Historic Sites of Manitoba: Balmoral School No. 44 / Balmoral Consolidated School No. 1710 (Balmoral, RM of Rockwood)

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

The history of local education at Balmoral dates to the 1875 and a series of public meetings to decide on a course of action. In 1878, a log schoolhouse was built at the site of the Balmoral Community Hall, with the school being named after Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

The Balmoral School District No. 44 was organized formally in March 1884 and a wooden frame schoolhouse was built near this site, east of the Balmoral United Church. The wooden structure was later sold to McClures Lumber Yard for use as a warehouse and, in 1926, was purchased and relocated by Leo Waterer being renovated into a grocery store.

In 1914, Balmoral School was consolidated with that of Bruce School District No. 170 to form the Balmoral Consolidated School District No. 1710. Property at this site was purchased from Tom Fox and a new two-storey brick and masonry school commissioned, to be built by Mr. McPherson of Teulon at a tendered rate of $10,300. This facility served the community from 1915 to 1976 before being replaced. In 1959, collegiate grades became part of the Interlake School Division and over time senior classes transferred elsewhere in the division, with grade 11 leaving in 1959, grade 10 in 1960, and grade 9 in 1961. During the 1960s, the surrounding districts of Centre School District No. 540 and Ridgeway School District No. 1470 were also consolidated here. Following the new schools opening in 1976, the two-storey school was later demolished

In front of the present school (2022) are a set of three monuments comprising the Balmoral War Memorial and Balmoral Pioneers Monument.

Principals (Balmoral School)

Period	Principal
1914-1915	Joseph Henry Peadon (1860-1923)
1915-1917	George Andrew Duncan (1890-1975)
1917-1918	Claude Elmer Luther Hogarth Law (c1881-1959)
1918-1919	Robert Cameron Mulligan (1889-1976)
1919-1920	Joseph S. McGeown
1920-1922	Richard A. Fines (1871-1966)
1922-1923	David Harmon Lent (1858-1938)
1923-1925	John Sigfus Helgason (?-1978)
1925-1927	Elmenia Jean Rutledge Mollard (1901-1991)
1927-1928	Alan Stewart Moore (1903-1987)
1928-1931	Jacob Truthwaite Norquay (1884-1976)
1931-1934	Gudmundur Olafur Thorsteinson (1888-1934)
1934-1936	Albert Edward Reid (1902-1990)
1936-1937	William Alfred Lorne McFarland (1908-1990)
1937-1938	Percy Albert Lanham (1911-1999)
1938-1940	James Kenneth Mackay (c1912-1968)
1940-1942	Ernest William Nemish (1913-2002)
1942-1943	George William Chidley (c1908-1972)
1943-1944	Helen Letitia Ward Croy (1920-2022)
1944-1945	Margaret Ellen Crawford Snell (1918-2007)
1945-1946	Helen Letitia Ward Croy (1920-2022)
1946-1947	John Osborn Wilson (1900-1972)
1947-1949	Alice R. Plante
1949-1950	John Peter Packota (?-?)
1950-1951	Willard Ervin Rife (1890-1970)
1951-1953	Samuel Stewart Bryan (1889-?)
1953-1955	Ernest Nakka (1913-1970)
1955-1956	David Langton MacDonald (1911-1957)
1956-1959	William George Hume (1902-1967)
1959-1960	Soren Bernhard Jorgensen (1905-1988)
1960-1961	Helen Letitia Ward Croy (1920-2022)
1961-1965	Neilona Mary Robinson
1965-1966	Jack Lorne Brignoly
1966-1967	Carl E. Golebioski
1967-1974	?
1974-1975	Al Taylor

Vice-Principals (Balmoral School)

Period	Vice-Principal
1948	Eva Margaret Young

Teachers (Balmoral School)

