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In 1916, a three-classroom, wood frame school building was constructed between Second and Third streets and Brandon Avenue in Brandon, the present location of George Fitton School. It was known as South Ward School until being named for former teacher and First World War veteran Joseph McLaren on 9 July 1917. The school operated until 1926 when the present two-storey brick structure was built on Sixth Street. The wood frame building was moved to the Brandon Exhibition Grounds where it stood for some years with only a few structural changes.
McLaren School was used for elementary classes until 1954, when it was became a Junior High School due to the construction of George Fitton School. In 1974, it reverted temporarily to an elementary school when Park School and Alexandra School were being replaced by Betty Gibson School. The school closed permanently in 1976 and the building was renovated for use as offices of the Brandon School Division.
Period
Principal
1916-1917
?
1917-1918
Miss Nicholas
1918-1919
?
1919-1922
Jean Isabel Wellwood McIntosh (1899-1980)
1922-1923
William N. Stewart
1923-1924
1924-1926
Emma Edith Lewis (1869-1927)
1926-1929
Perry Bell (1897-1956)
1929-1931
Vernon Albert Shewfelt (1903-1982)
1931-1935
William John Peden (1903-1991)
1935-1942
Henry Theodore Nordin (1905-1983)
1942-1946
James Irving Bateman (1911-2000)
1946-1947
John James “Jack” Hill (1916-1977)
1947-1954
Joseph “Joe” Federick (1910-1979)
1954-1956
Carl Bjarnason (1915-2014)
1956-1959
Morley Fraser Sparrow (1915-1979)
1959-1964
George Montgomery “Monty” Dunbar (c1928-2001)
1964-1966
William Beddome “Bill” Bridgett (1928-1999)
1966-1968
Mr. E. Nolan
1968-1976
?
Period
Vice-Principal
1961-1962
R. E. Roney
1962-1965
Mrs. K. I. Shoemaker
1965-1966
?
1966-1967
Mrs. M. Taylor
School Year
Teachers
1916-1917
?
1917-1918
Miss Nicholas, (3 classrooms total)
1918-1919
Miss Bolton, Miss Medd
1919-1920
Jean Isabel Wellwood (grade 3), ?
1920-1921
?
1921-1922
Miss Norma Chisholm (grades 3-4), Miss Mona Morris (grade 1), Miss Victoria Speers (grades 2-3)
See also: Brandon Ultimatum (1 May 1922)
1922-1923
Lucy M. Brown, William N. Stewart
1923-1924
Mrs. Gillesby (grades 4-5, wife of J. B. Gillesby), Mrs. Howick (grade 1), Miss E. Insley (grades 2-3)
1924-1925
?
1925-1926
Margaret Thompson, Annie E. Wood
1926-1927
Miss Agatha Alexander, Perry Bell, Miss Jessie E. Dayton, Miss Dorothy Horton, Miss Margaret Thompson, Miss Annie E. Wood
1927-1928
Miss Agatha Alexander, Perry Bell, Miss Jessie E. Dayton, Miss Dorothy Horton, Miss Emma Milburn, Miss Margaret E. Thompson
1928-1929
Miss Agatha Alexander, Miss Jessie E. Dayton, Miss Dorothy Horton, Miss Emma Milburn, Vernon Albert Shewfelt, Miss Margaret E. Thompson
1929-1930
?
1930-1931
Miss Ella M. Burkholder, Margaret Creighton, Dorothy Horton, Isabella Semple, Miss Margaret E. Thompson
1931-1932
Miss Ella M. Burkholder, Margaret Creighton, Dorothy Horton, Lilian E. Popkin, Miss Margaret E. Thompson
1932-1933
Miss Ella M. Burkholder, Dorothy Horton, Lilian Popkin, Miss Margaret E. Thompson
1933-1934
?
