Historic Sites of Manitoba: Virden School No. 144 / Mary Montgomery School (Ninth Avenue South, Virden)

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

The Virden School District was established in Virden in June 1883. Initially, classes were held in the local Presbyterian manse or Methodist parsonage until a building could be erected. Classes began under teacher Miss Sparrow. In 1886, a two-room school was built on land donated by the Canada North West Land Company. Its life was short, as it was destroyed by fire around March 1887. A replacement two-room school was erected later that year.

By 1892, crowding at the school was becoming dire so the decision was made to build a four-room replacement for it. Designed by Winnipeg architect Walter Chesterton, the school was built by contractor J. A. Saul later that year. Problems with the structural integrity of the building were discovered almost immediately, with the wall facing Queen Street requiring the addition of timber buttresses and iron rods to keeping it from bowing outward.

In late 1905, a new school building was designed by Winnipegq architect V. W. Horwood and built along Ninth Avenue South. The two-storey brick structure comprised eight classrooms and a playroom in the basement. It was one of the first two school consolidations in Manitoba, the other occurring at Holland. The former school building was then used as an immigration hall.

In 1948, high school grades were moved to the new Virden Collegiate, along with junior high grades to the new Virden Junior High in 1956.

In June 1963, Virden Public School was renamed Mary Montgomery School in honour of former teacher Mary Montgomery. An addition built behind the structure in 1980 housed a gymnasium, dental clinic, and kindergarten. A new school building was constructed beside the old school in the early 1990s, including a special needs suite, library, computer lab, and administrative offices. In 1992, the 1905 building was demolished and replaced by a play structure. A commemorative arch in front of the new school is made from its bricks.

Principals

Period	Principal
1887	Mr. Erskine
1888	Sidney Edward Lang (1864-1950)
1889-1890	J. T. Wright
1891	Marshall Hall-Jones (1865-1927)
1891-1893	James Martin
1893-1896	James Cooper Butchart (1865-?)
1896-1900	Percy Dewart Harris (1871-1953)
1900-1904	Charles Kenning Newcombe (1877-1944)
1904-1906	A. J. Mather
1906-1916	Alexander M. Shields (1853-1940)
1916-1918	Thomas Addison Neelin (1882-1970)
1918-1920	Thomas Orton Durnin (1889-1964)
1920-1924	John Marshall Nason (1887-1963)
1924-1929	W. A. Anderson
1929-1933	Charles Philip “Charlie” Kerr (1903-1990)
1933-1938	Arthur Augustus Harris (1903-1982)
1938-1943	Barney Thordarson (1904-1974)
1943-1948	Cecil Cullen Foster (1911-1998)
1948-1953	Lorne Arnott Finkbeiner (1922-2005)
1953-1956	Lorne Avery Chapple (1920-2000)
1956-1957	?
1957-1968	Myrtle Aleta Lane (1903-2002)
1968-c1980	Glen B. Young
c2000	Emma Lou Evanson
?-?	Brad Hayward

