Historic Sites of Manitoba: Sifton School No. 1009 (Sifton, RM of Dauphin)

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

The Sifton School District was organized formally in May 1899 and a building was erected in Sifton, in the Rural Municipality of Dauphin. It was replaced by a two-storey, five-classroom brick and stucco structure built between 1948 and 1949. Through the 1960s, as rural schools from the surrounding area closed, their students came here. These included Trembowla School No. 1040, Oukraina School No. 1112, Fishing River School No. 1153, Mink River School No. 1154, Podolia School No. 1157, West Bay School No. 1223, Wycliffe School No. 1564, and Norton School No. 2094.

After the dissolution of the Wycliffe School District in 1946, its nearby building was used for high school classes. A new, five-classroom school building was constructed between 1948 and 1949.

The Sifton School building was later closed and demolished. The site is now a public playground.

Principals

Period	Principal
1920-1921	Frederick Ladlay “Fred” Bousfield (1865-1957)
1921-1922	?
1922-1923	George Isaac Herman Garrett (1884-1977)
1923-1924	Wilfred Almon Rideout (1878-1949)
1924-1925	William M. Stewart
1925-1928	Harry L. Stein (1902-1974)
1928-1931	Gerald Leopold Kramer (1908-1977)
1931-1932	Helen B. Hawryluk
1932-1937	James N. Stanko
1937-1939	Joseph Kahana (1900-1993)
1939-1956	James N. Stanko
1956-1957	William Nowosad (1931-2001)
1957-1959	Isadore A. Woronchuk
1959-1961	Omelan Kalichinsky
1961-1963	?
1963-1965	Nestor Weselowski
1965-1966	?
1967-1967	J. Fast
1967-1974	Mary Rosalia Prokopowich (1916-2003)
1974-1978	Ron Shewchuk
1978-1981	Robert Smith
1981-1986	Cecil “Bunny” Small

Teachers

Among the early teachers of Sifton School were William Farrar (1905-1907), Cornelius S. Prodan (1907-1910, 1912-1913), May O'Donnell (1910-1912), P. Malkovich (1912), Mrs. C. Prodan (1912-1913, 1914-1919), D. Madkovich (1913-1914), Elizabeth A. Smith (1921-1922, 1934), Nellie Chorneyko (1921-1925), Miss J. Uhryniuk (1925-1926), Della Baker (1926-1927), Jessy Botty (1928-1929), Sister St. Jerome (1928-1934), Frank Halinski (1928), C. Kramer (1928-1929), Miss Jean Ogryzlo (1932), Lila Muriel Burge (1934-1935), Ann Hrushowy (1934-1940), John J. Hrushowy (1935-1936), Mr. Tolstai (1935), Miss Black (1935-1939), Michael M. Sawchuk (1935, 1938), Xenia Pelech (1938), Helen Piloski (1938), Mary Urbanovitch (1938), J. Kahana (1938), J. Huyda (1938), V. Poloway (1938), Edna Prokopowich (1942-1943), Mrs. O. Farion (1942), John Ferance (1942-1949), Sister M. Eleanor (1945-1949), Miss Elsie Demchuk (1946), Pauline Zuk (1947-1949), and Melvin Solar (?-?).

