Historic Sites of Manitoba: Happy Thought School No. 1452 (East Selkirk, RM of St. Clements)

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

The Happy Thought School District was established in March 1908, named by Alexander Butley Rowley, auditor for the Rural Municipality of St. Clements, and a fifth-generation lawyer. Rowley believed that education should be one of the happiest thoughts and a dispute in the area regarding the new school should end on a happy thought. Classes were held in a two-classroom, wood frame school in East Selkirk. In 1917, it was replaced by a two-storey, four-classroom stone building constructed a design by Winnipeg architect E. D. Tuttle, using stone taken from an old railway roundhouse nearby. In 1960, it became the Happy Thought Consolidated School District then, in 1967, it joined the Lord Selkirk School District. A new school was built on Quarry Road to replace the building from 1917. It was demolished in 1989 and replaced by the present structure, in front of which stands the namestone from the former school (about N50.13103, W96.82678). The most recent change occurred in 2007 when students in Junior High grades were transferred to the newly-constructed East Selkirk Middle School.

Principals

Period	Principal
1925-1929	Frederick Andrew Richard Justus (1878-1943)
1929-1930	Mary Romanick
1930-1933	Frank Halinski
1933-1934	Jennie Mary Ogryzlo Solomon (1909-2002)
1934-1937	Maxim George Wawrykow (1902-1977)
1937-1943	Walter Alexander Kostiuk (?-?)
1943-1945	William Val Yacula (c1908-1958)
1945-1947	Henry Rosner
1947-1948	Jonas Rafnkelsson
1948-1950	Henry Rosner
1950-1952	John Angus MacDonald
1952-1953	Daniel Stasiuk
1953-1954	Nicholas Bilash (1890-1961)
1954-1956	Daniel Stasiuk
1956-1957	Alastair Mackenzie Elliott
1957-1959	P. A. Kozoris
1959-1960	Vivian Clarkson “Clark” Hardy (1897-1982)
1960-1983	?
1983-?	Russ Gourluck

Teachers (partial list)

