Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. James School No. 7 / Linwood School (266 Linwood Street, Winnipeg)

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Principals | Vice-Principals | Teachers | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

The St. James School District No. 7 was established in July 1871. It operated schools in what would later become the Winnipeg suburb of St. James until it became part of the St. James-Assiniboia School Division No. 2 in 1969.

Built during the summer of 1907 using architectural plans drawn by Paul Melsted Clemens, St. James School was a two-storey wood frame building on a concrete foundation. It had four classrooms along with a basement which served as an indoor play area during cold or wet weather. It was completed at a cost of around $10,000. Its exterior had white walls and a dark-coloured roof. Within a few years, tents were needed to reduce classroom overcrowding.

As the local population grew, so did the need for classroom space. In late 1913, the district hired Winnipeg architect Alexander Melville to design a new and much larger building. The project was managed by the Frid-Lewis Company and work began before the year’s end. Its distinctive red brick and limestone exterior featured entrances on the west side labeled “Boys” and “Girls.” It was completed at a cost $175,000 and opened at a ceremony on 25 November 1914 attended by Education Minister George Robson Coldwell and Deputy Minister Robert Fletcher. Elementary classes were initially held on the main floor and high school classes were on the second floor, until the opening of St. James Collegiate in the early 1950s, when higher grades relocated there.

The school’s alumni includes the city’s first female mayor Susan Thompson, bandleader Jimmy King, Liberal Cabinet Minister Mitchell Sharp, speed skater Gordon Audley, provincial premier Greg Selinger, and National Defense Headquarters Chief of Air Staff Ken Pennie.

Principals (St. James School)

Period	Principal
1907-1909	Joseph Cooper Iliffe (1866-1937)
1910	Norman Ewart Brett (1881-1957)
1910-1911	Thomas Walter Halligan (1875-1934)
1911-1914	Theophilus [Theopheus] John “Theodore/Theo” Watts (1864-1939)

Principals (St. James High School / St. James Collegiate)

Period	Principal
Post 1917	See St. James High School / St. James Collegiate

Principals (Linwood School)

Period	Principal
1914-1936	Theophilus [Theopheus] John “Theodore/Theo” Watts (1864-1939)
1936-1965	William John Wallace (1900-1988)
1965-1967	Raymond Cleave “Ray” Davis (1920-2017)
1967-1970	Ronald Edward “Ron” Littlejohn (1935-2017)
1970-1972	Lincoln L. Lautermilch
1972-1979	Frank H. Voth
1979-1981	Peter D. Carney
1981-1986	Donald Taylor McKinnon (1926-2012)
1986-1990	Merrill D. Groff
1990-1994	Arlene E. Billeck
1994-1997	Gregory J. Mutter
1997-1999	James E. Tomes
1999-2011	Dianne Snider
2011-2016	Kelsey McDonald

Vice-Principals (Linwood School)

Period	Vice-Principal
1951-1960	Mabel Morrow (1894-1999)
1960-1969	?
1969-1971	Mary Davies (1906-2001)
1971-1973	William Betz
1989-1990	Lawson Tarbuth

Teachers (St. James School)

School Year	Teachers
1906-1907	Katherine Robbins (grades 1-5)
1907-1908	Joseph Cooper Iliffe (grades 1-7, September-December; grades 4-7, January-June), Lulu Robinson (grades 1-3, January-June)
1908-1909	Joseph Cooper Iliffe (grades 4-7), Lulu Robinson (grades 1-3)
1909-1910	Norman Ewart Brett (grades 5-8, c.January-June), Isabel Cranley (grades 2-3), Joseph Cooper Iliffe (grades 5-8, September-December), Lulu Robinson (grade 1)
1910-1911	Lila M. Greenfield (grades 1-3), Thomas Walter Halligan (grades 4-8, September?-January), Helen A. Nicolson (grades 4-5, September-November), Lulu Robinson (grades 1-3, January-June), Estella M. Thomson (grades 4-5, November-December), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grades 4-8, February-June)
1911-1912	Jane [Janet?] S. Douglas (grades 1-3, January), Lila M. Greenfield (grades 3-4, September-December; grades 3-5, January-June), Florence H. “Flossie” Howden (grades 1-3; February-June), Florence Smith (grade 1, January-June), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grades 4-8, September-December; grades 6-8, January-June)
1912-1913	Marjorie Andrews (grade 1), Vera A. Douglass (grades 4-5, June substitute), Pansy Fetterman (grades 4-5, September-May), Lila M. Greenfield (grades 4-5), Florence H. “Flossie” Howden (grades 2-3), Florence Smith (grade 1, September-October), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grades 5-8)
1913-1914	Marjorie Andrews (grades 1-2, September-March), Laurie A. Davidson (grade 1, September-March; grades 1-2, April-June), Lillian S. Douglas (grade 1; April-June), Florence H. “Flossie” Howden (grades 3-4, January-June), Margaret Mackay (grades 2-3), Alison Ryder (gradoes 2-4, September-December), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grades 6-7)