Teachers

School Year	Teachers
1906	Josephine M. Dow (grades 4-5), Marion K. Dow (grades 6-7, grade 8), Annie T. Gillespie (grades 1-2), W. G. Henderson (grade ?), David Bruce Huggins (grade ?), Mina H. McLaren (grades 4-5), A. J. Mather (grade ?), A. Moulton (grades 6-7), Ella R. Scarth (grades 3-4)
1907	Nellie M. McGregor (grades 3-4), Ella R. Scarth (grades 3-4), Evans Struthers (grades 3-4)
1908	A. L. Craig (grade ?), Olive A. Ferguson (grades 6-7), Thomas Walter Halligan (grade 5?)
1909	M. M. Dodds (grade 3), Gertrude Dutton (grade 3)
1910	Sophia M. Wocks (grade 1)
1911-1915	?
1915-1916	Charles H. Egan, ?
1916-1920	?
1920-1921	May Dodds (grade 5), Grace Louise Gibson (grade 2), Bertha May Sanford (grade 2)
1921-1922	Grace Louise Gibson (grade 3), Annie May McLachlan
1922-1923	Jean N. Coutts (grade 7), W. D. Flatt (grade 7, 1922), Annie May McLachlan
1923-1928	?
1928-1929	Mona May Insley (grade 2), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 3), Jessie Merle McNiven (grade 8, daughter of John D. McNiven), Mary Edythe Mathers (grade 6, 1929), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Janet Mary Palmer (grade 4, 1928; grades 3-4, 1929), Neta Sadler (grade 1), Dorothy Rose Wilkins (grade 6, 1928), ? (grades 7, 9+)
1929-1930	Georgina Alice Rynehart Dobbie (grade 7), Mona May Insley (grade 2), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 1), Jessie Merle McNiven (grade 8), Mary Edythe Mathers (grade 6), Janet Mary Palmer (grade 4), Bertha May Sanford (grade 3), ? (grades 7, 9+)
1930-1931	Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 5), Mona May Insley (grade 2), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 1), Jessie Merle McNiven (grade 8), Mary E. Matthews (grade 6), Janet Mary Palmer (grade 4), Annie Georgina Sanford (grade 1), Bertha May Sanford (grade 3), ? (grades 7, 9+)
1931-1932	Mona May Insley (grade 2), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grades 1-2), Mary E. Matthews (grade 6), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Janet Mary Palmer (grade 4), Annie Georgina Sanford (grade 1), Bertha May Sanford (grade 3), ? (grades 7+)
1932-1933	Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 4), Mona May Insley (grade 3, 1932; grades 1 & 3, 1933), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grades 1-2), Mary E. Matthews (grade 6), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Annie Georgina Sanford (grade 1), Bertha May Sanford (grade 3), ? (grades 7+)
1933-1934	Annie Georgina Sanford (grade 1), ? (grades 2+)
1934-1935	Eunice H. Bennett (grade 5), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Mona May Insley (grade 3), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Annie Georgina Sanford (grade 1), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4, 1934; grades 1 & 4, 1935), ? (grades 7+)
1935-1936	Eunice H. Bennett (grade 6), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Mona May Insley (grade 3), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Annie Georgina Sanford (grade 1), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4), ? (grades 7+)
1936-1937	Georgina Alice Rynehart Dobbie (grade 7), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Mona May Insley (grade 3), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Jessie Merle McNiven (grade 8), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Annie Georgina Sanford (grade 1), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4), ? (grades 9+)
1937-1938	Georgina Alice Rynehart Dobbie (grade 7), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Mona May Insley (grade 3), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Jessie Merle McNiven (grade 8), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Annie Georgina Sanford (grade 1), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4), ? (grades 9+)
1938-1939	Henry Reginald Abernethy (grade 8), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Mona May Insley (grade 3), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), George William Sadler (grade 7), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4), Annie Georgina Stafford (grade 1), ? (grades 9+)
1939-1940	Henry Reginald Abernethy (grade 8), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Mona May Insley (grade 3), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), George William Sadler (grade 7), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4), Annie Georgina Stafford (grade 1), ? (grades 9+)
1940-1941	Henry Reginald Abernethy (grade 8), John Archibald Carmichael (grade 7), Molly C. Stalker Finkbeiner (grade 3), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Mona May Insley (grade 1), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4), ? (grades 9+)
1941-1942	Henry Reginald Abernethy (grade 8, 1941), Evelyn Cecilia Brimacombe (grade 3), Molly C. Stalker Finkbeiner (grade 3, 1941; grade 7), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Alexander Greenway McClellan (grades 7-8, 1941; grade 8), Margaret Mitchell (grade 1), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4), ? (grades 9+)
1942-1943	Nellie Nettie Dunits (grade 1), Molly C. Stalker Finkbeiner (grade 7), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Margaret Mitchell (grade 3), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Isabel G. Hayes Muirhead (grade 3, 1943), John Wesley Alexander “Jack” Muirhead (grade 8), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4), ? (grades 9+)
1943-1944	Evelyn Cecilia Brimacombe (grade 4), Nellie Nettie Dunits (grade 1), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Isabel G. Hayes Muirhead (grade 3), John Wesley Alexander “Jack” Muirhead (grade 8), Audrey Marion Poyser (grade 7), ? (grades 9+)
1944-1945	Evelyn Cecilia Brimacombe (grade 4), Annie Keir Butcher (grade 7), Nellie Nettie Dunits (grade 1), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Isabel G. Hayes Muirhead (grade 3), John Wesley Alexander “Jack” Muirhead (grade 8), Audrey Marion Poyser (grade 7, 1944), ? (grades 9+)
1945-1946	Henry Reginald Abernethy (grade 8), Annie Keir Butcher (grade 7), Nellie Nettie Dunits (grade 1), Olga Ewashkiw (grade 3), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 6), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 5), Alfred John Moran (grade ?), Bertha May Sanford (grade 4), ? (grades 9+)
1946-1947	Jean Dickie (grade 1), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 4), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Marjorie Lorraine McLean (grade 1), Mary Montgomery (grade 3), Alfred John Moran (grade ?), Peter Raymond Mudery (grade 7; grades 7-8, 1947), John Wesley Alexander “Jack” Muirhead (grade 8, 1947), Edith Mary Shorthose (grades 5-6), Angus G. Spence (grade 8), ? (grades 9+)
1947-1948	Winnifred May Cockbill (grade 1), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 4), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Gertrude Elizabeth Martin (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 3), Alfred John Moran (commercial, no grade), Peter Raymond Mudery (grade 6), Edith Mary Shorthose (grade 5), ? (grades 7+)
1948-1949	Marjorie Maude Chestnut (grade 1, 1949), Ruth Thelma Cotter (grade 4), Isabella M. Dryden (grade 5), Lorne Arnott Finkbeiner (grade 8), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Joy Lyon (grade 1, 1948), Marjorie Lorraine McLean (grade 1, 1948), Mary Montgomery (grade 3), Janet Isobel Reid (grade 6), Trevor Finlay Sterling (grade 7), Mary Stewart (grade 1, 1948), Phyllis Vera White (grade 5)
1949-1950	Marjorie Maude Chestnut (grade 1), Lorne Arnott Finkbeiner (grade 8), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 4), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Marjorie Lorraine McLean (grade 1), Mary Montgomery (grade 3), Janet Isobel Reid (grade 6), Trevor Finlay Sterling (grade 7)
1950-1951	Ruby Marie Burnash (grade 1), Lorne Arnott Finkbeiner (grade 8), Mary Jeanne Frazer (grade 5), Ada Pauline Herkes (grade 4), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 3), Janet Isobel Reid (grade 6), Trevor Finlay Sterling (grade 7)
1951-1952	Lorne Arnott Finkbeiner (grade 8), Mary Elizabeth Gardiner (grade 4), Jean Elizabeth “Jennie” Graham (grade 5), Nora Sybil E. Jelfs (grade 1), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 3), Janet Isobel Reid (grade 6), Harold Roy Rudy (grade 7 and Virden Technical School)
1952-1953	Lorne Arnott Finkbeiner (grade 8), Mary Elizabeth Gardiner (grade 4), Jean Elizabeth “Jennie” Graham (grade 5), Nora Sybil E. Jelfs (grade 1), Myrtle Aleta Lane (grade 2), Mary Montgomery (grade 3), Janet Isobel Reid (grade 6), Harold Roy Rudy (grade 7), Mrs. W. A. Thompson (grade 1)

