The Harlington School District, named for civil servant Hugh Harley, was established formally in November 1901 and a building was erected at SE19-35-28W in what is now the Municipality of Swan Valley West. In 1967, it became part of the Swan Valley School Division and was closed. The former school building is no longer present at the site but a metal sign, bell, and inscribed plaque commemorates it. The schoolhouse was moved to a farmyard where it is used for storage.
Among the teachers of Harlington School were Louise Greig (1903), Vida McKay (1904), Christine McKinnon (1905), M. S. Guthrie (1906), Alice M. Eagle (1907-1909), Christina McLean (1909-1910), Cora McConnell (1910), Margaret Bigham (1911-1914), May Maddin (1914-1915), E. A. Swartwood (1915-1917), Myril Van Wyck (1916-1918), Helen Armstrong (1918-1920), Nellie Gable (1920-1922), Clara Fletcher (1922-1926), Mary Spencer (1926-1927), Beatrice Fletcher (1927-1928), Jean Reid (1928-1933), Margaret Reid (1933-1938), Isabel Reid (1938-1939), Miss McConcill (1938-1939), Nancy Little (1938-1939), Dorothy Rinn (1939-1941), Francis Provins (1941-1942), Pearl Stevens (1942-1943), Ninalow Duke (1943-1944), Ellen Emmond (1944-1946), Fred Bohdanovich (1946-1947), Sarah Waschenfelder (1947-1949), Fern McRae (1949-1951), Ruth Mortimer (1951-1952), Ruth Fullerton (1952-1953), Winnifred Bateman (1953-1954), Peter J. Caryk (1954-1955), Pat Niven (1956), Joan Riley (1956-1957), Jan Lambert (1957-1958), Florence Bosinski (1958-1959), Shirley Horn (1959-1960), Ruth Butterfield (1960-1961), June Millar (1961-1963), Kathleen Fox (1963-1964), Doug Stein (1964-1965), Janis Trevellyan (1965-1966), and Sarah Vopnie (1966-1967).
The Harlington School building from the west (no date) by J. S. Peach
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 69.
Students at Harlington School (circa 1922)
Source: John Madsen
A view of Harlington School from the east, before an addition had been made to its rear, with the school barn at left and Thunder Hill in the background (no date)
Source: Adalbjorg Vopni
Harlington School (circa 1962)
Source: Adalbjorg Vopni
The former Harlington School building (June 2015)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
The Harlington School commemorative sign (September 2012)
Source: Alan MasonSite Coordinates (lat/long): N52.02680, W101.44240
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Hugh Harley (1848-1918)
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.
Boots, Buggies & Buses: Swan Valley Schools in Quest of Education, Swan Valley School Division No. 35, circa 1998.
Kenville, Ruby, Mt. Crest, Davidson, Harlington, Square Plains, Pretty Valley by Kenville Reunion Committee, July 1977.
We thank John Madsen for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Alan Mason and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 2 June 2021
Historic Sites of Manitoba
This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.
Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | OtherInclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.
Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.Help us keep history alive!
