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The Prefontaine School District was established formally in October 1928, replacing a private school that had operated nearby. A school building was erected on the southwest corner of the southwest quarter of 10-8-4 east of the Principal Meridian, in the Rural Municipality of Tache. Construction was supported by the issue of debentures held by Edmund Prefontaine of St. Pierre-Jolys. It was destroyed during the 1938-1939 school year and was replaced. On 22 November 1960, the school burned again. A temporary structure was erected at the site and leased from C. T. Loewen & Sons Limited until a two-classroom replacement could be constructed in the spring of 1961. It was used until 1968 when the school closed upon amalgamation with the Hanover Unitary School Division. The site and its building were sold and renovated for use as a restaurant.
Period
Principal
1961-1962
Nicolai David “Nick” Unrau
1962-1963
Walter Albert Foth
1963-1966
Peter Thiessen
1966-1967
Cornelius Hiebert
1967-1968
Winston Penner
Period
Teachers
1961-1962
Nicolai David “Nick” Unrau (grades 1-8, 1961; grades 4-8), Tina Wiebe (grades 1-3)
1962-1963
Walter Albert Foth (grades 5-8), Tina Wiebe (grades 1-4)
1963-1964
Peter Thiessen (grades 5-8), Tina Wiebe (grades 1-4)
1964-1965
Peter Thiessen (grades 5-8), Tina Wiebe (grades 1-4)
1965-1966
Dorothy Margaret Friesen (grades 1-4), Peter Thiessen (grades 5-8)
1966-1967
Cornelius Hiebert (grades 5-8), Irma Reimer (grades 1-4)
1967-1968
Winston Penner (grades 5-8), Shirley Plett (grades 1-4)
Among the other teachers Prefontaine School were Jessie Peters (1947), William Brown, Mrs. Stan Reimer, Miss J. Peters (1950-1951), Jake Enns (1951-1953), W. Braun (1953-1956), Rudy Klassen (1956-1958), Betty Froese (1958-1960), Nicolai David “Nick” Unrau (1960-1961).
The second Prefontaine School building, built in 1961 (c1968)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, Manitoba School Records Collection, GR2656,
Hanover School Division Collection #73, Series 2, Prefontaine School District #2189.
The second Prefontaine School building (no date)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, Manitoba School Records Collection, GR2656,
Hanover School Division Collection #74, Series 2, Prefontaine School District #2189.
The former Prefontaine School building (April 2012)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.63565, W96.97969
denoted by symbol on the map above
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.
Schools - Our Heritage: From 46 School Districts to Hanover Unitary School Division, 1878-1968 by John K. Schellenberg, Steinbach: The Board of the Hanover School Division No. 15, May 1985.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Prefontaine School No. 2189 Daily Registers, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Prefontaine School No. 2189 Minute Book, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Prefontaine School No. 2189 Cash Book, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
Manitoba School Records Collection, Prefontaine School No. 2189 Miscellaneous Records, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.
We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 15 February 2021
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