Between 1878 and 1882, the earliest teachers of Balmoral School No. 44 were Joseph Wells, Mr. Shore, Mr. McIntosh, Mr. McKenzie, Miss Fannie Crooks, Mr. Neville, and Mr. Goff. Other early educators were Miss Jennie Wells (1883-1884), David A. W. Gillespie (Spring-Fall 1885), William Joseph Cram (Spring 1886 - Fall 1888), Walter T. Gough (Spring 1889), Mr. J. J. Poole (Fall 1889 - Spring 1891 & Spring-Fall 1892), Mr. A. J. Pearsall (Fall 1891), David S. Williams (January 1893 - July 1895), Mr. J. McKee (August 1895 - December 1895), Mr. D. F. Clark (January 1896 - December 1898), Mr. G. L. Hamilton (January-June 1899), Mr. Alex L. MacLean (July-December 1899), Mr. W. L. MacKenzie (January 1900 - July 1901), Bertha McKivor (August 1901 - June 1902), Mr. H. J. Saigeon (August 1902 - June 1903), Mr. P. P. Dougan (August 1903 - February 1905), Mary E. Mustard (March 1905 - December 1908), Wilfred T. Fidler (Spring 1909 - Spring 1912 & August-October 1912), John C. Anderson (October 1912 - June 1913), and Gladys E. Elliott (Spring 1913 - Fall 1914).

