Educator, school inspector.
Born at Clinton, Ontario on 25 July 1892, son of Joseph William Riter (?-?) and Henrietta Riter (c1865-1946), he came to Manitoba in 1903 and resided at Virden until 1908. He attended the Portage la Prairie Normal School then taught at Joslin School (1911-1912), Kenton School (?-?), Emerson School (1916), and Rapid City School (1916-1918). During the First World War, he served with the Royal Flying Corps then returned to Winnipeg where he received a degree in mathematics from the University of Manitoba.
He did postgraduate work at the University of Chicago then taught at Daniel McIntyre Collegiate. In 1928, he joined the staff of the Winnipeg Normal School, holding the position of Assistant Principal for several years. He served as a School Inspector from 1947 to September 1952. He co-wrote a number of mathematical texts, along with James Clayton Pincock, including some used in Manitoba schools.
On 21 June 1933, he married fellow Daniel McIntyre Collegiate teacher Kathleen Elizabeth Dowler (1895-1986, sister of James Andrew Dowler, William Johnstone Dowler, and Minnabell Anne Dowler) at Winnipeg and they had one son: William James Sutherland Riter (1934-2009). He was a member of Knox United Church, Manitoba Teachers’ Society, Mentors’ Club, Schoolmasters’ Club, Independent Order of Foresters, and Court of Elves.
He died at Winnipeg on 25 October 1967 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.
Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.
Birth and marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary [Mrs. Henrietta Riter], Winnipeg Tribune, 13 December 1946, page 8.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 1967, page 33.
Prairie Neighbours, 1881-1981 by The Four Corners History Club, 1981, pages 8-9.
Obituary [Kathleen Elizabeth Riter], Winnipeg Free Press, 26 July 1986, page 64.
Obituary [William James Sutherland Riter], Winnipeg Free Press, 16 May 2009.
We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 1 July 2024
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