School Year	Teachers
1949-1950	Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1950-1951	Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1951-1952	Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1952-1953	Sister Alfred, Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1953-1954	Sister Boniface, Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1954-1955	Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Sister Gerarda, Pauline Zuk
1955-1956	Sister M. Augustine, Sister Boniface, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1956-1957	John Hrushowy, Mrs. Pauline M. Ignash, Marie Kowaluk, William Nowosad
1957-1958	John Hrushowy (grades 7-8), Marie Kowaluk (grades 1-3), Stella Orisko (grades 4-6), Nestor Weselowski
1958-1959	John Hrushowy, Nestor Weselowski, I. Woronchuk, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek
1959-1960	Mrs. Dalner Friesen, Omelan Kalichinsky (grades 9-11), Elsie Schesnuik (grades 6-8), Steve Stasiuk (grades 3-5), Miss Williamson, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek (grades 1-2)
1960-1961	Elsie Schesnuik, Steve Stasiuk, William E. Walker, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek
1961-1962	Elsie Schesnuik, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek, ?
1962-1963	Elsie Schesnuik, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek, ?
1963-1964	Elsie Schesnuik, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek, ?
1964-1965	Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Nestor Weselowski (grades 7-8), Mrs. Mary Yakielashek (grades 1-3)
1965-1966	Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Nestor Weselowski (grades 7-8), Mrs. Mary Yakielashek (grades 1-3)
1966-1967	Mr. J. Fast, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Mrs. Mary Yakielashek
1967-1968	Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski, Edith Stanley
1968-1969	Mrs. J. Lagace, Mrs. B. Lemieux, Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski
1969-1970	Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski
1970-1971	Olive Comerford (grades 1-2), Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 3-4), Isabel Schykulski (grades 5-6)
1971-1972	Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski
1972-1973	Colleen Federowich, Mary Prokopowich, Isabel Schykulski
1973-1974	Colleen Federowich, Mary Prokopowich, Isabel Schykulski
1974-1975	Colleen Federowich (grades 1-2), Mary Prokopowich (grades 7-8), Isabel Schykulski (grades 5-6), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3-4)
1975-1976	John Andrelunas (grades 5-6), Isabel Schykulski (grades 1-2), Ron Shewchuk (grades 7-8), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3-4)
1976-1977	John Andrelunas, Isabel Schykulski, ?
1977-1978	John Andrelunas, Elsie Lesyk (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski, ?
1978-1979	John Andrelunas (grades 5, 6), Elsie Lesyk (kindergarten, grades 1, 2), Robert Smith (grades 7, 8), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3, 4)
1979-1980	John Andrelunas, Elsie Lesyk, Robert Smith, Nadia Yakielashek
1980-1981	Miss Elizabeth Herman, Elsie Lesyk (grades 1-2), Mary Quick (kindergarten), Robert Smith (grades 5-6), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3-4)
1981-1982	Miss Elizabeth Herman, Elsie Lesyk (grades 1-2), Mary Quick (kindergarten), Cecil “Bunny” Small (grades 5-6), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3-4)
1982-1983	Miss Elizabeth Herman, ?
1983-1984	?
1984-1985	?
1985-1986	Olga Borowski (kindergarten), Theresa Genik (grades 3-4), Mary Quick (grades 1-2), Cecil Small (grades 5-6)

Other teachers of Sifton School included Miss Walker (c1970), Olive Couch (music teacher), Audrey Dowler (music teacher), Mrs. Fjeldsted (music teacher), Chris Christopherson (physical education), A. Juce (physical education), Ed Doloff (special education), and Miss Peterson (special education).

Photos & Coordinates

The original Sifton School (no date) by H. J. Everall Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 39. Site of the former Sifton School building (May 2012) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N51.35728, W100.14184 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Wycliffe School No. 1564 (Sifton, RM of Dauphin)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Mary’s Convent School (Sifton, RM of Dauphin)

Sources:

“The local round,” Dauphin Herald, 20 October 1938, page 9.

Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.

“Teaching staffs named for “A” and “B” groups,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 9 September 1954, page 1.

“Record-breaking enrollments expected here in collegiate, elementary schools,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 1 September 1955, page 1.

“All-time high enrollments expected for town schools,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 30 August 1956, page 1.

“Town schools open today, high enrollments expected,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 29 August 1957, page 1.

“Total of 110 teachers assigned to schools in Dauphin-Ochre area,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 4 September 1958, pages 1, 6.

“Teaching staffs assigned to rural, village schools,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 3 September 1959, page 1.

“26 rural schools start fall term classes Tuesday,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 31 August 1960, page 4.

“Teaching staff for area schools increases to 132 for opening 1963-64 term,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 21 August 1963, page 1.

“All area schools open classes next Tuesday, 131 on teaching staffs,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 26 August 1964, page 1.

“All schools in area open classes Sept. 1 – 133 on teaching staffs,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 25 August 1965, page 1, 8.

“Twelve new faces among staff at Dauphin-Ochre schools,” Dauphin Herald, 6 September 1978, page 2.

“Dauphin Ochre teaching staff down slightly from last term,” Dauphin Herald, 12 September 1979, page 19.

“Teachers for 1980/81,” Dauphin Herald, 27 August 1980, page 16.

“School bells ring today,” Dauphin Herald, 2 September 1981, page 4.

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.

Sifton Then and Now: A Reminiscence of the Pioneer Era by Elsie Lesyk, Dauphin, 1992, pages 149, 169-183.

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 and Adeline Curle for providing additional information used.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 20 May 2023

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