Historic Sites of Manitoba: Deer Lodge Junior High School (1970 Ness Avenue, Winnipeg)

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

Designed by the architectural firm of Smith Carter and Katelnikoff and built in early 1957 by the F. W. Sawatzky Construction Company, this junior high school opened for classes in September 1957. An official opening was held on 13 February 1958 under the direction of teacher Lyall Sims and attended by members of the St. James School Board and the St. James municipal council. In early 1960, the building was expanded to include two shops, a library and storeroom, second-floor classrooms, band room, and staff room.

On 31 October 1967, in commemoration of Canada’s centenary, the students and staff of the school unveiled a metal statue of a leaping deer on the north side of the building.

The school closed in June 1982 due to declining enrollment and the building has since been used for various educational, business, and industrial purposes.

Principals

Period	Principal
1957-1965	Ronald Andrew MacIntosh (1926-1999)
1965-1966	Laurence Bernhard “Larry” Friesen (1927-2024)
1966-1974	John Harold Pemberton (1922-1974)
1974-1979	Victor Edwin Wieler
1979-1981	Ronald Victor “Ron” Sigurdson
1981-1982	Wallace Brian “Wally” Linton (1935-2024)

Vice-Principals

Period	Principal
1958-1964	Annie “Annetta” Wiechman (c1898-1968)
1964-1965	John Harold Pemberton (1923-1974)
1965-1966	Lincoln Leslie Lautermilch
1966-1968	Leonard Harvey “Len” Goldsborough (1931-2012)
1968-1969	Victor Edwin Wieler
1969-1970	Abram William “Abe” Krahn (1923-2016)
1970-1972	Barry Rogers
1972-1974	Nicholas “Nick” Yacheson
1974-1977	Steve Hyrich
1977-1979	Madeline Gail Marriott
1979-1981	None

