Historic Sites of Manitoba: Martin School No. 870 (Kelvin Avenue, Winnipeg)

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

The Martin School District, named for politician and ex-Principal Joseph “Joe” Martin, was established in the Winnipeg suburb of Elmwood on 2 April 1896. The first school was a large one-classroom facility acquired at a cost of $1,550. Classes were held at a site just north of the Louise Bridge until, in 1901, the district erected a two-storey, two-room schoolhouse based on designs of local architect Hugh McCowan. The proposed construction site was opposite the J. Y. Griffin & Company Plant; however, Dr. Pennefather, Chairman of the Provincial Board of Health, advised against the location. Thus, another site bounded by Kelvin Street (now Henderson Highway), Gurney Avenue (now Riverton Avenue) and Talbot Avenue was selected.

The district operated a second school, that of Beaver School / Elmwood School. As of 1906, both schools had a cumulative capacity for 430 students. The district was absorbed by the Winnipeg School Division when Elmwood voters elected to join the City of Winnipeg in 1906, then becoming Ward 7 of the Winnipeg School Division. With the conclusion of the 1908-1909 school year, this school was closed and students transferred to Elmwood School. The school building was the site of Sunday services of the Elmwood Mission between 1903 and 1907. The structure was used for a time as a residence but sat vacant by 1917. It was demolished sometime between 1917 and construction of the Anna Gibson School in 1919.

Principals

Period	Principal
1905-1906	Lemuel Alexander Ferguson (1865-1915)
1906-1909	Jessie Ellis

Teachers

School Year	Teachers
1896-1897	Agnes Antoinette “Nettie” Reekie
1897-1898	Agnes Antoinette “Nettie” Reekie
1898-1899	Agnes Antoinette “Nettie” Reekie
1899-1900	Agnes Antoinette “Nettie” Reekie
1900-1901	Delia Dolbear, Agnes Antoinette “Nettie” Reekie
1901-1902	Agnes Antoinette “Nettie” Reekie (wife of Frank Burton Richardson), ? (other teachers)
1902-1903	?
1903-1904	Jessie Ellis, Miss McBeth, ? (other teachers)
1904-1905	(Fall unavailable, Spring only): Jessie Ellis, Lemuel Alexander Ferguson, Grace M. Hamilton, Mabel M. James, Maggie McBeth, Margaret Oliver
1905-1906	Margaret S. Christie, M. Edith Day, Jessie Ellis, Lemuel Alexander Ferguson, Margaret Oliver, Miss M. James (?), Grace M. Hamilton
1906-1907	Edna Campbell, Jessie Ellis, ? (other teachers)
1907-1908	Edna Campbell, Miss A. R. Cuthbert, Jessie Ellis, Miss E. E. Kelty
1908-1909	Miss A. R. Cuthbert, Jessie Ellis, Miss N. C. Kelty, Miss F. E. Kelty

Photos & Coordinates

Site of Martin School (September 1917) Source: Western Canada Fire Underwriters’ Association map, Series 2, Winnipeg - Volume 3, Sheet 361, Archives of Manitoba. Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.90964, W97.11775 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Martin School No. 1641 (RM of Grahamdale)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Anna Gibson School (77 Kelvin Street, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Elmwood School / River Elm School (500 Riverton Avenue, Winnipeg)

Memorable Manitobans: Joseph Martin (1852-1923)

Sources:

“Kildonan Municipality [Martin School],” Manitoba Morning Free Press, 14 August 1896, page 3.

“Martin School District,” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 17 August 1896, page 8.

“The Martin School site,” Manitoba Morning Free Press, 19 August 1896, page 4.

“Municipality of Kildonan [Martin School], Manitoba Morning Free Press, 12 November 1896, page 5.

“The school board [Committee on supplies],” Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 9 December 1896, page 1.

“City and General [”Joe Martin” school house],” Manitoba Morning Free Press, 1 February 1897, page 6.

“To contractors,” Winnipeg Tribune, 12 April 1901, page 6.

“Public notice,” Manitoba Free Press, 6 July 1901, page 2.

“Martin School debentures,” Manitoba Free Press, 3 September 1901, page 2.

“A teacher promoted,” Manitoba Free Press, 28 June 1902, page 6.

“Richardson-Reekle,” Manitoba Free Press, 3 July 1902, page 6.

“Tenders [... Morton School building, sic],” Manitoba Free Press, 3 June 1903, page 2.

“Suburban school league,” Manitoba Free Press, 16 April 1904, page 8.

“The pulpit and pew,” Manitoba Free Press, 2 July 1904, page 26.

“Wanted - a male principal for Beaver School,” Manitoba Free Press, 8 April 1905, page 20.

“New Beaver Public School, Elwood [sic],” Manitoba Free Press, 30 October 1905, page 58.

“Elmwood: Winnipeg's hustling and prosperous suburb,” Manitoba Free Press, 30 October 1905, page 58.

“Will take over Martin School,” Manitoba Free Press, 9 May 1906, page 5.

“Want compulsory education,” Manitoba Free Press, 10 October 1906, page 9.

“Compulsory education,” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 October 1906, page 9.

“Martin School,” Winnipeg Tribune, 30 August 1907, page 3.

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

“Gifts to school teacher,” Manitoba Free Press, 10 March 1908, page 9.

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

McPhillips Map of Winnipeg, 1910. ”Ward 7,” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 December 1913, page 4.

“Winnipeg Schools - No. 15 - Elmwood,” Manitoba Free Press, 1 November 1922, page 23.

“Winnipeg schools, No. 36—Anna Gibson,” Manitoba Free Press, 27 November 1922, page 7.

Summative half-yearly returns for school districts (A 0051), GR0571, Archives of Manitoba.

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.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 5 September 2021

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