Teachers (Linwood School & St. James High School)

School Year	Teachers
1914-1915	Laurie A. Davidson (grades 3-4), Adelaide Diamond (grades 1-2, January-June), Lillian S. Douglas (grades 1-2, September-December; grade 1; January-June), Florence H. “Flossie” Howden (grade 4, September-April), Mina Howden (grade 5, September-April), Cora May Johnston (grade 1, August-May; grade 4; May-June), Susie S. Kelsey (grade 1, May-June), Luella P. Lane (grade 2, August-October), Margaret Mackay (grades 5-6), Harold E. R. Murphy (grade 5, June substitute), D. Playford (grade 3, August-December), Ada Spearman (grade 1, January-June), Effie M. Umphrey (grade 1), M. Wardle (grade 1, August-December), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grades 6-8), J. W. Wood (grade 5; May substitute)
1915-1916	Grace Clarke (grade 1, January-June), Edna Irene Daggett (grades 1-2), Laurie A. Davidson (grades 3-4), Adelaide Diamond (grade 3), Lillian S. Douglas (grade 1), Ethelyn Halladay (grade 2), Cora May Johnston (grade 4), Irene Lovell (grades 4-5, January-June), Margaret Mackay (grades 6-7), Harold E. R. Murphy (grades 5-6), M. B. Sinclair (grade 1, September-December), Ada Spearman (grades 4-5, September-December), Effie M. Umphrey (grades 1-2, September-December; grades 2-3, January-June), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grades 7-8)
1916-1917	Grace Clarke (grade 1, September-December), Edna Irene Daggett (grades 1-2), Laurie A. Davidson (grade 4, January-June), Lillian S. Douglas (grade 1), Ethelyn Halladay (grades 2-3), Cora May Johnston (grade 4), Irene Lovell (grade 5), Margaret Mackay (grade 7, September-December; grade 8, January-June), Nan Morrow (grade 1, January-June), Harold E. R. Murphy (grade 6), A. M. Owens (grade 3), Mrs. J. D. Scott (grade 1), Effie M. Umphrey (grades 1-2, September-January), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grade 8, September-December), Kathleen Weldon (grades 1-2, February-June), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 3, September-December; grade 7, January-June)
1917-1918	Louise Beale (grade 5), Enid M. Crothers (grade 1), Edna Irene Daggett (grade 3), Laurie A. Davidson (grade 4), Lillian S. Douglas (grade 1), Cora May Johnston (grades 4-5), Florence Mary Le Neveu (grade 8, mother of J. C. Le Neveu), Margaret Mackay (grade 8), Miss M. Maddin (grade 2, September-December; grades 2-3, January-June), Edythe Mollard (grade 2, September-December), Nan Morrow (grade 3, September-December; grades 3-4, January-June), Janet Gibson Morton (grades 9-10), M. Murphy (grades 3-4, June substitute), E. Rettinger (grade 2, January-June), Miss L. E. Swain (grade 1), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 7), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7)
1918-1919	E. L. Bates (grade 1), Louise Beale (grade 5), Theresa S. Christian (grade 4, September-June; grade 1, April-June), Edna Irene Daggett (grade 4), Laurie A. Davidson (grade 3), Lillian S. Douglas (grade 1), Sylvia Evelyn (grade 1), Cora May Johnston (grade 5), Florence Mary Le Neveu (grade 8), Irene Lovell (grade 6), Margaret Mackay (grade 8), Olive K. Montgomery (grade 1), Janet Gibson Morton (grades 9-10), Gladys A. Paulin (grade 1), E. Rettinger (grades 2-3), Elma Spence (grade 1), Elsa V. Treger (grade 4, February-June), E. Weidman (grade 1), Kathleen Weldon (grades 2-3), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 7), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7)
1919-1920	Jessie Hunter Angus (grades 1-2, September-December; grade 2, January-June), E. L. Bates (grade 1), Louise Beale (grade 5, September-December), Ethel M. Bennett (grade 6), Gladys Muriel Best (grade 1), Theresa S. Christian (grade 4), Edna Irene Daggett (grade 5), Laurie A. Davidson (grade 4), Mrs. Nowal A. Davison (grade 6), Lillian S. Douglas (grade 1), Anna B. Eaton (grade 5, January-June), Sylvia Evelyn (grade 2, September-December; grade 3, January-June), Alice Fultz (grade 1), Cora May Johnston (grade 5), Florence Mary Le Neveu (grade 9), A. C. Long (grade 7), Irene Lovell (grade 7), Mary G. C. McCarthy (grades 1-2), Margaret Mackay (grade 8), Janet Gibson Morton (grades 9-10), Gladys A. Paulin (grade 1), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 2-3, September-December; grade 3, January-June), Alice Pye (grade 1), Elsa V. Treger (grade 4), Annie Z. Tuttle (grade 6), Kathleen Weldon (grade 3), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 7), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7), Ruby Irene Wood (grades 2-3)