Teachers

School Year	Teachers
1957-1958	Pearl Aconley (grade 7), Barry Cameron (grade 7), Mrs. B. Chapman (Home Economics), George Colton (grade 8), Ruby Marian Douglas (grade 8), Pauline Jehle (grade 7), Roseanne Keyes (grade 7), Elsie McLachlan (Home Economics), George Neufeld (grade 8), Dorothy Richardson (grade 8), Lyall Evert Sims (grade 9), Nancy Smith (grade 8), Lance Stephens (grade 8), Roland Toutant (Industrial Arts), Enid Wallace (grade 9), Annie “Annetta” Wiechman (grade 8), Thaddeus E. “Ted” Witoski (grade 8)
1958-1959	Mr. Cameron, George Colton, Ruby Marian Douglas, William “Bill” Engbrecht, Mervin Farough, Leonard Harvey Goldsborough, Katherine Gray, Miss Jehle, Roseanne Keyes, Mrs. Lamont, Mrs. McLachlan, Mrs. Merrick, Miss Richardson, Anton Stander, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Toutant, Miss Wiechman, Thaddeus E. “Ted” Witoski, Alice Wilson
1959-1960	Miss Bertnick, George Colton, Ruby Marian Douglas, Mervin Farough, Mr. Gibson, Leonard Harvey Goldsborough, Katherine Gray, Don Heron, Roseanne Keyes, Miss Langston, Elsie McLachlan, Mrs. Merrick, Miss Miller, Mr. Ofield, Mr. Ritchie, Miss Wiechman, Thaddeus E. “Ted” Witoski, Mr. Woodson
1960-1961	Mr. Arnould, Conrad A. Artibise, Miss Bertnick, Ewart David Carruthers, George Colton, Ruby Marian Douglas, Mervin Farough, Mr. Gibson, Leonard Harvey Goldsborough, Katherine Gray, Don Heron, Miss Langston, Mr. Lawless, Mrs. Legg, Ronald E. Littlejohn, Mrs. MacLachlan, Albert Mayer, Mr. Ofield, Mr. Radley, Mr. Remple, Mr. Ritchie, Mr. Weiler, Annie “Annetta” Wiechman, Thaddeus E. “Ted” Witoski, Mr. Young
1961-1962	Mr. Arnould, Conrad A. Artibise, Miss Birse, Ewart David Carruthers, George Colton, Ruby Marian Douglas, Mervin Farough, Mr. Gibson, Leonard Harvey Goldsborough, Don Heron, Mr. Hopko, Roseanne Keyes, Mrs. Legg, Mrs. Littlejohn, Ronald E. Littlejohn, Albert Mayer, Mrs. MacLachlan, Mr. Ofield, Mr. Radley, Mr. Remple, Mr. Ritchie, Mrs. Stott, Mr. Weiler, Annie “Annetta” Wiechman, Thaddeus E. “Ted” Witoski, Mr. Young
1962-1963	Conrad A. Artibise, Mr. Ashmore, Mr. Birrell, Miss Birse, Ewart David Carruthers, George Colton, Ruby Marian Douglas, Mervin Farough, Mr. Gibson, Leonard Harvey Goldsborough, Mrs. Harris, Don Heron, Mr. Hopko, Roseanne Keyes, Ronald E. Littlejohn, Albert Mayer, Mrs. MacLachlan, Miss Miller, Mr. Milton, Mr. Ofield, Mr. Radley, Mr. Ritchie, Mrs. Stott, Mrs. Stovel, Miss Wiechman, Thaddeus E. “Ted” Witoski, Mr. Young
1963-1964	Mr. Birrell, Miss Birse, Ewart David Carruthers, George Colton, Ruby Marian Douglas, Mervin Farough, Mr. Gibson, Don Heron, Mr. Hopko, Mr. Huber, Roseanne Keyes, Miss Loewen, Mrs. MacLachlan, Albert Mayer, Mr. Miller, Mr. Mills, Mrs. Parisian, John H. Pemberton, Mr. Radley, Mr. Ritchie, Mr. Sorgenfrie, Mrs. Stott, Miss Taylor, Annie “Annetta” Wiechman, Victor E. Wieler, Thaddeus E. “Ted” Witoski
1964-1965	Ruby Marian Douglas, ?
1965-1966	Ruby Marian Douglas, ?
1966-1967	William Theodore “Bill” Betz, Mr. Birrell, Mrs. Brandon, Ewart David Carruthers, George Colton, Ruby Marian Douglas, Mrs. Duggan, Mrs. Elliott, Mr. Ferg, Miss Harras, Mr. Huber, Mr. Isfeld, Mr. Jahns, Mrs. Keely, Mr. Kenal, Mr. Kerr, Miss Lillies, Mrs. McLachlan, Raymond Henry “Ray” Magel, Miss Malmgren, Albert Mayer, Mr. Merrick, Mr. Mills, Andy Sorgenfrie, Mr. Trosky
1967-1968	William Theodore “Bill” Betz, Mr. Birrell, Mrs. Brandon, Ewart David Carruthers, Ruby Marian Douglas, Mrs. Elliott, Ken Ferg, Miss Harras, Paul Havixbeck, Mr. Huber, Mr. Isfeld, Dale Johnson, Mrs. Keeley, Mr. Kenal, Mrs. Kerr, Mrs. Mathews, Mrs. McLachlan, Raymond Henry “Ray” Magel, Albert Mayer, Mr. Merrick, Mr. Mills, Mrs. Rawn, Andy Sorgenfrie, Vince Surbey
1968-1969	William Theodore “Bill” Betz, Miss Brown, Mr. Carey, Ewart David Carruthers, Ruby Marian Douglas, Ken Ferg, Mr. Grose, Paul Havixbeck, Miss Hervo, Mrs. Hignett, Mr. Huber, Mr. Isfeld, Dale Johnson, Martha Kregeris, Mr. Lea, Raymond Henry “Ray” Magel, Albert Mayer, Mrs. Miller, Mr. Mills, Miss Mudge, Miss Patterson, Miss Reeve, Peter Spencer, Vince Surbey, Richard Topping
1969-1970	Miss Brown, Ewart David Carruthers, Mrs. Cromartie, Miss DesRosiers, Ruby Marian Douglas, Ken Ferg, Joseph Grabys, Paul Havixbeck, Miss Hervo, Mr. Huber, Dale Johnson, Martha Kregeris, Miss Lightfoot, Raymond Henry “Ray” Magel, Albert Mayer, Mrs. Miller, Mr. Mills, Mr. Murphy, Miss Patterson, Mrs. Reagh, Peter Spencer, Vince Surbey, Mrs. Sures, Richardson Topping
1970-1971	Miss DesRosiers, Ruby Marian Douglas, Ken Ferg, Joseph Grabys, Mr. Grose, Mr. Haddad, Mrs. Halkovich, Miss Hathaway, Paul Havixbeck, Mr. Huber, Dale Johnson, Mr. Kenal, Martha Kregeris, Miss Lightfoot, Raymond Henry “Ray” Magel, Mrs. Miller, Mr. Mills, Mr. Murphy, Miss Patterson, Mr. Peters, Peter Spencer, Ron Struch, Richard Topping
1971-1972	L. Glen Bennett, Mrs. Danzinger, Ruby Marian Douglas, Ken Ferg, Miss Forcese, Joseph Grabys, Mr. Grose, Miss Gryz, Mr. Haddad, Paul Havixbeck, Mr. Huber, Dale Johnson, Mr. Kenal, Martha Kregeris, Mrs. MacDonald, Raymond Henry “Ray” Magel, Mrs. Miller, Mr. Mills, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Pawlyshyn, Mrs. Shore, Peter Spencer, Ron Struch, Mr. Tanchuk, Richard Topping
1973-1974	Al Appel, Brian Armstrong, L. Glen Bennett, Al Braemer, Mrs. Danzinger, Ken Ferg, Joseph Grabys, Murray Grass, Mrs. Greer, Mr. Grose, Mr. Haddad, Paul Havixbeck, Mr. Huber, Dale Johnson, Mr. Kenal, Martha Kregeris, Mrs. Miller, Ms. Mills, Miss Jane Paulson, Mrs. Sentia, Peter Spencer, Ron Struch, Mr. Tanchuk, Richard Topping, Mr. Yarish

