Historic Sites of Manitoba: Rockwood School (350 Rockwood Street, Winnipeg)

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

A sod-breaking ceremony for Rockwood School, a facility of the Winnipeg School Division, was held on 25 April 1949 with trustee Mrs. D. A. P. McKay performing the honours. The cornerstone was laid by trustee Stanley B. Laing on 17 February 1950 at an event attended by former and present school board chairs G. P. MacLeod and Campbell Haig. Inside the cornerstone were lists of federal, provincial, city, and school officials, along with school reports, coins, and newspapers.

The building designed by local architect William A. Martin consisted of seven classrooms and a gymnasium and was built for $205,464. The main contractor was the Gunn-Walen Construction Company with plumbing and heating was installed by the John Plaxton Company. It opened to students in grades kindergarten through four on 1 May 1950, alleviating crowding at the La Verendrye School, Grosvenor School, and River Heights School. In 1952, six more classrooms were added on a design by Winnipeg architect J. N. Semmens, providing space for classes in grades five and six.

Principals

Period	Principal
1949-1954	Olive Adeline Armstrong Hensley (1893-1980)
1954-1956	Sybil Francis Shack (1911-2004)
1956-1964	Georgina Ronald “Ina” Samuel (1911-1990)
1964-1973	Myrtle Rietta Conway (1908-2005)
1973-?	Frank J. Froese
?-1983	?
1983-?	Vernon “Vern” Peters (c1927-1998)
?-2003	?
2003-2006	Roberta Hechter
2006-2014	Curtis Belton
2014-?	Jamie Hutchison