Angus E. McKenzie (1908-1909), Clifford A. Wilson (1909-1912), Lewis M. McGuire (1912-1913), Reggie Royston (1914), J. A. Waling (1914), Robert Johnson (1914-1916), Lewis Inglott (1914-1915), Jean P. Paterson (1916), Ida Norman (1916-1917), Ernest Lott Kerr (1917), A. L. Swanton (1917), Agnes Judge (1917), Emma Thompson (1917-1919), Evelyn R. Hicks (1918), Eleanor J. C. Pophan (1918), Mary D. Stafford (1918), Lucy Mary Baldwin (1918-1920), Elizabeth Traynor (1919), Miss Hanesson Slahkuk (1919), Mary D. Stafford (1919), T. D. McMeekin (1919-1920), Isabel Calder (1919-1920), Alex Cowan (1920), Jean A. Coper (1920-1921), Mary Maude Rowley (1920-1923), Frances Jones (1921-1923), Mrs. W. L Wallace (1921), Hazel S. Campbell (1922), K. Marshall (1922), Sadie M. Vance (1922), Florence E. Sutherland (1923-1924), Vera Elsie Massey (1923), Elsie Gertrude Jones (1923-1925), Peter G. Kuhn (1923-1924), Maurice Franklin Pringle (1923-1924), Rose Shline (1924-1926), Joyce E. Freer (1924-1926), Isodore Goresky (1924-1925), Teenie Kozier (1925-1926), Ada Booke (1925-1921), Frederick Andrew Justus (1925-1929), Phyllis Marion Frank (1926-1931), J. Hallie Rowley (1926-1930), Mary Runge (1926-1927), Valentina Couture (1921-1928), Gladys Margaret Frank (1927-1928), Alice Jean Stranger (1928-1930), Frank Alexander Wachal (1928-1929), Cora O. Parkhill (1928-1929), May Kenny (1929-1941), Eileen Beatrice Creighton (1929-1930), Mary Annette Elizabeth Romanick (1929-1930), Flora Loretta Campbell (1930-1934), Audrey Joan Grove (1930-1932), Mary Edeline Kondratuk (1930-1937), Jennie Mary Ogryzlo (1931-1941), Kay Laura Anne Baydak (1932-1937), Michael Ewanchuk (1933-1934), Nellie Medal (1934-1936), Emily Macrovicz (1936-1940), Anda Toporeck (1937-1940), Alexander Mack (1937-1940), Peter Maydan (1940-1941), Jean Treleaven Tweed (1941-1942), Lucy Janey McDonald (1941), Pauline Marie Copot (1941-1944), Ann Olga Budinsky (1941-1944), Mary Karpetz (1941-1942), Peter John Humeniuk (1941-1942), Isabel Marcelline Howelko (1942-1943), Isabel Florence Laird (1942-1943), Nellie Sozansky (1942-1945), Annie Chimchak (1943-1945), Betty Barnson (1943-1944), Betty L. Hart (1944), Jean Lyzun (1944-1947), Sonia Lisowecki (1944-1945), Madeliene Karandiuk (1945), Joy Mary Lydia Kilfoyle (1945-1946), Ann Sametz (1945-1946), Lena Margaret Copeland (1945-1951), Eva Bonkowski (1945-1947), Florence M. A. Gendreau (1947), Maureen Westgate (1947), Christine Fraser (1947), Lucy Anne Bellay (1947-1949), Margaret Elizabeth Stevens (1947), Miss Adelmar Friesen (1947-1948), Lena Nechwediuk (1947-1948), Helen Menzie (1948), Mary Barchuk (1948-1952), Casimir Hollinger (1948-1952), Gilberta Marie Allard (1949-1951), Elsie Korotash (1951-1953), Melvin Stewart Bell (1951-1952), Jean Sokolowski (1952-1954), Mary Byskal (1952-1953), Elsie Stasuik (1953-1963), Frances L. Wozlowski (1953-1957), Jeanne Valerie Korotash (1954-1957), Mrs. Mary Clementine Milne (1954-1968), David Semenko (1955-1963), Francis L. Wesley (1957-1968), J. Zegil (1951-1959), Joan Sigurdson (1958-1959), Patricia A. King (1960), Alda Johnson (1960) Sophie Gerylo Klim (1960-1989), Jean Sokolowski (1960-1961), Patricia Goodman (1960), Rolande Belanger (1961-1964), Julian Polowy (1963-1968), Jean Sokolowski (1964-1970), Mary Budz (1966-1968), Pat Bazan (1966-1968), Sharon Bruce (1966-1968), Helen Sum (1966-1967), Anne Dueck (1966-1967), Mitchell Wagner (1966-1967), Paulette Rozak (1966-1977), Mary Theresa Darewych (1966-1973), Abe Wiebe (1966-1983), Miss L. Kosowan (1967-1968), Miss Sharon Kolodie (1967-1968), Miss Forie J. Kolodie (1967-1968), Mrs. Myrtle Anne Feniuk (1967-1968), Miss H. Johnson (1968-1969), Barry Anthony Van Dongan (1968-1972), Miss Barbara Ann Stringer (1968-1970), Miss Sandra Jean McIntosh (1968-1969), Miss Patricia Anne Moreau (1968-1969), Miss Margaret Rose Brewster (1968-1969), Miss Lesley Ann Knight (1968-1970), Mr. Wayne Philip Boch (1968-1983), Mrs. Marianne Helen Preun (1968-1970), Mr. Joe Lesko (1968-1983), Mrs. Carol Elizabeth Klagenberg (1969-1974), Miss Margaret Sandra Skardal (1968-1974), Miss Marlene Patricia Cole (1969-1970), Miss Marlene Dianne Rode (1969-1971), Miss Sharon Margory Shandruk (1969-1971), Miss Judith Elizabeth Johanson (1970-1972), Mrs. Donna Lynne Swire (1970-1975), Miss Agnes Susanne Leadbeater (1970-1971), Miss Catherine Mary Stevenson (1970-1971), Mrs. Lena Catherine Basiuk (1968-1982), Mrs. Barbara Ann Hodgson (1970-1975), Edward Strick (197l-1983), Mrs. Marlene D. Roy (1971-1976), Miss Christine Mary Stevenson (1971-1973), Mrs. Sharon M. Johnson (1971-1973), Miss Paulette Johnson (1971-1972), Miss Barbara Chappell (1972-1974), Mrs. Cheryl Ann Cundall (1972-1977), Mrs. Lena Hoffman (1972-1983), Mr. Andrew Nicholas Zloty (1972-1983), Marilyn K. Woloshyn (1972-1982), Mr. Edgar Imor Stolar (1973-1975), Mr. Oakley Southern (1973-1975), Mr. Donald Andrew Hutniak (1973-1979), Miss Joanne Unnur Sneddon (1973-1979), Robert Jefferson (1973-1982), Mrs. Diana Elizabeth Heneghan (1973-1975), Mrs. Elizabeth H. Wherrett (1973-1975), Mrs. Joyce Irene Williams (1973-1974), Mr. George Arnold Peters (1973-1974), Mr. Herb Streich (1974-1983), Mrs. Shirley Joyce Zacharkiw (1974-1983), Mr. Michael Anthony Zawaly (1974-1983), Mr. John Patrick Grochowich (1974-1983), Mrs. Sharon Elaine Emslie (1974-1983), Miss Jo-Ann Denise Thiessen (1974-1978), Miss Joyce Helen McDougaIl (1975-1977), Miss Sandra Elizabeth Johnson (1975-1977), Mrs. Colleen Evelyn Yakielashek (1975-1977), Mr. Edward Motkuluk (1975-1977), Mrs. Jennifer Margaret Krestanowich (1975-1976), Miss Elizabeth J. Neskar (1975-1983), Mr. Roy Bingham (1975-1983), Miss Donna T. C. Winzinowich (1976-1979), Mr. Myron Taras Tarasiuk (1976-1983), Mr. Ron Wilkinson (1976-1983), Mrs. Jennifer Margaret Krestanowich (1977-1978), Mrs. Joan Mary P. Dunlop (1977-1978), Miss Norma Jean Currie (1977-1978), Mr. Roy Benson (1977-1978), Mary Ann Peterson (1977-1983), Mrs. Shirley Valencia Johnson (1977-1983), Mr. Henry Kolada (1977-1983), Mrs. Sonia Sylvia Podruchny (1977-1983), Miss Colleen Evelyn Federowich (1977-1980), Mrs. Mary Ann Nova (1978-1980), Mrs. Sandra Johnson (1978-1980), Mrs. Jo-Ann Lee (1978-1983), Mr. Herbert Arthur Streich (1978-1983), Mr. Gary Dion (1978-1983), Mrs. Donna T. C. Ezmerlian (1979-1983), Mr. Robert Hummelt (1979-1983), Miss Mary Lucy Grabowski (1979-1983), Mrs. Gloria Jean Wur (1980), Mr. James Wilfred McCorkell (1980), Irene Patricia Kordalchuk (1980).

Photos & Coordinates

Happy Thought School (circa 1917) Source: Education Department Report, 1917, Manitoba Legislative Library. Happy Thought School (no date) by J. E. S. Dunlop Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 120. Namestone for the former Happy Thought School (November 2019) Source: Rose Kuzina Site Coordinates (lat/long): N50.13432, W96.83822 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: East Selkirk Middle School (East Selkirk, RM of St. Clements)

Sources:

“Tenders for school at East Selkirk,” Manitoba Free Press, 28 September 1916, page 2.

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

Selkirk topographic map, 62I/2, Edition 2, Series A743 [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.

East Side of the Red, 1884-1984 by St. Clements Historical Committee, 1984.

A Study of Public School Buildings in Manitoba by David Butterfield, Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, 1994, 230 pages.

Obituary [Sophie Gerylo Klim], Winnipeg Free Press, 26 April 2014, page B14.

We thank Randy Rostecki, Nathan Kramer, Connor Macfarlane, and Rose Kuzina for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 23 July 2023

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