Teachers
1920-1921
Lora M. Blanks (grades 1-3), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 3-7)
1921-1922
Lora M. Blanks (grades 1-3), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 6-8), Irene Robinson (grades 3-5)
1922-1923
Lora M. Blanks (grades 1-2), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 6-9), Irene Robinson (grades 3-5)
1923-1924
Lora M. Blanks (grades 1-3, August-December), Marjorie Casey (grades 3-6, May-June), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 8-10, August-December; grades 6-10, January-April; grades 7-10, May-June), Rupert Hoppa (grades 5-7, August-January), Margaret Sutherland (grades 1-3, January-June)
1924-1925
Charles Foulsham Laine (grades 7-11), Lucy Slaughter (grades 4-6), Helen Louise Verrall (grades 1-3)
1925-1926
Etta Jenkins (grades 1-3, January-June), Leonard Krueger (grades 9-11), Lucy Slaughter (grades 4-7), Helen Louise Verrall (grades 1-3, September-December)
1926-1927
Thomas W. Emerson (grades 8-11), Etta Jenkins (grades 4-6), Helen Louise Verrall (grades 1-3)
1927-1928
Ivodell Viola Busby (grades 1-2, April-June), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 7-10), Etta Jenkins (grades 3-6), Helen Louise Verrall (grades 1-2, August-April)
1928-1929
Ivodell Viola Busby (grades 1-2), Thomas W. Emerson (grades 7-10), Mildred Olive Warren (grades 3-6)
1929-1930
Thomas W. Emerson (grades 8-11), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 1-3), Eleanor Slaughter (grades 4-7)
1930-1931
Charles E. Durnin (grades 8-11), Ida Martha Jeske (grades ?), ? (grades 1-7)
1931-1932
Wilmet Margaretta Bowler (grades 1-2), Lily Annie Gillespie (grades 6-8), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)
1932-1933
Wilmet Margaretta Bowler (grades 1-2), Lily Annie Gillespie (grades 6-8), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)
1933-1934
Selma Margaret Davidson (grades 1-2), Lily Annie Gillespie (grades 6-8), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)
1934-1935
Linda Ruth Braun (grades 3-5), Selma Margaret Davidson (grades 1-2), Lily Annie Gillespie (grades 6-8), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)
1935-1936
Joseph Donald Huston (grades 6-8), Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Isobel Malcolmson (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)
1936-1937
Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Harry Edwin Lawson (grades 6-8), Isobel Malcolmson (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)
1937-1938
Ida Martha Jeske (grades 3-5), Harry Edwin Lawson (grades 6-8), Isobel Malcolmson (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)
1938-1939
Evelyn Maude Fletcher (grades 3-5, January-June), Margaret Ellen McArter (grades 1-2), Mrs. W. F. Poersch (?), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Isaac F. Wiens (grades 3-5, August-December), ? (grades 6-8)
1939-1940
Evelyn Maude Fletcher (grades 3-5), K. Elizabeth “Beth” Hoole (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (graes 9-11), Isaac F. Wiens (grades 6-8)
1940-1941
Mary Elizabeth Robinson (grades 1-2), Edith May Somerville (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Isaac F. Wiens (grades 6-8)
1941-1942
Ruth E. Bailey (grades 1-2), Edith May Somerville (grades 3-5), Benjamin “Ben” Unruh (grades 6-8, January-June), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Isaac F. Wiens (grades 6-8, September-December)
1942-1943
Ruth E. Bailey (grades 1-2, September-December; grades 1-3, January-June), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Katherine Caroline Weber (grades 6-8), ? (grades 4-5)
1943-1944
Ruth E. Bailey (grades 1-2), Laura May Ferguson (grades 3-5), Henry Wall (grades 9-11), Katherine Caroline Weber (grades 6-8)
1944-1945
Helen Katherine Brown (grades 6-8), Lois Mae Collins (grades 3-5), Marie Louise Friesen (grades 1-2), Henry Wall (grades 9-11)
1945-1946
Marie Louise Friesen (grades 1-2), Helen K. Hildebrand (grades 3-5), John S. Schellenberg (grades 9-11), Benjamin “Ben” Unruh (grades 6-8)
1946-1947
Marjorie Jean Fraser (grades 6-8), Marie Louise Friesen (grades 1-2), Audrey Pearl Johnson (grades 3-5, September-December), John S. Schellenberg (grades 9-11), Frederick Patterson “Fred” Sharpe (grades 3-5, January-June)
1947-1948
Dietrich Richard Dick (grades 9-11), Marjorie Jean Fraser (grades 5-8), Jean Gray (grades 1-4)
1948-1949
Dietrich Richard Dick (grades 9-11), Marjorie Elizabeth Ruth Harron (grades 1-4), Joseph A. Zuzanski (grades 5-8)
1949-1950
George W. Denstedt (grades 9-11), Marjorie Elizabeth Ruth Harron (grades 1-4), Mavis Ione Johnston (grades 5-8)
1950-1951
