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Located in Oak Lake in what is now the Rural Municipality of Sifton, the Oak Lake Collegiate was commissioned by the Fort La Bosse School Division to replace high school classes at Oakwood School. Based on the architectural drawings of F. M. Brown of Smith Carter Searle and Associates, and built in 1961 by contractor John Jaska, the structure featured four classrooms plus supporting rooms, an auditorium, and laboratory.
The school opened in September 1961 and an official opening ceremony was held on 30 March 1962. The ceremonial ribbon-cutting was performed by former school trustee (and Mayor) Percy W. Paul and the dedication was lead by Rev. Murray Wenstob of Oak Lake United Church. Other notables included School Inspector K. B. Thorkelson, Robert Dalton (Department of Education), Walter Smith (RM of Woodworth), M. L. Hart (Chairman, Oak Lake School Board), Gordon Hunter (Birdtail River School Division trustee), Arthur MLA Doug Watt, and Regional Trustees President O. Bright.
In the summer of 1968, students in grades 10 to 12 were transferred to Virden and the facility was converted to the Oak Lake Junior High School. With the later closure of Assiniboine School, all local education was consolidated at this site and the facility was renamed as the Oak Lake Community School.
Period
Principal
Before 1961
See Oakwood School
1961-1966
Clarence Edgar “Curly” Heapy (1905-1981)
1966-1968
David Edwin “Dave” Simpkin (?-1987)
Period
Principal
1968-1969
David Lloyd “Dave” Fisher
1969-1976
Florence Jean McQuarrie (daughter of Agnes Scott McQuarrie)
1976-1981
Jacob “Jake” Braun
Period
Principal
1994-1999
Walter Sherrin Cheslock (1944-2023)
Period
Teachers
Before 1961
See Oakwood School
1961-1962
Yvonne Rita Hacault (grade 10), Clarence Edgar “Curly” Heapy (grade 12), Phyllis Muriel Doreen Skogland (grade 11), ? (grade 9)
1962-1963
Anna May Batko (grade 9), Yvonne Rita Hacault (grade 10), Clarence Edgar “Curly” Heapy (grade 12), Phyllis Muriel Doreen Skogland (grade 11)
1963-1964
Samuel “Sam” Donen (grade 10), Clarence Edgar “Curly” Heapy (grade 12), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 9), Phyllis Muriel Doreen Skogland (grade 11)
1964-1965
Clarence Edgar “Curly” Heapy (grade 12), Jack Theodore Kucherawy (grade 10, 1965), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 9), Marlene Lorraine Martz (grade 10), Phyllis Muriel Doreen Skogland (grade 11)
1965-1966
Clarence Edgar “Curly” Heapy (grade 12), Eric Warren McKinnon (grade 10), Marlene Lorraine Martz (grade 10), Phyllis Muriel Doreen Skogland (grade 11)
1966-1967
Robert Dennis Babey (grade 10), David Lloyd Fischer (grade 11), William John Godolphin (grade 9, 1967), David Edwin Simpkin (grade 12), Raymond Garnet Vance (grade 9)
1967-1968
David Lloyd Fischer (grade 9), David Edwin Simpkin (grade 12), Raymond Garnet Vance (grade 11), Petty Ann Veldhuis (grade 10)
Period
Teachers
1968-1969
Eileen Charlotte Melva Doherty (grade 8), David Lloyd Fisher (grade 9), Winnifred Isabelle Hatch (grade 9), Raymond Philip “Ray” Laval (grade 7, 1968), Garry Wayne Rudd (grade 9), Eleanor Blanche Seafoot (grade 7, 1969)
1969-1970
Eileen Charlotte Melva Doherty (grades 7-8), Percy Lawrence Fuz (grade 7), Winnifred Isabelle Hatch (grade 9, Occupational Entrance Class), Mary Isabella Jack (grade 8), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 9), Helga Beatrix Wolff (grade 9)
1970-1971
Eileen Charlotte Melva Doherty (grades 7-8), Simone Forest (grade 7, 1971), Larry Glenn Schmidt (grade 8), Kenneth Allan Jensen (grade 9), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 9), Kelvon Gordon Smith (grade 7, 1970)
1971-1972
Eileen Charlotte Melva Doherty (grade 8), Simone Forest (grade 7), Kenneth Allan Jensen (grade 9), Hirsch David Lerner (grade 8), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 9)
1972-1973
Eileen Charlotte Melva Doherty (grade 9), Simone Forest (grade 7), Hirsch David Lerner (grade 8), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 7), Clifford Murray Rutledge (grade 9)
1973-1974
Stephen Thomas Bunn (grade 9), Eileen Charlotte Melva Doherty (grade 8), Simone Forest (grade 9), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 7)
1974-1975
Gary Craig Burkett (grade 9), Eileen Charlotte Melva Doherty (grade 8), Herbert David Horner (grade 7), John Plett Kornelsen (grade 9), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 7)
1975-1976
Eileen Charlotte Melva Doherty (grade 7), Herbert David Horner (grade 9), Wendell William Irvine Keller (grade 9), John Plett Kornelsen (grade 8), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 7)
1976-1977
Jacob Jake Braun (grade 9), John Plett Kornelsen (grade 8), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 7), Elizabeth Irene Olive (grade 8), Robert Alexander Sundell (grade 9)
1977-1978
Jacob Jake Braun (grades 7 & 9), John Plett Kornelsen (grade 8), Florence Jean McQuarrie (grade 7), Elizabeth Irene Olive (grade 8), Robert Alexander Sundell (grade 9)
1978-1979
Jacob Jake Braun (grade 9), Margaret Berenice Johnston (grade 7), Elizabeth Irene Olive (grade 8), Robert Alexander Sundell (grade 8)
1979-1980
Darryl Thomas Beamish (grade 7), Jacob Jake Braun (grade 9), Margaret Teresa Hall (grade 7, 1980), Margaret Berenice Johnston (grade 7), Elizabeth Irene Olive (grade 7), Robert Alexander Sundell (grade 8)
1980-1981
Margaret Teresa Hall (grade 8), Margaret Berenice Johnston (grade 6), Annette D. Klatt Logeot (grade 9), Elizabeth Irene Olive (grade 7), Robert Alexander Sundell (grade 6)
No information
Oak Lake Community School (May 2022)
Source: Rose KuzinaSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.76767, W100.62737
denoted by symbol on the map above
“Former trustee cuts ribbon,” Brandon Sun, 31 March 1962, page 3.
“Oak Lake schools all set,” Brandon Sun, 28 August 1968, page 15.
School division half-yearly attendance reports (E 0757), Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Oak Lake Collegiate - Daily Registers, GR0466, Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Oak Lake Junior High School - Daily Registers, GR0466, Archives of Manitoba.
Ox Trails to Blacktop by Oak Lake History Committee, 1982, Manitoba Legislative Library, F 5649.O23 Oxt.
We thank Rose Kuzina and Gordon Goldsborough for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 5 November 2023
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