1934-1935
Miss Ella M. Burkholder, Miss Kathleen McKenzie, Miss Ethel P. Miller, Miss Margaret E. Thompson
1935-1936
Miss Ella M. Burkholder, Miss Dorothy E. Horton, Miss Alma Skeoch, Miss Margaret E. Thompson
1936-1937
Miss Ella M. Burkholder, Dorothy E. Horton, Miss Margaret E. Thompson, Miss Grace Webb
1937-1938
Miss Dorothy Horton, Miss Elizabeth M. Patmore, Miss Margaret E. Thompson, Miss Grace Webb
1938-1939
Miss Dorothy Horton, Miss Elizabeth M. Patmore, Miss Grace Webb
1939-1940
Miss Gwen Boyes, Miss Elizabeth M. Patmore, Miss Grace Webb
1940-1941
Miss Elizabeth M. Patmore, Miss Lilian Popkin, Mrs. Thelma Rice
1941-1942
Helen Bjarnason, Lilian Popkin, Thelma Rice
1942-1943
Miss Helen Bjarnason, Miss Clementine Fraser, Miss Lillian Popkin, Mrs. Thelma Rice
1943-1944
Miss Helen Bjarnason, Miss Lillian Popkin, Thelma Rice, Gladys L. Thompson
1944-1945
?
1945-1946
?
1946-1947
?
1947-1948
?
1948-1949
?
1949-1950
?
1950-1951
?
1951-1952
?
1952-1953
?
1953-1954
?
1954-1955
?
1955-1956
?
1956-1957
?
1957-1958
?
1958-1959
R. Blair (grade 7), Mrs. I. George (grade 8), D. McLennan (grade 9), Miss L. Mummery (grade 9), J. Oliver (grade 8), Morley Fraser Sparrow (grade 9), Miss H. Sokolsky (grade 7), Mrs. N. Wiebe (grade 8)
1959-1960
Miss C. Davidson, George Montgomery Dunbar, Miss J. Firby, Mrs. R. Jessiman, J. Mayhew, D. McLennan, Miss R. Rogers, Mrs. I. Shobrooke
1960-1961
George Montgomery Dunbar (grade 8), Miss J. Firby (grade 7), Miss L. Mummery (grade 8), M. Patterson (grade 6), Miss D. Pearce (grade 4), Miss Robinson (grade 2), Mrs. I. Shobrooke (grade 1), D. Simpson (grade 7)
1961-1962
George Montgomery Dunbar (grade 8), Miss J. Firby (grade 8), Walter Thorvaldur Fredrickson (grade 6), Mrs. M. Harper (grade 8), Mrs. E. Hatch (grade 5), Mrs. E. Hyde (grade 7), Mrs. E. McKenzie (grade 7), Mrs. B. Milligan (grade 6), Mrs. S. Reekie (grade 5), Miss M. Robinson (grade 2), Mrs. I. Shobrooke (grade 1), D. Simpson (grade7)
1962-1963
George Montgomery Dunbar (grade 8), Mrs. M. Harper (grade 8), Mrs. S. Hume (grade 2), Mrs. M. Kotyk (grade 7), C. Mailer (grade 7), Mrs. E. McKenzie (grade 7), E. Nolan (grade 8), Mrs. I. Shobrooke (grade 1)
1963-1964
Miss C. M. Cumming, C. L. Glenn, Mrs. M. I. Harper, R. M. Josephson, Mrs. M. Kotyk, Mrs. E. M. McKenzie, Mrs. I. Shobrooke
1964-1965
Miss J. E. Dyer, Mrs. A. E. Haggerty, Mrs. M. Kotyk, W. P. Metelski, Mrs. M. Taylor
1965-1966
Mrs. D. Coburn, Miss J. E. Dyer, Mrs. M. Kotyk, W. P. Metelski, Mrs. T. Roth, Mrs. M. Taylor, Mrs. R. R. Wilken
1966-1967
Mrs. P. A. Elvers (grade 3), Mrs. E. A. Gouldie (special classes), Mrs. M. Kotyk (special classes), D. A. Kusela (grade 7), Mrs. C. M. Larson (grade 4), Mrs. L. M. Leskiw (grade 2), W. P. Metelski (special classes), E. Nolan (grade 8), Mrs. E. H. Orr (grade 8), Mrs. Susan M. Pickering (grade 1), Miss D. F. Russell (grade 7), Mrs. F. B. Snider (kindergarten)
1967-1968
Miss J. Dyer (grade 7), Mrs. P. A. Elvers (grade 3), Mrs. E. A. Gouldie (grade 7), Mrs. M. Kotyk (grade 8), D. A. Kusela (grade 7), Mrs. L. M. Leskiw (grade 2), W. P. Metelski (special), E. Nolan (grade 8), Miss B. Nordin, Mrs. E. H. Orr (grade 8), Mrs. S. Palidwar (grade 1), Miss D. F. Russell (grade 7), Mrs. F. B. Snider (kindergarten)
McLaren School (no date)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-3, page 134.