Teachers

School Year	Teachers
1949-1950	Miss E. Burdney, Miss E. R. Dawson, Miss B. M. Hawkins, Miss M. Humphries, Miss W. Sadlier
1950-1951	Mrs. A. Arnason, Miss E. Burdney, Mrs. V. L. Galston, Miss M. Hawkes, Miss B. M. Hawkins, Miss G. Kasperski, Miss Una Parr, Miss M. Prygrocki, Miss R. Scarth, Miss A. Steen
1951-1952	Mrs. E. Arnason, Miss E. O. Burdeny, Mrs. S. Chatwell, Miss M. A. Cranston, Miss D. P. Ferguson, Mrs. V. L. Galston, E. Gillies, Miss M. Hawkes, Miss B. M. Hawkins, Miss U. A. Parr, Miss F. Pearson, Mrs. D. Scarth, Miss J. Sladek, Miss A. Steen
1952-1953	Mrs. E. Arnason, Miss E. O. Burdeny, Mrs. B. M. Chorneyko, Miss E. R. A. Edwards, Miss M. J. Fraser, Mrs. H. V. Galston, E. Gillies, Mrs. G. Johnson, Miss B. A. Lee, Miss U. A. Parr, Miss F. M. Pearson, Miss G. Staples, Miss A. Stein, John L. Wright
1953-1954	Mrs. E. Arnason, Miss B. Burdeny, Miss J. Buckingham, Mrs. B. Chorneyko, Mrs. E. Colyer, Miss U. A. Dare, Mrs. H. V. Galska, E. A. Gillies, Mrs. V. Johnson, Miss B. A. Lee, Miss M. McGarry, W. F. Murrell, Miss F. Pearson, Mrs. M. M. Reilly, Miss D. Reimer, Mrs. L. M. Smith, Miss T. Sorenson, Miss A. Stein, Miss B. Wiggins
1954-1955	Mrs. E. Arnason, Miss E. Burdeny, Mrs. B. M. Chorneyko, Mrs. E. Colyer, Mrs. H. V. Galston, Miss E. Greenberg, Mrs. V. Johnson, L. L. Kawlowsky, Miss M. Kiez, Miss B. A. Lee, Miss M. McGarry, Miss U. A. Parr, Miss F. Pearson, Mrs. M. M. Reilly, Miss D. R. Reimer, Mrs. L. M. Smith, Miss T. Sorenson, Miss A. Steen
1955-1956	Mrs. E. A. Arnason, Miss E. Burdeny, Miss C. Campbell, Mrs. E. Colyer, Mrs. H. V. Galston, Mrs. L. Grant, Miss E. Greenburg, Miss E. Halpenny, J. G. Hunter, Mrs. V. Johnson, L. Karlowsky, Miss M. Kiez, Miss B. A. Lee, Miss F. Pearson, Mrs. M. Reilly, Miss D. Reimer, Mrs. L. Smith, Miss S. Steal, Miss A. Steen, Mrs. M. Woronchuk
1956-1957	Verna May Ackland, Mrs. E. Arnason, Miss C. Campbell, Mrs. E. Colyer, Miss A. Cross, Miss E. Greenberg, Mrs. V. Johnson, Mrs. M. Kampen, L. Karlowsky, Miss H. Klassen, Miss B. A. Lee, Miss M. E. Lennox, Miss F. Pearson, Miss G. Rafferty, Mrs. I. Grant, Mrs. L. Smith, Miss D. Staples, Miss A. Steen, Mrs. M. Woronchuk
1957-1958	Verna May Ackland, Mrs. E. Arnason, Miss C. Campbell, Mrs. E. Colyer, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Miss A. Cross, Mrs. I. Grant, Miss E. Greenberg, Mrs. V. Johnson, Mrs. M. Kampen, L. Karlowsky, Miss H. Klassen, Miss B. A. Lee, Miss E. Lennox, Miss F. Pearson, Miss G. Rafferty, Mrs. L. Smith, Miss D. Staples, Miss A. Steen, Mrs. M. Woronchuk
1958-1959	Verna May Ackland, Mrs. D. Clerihew, Mrs. E. Colyer, Miss H. Compton, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Miss A. Cross, Miss E. Greenberg, Mrs. C. Hayden, Mrs. B. Johnson, Mrs. V. Johnson, Miss M. Kendrick?, Miss E. Lennox, Miss A. Lower, Miss A. ?, Miss F. Pearson, Miss G. Rafferty, Mrs. J. Redgwell?, M. ?, Miss A. Steen, Miss D. Staples
1959-1960	Verna May Ackland, Mrs. D. Clerihew, W. J. Cook, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Miss A. Cross, Miss E. Greenberg, Mrs. C. Hayden, Mrs. B. Johnson, Mrs. V. Johnson, J. Jones, Miss E. Lennox, Miss A. Lower, Miss F. Pearson, Miss G. Rafferty, Mrs. J. Redgwell?, Miss A. Steen, Miss D. Staples, Miss J. L. Tennani?
1960-1961	Elementary Department: Mrs. D. Clerihew, Mrs. E. Colyer, Miss H. Compton, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Miss A. Cross, Miss E. Greenberg, Mrs. C. Hayden, Mrs. B. Johnson, Mrs. V. Johnson, J. Jones, Miss E. Lennox, Miss A. Lower, Miss F. Pearson, Miss G. Raferty, Mrs. D. Staples, Miss A. Steen. Intermediate Department: Mrs. N. Oxby, M. Swidinsky
1961-1962	Mrs. C. Clerihew, Mrs. E. Colyer, Miss H. Compton, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Miss A. Cross, Miss M. M. Derby, Mrs. R. Freeman, Miss E. Greenberg, Mrs. C. Hayden, Mrs. V. Johnson, J. Jones, Miss E. Lennox, Mrs. F. McDonald, Miss M. McMillan, Miss F. Pearson, Miss G. Rafferty, Mrs. E. Ruddy, Mrs. L. Stocks
1692-1963	?
1963-1964	Verna May Ackland, Miss H. Compton, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Miss M. Crocker, Miss A. Cross, Miss M. Darby, Miss E. Greenberg, J. Elias, Miss L. M. Erickson, Mrs. T. Flom, Mrs. R. Freeman, Miss M. Gibb, Mrs. L. Last, Miss E. Lennox, Mrs. B. Lunn, Miss F. Pearson, Miss G. Rafferty, Miss E. Ruddy, Mrs. J. Segal
1964-1965	Verna May Ackland, Miss H. Compton, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Miss M. Crocker, Miss A. Cross, Miss M. Darby, Miss M. Erickson, Mrs. R. Freeman, Miss M. Gibb, Miss E. Greenberg, Mrs. C. Halliday, T. Howard, Miss E. Lennox, J. Longstaffe, Mrs. M. Lunn, Miss F. Pearson, Miss G. Rafferty, Mrs. D. Wright
1965-1966	Verna May Ackland, Miss H. Compton, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Miss M. Crocker, Miss A. Cross, Mrs. R. Freeman, Miss M. Gibb, Mrs. M. Habing, Mrs. C. Halliday, T. Howard, Miss E. Lennox, J. Longstaffe, Mrs. M. Lunn, Miss F. Pearson, Miss H. Sparrow, Mrs. V. Thornton, Mrs. W. Varga, Mrs. D. Wright, Mrs. E. Zetaruk
1966-1967	Verna May Ackland, Mrs. M. Bourdon, Miss H. Compton, Mrs. R. Cooper, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Miss A. Cross, Mrs. R. Freeman, Mrs. M. Habing, Mrs. C. Halliday, Miss E. Lennox, J. Longstaffe, Mrs. M. Lunn, Miss M. Neil, Miss F. Pearson, Mrs. R. Robinson, Miss H. Sparrow, Mrs. V. Thornton, Mrs. W. Varga, Mrs. D. Wright
1967-1968	Verna May Ackland, Mrs. S. Bates, Mrs. M. Bourdon, Mrs. R. Cooper, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Mrs. R. Freeman, Mrs. M. Habing, Mrs. C. Halliday, Miss E. Halpenny, J. Longstaffe, Mrs. M. Lunn, Miss M. Neil, Miss F. Pearson, Mrs. R. Robinson, Miss H. Sparrow, Mrs. V. Thornton, Miss J. Walkinshaw, Mrs. D. Wright
1968-1969	Verna May Ackland, Mrs. S. Bates, Mrs. M. Bourdon, Mrs. K. Corrigan, Mrs. P. Coughlin, Mrs. R. Freeman, Mrs. N. Fulcher, Mrs. B. Giesbrecht, Mrs. M. Habing, Mrs. C. Halliday, Miss M. Hauk, J. Longstaff, Mrs. M. Lunn, Mrs. F. Milne, Miss M. Neil, Mrs. G. Newcombe, Miss F. Pearson, Mrs. R. Robinson, Mrs. V. Thornton, Miss D. Williamson, Miss M. Wright

Photos & Coordinates

Rockwood School (July 2016) Source: Nathan Kramer Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.86165, W97.16740 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Rockwood School No. 19 (RM of Rockwood)

Sources:

“Contracts for two schools awarded totaling $491,160,” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 March 1949, page 3.

“Woman trustees to turn sods,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 April 1949, page 3.

“Receive city school appointments,” Winnipeg Free Press, 19 May 1949, page 3.

“Trustees ask $710,700 boost in school tax levy for 1950,” Winnipeg Free Press, 30 December 1949, page 3.

[Photo caption], Winnipeg Free Press, 18 February 1950, page 3.

[Photo caption], Winnipeg Free Press, 2 May 1950, page 21.

“School posts filled,” Winnipeg Free Press, 5 May 1973, page 74.

“Reception honors Myrtle Conway,” Winnipeg Free Press, 2 June 1973, page 27.

We thank Curtis Belton and Robert Hill for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 15 January 2021

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