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A monument in the village of Decker, in what is now the Municipality of Hamiota, marks the former location of Decker Consolidated School No. 320. Formed originally in July 1884, Decker School became one of the first to participate in the consolidation movement of the early 20th century when, in May 1912, it merged with Arrowton School No. 728.
In late 1920, a four-classroom brick veneer school building was designed by Winnipeg architect Alexander Melville and constructed at a cost of about $40,000. Opened for classes in January 1921, it was destroyed by fire on 6 November 1935. A one-storey brick replacement measuring 48 by 80 feet with a full basement, containing four classrooms and an auditorium, was constructed while classes were held in the community hall. The new school opened officially on 8 June 1936 at a ceremony attended by MLA T. Wolstenholme, W. Iverach of Isabella, J. Spalding of Miniota, and school inspector J. W. Clarke.
The school closed in June 1968 and the building was demolished. The school’s catchment area became part of the Birdtail River School Division. A school of the same name operates on a Hutterite colony northwest of this site, at SE25-15-25W.
Period
Principal
1920-1924
John Walter Clarke (1920-1924).
1924-1925
James Clark Whenham (1896-1970)
1925-1927
Joseph Edward Cooper (1887-1973)
1927-1931
Ernest Sidney Heys (1903-1979)
1931-1933
William Lineham Logan (1898-1987)
1933-1937
Ella Bryson Cumming (1899-1985)
1937-1939
Keith Ian Sanburn Smith (c1908-1972)
1939-1956
George Russell Pearson (1906-1987)
1956-1958
Gordon Victor Reynolds (1926-1964)
1958-1960
William A. “Bill” Johnstone
1960-1962
Joyce Isabelle Richardson Lief (1930-1963)
1962-1963
Mary Joan Foxton (1936-2015)
1963-1968
Maureen Milne
School Year
Teachers
1913-1914
Mr. Moore
1914-1915
Miss A. Howeth, Miss Myrtle Sunley
1915-1916
Mr. Shore, Miss Walker
1916-1917
Ethel Andrews, John J. McCruden
1917-1918
Ethel Andrews, John J. McCruden
1918-1919
Ethel Andrews, Cameron Bean
1919-1920
Cameron Bean, Miss Grace McConnell
1920-1921
Miss Forrest, Miss Hamilton, Miss Evelyn Hardaker, Miss Grace McConnell
1921-1922
Miss Hamilton, Miss Grace McConnell
1922-1923
? Jenkins, Miss Grace McConnell
1923-1924
? Jenkins, Miss Grace McConnell
1924-1925
? Jenkins, Miss Grace McConnell
1925-1926
Ella Barbour, Miss Grace McConnell
1926-1927
William Andrew, Miss Grace McConnell
1927-1928
William Andrew, Miss Grace McConnell
1928-1929
William Andrew, Miss Grace McConnell
1929-1930
Mr. Burnside, Miss Grace McConnell
1930-1931
Miss Grace McConnell
1931-1932
1932-1933
1933-1934
1934-1935
1935-1936
Marion T. Frame, Miss Edith King, George Pearson
1936-1937
Marion T. Frame, Miss Edith King, George Pearson
1937-1938
Miss Edith King, Kathleen King, George Pearson
1938-1939
Miss Edith King, Kathleen King, George Pearson
1939-1940
Miss Edith King, Kathleen King
1940-1941
Kathleen Kidgell, Winnifred Northcott
1941-1942
Winnifred Northcott, Alfred Stevens, Ronald Watson
1942-1943
Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, I. Kathleen Drake, Mrs. E. McInnis
1943-1944
Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, Laura Wallace
1944-1945
Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, Laura Wallace
1945-1946
Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, Laura Wallace
1946-1947
Edna Pangman Arbuthnot, Laura Wallace
1947-1948
Alfred Pierre Champagne, Betty Emerson
1948-1949
Betty Emerson, Lily May Nevin
1949-1950
1950-1951
Lily May Nevin, Gwen Vigfusson
1951-1952
Lily May Nevin, Gwen Vigfusson
1952-1953
Bernice Carson, Lily May Nevin
1953-1954
Evelyn Houck, Lily May Nevin
1954-1955
Lily May Nevin, Mrs. Frances Peel
1955-1956
Mrs. Frances Peel, Oscar Andrew Wurster
1956-1957
Cliff Glenn, Mrs. Frances Peel, Mrs. Leila Roby
1957-1958
Cliff Glenn, Mrs. Frances Peel
1958-1959
Cliff Nichols, Maria Tivey
1959-1960
Cliff Nichols, Estelle Hall
1960-1961
Estelle Hall
1961-1962
Estelle Hall
1962-1963
Agnes Bridge, Estelle Hall
1963-1964
Agnes Bridge, Estelle Hall
1964-1965
Louise Hyndman
1965-1966
Louise Hyndman
1966-1967
Nora Davidson, Mrs. Sadie Higgins, Louise Hyndman
1967-1968
Louise Hyndman
Decker School (no date) by J. B. Morrison
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 22.
Decker School (no date) by J. W. Clarke
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-1, page 22.
Decker School commemorative monument (October 2011)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Coordinates (lat/long): N50.26976, W100.78397
denoted by symbol on the map above
“Tenders for Decker Consolidated School,” Winnipeg Tribune, 12 June 1920, page 39.
“Teachers at the convention,” Brandon Sun, 15 October 1920, page 6.
“Decker Consolidated School burned down,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 November 1935, page 17.
“Decker proud of new school opened with appropriate program,” Brandon Sun, 10 June 1936, page 17.
“Formal opening of new Decker School,” Winnipeg Free Press, 11 June 1936, page 9.
“Teachers are named,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 August 1937, page 9.
Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.
“Mrs. Boyd Lief enters into rest,” Hamiota Echo, 8 May 1963, page 1.
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.
Decker Memoirs: A History of Decker and Community, 1880-1970, Decker Women’s Institute, 1970.
Funeral announcement [Mary Joan Foxton (Teal)], Campbell Funeral Home.
Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.
Obituary [Verna Ruth Louise Pennycook], G. R. Carscadden Funeral Chapel.
We thank Nathan Kramer, and Ken and Vicki Smith for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Blaine Little.
Page revised: 28 November 2023
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