1920-1921	Jessie Hunter Angus (grades 2-3), Ethel M. Bennett (grade 7), Gladys Muriel Best (grade 1), Theresa S. Christian (grade 4), Hattie E. Corrigill (grade 1), Edna Irene Daggett (grades 5-6), Laurie A. Davidson (grade 5), Lillian S. Douglas (grade 1), Anna B. Eaton (grade 2), Sylvia Evelyn (grade 2, September-December; grade 3, January-June), Mrs. A. J. Fiske (grade 1, May substitute), Jean Lorraine Graham (grade 6), Edith M. Gray (grade 2, September-December), Cora May Johnston (grade 5), Irene Lovell (grade 7), Florence L. MacBay? (grade 3, January-June), Margaret Mackay (grade 8), Gladys A. Paulin (grade 1), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 3), Isobel Victoria Rice (grade 1), Florence Marjorie Rundle (grade 7), Elsa V. Treger (grade 6), Annie Z. Tuttle (grade 3), Kathleen Weldon (grade 3), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 8), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7)
1921-1922	Jessie Hunter Angus (grade 2), Ethel M. Bennett (grade 7), Marjorie Brown (grade 2), Theresa S. Christian (grade 4), Edna Irene Daggett (grade 7), Lillian S. Douglas (grades 1-2), Anna B. Eaton (grade 2), Sylvia Evelyn (grade 3), Jean Lorraine Graham (grade 6), Jessie Innes (grade 2), Cora May Johnston (grade 6), Irene Lovell (grade 7), Mary G. C. McCarthy (grade 1), Margaret Mackay (grade 8), Gladys A. Paulin (grade 1), V. Paulin (grade 1), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 3), Isobel Victoria Rice (grade 1), Florence Marjorie Rundle (grade 6), Elsa V. Treger (grade 5), Annie Z. Tuttle (grade 3), Kathleen Weldon (grade 4), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 8), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7), Florence E. Woodroom (grade 4)
1922-1923	Jessie Hunter Angus (grade 2, September-April; grade 3, May-June), Gladys Muriel Best (grade 1), Marjory C. Brown (grade 2), Theresa S. Christian (grade 4), Hattie E. Corrigill (grade 3), Lillian S. Douglas (grade 1), Jean Lorraine Graham (grade 5), Dorothy M. Holland (grade 4), Jessie Innes (grade 2), Cora May Johnston (grade 5), Irene Lovell (grade 7), Mary G. C. McCarthy (grade 1), Margaret Mackay (grade 8), Gladys A. Paulin (grade 1), V. Paulin (grade 4, September-December), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 3, September-December; grade 4, January-June), Isobel Victoria Rice (grade 1), M. A. Rose (grade 3, September-December), Florence Marjorie Rundle (grade 6), Elsa V. Treger (grade 5), Annie Z. Tuttle (grade 3, January-June), Kathleen Weldon (grade 4, January-June), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 8), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7)
1923-1924	Jessie Hunter Angus (grade 3), Hattie E. Corrigill (grade 3), Edna Irene Daggett (grade 6), Lillian S. Douglas (grade 1), Irene Lovell (grade 7), Jean Lorraine Graham (grade 5), Cora May Johnston (grade 4), Mary G. C. McCarthy (grade 1), Margaret Mackay (grade 8), Gladys A. Paulin (grade 1), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 3), Isobel Victoria Rice (grade 1), Mable Robertson (grades 1-3), Florence Marjorie Rundle (grade 5), Elsa V. Treger (grade 4), Kathleen Weldon (grade 4), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 8), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7)
1924-1925	Jessie Hunter Angus (grade 2, September-April; grade 3, May-June), Hattie E. Corrigill (grade 2), Edna Irene Daggett (grade 6), Helen E. Gilbert (grade 1), Jean Lorraine Graham (grade 5), Gladys Hope Hines (grade 4), Cora May Johnston (grade 5), Irene Lovell (grade 7), Mary G. C. McCarthy (grade 1), Margaret Mackay (grade 8), Gladys A. Paulin (grade 1, September-December), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 3), Isobel Victoria Rice (grade 1), Florence Marjorie Rundle (grade 5), Kathleen Weldon (grade 4), Jean I. Whitelaw (grades 7-8), Verna A. Whitfield (grade 2, January-June), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7)
