Historic Sites of Manitoba: Kenneth School No. 2087 (RM of Dufferin)

A monument is situated near the site of the former Kenneth School, founded by Etienne Bale Sr., W. Hubert Griffith, and Angus D. McIntyre. The wooden structure was built in 1921, at the southwest corner of NW7-7-7W in the Rural Municipality of Dufferin, on land donated by William K. McKenzie. The school became the social centre of the community, serving as a locale for church services, picnics, and dances. Due to declining enrolment and the formation of larger school districts, Kenneth School was closed in 1964. By the early 1990s, the wood building still remained on the site but it is gone now. The monument was dedicated in September 1999 to the students, parents, teachers, trustees, and pioneers of the Kenneth School.

Among the teachers of Kenneth School was Olga Wiebe (1948-1949).

Kenneth School

Kenneth School (no date) by A. J. Manning
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-3, page 91.

The former Kenneth School building

The former Kenneth School building (circa 1986)
Source: Historic Resources Branch, Public School Buildings Inventory, slide 317.

Kenneth School commemorative monument

Kenneth School commemorative monument (August 2010)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.55510, W98.41433
denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

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.

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 [Olga Penner], Winnipeg Free Press, 2 June 2015.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 11 March 2022

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. The information is offered for historical interest only.

Browse lists of:
Museums/Archives | Buildings | Monuments | Cemeteries | Locations | Other

Inclusion in this collection does not confer special status or protection. Official heritage designation may only come from municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Some sites are on private property and permission to visit must be secured from the owner.

Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the MHS Webmaster at webmaster@mhs.mb.ca.

Search Tips | Suggest an Historic Site | FAQ

Help us keep history alive!