Historic Sites of Manitoba: Steinbach School No. 4 / Elmdale School (160 Elmdale Street, Steinbach)

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

Operated in the community of Steinbach, this educational facility was initially known Steinbach School No. 4 within the Steinbach School District No. 65. It was built in 1954 at a cost of $110,000, with a further $20,000 to furnish. The School Board held a name-the-school contest, though after deeming no received submission to be satisfactory, decided upon the Elmdale School name. Its doors first opened to students on 31 August 1954, with an official ceremony held on 25 September. Noted guests included Education Minister W. C. Miller, Mayor K. R. Barkman, Reverend G. S. Rempel, along with School Board Chairman G. S. Derksen who performed the ribbon-cutting. The school was later expanded around 1972 based upon architectural designs of Haid and Malkin.

Principals

Period	Principal
1954-1958	Henry P. Friesen
1958-1962	Ernest Arthur “Ernie” Friesen (1917-2012)
1962-1963	John Friesen
1963-1983	John Bestvater
1983-1992	Waldemar “Wally” Rempel (1936-2015)
1992-1996	Gerry Giesbrecht
1996-2018	?
2018-?	Colin Campbell

Teachers

Period	Teachers
1954-1955	Elizabeth Bergman (grade 1), Mary Dueck (grade 1), Adeline Enns (grade 3), Henry P. Friesen (grade 8), Peter S. Guenther (grade 7), Frank K. Isaak (grade 6), Katie Peters (grade 1, 1954), Margaret Toews (grade 2), LaVerna June Reimer (grade 5), Tina Redekopp (grade 4), Aganetha Johanna “Hanna” Vogt (kindergarten)
1955-1956	Elizabeth Bergman (grade 1), Adeline Enns (grade 3), Henry P. Friesen (grade 8), Margaret Friesen (grade 2), Peter S. Guenther (grade 7), Frank K. Isaak (grade 6), Margaret Toews (grade 2), LaVerna June Reimer (grade 5), Tina Redekopp (grade 4), Aganetha Johanna “Hanna” Vogt (kindergarten)
1956-1957	Susie Andres (grade 1), Henry P. Friesen (grade 8), Margaret Friesen (grade 3), Peter S. Guenther (grade 7), Frank K. Isaak (grade 6), John E. Martens (grade 5), Tina Redekopp (grade 4), Doreen Catherine Reimer (grade 4), Louise Marina Reimer (kindergarten), Margaret Toews (grade 2), Melvin Clifford Toews (grade 5)
1957-1958	Susie Andres (grade 1), Gerald Harry Dyck (grade 7), Henry P. Friesen (grade 8), John Friesen (grade 5), Peter S. Guenther (grade 7), Esther Heinrichs (grade 4), Eleonore Isaac (kindergarten), Hedy Martens (grade 3), John E. Martens (grade 5), Tina Redekopp (grade 4), Lena Sawatzky (grade 2), Melvin Clifford Toews (grade 6)
1958-1959	Susie Andres (grade 1), Gerald Harry Dyck (grade 7), Ernest Arthur “Ernie” Friesen (grade 8), John Friesen (grade 5), Marie Funk (grade 1, 1958), Peter S. Guenther (grade 7), Esther Heinrichs (grade 4), Eleonore Isaac (kindergarten), Katherine Reimer (grade 3), Tina Redekopp (grade 5), Lena Sawatzky (grade 2), Melvin Clifford Toews (grade 6), Edith Mary Wiebe (grade 1)
1959-1960	Gerald Harry Dyck (grade 7), Ernest Arthur “Ernie” Friesen (grade 8), John Friesen (grade 5), Peter S. Guenther (grade 7), Esther Heinrichs (grade 4), Lydia Martens (grade 1), Katherine Reimer (grade 3), Tina Redekopp (grade 5), Lena Sawatzky (grade 2), Eleonore Isaac Thiessen (kindergarten), Melvin Clifford Toews (grade 6), Edith Mary Wiebe (grade 1)
1960-1961	Peter Dick (grade 5), Gerald Harry Dyck (grade 7), Ernest Arthur “Ernie” Friesen (grade 8), Jean Gray (grade 1), Peter S. Guenther (grade 7), Ruth Irene Hiebert (grade 4), Lydia Martens (kindergarten), Katherine Reimer (grade 3), Tina Redekopp (grade 5), Lena Sawatzky (grade 2), Melvin Clifford Toews (grade 6), Edith Mary Wiebe (grade 1)
1961-1962	Jeanette Brown (grade 1), Peter Dick (grade 5), Margaret Rose Dueck (grade 1), Lydia Martens Epp (kindergarten), Ernest Arthur “Ernie” Friesen (grade 8), Peter S. Guenther (grade 7), Edith Lehmann (grade 4), Katherine Reimer (grade 3), Tina Redekopp (grade 5), Lena Sawatzky (grade 2), Melvin Clifford Toews (grade 6)
1962-1963	Jeanette Brown (grade 1), Harold Leonard Driedger (grade 5), Margaret Rose Dueck (grade 1), Eileen Mary Enns (grade 4), Lydia Martens Epp (kindergarten), John Friesen (grade 8), Shirley Francis Hiebert (grade 2), Edith Lehmann (grade 4), Caroll Anne Penner (grade 2), Mildred Penner (grade 3), Katherine Reimer (grade 3), Melvin Clifford Toews (grade 6), ? (grade 7)
1963-1964	John Bestvater (grade 6), Helena Braun (grade 4), Ann Alice Dyck (grade 1), Eileen Mary Enns (grade 4), Lydia Martens Epp (kindergarten), Dorothy Margaret Friesen (grade 1), Shirley Francis Hiebert (grade 2), Erwin Frank Kroeker (grade 5), Caroll Anne Penner (grade 2), Mildred Penner (grade 3), Carole Edna Simpkins (grade 3), Melvin Clifford Toews (grade 6)
1964-1965	Elfrieda Mary Bergmann (gade 2), John Bestvater (grade 6), Helena Braun (grade 4), Dorothy Margaret Friesen (grade 1), Menno William Friesen (grade 5), Ruth Elizabeth Giesbrecht (kindergarten), Judith Lynn Kliewer (grade 2), Mary Kornelsen (grade 1), Mildred Penner (grade 3), Carole Edna Simkins (grade 3)
1965-1966	Elfrieda Mary Bergmann (grade 2), John Bestvater (grade 6), Helena Braun (grade 4), Ruth Elizabeth Giesbrecht (kindergarten), Waldo Edwin Klassen (grade 5), Judith Lynn Kliewer (grade 2), Mary Kornelsen (grade 1), Agnes Mary Neufeld (grade 3), Irene Kathy Peters (grade 1), Leona Joanne Smuk (grade 3)
1966-1967	Elfrieda Mary Bergmann (grade 2), John Bestvater (grade 6), Helena Braun (grade 4), Mary Rose Derksen (kindergarten), Waldo Edwin Klassen (grade 5), Mary Kornelsen (grade 1), Agnes Mary Neufeld (grade 3), Irene Kathy Peters (grade 1), Leona Joanne Smuk (grade 3), Mildred Toews (grade 2)
1967-1968	Levi Royden Barkman (grade 6), John Bestvater (grade 6), Helena Braun (grade 4), Helen Erna Dueck (grade 3), Lorna Gwendolyn Giesbrecht (grade 2, 1968), Ruth Elizabeth Giesbrecht (grade 1), Benjamin Hiebert (grade 5), Lois Anne Janzen (grade 3), Dolores Marilyn Kiesman (grade 2, 1967), Waldo Edwin Klassen (grade 5), Mary Kornelsen (grade 1), Mabel Diane Schmitke (grade 4), Mildred Toews (grade 2)

