Historic Sites of Manitoba: Ralph Maybank School (20 Donnelly Street, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Principals | Vice-Principals | Teachers | Photos & Coordinates | Sources

This Fort Garry school within the Grandin School District No. 1024, designed by the architectural firm of Libling Michener and named for lawyer, legislator, and Justice Ralph Maybank, was opened on 4 February 1957, with architect Gerald A. Libling presenting keys for the building to Grandin School Board Chair John Dallyn. Also present were Chief Inspector Robert William Lightly and Fort Garry Mayor Raymond Darwin Chase.

The school was enlarged in 1959 as part of a Division-wide building program which saw four classrooms added to it. Further capacity was added on designs of the Winnipeg architectural firm of Ward and Macdonald. A nine-classroom expansion was opened officially on 22 October 1963 and, in 1965, it was increased by another four classrooms. This school later received the elementary grades from Pembina Crest School.

From around 1958 to 1964, the school was used on Sundays by the Westridge United Church, prior to the construction of their church on an adjacent site. For much of the early 20th century, the Pembina Trails School Division facility faced the possibility of closure on account of low enrollment. A time capsule in the school’s cornerstone was opened at its 50th anniversary celebration in 2007. Located in front of the school, a plaque and tree-planting were dedicated in 1999 to commemorate Fernand “Fern” Boissinot (c1935-1998), a 30-year employee of the Fort Garry School Division.

Principals

Period

Principal

1957-1961

James H. G. “Jim” Smith

1961

Mabel Morrow (1894-1999) (acting)

1961-1962

James H. G. “Jim” Smith

1962-1963

Mabel Morrow (1894-1999)

1963-1965

Cornelius Van “Neil” Thiessen (1919-2016)

1965-1985

?

1985-1986

Walter Regehr (?-2018)

1986-1995

?

1995

Frank Wynes

1995-2004

?

2004-2007

Janet Gray

2007-2016

Diana Vaile

Teachers

Period

Teachers

1957-1958

Norma Caroline Daly (grade 2), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Sarah Klassen (grade 2), Claudette Cecile LaFleche (grade 4), Mary MacQuarrie (grades 3-4), Beryl Joyce Raincock (grade 3), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 5), James H. G. “Jim” Smith (grade 6), Walter Dale Stefanchuk (grade 6)

1958-1959

Norma Caroline Daly (grade 2), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Sarah Klassen (grade 2), Marie Houston (grade 3), Eileen Marguerite Kennedy (grade 3), Claudette Cecile LaFleche (grade 4), Isabel Margaret Lindsay (grade 1), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 5), James H. G. “Jim” Smith (grade 6), Walter Dale Stefanchuk (grade 6), Shirley Jean Tinkler (grade 1)

1959-1960

Caroline Winifred Jeeves Calder (grade 2), Frances Marie Louise Crawley (grade 2), Norma Caroline Daly (grade 2), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Sheila J. Foxton (grade 4), Marie Houston (grade 3), Eileen Marguerite Kennedy (grade 3), Martha Klassen (grade 4), Isabel Margaret Lindsay (grade 1), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 5), James H. G. “Jim” Smith (grade 6), Walter Dale Stefanchuk (grade 6), Shirley Jean Tinkler (grade 1), Hugo Unruh (no grade)

1960-1961

Caroline Winifred Jeeves Calder (grade 2), Frances Marie Louise Crawley (grade 2), Norma Caroline Daly (grade 2), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Marie Houston (grade 3), Shirley Patricia Huntly (grade 1), Eileen Marguerite Kennedy (grade 3), Martha Klassen (grade 4), Isabel Margaret Lindsay (grade 1), Patricia Ann Merrell (grade 4), Mabel Morrow (grade 6, 1961 relief), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 5), Ruth Elizabeth Ross (grade 1, 1960), James H. G. “Jim” Smith (grade 6), Walter Dale Stefanchuk (grade 5), Sheila Joan Storjord (grade 1), Diana Lynne Turner (grade 3)

1961-1962

Caroline Winifred Jeeves Calder (grade 2), Norma Caroline Daly (grade 2), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Marie Houston (grade 3), Eileen Marguerite Kennedy (grade 3), Martha Klassen (grade 4), Isabel Margaret Lindsay (grade 1), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 5), James H. G. “Jim” Smith (grade 6), Patricia Ann Merrell Stefanchuk (grade 4), Walter Dale Stefanchuk (grade 5), Sheila Joan Storjord (grade 2), Shirley Jean Tinkler (grade 1), Diana Lynne Turner (grade 3)

1962-1963

Caroline Winifred Jeeves Calder (grade 2), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Marie Houston (grades 3-4), Martha Klassen (grade 4), Lois Rosaleen Mungham (grade 1), Eileen Marguerite Kennedy (grade 3), Isabel Margaret Lindsay (grade 1), Mabel Morrow (grade 5), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 5), Patricia Ann Merrell Stefanchuk (grade 4), Sheila Joan Storjord (grade 2), Leona Dawn Sutherland (grade 2), Shirley Jean Tinkler (grade 1), Diana Lynne Turner (grade 3)

