Curtis School District was formed in 1902. At the time, the western part of the district was heavily wooded with few permanent settlers so the school was built east of the centre of the district, on the southeast corner of 19-11-5 west of the Principal Meridian, in the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie. As the population of the area increased, and especially in the west, the school trustees decided to build another school but not to divide the district. As a result, the existing school became known as East Curtis while a new school, at SW24-11-6 became West Curtis. The original school building was sold and moved to a nearby farm for a time, later being moved to the Whoop and Holler Bend where it was served as a community hall. Eventually it was sold and moved to a farm for use as a residence.
Over time, West Curtis School became overcrowded. For a time, students were transported to East Curtis School. In 1960, a second classroom was added to the West School, along with a teacherage for two teachers. In 1967, East Curtis School was consolidated into Oakville School. The school building was sold and moved to Elm Creek.
Among the teachers of East Curtis School was William Malcolm “Bill” McMillan.
Curtis School (no date) by A. B. Fallis
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 74.
East Curtis School commemorative sign (September 2010)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.93166, W98.07893
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: West Curtis School No. 1187 (RM of Portage la Prairie)
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.
Rural Schools of Portage la Prairie School Division #24 by Muriel Wright, 1996.
A Study of Public School Buildings in Manitoba by David Butterfield, Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, 1994, 230 pages.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 10 February 2021
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