Historic Sites of Manitoba: Jordon Creek School / Halley School No. 1532 (RM of Dauphin)

Known originally as Jordon Creek School District when it was established in March 1910, its name was later changed to Halley, probably reflecting the appearance of Halley’s Comet that year. A one-room schoolhouse was constructed at NE10-24-20W in the Rural Municipality of Dauphin. The school closed in June 1960 and the district was dissolved later that year, after which students from this area went to schools in Dauphin. The school building is no longer present at the site but a monument commemorates it.

Among the teachers who worked at Halley School through the years were Adella Otson, Oliver McQuay, Art Bailey, Hilton Kendrick, Miss Lyle, Mary Kerr, David Binkley, Mrs. Wardrop, Mary Gourlay, John Presunka, Thorstein Eastman, Frances Wilmot, Margaret Kennedy, Nellie Gidnevich, Vera Koshowski, A. J. Drebnicki, Walter Fyck, Helen Fedorwich, Pauline Shenderoich, Arthur Stringer, Mrs. C. McEwen, Gwen Smith, Sheila Payne, Edith Peterson, Mrs. Ann Smylski (1954-1958), Leocadia Czarnecki (1958-1959), Miss Mavis Lindsay (1959-1960), Leocada Czarick, Mrs. M. Stafenuk, and Elfreda Ablett (1938).

Halley School (no date) by H. J. Everall Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 134. Halley School commemorative monument (July 2013) Source: Alan Mason Site Coordinates (lat/long): N51.06634, W100.19001 denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

“The local round,” Dauphin Herald, 20 October 1938, page 9.

“Teaching staffs named for “A” and “B” groups,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 9 September 1954, page 1.

“Record-breaking enrollments expected here in collegiate, elementary schools,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 1 September 1955, page 1.

“All-time high enrollments expected for town schools,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 30 August 1956, page 1.

“Town schools open today, high enrollments expected,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 29 August 1957, page 1.

“Total of 110 teachers assigned to schools in Dauphin-Ochre area,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 4 September 1958, page 1.

“Teaching staffs assigned to rural, village schools,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 3 September 1959, page 1.

“26 rural schools start fall term classes Tuesday,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 31 August 1960, page 1, 4.

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.

“Plans under way to recognize Halley School,” Dauphin Herald, 6 November 2007.

This page was prepared by Alan Mason and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 23 March 2021

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