1963-1964

Caroline Winifred Jeeves Calder (grade 2), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Linda Frances Hallgrimson (grade 3), Mona Katherine Haselhan (grade 1), Marie Houston (grade 3), Kenneth Norman Johnson (grade 5), Eileen Marguerite Kennedy (grade 3), Martha Klassen (grade 4), Alice Ella Krahn (grade 6), Isabel Margaret Lindsay (grade 1), Mary Ida Meyers (grades 4-5), Lois Rosaleen Mungham (grade 1), Peter Douglas Powell (grade 6), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 4), Walter Dale Stefanchuk (grade 5), Sheila Joan Storjord (grade 2), Leona Dawn Sutherland (grade 2), Shirley Jean Tinkler (grade 1)

1964-1965

Caroline Winifred Jeeves Calder (grade 2), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Laura Marie Godin (grade 2), Mona Katherine Haselhan (grade 4), Marie Houston (grade 3), Kenneth Norman Johnson (grade 5), Claudia May Joyce (grade 4), Eileen Marguerite Kennedy (grade 3), Alice Ella Krahn (grade 6), Isabel Margaret Lindsay (grade 1), Mary Ida Meyers (grades 5-6), Lois Rosaleen Mungham (grade 1), Linda Frances Hallgrimson Papageorge (grade 3), Peter Douglas Powell (grade 6), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 4), Faun Donalda Ross (grade 2), Walter Dale Stefanchuk (grade 5), Shirley Jean Tinkler (grade 1), Beverly Ailsa Webber (grade 2), Iris Julia Woodward (no grade)

1965-1966

Edith Ruth Armson (grade 4), Caroline Winifred Jeeves Calder (grade 2), Judith Shirley Cullen (grade 3), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Laura Marie Godin (grade 2), Mona Katherine Haselhan (grade 4), Marie Houston (grade 3), Claudia May Joyce (grade 4), Eileen Marguerite Kennedy (grade 3), Isabel Margaret Lindsay (grade 1), Marian Elizabeth McSween (grade 6), Mary Ida Meyers (grade 6), Lois Rosaleen Mungham (grade 1), Merle Noreen Morrison (grade 2), Linda Frances Hallgrimson Papageorge (grade 5), Peter Douglas Powell (grade 6), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 5), Margaret Isabelle Scott (no grade), Walter Dale Stefanchuk (grade 5), Shirley Jean Tinkler (grade 1), Beverly Ailsa Webber (grade 2), Iris Julia Woodward (no grade)

1966-1967

Edith Ruth Armson (grade 4), Ellen Ann Bate (special education), Justeen Ruth Derkson (grade 1), Laura Marie Godin (grade 2), Mona Katherine Haselhan (grade 4), Grace E. Hay (kindergarten, 1967), Marie Houston (grade 3), Judith Shirley Cullen Kidd (grade 3), Isabel Margaret Lindsay (grade 1), Harvey Wayne Lyons (grade 6), Donna McLean (grade 4), Marian Elizabeth McSween (grade 6), Bette Machin (kindergarten, 1966), Pamela Clinton Mehoke (kindergarten), Mary Ida Meyers (grade 6), Merle Noreen Morrison (grade 2), Lois Rosaleen Mungham (grade 1), Patricia Anne Pankratz (grade 2), Linda Frances Hallgrimson Papageorge (grade 5), Victorine Marie Richards (grade 5), Donna Maebelle Ruddick (grade 3), Claudia J. Schmidt (grade 4), Carol Shanks (special education), Shirley Jean Tinkler (grade 1), Thomas L. Watt (grade 5)

Other teachers of Ralph Maybank School included Joan Eleanor deBeer Sommerville.

Photos & Coordinates

Ralph Maybank School

Ralph Maybank School (August 2016)
Source: Nathan Kramer

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.83653, W97.15942
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Business: Libling Michener and Associates / LM Architectural Group

Memorable Manitobans: Ralph Maybank (1890-1965)

Sources:

“Maybank will be opened Monday night,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 February 1957, page 2.

“Rural Municipality of Fort Garry,” Winnipeg Free Press, 5 March 1959, page 6.

“Vote on bigger schools but more pupils on way,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 March 1959, page 12.

“Tender addition to Ralph Maybank School,” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 December 1962, page 20.

“The Westridge Community Centre,” Winnipeg Free Press, 16 January 1963, page 3.

[Photo caption], Winnipeg Free Press, 7 September 1963, page 16.

“School opening,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 October 1963, page 9.

“Tenders,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 January 1965, page 42.

“Centre holds annual meet on Tuesday,” Winnipeg Free Press, 7 June 1986, page 54.

Obituary [Isabel Lindsay (1935-1994)], Winnipeg Free Press, 3 May 1994, page B6.

“Schools plug into cable learning,” Winnipeg Free Press, 29 September 1995, page A5.

Obituary [Fernand Boissinot], Winnipeg Free Press, 16 September 1998, page C7.

“Low enrolment threatens school,” Winnipeg Free Press, 4 November 1999, page 10.

“Declining enrolments,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 December 1999, page A3.

“Major school reorganization considered in Fort Garry,” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 April 2000, page A9.

Obituary [Caroline Winnifred Calder (1900-2001)], Winnipeg Free Press, 24 January 2001, page C6.

“Billboard [Ralph Maybank School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 1 March 2006, page B4.

Obituary [Joan Eleanor Sommerville (1927-2008)], Winnipeg Free Press, 20 April 2008, page 32.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Ralph Maybank School Daily Registers, GR10356, Archives of Manitoba.

We thank Steven Christianson and Valerie Storjord for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 16 January 2021

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