Period	Teachers
1914-1915	Gladys E. Elliott (grades 1-8, August-December; grades 1-6, January-February; grades 4-6, February-June), Louise Inkster (grades 1-3, February-June), Joseph Henry Peadon (grades 7-11, January-June)
1915-1916	G. W? Bruce (grades 7-8, January-June), George Andrew Duncan (grades 7-11, August-October; grades 9-11, November-December), Gladys E. Elliott (grades 4-6), Louise Inkster (grades 1-3), Kate M. McDonald (grades 7-8, November-December)
1916-1917	Grace Van Alstine (grades 3-5), George Andrew Duncan (grades 9-11), Louise Inkster (grades 1-2), Mamie Lawton (grades 6-8)
1917-1918	A. I. Bell (grades 3-5), Hazel J. King (grades 1-2), Claude Elmer Luther Hogarth Law (grades 9-11), John Blain Stewart (grades 6-8)
1918-1919	Hazel J. King (grades 1-2), Robert Cameron Mulligan (grades 9-11), John Blain Stewart (grades 5-8), Alda M. Stratton (grades 3-4)
1919-1920	Ellen Anderson (grades 3-4), Joseph S. McGeown (grades 9-11), Alda M. Stratton (grades 1-2), John Blain Stewart (grades 5-8)
1920-1921	Daisy Churchill (grades 3-4, August-December), Elizabeth E. Fahey (grades 3-5, January-June), Richard A. Fines (grades 9-11), John Blain Stewart (grades 5-8, August-December; grades 6-8, January-June), Thurza K. Stratton (grades 1-2)
1921-1922	Elizabeth E. Fahey (grades 3-5, August-December; grades 1-2, January-June), Richard A. Fines (grades 9-11), Mabel B. Sparling (grades 3-5, January-June), John Blain Stewart (grades 6-8), Thurza K. Stratton (grades 1-2, August-December)
1922-1923	David Harmon Lent (grades 9-11), R. F. Peterson (grades 6-8), J. Schwartz (grades 3-5), Thurza K. Stratton (grades 1-2)
1923-1924	Edna O. Barnett (grades 3-5, pt January - June), John Sigfus Helgason (grades 9-11), Mr. Haywood (grades 3-5, pt January), Jean Millar (grades 1-2), R. F. Peterson (grades 6-8), J. Schwartz (grades 3-5, September-December)
1924-1925	John Sigfus Helgason (grades 9-11), Grace McNicholl (grades 4-5), Jean Millar (grades 1-3), R. F. Peterson (grades 6-8)
1925-1926	Gladys M. Fraser (grades 1-3), Louise Inkster (grades 6-8), Grace McNicholl (grades 4-5), Elmenia Jean Rutledge (grades 9-11)
1926-1927	Annie Edith Anderson (grades 3-5, September-February; grades 1-2, March-June), Gladys M. Fraser (grades 1-2, September-February; grades 3-5, March & June), Ainsley Halloway (grades 3-5, April-May), Louise Inkster (grades 6-8), Elmenia Jean Rutledge (grades 9-11)
1927-1928	Annie Edith Anderson (grades 1-2), Ainsley Halloway (grades 3-5), Alan Stewart Moore (grades 9-11), Mildred Mary Tidsbury (grades 6-8)
1928-1929	Annie Edith Anderson (grades 1-2), Rachel H. Hall (grades 9-10), Jacob Truthwaite Norquay (grade 11), Inez Irene Robb (grades 6-8), Mildred Mary Tidsbury (grades 3-5)
1929-1930	Annie Edith Anderson (grades 1-2), Julia Garry (grades 3-5, September-December), Rachel H. Hall (grades 9-10), Sarah Beatrice McLeod (grades 3-5, January-June), Jacob Truthwaite Norquay (grade 11), Inez Irene Robb (grades 6-8)
1930-1931	Annie Edith Anderson (grades 1-2, September-May), Rachel H. Hall (grades 9-10), Jacob Truthwaite Norquay (grade 11), Martha Peterson (grades 6-8), Bertha Mae Willis (grades 1-2, May-June)
1931-1932	Annie Edith Anderson (grades 1-2), Muriel May Brill (grades 6-8), Rachel H. Hall (grades 9-10), Bella Miller (grades 3-5), Gudmundur Olafur Thorsteinson (grade 11)
1932-1933	Annie Edith Anderson (grades 1-2), Muriel May Brill (grades 6-8), Rachel H. Hall (grades 9-10), Bella Miller (grades 3-5), Gudmundur Olafur Thorsteinson (grade 11)
1933-1934	Rachel H. Hall (grades 9-10), Bella Miller (grades 4-5, September-December; grades 3-5, January-June), Gudmundur Olafur Thorsteinson (grade 11), Alice Victoria Maude Willis (grades 6-8), Bernice Phyllis Wright (grades 1-3)
1934-1935	Robert Fleming Hunter (grades 11), Bella Miller (grades 3-5), Albert Edward Reid (grades 9-10), Alice Victoria Maude Willis (grades 6-8), Bernice Phyllis Wright (grades 1-2)
1935-1936	William Alfred Lorne McFarland (grade 11), Bella Miller (grades 3-5), Albert Edward Reid (grades 9-10), Alice Victoria Maude Willis (grades 6-8), Bernice Phyllis Wright (grades 1-2)
1936-1937	Percy Albert S. Lanham (grade 11), Anne C. McCormick (grades 1-3), William Alfred Lorne McFarland (grades 9-10), Bella Miller (grades 4-6), Alice Victoria Maude Willis (grades 7-8)
1937-1938	Dorothy East (grades 7-8), Percy Albert S. Lanham (grades 11-12), Anne C. McCormick (grades 1-3), William Alfred Lorne McFarland (grades 9-10, September-December), Ernest William Nemish (grades 9-10, January-June), Lillian Jean Shewfelt (grades 4-6)
1938-1939	Jean Etta Graham (grades 7-8), Anne C. McCormick (grades 1-3, September-December), Hannah Elizabeth McIntyre (grades 1-3, January-June), Kenneth James Mackay (grades 11-12), Ernest William Nemish (grades 9-10), Lillian Jean Shewfelt (grades 4-6)
