The Hamilton School District was organized formally in April 1895, named for a common family surname in the area. The following year, a school building was erected on the southwest quarter of 15-23-17 west of the Principal Meridian in what is now the Rural Municipality of Lakeshore. In 1929, it was replaced by a second school building. The school closed in 1967 and the building was used henceforth as a community hall. A commemorative cairn at the site, topped with a metal model of the school, was erected in July 1987.
Among the teachers at Hamilton School were Mrs. Frances A. Ashe, H. C. Arnold, Sadie Smith Gunn, Mary Morrison Downey, Mabel Scott, Edith Kirkley, Mary McDonald, Minnie Sutherland Fallis (wife of A. B. Fallis), Miss Doris Bell (1954-1955), Mrs. Doris Hannibal (1955-1956), Wilhelm Kutcher (1956-1957), John Ferance (1957-1958), Mrs. Rosa Solomon (1958-1959), Fred Larwood (1959-1965), and Mrs. Mary Alice Howatt (1965-1966).
The first Hamilton School (no date) by H. J. Everall
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 12.
The second Hamilton School (circa 1986)
Source: Historic Resources Branch, Public School Buildings Inventory, slide 932.
Hamilton School commemorative monument and the second building (May 2012)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Coordinates (lat/long): N50.98536, W99.78146
denoted by symbol on the map above
“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 4.
“Teaching staff for area schools increases to 132 for opening 1963-64 term,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 21 August 1963, page 1.
“All area schools open classes next Tuesday, 131 on teaching staffs,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 26 August 1964, page 1.
“All schools in area open classes Sept. 1 – 133 on teaching staffs,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 25 August 1965, page 1, 8.
Between Mountain and Lake: A History of Ochre River Rural Municipality, 1885-1970 by Ochre River Women’s Institute History Committee, Neepawa: The Neepawa Press, 1970, pages 29-32.
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.
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: 6 February 2021
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