1925-1926	Jessie Hunter Angus (grade 1), Hattie E. Corrigill (grade 3), Jean Lorraine Graham (grade 5), Gladys Hope Hines (grade 7), Cora May Johnston (grade 5), Irene Lovell (grade 8), Isabel Lowe (grades 4-5), Margaret Mackay (grade 8), M. B. Michell (grades 1-2), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 3), Isobel Victoria Rice (grade 1), Florence Marjorie Rundle (grade 4, January-June), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grade 1), Kathleen Weldon (grade 3), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 8), Verna A. Whitfield (grade 2), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7), Edith M. Wright (grade 4, September-December)
1926-1927	Jessie Hunter Angus (grade 2, September-April; grade 3, May-June), Mary Dickie Richmond Kilgour “May” Brown (grade 3), Edna Irene Daggett (grade 6), Jean Lorraine Graham (grade 5), Gladys Hope Hines (grade 7, September-December), Cora May Johnston (grade 5), Irene Lovell (grade 8), Isabel Lowe (grade 4), L. A. McIntyre (grade 9), Myrtle June Norine (grade 1, January-June), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 3, September-April; grade 4, May-June), Isobel Victoria Rice (grade 1), Florence Marjorie Rundle (grade 6), M. Thompson (grade 7, January-June), Alice M. Thring (grade 4), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grade 1), Kathleen Weldon (grade 4), Jean I. Whitelaw (grade 8), Verna A. Whitfield (grade 2), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7), Rutha Henrietta Wilson (grade 1)
1927-1928	Jessie Hunter Angus (grade 2), Mary Dickie Richmond Kilgour “May” Brown (grade 3), Edna Irene Daggett (grade 6), Jean Lorraine Graham (grade 5), Gladys Hope Hines (grade 8), Cora May Johnston (grade 5), Irene Lovell (grade 8), Isabel Lowe (grade 5), Myrtle June Norine (grade 1), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 3), Isobel Victoria Rice (grade 1), Alice M. Thring (grade 4), Theophilus John “Theo” Watts (grade 1), Bertha Tod (grade 1), Kathleen Weldon (grade 4), Verna A. Whitfield (grade 1), Annie Annette Wiechman (grade 5, April-June), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7), Rutha Henrietta Wilson (grade 5, September-April; grade 1, April-June)
1928-1929	Ada Dorothy Allingham (grade 4, April-June), Jessie Hunter Angus (grade 2), Mary Dickie Richmond Kilgour “May” Brown (grade 3), Edna Irene Daggett (grade 6), Jean Lorraine Graham (grade 6), Evelyn Milne Houck (grade 6), Cora May Johnston (grade 2), Irene Lovell (grade 8), Helen McRae (grade 7), Madge W. Mooney (grade 5), Myrtle June Norine (grade 1), Margaret Elizabeth Pildrem (grades 3), Pearl Irene Privat (grade 1), Isobel Victoria Rice (grade 1), Iva May Short (grade 1), Bertha Tod (grade 4, September-January), Alice R. Wallace (grade 4, February-March), Kathleen Weldon (grade 4), Annie Annette Wiechman (grade 5), Margaret Thomson Wilson (grade 7), Rutha Henrietta Wilson (grade 2)
1929-1955	?
1955-1956	Mr. J. Brock, Mrs. P. A. Brewer, Mrs. P. Briercliffe, Mrs. B. Burnett, Mrs. A. E. Cairns, Mrs. A. Clayton, Mr. A. H. Cowen, Miss M. Davies, Mrs. M. G. Ferguson, Mrs. B. Frame, Miss M. Glasman, Mrs. G. Holland, Miss M. M. Insley, Mrs. M. J. Johnson, Miss R. A. Keyes, Mr. R. E. Littlejohn, Miss Doreen Matheson, Mrs. C. McLean, Miss M. E. McRae, Miss E. H. D. Miller, Mrs. E. Peters, Miss M. E. Pildrem, Miss V. Posnikoff, Miss N. J. Premachuk, Mrs. L. K. Robson, Mrs. V. Schmidt, Mrs. M. Stephens, Mrs. W. G. Turner, Mr. H. B. Unruh, Miss A. K. Wallace, Miss K. Weldon, Miss A. Wiechman, Miss M. E. Willet, Miss M. Wood, Mrs. J. S. Yarwood
1956-2005	?
2005-2006	Paula Andrew, Katherine Deyman, Eva Dowd, Gail Ficzycz, Tanya Jensen, Leanne Mager, Lezlie Martinson, Kelsey McDonald, Patti-Lynne Pauls, Gina Petty, Colleen Rogala, Gary Shapira, Shannon Siemens, Lynda Tunny, Kimberley Turner, Kyla Vincent, Mark Zebrun