1939-1940	Vivian Yvonne Airth (grades 4-6, January-June), Jean Etta Graham Appleyard (grades 7-8, September-December), Isabel Dawson (grades 1-3, January-June), Clara Frances Foot (grades 7-8, January-June), Hannah Elizabeth McIntyre (grades 1-3, September-December), Kenneth James Mackay (grade 11), Ernest William Nemish (grades 9-10), Lillian Jean Shewfelt Trump (grades 4-6, September-December)
1940-1941	Vivian Yvonne Airth (grades 4-6), Clara Frances Foot (grades 7-8), Isabel Dawson (grades 1-3), Howard Beatty Chenoweth (grades 9-10), Ernest William Nemish (grades 11-12)
1941-1942	Vivian Yvonne Airth (grades 4-6, September-December), Mabel Louise Aspelund (grades 1-3, February-June), Isabel Dawson (grades 1-3, September-January), Katherine Loewen (grades 4-6, January-June), Ernest William Nemish (grades 11-12), Sarah Segal (grades 9-10)
1942-1943	Mabel Louise Aspelund (grades 1-3), George William Chidley (grades 11-12), Katherine Loewen (grades 4-6), Amy May Rinn (grades 7-8), Helen Letitia Ward (grades 9-10)
1943-1944	Mabel Louise Aspelund (grades 1-4), Madeleine Constance Brown (grades 5-8), Amy May Rinn (grades 9-10), Helen Letitia Ward (grades 11-12)
1944-1945	Mabel Louise Aspelund (grades 1-4), Madeleine Constance Brown (grades 5-8), Margaret Ellen Crawford (grades 11-12), Ellen Lucille Pulfer (grades 9-10)
1945-1946	Mabel Louise Aspelund (grades 1-4), Madeleine Constance Brown (grades 5-8), William Alexander Dueck (grades 9-10), Helen Letitia Ward (grades 11-12)
1946-1947	Mabel Louise Aspelund (grades 1-3), Madeleine Constance Brown (grades 7-8), Isabella Mary Lockerby (grades 4-6), Alice L. Plante (grades 9-10), John Osborn Wilson (grades 11-12)
1947-1948	Victor Abrahams (grades 9-10, September - pt December), Mabel Louise Aspelund (grades 1-3), Mildred Mary Barbour (grades 9-10, pt December), Wilma Elizabeth Craig (grades 7-8), Mona Katherine Johnson (grades 4-6), Alice L. Plante (grades 11-12), Eva Margaret Young (grades 9-10, January-June)
1948-1949	Mabel Louise Aspelund (grades 1-3), Wilma Elizabeth Craig (grades 6-8), Mona Katherine Johnson (grades 4-5), Alice L. Plante (grades 11-12), Eva Margaret Young (grades 9-10)
1949-1950	Mildred Mary Barbour (grades 1-3), Jean Elizabeth Bill (grades 7-9), Anne Melnyk (grades 4-6), John Peter Packota (grades 10-11)
1950-1951	Mildred Mary Barbour (grades 1-3), Jean Elizabeth Bill (grades 7-9), Willard Ervin Rife (grades 10-11), Enid Levine Lawrence (grades 4-6)
1951-1952	Mildred Mary Barbour (grades 1-3), Samuel Stewart Bryan (grades 9-11), Eugene W. Doroschuk (grades 7-8), Enid Levine Lawrence (grades 4-6)
1952-1953	Mildred Mary Barbour (grades 1-3), Samuel Stewart Bryan (grades 9-11), Eugene W. Doroschuk (grades 7-8), Donalda Ruth Stewart Stanbra (grades 4-6)
1953-1954	Mildred Mary Barbour (grades 1-3), Daniel Logan “Dan” Daley (grades 7-8), Ernest Nakka (grades 9-11), Jean McWatters Farnie Watson (grades 4-6)
1954-1955	Mildred Mary Barbour (grades 1-3), Daniel Logan “Dan” Daley (grades 7-8), Ernest Nakka (grades 9-11), Jean McWatters Farnie Watson (grades 4-6)
1955-1956	Mildred Mary Barbour (grades 1-3), Mary Doreen Hayward (grades 7-8), David Langton MacDonald (grades 9-11), Salome Walker (grades 4-6, January-June), Jean McWatters Farnie Watson (grades 4-6, September-December)
1956-1957	Roger V. Dubois (grades 7-8), Lavina Ruth Katherine Dyck (grades 1-3), William George Hume (grades 9-11), Josephine Hilda Zeller (grades 4-6)
1957-1958	Roger V. Dubois (grades 7-8), Lavina Ruth Katherine Dyck (grades 1-3), Deanne B. Horn (grades 4-6), William George Hume (grades 9-11)
1958-1959	Lavina Ruth Katherine Dyck (grades 1-3), Deanne B. Horn (grades 4-6), Mary Hume (grades 7-8), William George Hume (grades 9-11)
1959-1960	Helen Letitia Ward Croy (grades 6-8), Soren Bernhard Jorgensen (grades 9-10), Dorothy Ruth Riddell (grades 1-2), Neilona Mary Robinson (grades 3-5)
1960-1961	Helen Letitia Ward Croy (grades 6-8), Dorothy Ruth Riddell (grades 1-2), Neilona Mary Robinson (grades 3-5)
1961-1962	Elizabeth Joan McPherson (grades 1-2), Jean Pless (grades 6-8), Neilona Mary Robinson (grades 3-5)
1962-1963	William M. A. Campbell (grades 7-8), Elizabeth Joan McPherson (grades 1-2), Ruby Robertson (grades 3-4), Neilona Mary Robinson (grades 5-6)
1963-1964	William M. A. Campbell (grades 7-8), Elizabeth Joan McPherson (grades 1-2), Clara Francis Smith (grades 3-4, January-June), Beverly Switzer (grades 3-4, September-December), Neilona Mary Robinson (grades 5-6)
1964-1965	Edith Anne Alexiuk (grades 7-8, January-June), Helen Roberta Cockerill (grades 1-2), Earl R. Cowan (grades 7-8, September - pt December), Clara Francis Smith (grades 3-4), Neilona Mary Robinson (grades 5-6), Irene A. Simpson (grades 7-8, pt December)
1965-1966	Jack Lorne Brignoly (grades 7-8), Helen Roberta Cockerill (grades 1-2), Susan Richmond (grades 5-6), Neilona Mary Robinson (grades 3-4)
1966-1967	Helen Roberta Cockerill (grades 1-2), Carl E. Golebioski (grades 7-8), Neilona Mary Robinson (grades 3-4), Elza M. Taplin (grades 1-2)
1967-1968	?
1968-1969	?
1969-1970	?
1970-1971	?
1971-1972	?
1972-1973	?
1973-1974	?
1974-1975	Brenda Margetts, Ricki Pohlman, Elza M. Taplin, Al Taylor