The former McLaren School building (May 2013)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
The former McLaren School building (August 2023)
Source: Eva JanssenSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.83401, W99.94573
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Joseph McLaren (1882-1915)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: George Fitton School (1129 Third Street, Brandon)
“M’Laren School named after heroic soldier,” Brandon Daily Sun, 10 July 1917, page 1.
“School Board will demand whole levy,” Brandon Daily Sun, 14 August 1917, page 2.
“Public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1918, page 5.
“Changes in the teaching staff public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 2 September 1919, page 1.
“Schools open this morning for fall term,” Brandon Daily Sun, 1 September 1920, page 1.
“Many changes in teaching staff public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1921, page 7.
“Teaching staff Brandon schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 5 September 1922, page 10.
“Promotions list [McLaren School],” Brandon Daily Sun, 7 July 1924, page 3.
“Schools open in Brandon, attendance high,” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 2 September 1925, page 11.
“Beginners will be taken into public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 August 1925, page 1.
“Teaching staff complete for school opening,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1926, page 6.
“New school is not yet ready,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1926, page 6.
“Public schools and collegiate open tomorrow,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1927, page 1.
“Temporary accommodation for higher grades,” Brandon Daily Sun, 1 September 1928, page 6.
“List of teachers public school,” Brandon Daily un, 1 September 1930.
“All schools to open Monday for fall term here,” Brandon Daily Sun, 27 August 1931.
“One addition only to city schools staff,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1932.
“Some changes on teaching staff of public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1934.
“Schools to open Tuesday for fall term in city,” Brandon Daily Sun, 31 August 1935.
“Few changes in teaching staff as all schools in city open Monday morning,” Brandon Daily Sun, 29 August 1936.
“Five new teachers on staff of Brandon schools for fall term commencing next week,” Brandon Daily Sun, 27 August 1937.
“Teaching staff public school,” Brandon Daily Sun, 30 August 1938.
“Schools staff public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 2 September 1939.
“Seven changes on teaching staff of the public schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 September 1940.
“Important changes made in teaching staff for opening schools here Tuesday,” Brandon Daily Sun, 27 August 1941.
“Elementary and junior high schools open tomorrow for fall term after long holidays,” Brandon Daily Sun, 26 August 1942.
“Eleven new teachers on staff as schools prepare to open for fall term commencing Monday,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 August 1943.
“Back to school Tuesday,” Brandon Sun, 29 August 1958, page 3.
“Brandon school teachers for 1959-60,” Brandon Sun, 29 August 1959, page 2.
“6,000 Brandon students go back to work on Tuesday,” Brandon Sun, 3 September 1960, page 12.
“Teachers listed for opening of schools on Tuesday,” Brandon Sun, 2 September 1961, page 12.
“Teachers are assigned to schools,” Brandon Daily Sun, 28 August 1962, page 10.
“33 newcomers on elementary schools staff,” Brandon Sun, 21 August 1963, page 15.
“39 newcomers on elementary staff,” Brandon Sun, 19 August 1964, page 13.
“191 teachers placed here,” Brandon Sun, 20 August 1965, page 8.
“Over 200 elementary teachers,”Brandon Sun, 23 August 1966, page 16.
Brandon Elementary Schools, 1867-1979, Canada-Confederation, Brandon School Division, 1967.
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 Nathan Kramer, Sheri Bailey (Brandon Teachers’ Association), and Eva Janssen for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 2 September 2023
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