Historic Sites of Manitoba: Sprague School No. 1167 / Ross L. Gray School (Sprague, RM of Piney)

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

The Sprague School District was established in February 1902 and a school building was erected in Sprague, in what would later become the Rural Municipality of Piney. A new one-room schoolhouse was constructed in 1917 and an addition was made three years later. These two rooms were used until 1956 when the students of Hardy School No. 2179 were added, necessitating the use of the local Womens’ Institute Library as a classroom. A high school addition was made in 1960.

In July 1965, it became Sprague Consolidated School No. 2439, merging with the Middlebro School No. 2227 and Golden Branch School No. 1845, and the school was renamed Ross L. Gray School in commemoration of local school board official R. L. Gray. Three more school districts: Gobeil Special School, Whitemouth Lake School No. 1672, and South Junction School No. 1615, joined in 1967 and, finally, Vassar School No. 1329 and Burns School No. 2003 joined in 1968. Between 1966 and 1968, six new classrooms were constructed and, in 1970, a new gymnasium, three classrooms, and a staff room were added. Another addition was made in 1980, providing an industrial arts room, home economics room, business education room, and a classroom.

In 2002, Sprague Consolidated School No. 2439 was forced by the provincial government to join the Border Land School Division. A budgetary surplus accumulated by the local school board was used to build a stage on the gymasium.

Principals

Period

Principal

1947-1951

Rose Williams

1951-1952

Mary A. Williams

1952-1953

C. B. Buhler

1953-1955

Edna M. Lee

1955-1958

Katherine Gray

1958-1959

T. V. Fulton

1959-1961

Mrs. Rose Smook

1961-1964

Katherine Gray

1964-1965

Mrs. Rose Smook

1965-1966

G. J. Gamey

1966-1977

Marvin W. Hovorka

1977-1984

Terry Gotziaman

1984-1985

Ben Hanuschak

1985-1987

Ronald Buzahora

1987-1989

Larry Slashinsky

1989-1995

Chester Rouleau

1995-2007

Doris Hovorka

2007-?

Danielle Charrette

Teachers

Among the other teachers of Sprague School was Lucy Evaline Mills (?-?).

Photos & Coordinates

Sprague School

Sprague School (no date) by Clarence Moore
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 70.

Painting of the Sprague School

Painting of the Sprague School (no date)
Source: Sprague and District Historical Museum

Ross L. Gray School

Ross L. Gray School (August 2023)
Source: Rose Kuzina

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.03673, W95.64169
denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

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.

We thank Doris Hovorka (Sprague and District Historical Museum), Nathan Kramer, and Rose Kuzina for providing information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 3 November 2023

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other

Inclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.

Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.

Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ

Help us keep history alive!