Photos & Coordinates

Dedication of a deer statue at Deer Lodge Junior High School (October 1967) Source: Winnipeg Free Press, 1 November 1967, page 39. The former Deer Lodge Junior High School building (May 2020) Source: Gordon Goldsborough The former Deer Lodge Junior High School building (May 2018) Source: Nathan Kramer The former Deer Lodge Junior High School building (May 2020) Source: Gordon Goldsborough Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.88406, W97.22595 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Business: Smith Carter and Katelnikoff / Smith Carter Architects and Engineers / Architecture49

Manitoba Business: F. W. Sawatzky Construction Company / FWS Group

Sources:

“School tender notice [Deer Lodge Junior High School],” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 March 1957, page 37.

Municipality of St. James Building Permit 8882/1957 [Deer Lodge Junior High School], Box A1261, City of Winnipeg Archives.

[Photo caption], Winnipeg Free Press, 1 November 1967, page 39.

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

History of Deer Lodge Junior High School by Miss Ruby Douglas, St. James - Assiniboia School Division, June 1975.

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

“Scrapping junior high urged,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 April 1982, page 6.

“Review advises keeping school open five years,” Winnipeg Free Press, 31 May 1982, page 5.

“No tenants for schools,” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 July 1982, page 5.

We thank the St. James - Assiniboia School Division, Nathan Kramer, Arnold Reimer, and Cliff Hodgins for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough and Dorothy Young.

Page revised: 28 November 2024

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