Isabelle Therese Berkvens (grades 1-4), L. A. Grabowsky (?), Evelyn Mary Carmichael Griffiths (grades 5-8, May-June), Stanley R. Kitchen (grades 9-11), Joan F. Murray (grades 5-8, September-December), Mary Rankins (grades 5-8, January-March), T. F. Tyler (grades 5-8, April)
1951-1952
Henry Albert Craig (grades 5-8), Stanley R. Kitchen (grades 9-11), Mary Klym (grades 1-4)
1952-1953
Henry Albert Craig (grades 5-8), Stanley R. Kitchen (grades 9-11), Annie Schellenberg (?), ? (grades 1-4)
1953-1954
Peter Enns (grades 5-8), Stanley R. Kitchen (grades 9-11), Annie Schellenberg (?), ? (grades 1-4)
1954-1955
Peter Enns (grades 4-8), Thelma Enns (grades 1-3)), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11)
1955-1956
Margaret Amy McCullough (grades 4-8), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11), ? (grades 1-3)
1956-1957
Margaret Amy McCullough (grades 5-8), Clara Irene McLeod (grades 1-4, April-June), Anne Veronica Nicolajsen (grades 1-3, September-March), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11)
1957-1958
Margaret Amy McCullough (grades 5-8), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11), Wilma Skeavington (grades 1-4)
1958-1959
Daniel Heide (grades 5-8), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11), Wilma Skeavington (grades 1-4)
1959-1960
Daniel Heide (grades 6-8), Margaret Amy McCullough (grades 3-5), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2), Alex Sabeski (grades 9-11)
1960-1961
Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-5), Daniel Heide (grades 6-8), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)
1961-1962
Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-5), Daniel Heide (grades 6-8), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)
1962-1963
Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 4-5), Daniel Heide (grades 6-8), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-3)
1963-1964
Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-4), Edward R. Arndt (grades 7-8), Elma Brandt (grades 5-6), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)
1964-1965
Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-4), Edward R. Arndt (grades 7-8), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)
1965-1966
Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 3-4), George William Collier (grades 7-8), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Margaret Fern Rose (grades 1-2)
1966-1967
Dulcie Jean Anderson (grades 7-8), Muriel Etta Gehring (grades 3-4), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), J. Neumann (?), Margaret Fern Rose (?), ? (grades 1-2)
1967-1968
Mary Guenter (?), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston (?), Heather Lynne Sylvester (grades 3-4), ? (grades 1-2)
1968-1969
Mary Guenter (?), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston (grades 1-2), Heather Lynne Sylvester (grades 3-4)
1969-1970
Emily Elizabeth Goring (grades 3-4), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston (grades 1-2), Denise Yvonne Gillis Weselake (grades 7-8)
1970-1971
Gail Marlene Evans (grades 3-4), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston Halstead (grades 1-2)
1971-1972
Gail Marlene Evans (grades 3-4), Clifford Delbert Hall (grades 5-6), Myrna Mae Preston Halstead (grades 1-2)
Among the other teachers who worked at Brunkild School were Mr. Graaf and Mr. Schultz.
The newly constructed four-classroom Brunkild School building, erected at a cost of $35,000 (circa 1920)
Source: Education Department Report, 1920, Manitoba Legislative Library.
Brunkild School (no date) by E. D. Parker
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 90.
Brunkild School (circa 1963)
Source: Ed Arndt
Brunkild School teacherage (no date)
Source: Ed Arndt
Brunkild School commemorative monument (August 2010)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Brunkild School commemorative monument (November 2024)
Source: Milan LukesSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.59116, W97.57354
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Manitoba Organization: Morris-Macdonald School Division School District No. 19
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.
Memories & Melodies: The History of Brunkild, 1871-1980 by Brunkild History Book Committee, 2003. [Manitoba Legislative Library, F5649.B78 Bru]
Manitoba School Records Collection, Brunkild School District No. 1281 - Daily Registers, GR0638, Archives of Manitoba.
School division half-yearly attendance reports (E 0757), Archives of Manitoba.
Obituary [Elsie Steinke], Winnipeg Free Press, 11 May 2007.
We thank Ed Arndt and Milan Lukes for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 17 November 2024
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