Among the early teachers of the St. James School District were Mr. J. H. Arkland (1876), Mr. O. Parr (1892-1893), Miss Ella Williams (1894-1895), Miss Bessie McIntyre (1895-1896), Miss Miller (1897-1898), Miss M. L. Hislop (1898-1899), Harry Murdoff (1899-1901), Miss Mabel W. Wright (1901-1906), Miss M. L. Perkins (1907-1908), and Miss M. McIntyre (1908-1909). Other teachers of Linwood School include Joseph E. Murphy (1937-1946), Petter Martin Juul (1938), John Boyd (1922-1945), and John A. L. Holmes (1940s).

Photos & Coordinates

Site of the original St. James School and Linwood School (May 1914) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Western Canada Fire Underwriters Association, Series 2, Assiniboia - St. James suburb - Sheet 1A. The original St. James School (1907) Source: Manitoba Free Press, 21 November 1907, page 27. Linwood School (2008) Source: Reid Dickie Linwood School (June 2013) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Linwood School (May 2018) Source: Nathan Kramer Linwood School (May 2018) Source: Nathan Kramer Commemorative monument in the Linwood School playground at N49.88065 W97.22902 (May 2018) Source: Nathan Kramer Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88101, W97.22782 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Paul Melsted Clemens (1870-1966)

Memorable Manitobans: Alexander D. Melville (1873-1949)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. James Collegiate (1900 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Linwood School No. 641 (RM of North Cypress)

Sources:

“City and provincial news [J. H. Arkland],” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 4 February 1876, page 5.

“Schools in session,” Manitoba Daily Free Press, 2 September 1892, page 5.

“The School Board,” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 12 December 1894, page 3.

“Shall fees be charged,” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 11 September 1895, page 3.

“School changes,” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 31 August 1897, page 3.

“The public schools,” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 31 August 1898, page 2.

“Opening of city schools,” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 2 September 1899, page 4.

“Assignment of teachers,” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 1 September 1900, page 1.

“School site purchased,” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 13 March 1901, page 8.

“Holidays end Tuesday next,” Manitoba Morning Free Press, 31 August 1901, page 10.

“The staff of city teachers,” Manitoba Morning Free Press, 1 September 1902, page 3.

“City schools re-open Monday,” Manitoba Free Press, 29 August 1903, page 7.

“City schools open to-morrow,” Manitoba Morning Free Press, 31 August 1904, page 3.

“Assignment of Winnipeg teachers,” Manitoba Free Press, 2 September 1905.

“Changes in city schools,” Manitoba Free Press, 31 August 1907.

“Re-opening of schools,” Winnipeg Tribune, 29 August 1908, page 1.

“Local notes [A well attended teachers’ convention ...],” Manitoba Free Press, 21 November 1910, page 3.

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 October 1913, page 6.

“The new Linwood School,” Manitoba Free Press, 15 May 1914, page 11.

“To visit school,” Winnipeg Tribune, 21 November 1914, page 5.

“Open “Palace of Education”,” Winnipeg Tribune, 26 November 1914, page 3.

“Address List, Municipal School District of St. James No. 7,” St. James Assiniboia School Division.

Manitoba School Records Collection, St. James School District No. 7 (St. James School) - Daily Registers, GR10672, Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, St. James - Assiniboia School Division No. 2 (Linwood School) - Daily Registers, GR10672, Archives of Manitoba.

Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.

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.

We thank Mari-Jean Nachtigall, Bruce Waters, and Dorothy Young for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer, Gordon Goldsborough, and Reid Dickie.

Page revised: 21 February 2021

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