Among the other teachers who worked at Virden School were George Florence (1910s) and Maxwell Addison Parker.

Photos & Coordinates

Postcard view of the original Virden School (1904) Source: Andrew Cunningham Virden School building erected in 1905 (circa 1906) Source: Education Department Report, 1906, Manitoba Legislative Library. Postcard view of Virden School (1907) Source: Rob McInnes, VR0007 Postcard view of Virden School (no date) Source: Gordon Goldsborough, 2012-0035 Virden School / Mary Montgomery School (1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Architectural Survey - Virden 25. Virden School / Mary Montgomery School (1967) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Architectural Survey - Virden 26. Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.84578, W100.93320 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Goulter School (200 Queen Street East, Virden)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Virden Junior High School (447 Princess Street West, Virden)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Virden Collegiate Institute (251 Kent Street, Virden)

Memorable Manitobans: Mary Montgomery (1890-1977)

Sources:

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

“Virden’s fine school,” Manitoba Free Press, 8 July 1905, page 8.

“Virden, Man”, Western Canada Fire Underwriters’ Association map, 22 August 1916, Archives of Manitoba.

“Personalities,” Manitoba School Journal, Vol. 6, No. 9, May 1944, page 2.

“Virden schools soon open for fall term,” Brandon Sun, 29 August 1952, page 17.

The Virden Story by Ida Clingan, Virden: Empire Publishing Company, 1957, Manitoba Legislative Library.

“26 teachers on Virden School staff,” Brandon Sun, 6 September 1967, page 23.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Virden School District No. 144 - Daily Registers, GR2066, Archives of Manitoba.

School division half-yearly attendance reports (E 0757), Archives of Manitoba.

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.

Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1950 by Robert G. Hill, Toronto.

We thank Andrew Cunningham for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 5 September 2021

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