Among the other teachers of Elmdale School was Alice Bernice Keith Laing (1968-1978).

Photos & Coordinates

Elmdale School (no date) Source: Archives of Manitoba, Manitoba School Records Collection, GR2656, Hanover School Division Collection #12, Series 1, Elmdale School. Elmdale School (April 2022) Source: Rose Kuzina Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.52978, W96.68866 denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

“Back to school,” Steinbach Carillon, 27 August 1954, page 1.

““Elmdale” School ready Aug. 31,” Steinbach Carillon, 27 August 1954, page 4.

“Steinbach & district news [The official opening of the new Elmdale School ...],” Steinbach Carillon, 17 September 1954, page 4.

“.. And their four schools,” Steinbach Carillon, 1 October 1954, page 13.

“Elmdale School officially opened here Saturday,” Steinbach Carillon, 1 October 1954, page 10.

Manitoba School Records Collection, Steinbach School District No. 65 (Elmdale School) - Daily Registers, GR2656, Archives of Manitoba.

Building Plans and Specifications submitted to the Office of the Fire Commissioner (L 0017), Project #A2-5479-72 Elmdale School - Additions - Steinbach, GR0332, Archives of Manitoba.

Steinbach, So Much to Celebrate: 1946-1996, Derksen Printers, 1997. [Manitoba Legislative Library, F 5649.S84]

Obituary [Alice Bernice Keith Laing], Winnipeg Free Press, 15 June 2019.

We thank Rose Kuzina for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 3 June 2022

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