Principals (Balmoral High School)

Period	Principal
1960-1961	Andrew Alexiuk

Teachers (Balmoral High School)

Period	Teachers
1960-1961	Andrew Alexiuk (grades 9-10, August-September; grade 9, October-June)

Photos & Coordinates

Balmoral Consolidated School (no date) by H. D. Cumming Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-3, page 21. Balmoral Consolidated School (1919) Source: Archives of Manitoba, George Harris Fonds, Acc. 1979-141, P7447, Album 4, Page 23. Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.25661, W97.31718 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Balmoral War Memorial / Balmoral Pioneers Monument (Balmoral, RM of Rockwood)

Sources:

Board of Education registers (A 0050), GR7643, Archives of Manitoba.

Summative half-yearly returns for school districts (A 0051), GR0571, Archives of Manitoba.

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

Manitoba School Records Collection, Balmoral School District No. 44 - Daily Registers, GR2661, Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Balmoral School District No. 1710 - Daily Registers, GR2043, Archives of Manitoba.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Balmoral School District No. 1710 - Daily Registers, GR2661, Archives of Manitoba.

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

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.

“Back to work, back to school for parents, youngsters and teachers,” Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times, 4 September 1974, page 1.

100 Years of History: Rockwood Municipality by Rockwood Municipality History, 1982.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 26 October 2022

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