Historic Sites of Manitoba: Knowles School / John G. Stewart School (2069 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg)

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

Located in North Kildonan, now a suburb of Winnipeg, on the grounds of the Knowles Centre, the Knowles School was established for educating the school-age children at the facility, which was operated by the Winnipeg School Division. Initially, a single teacher oversaw students in five grades. An expanded building opened in May 1917, with two teachers and eight grades. Senior students attended high school elsewhere in the Division.

In 1951, an industrial arts facility at the school was opened by Manitoba Technical Institute Principal B. F. Addy. The Winnipeg School Division withdrew its teaching staff in 1955 and the school began operating as a private institution, funded in part by the United Way and the provincial government. On 13 December 1959, the building was destroyed in a fire. Three dormitories were renovated for use as classrooms while a campaign by the Rotary Club raised funds for construction of a replacement school building.

Alumni of the school belong to an organization called “The 100 Club.”

In the 1990s, the John G. Stewart School, named for local educator John Gibson “Jack” Stewart, was built at the site and operated by the River East School Division.

Principals

Period

Principal

1917

Rosie Lena Collins “Rose” Lang (1883-1944)

1917-1918

Mrs. J. McGregor

1918-1920

Ruth Hope Wilson (1891-1995)

1921-1933

Marguerite Willard Robertson (1892-1987)

1933-1935

Rudolph Alexander Storch (1903-1988)

1935-1937

Francis Lowell “Frank” Palmer (1906-1994)

1937-1939

Stewart Gibson Dack (1910-1969)

1939-1940

Alfred Thomas Phillips (1915-2010)

1940-1941

Neil Murray McIvor (1906-1970)

1941-1942

Robert Ernest Clague (1914-2006)

1942-1943

Taras Robert “Ted” Korol (1918-1998)

1944-1946

Neil McTavish (1902-1968)

1946-1947

Robert John Walker “Bob” Lyons (1905-1975)

1947-1949

Eva May Calder (1894-1989)

1949-1952

Arthur Milford Preston (1908-1981)

1952-1955

Eva May Calder (1894-1989)

1955-1962

?

1962-1964

Ronald Allen “Ron” Baillie

1964-1965

Maurice Reid Quesnel

1965-1969

Wilma E. Essex

1969-2015

?

2015-?

T. Holroyd

Teachers

School Year

Teachers

1914-1915

Vera Theresa O'Hara Miller

1915-1916

Vera Theresa O'Hara Miller

1916-1917

Rosie Lena Collins “Rose” Lang (grades 4-8, 1917), Minnie Mason (grades 1-3), Florence McEathern? (grades 1-3), Vera Theresa O'Hara Miller (1916)

1917-1918

Edna M. M. Kemp (grades 1-3), Minnie Mason (grades 1-3, 1917), Florence McEathern? (grades 1-3, 1917), Mrs. J. McGregor (grades 4-8, 1918)

1918-1919

Eva M. Smith (grades 1-4), Ruth Wilson (grades 5-8)

1919-1920

Eva M. Smith (grades 1-4), Ruth Wilson (grades 5-8)

1920-1921

Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 5-8, 1921), Eva M. Smith (grades 1-4), Ruth Wilson (grades 5-8, 1920)

1921-1922

Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 5-8), Eva M. Smith (grades 1-5)

1922-1923

Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 5-8), Eva M. Smith (grades 1-5)

1923-1924

Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 5-8), Eva M. Smith (grades 1-5)

1924-1925

Bella M. McDonald (grades 1-4, 1924), Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 5-8), Mrs. F. Sharp (grades 1-5, 1925)

1925-1926

Bella M. McDonald (grades 2-5), Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 6-8)

1926-1927

Bella M. McDonald (grades 1-5), Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 6-8)

1927-1928

Bella M. McDonald (grades 2-5), Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 5-8)

1928-1929

Harriett Lillian Dyke (grades 1-5), Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 6-8)

1929-1930

Harriett Lillian Dyke (grades 2-5), Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 6-8)

1930-1931

Esther Hinds (grades 3-5), Irene May Matheson (grades 3-5, 1931), Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 6-8)

1931-1932

Irene May Matheson (grades 3-5), Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 6-8)

1932-1933

Marguerite Willard Robertson (grades 4-7)

1933-1934

Rudolph A. Storch (grades 2-7)

1934-1935

Rudolph A. Storch (grades 5, 7-9), Gerald L. Stuart (grades 2-4, 6)

1935-1936

Frank L. Palmer (grades 6-9), Alfred Thomas Phillips (grades 2-5)

1936-1937

Frank L. Palmer (grades 6-9), Alfred Thomas Phillips (grades 3-5)

1937-1938

Stewart Gibson Dack (grades 6-9), Alfred Thomas Phillips (grades 1-5)

1938-1939

Stewart Gibson Dack (grades 6-9), Alfred Thomas Phillips (grades 1-5)

1939-1940

Eva May Calder (grades 2-5), Alfred Thomas Phillips (grades 6-9)

1940-1941

Eva May Calder (grades 2-5), Neil Murray McIvor (grades 6-9)

1941-1942

Eva May Calder (grades 1-5), Robert Ernest Clague (grades 6-9)

1942-1943

Eva May Calder (grades 1-5), Taras Robert Korol (grades 6-9)

1943-1944

Eva May Calder (grades 1-5), Neil McTavish (grades 6-9)

1944-1945

Eva May Calder (grades 1-5), Neil McTavish (grades 6-9)

1945-1946

Eva May Calder (grades 1-5), Neil McTavish (grades 6-9, 1945), Alfred Thomas Phillips (grades 6-9, 1946), Dr. P. Margarite (1946)

1946-1947

Eva May Calder (grades 1-4), Eva Frances Irene Clement (grades 5-6), Robert John Walker “Bob” Lyons (grades 7-9)

1947-1948

Eva May Calder (grades 2-6)

1948-1949

Eva May Calder (grades 2-6)

1949-1950

Eva May Calder (grades 2-5), Arthur Milford Preston (grades 6-9)

1950-1951

Eva May Calder (grades 2-5), Arthur Milford Preston (grades 5-7)

1951-1952

Eva May Calder (grades 2-5), Arthur Milford Preston (grades 5-8)

1952-1953

Eva May Calder (grades 2-4)

1953-1954

Eva May Calder (grades 2-5)

1954-1955

Eva May Calder (grades 2-4, 1954)

1955-1956

?

1956-1957

?

1957-1958

?

1958-1959

?

1959-1960

?

1960-1961

?

1961-1962

Wilma E. Essex (grades ?), Barbara Noreen Heber (grades ?), Constantine Maseiuch [Masiuch] (grades ?)

1962-1963

Ronald Allen “Ron” Baillie (grades 8-9), Wilma E. Essex (grades 4-5), Jean Ann Robertson (grades 2-4), Eugene Alfred Sigfusson (grades 4, 6-7)

1963-1964

Ronald Allen “Ron” Baillie (grades 7-9, 1963; grades 6-9, 1964), Wilma E. Essex (grades 4-6), Doreen Sophia Rudy Hunt (grades 2-4), Eugene Alfred Sigfusson (grades 5-7, 1963; grades 6-7, 1964)

1964-1965

Wilma E. Essex (grades 4-6), Ronald Winston “Ron” Munro (grade 6), Maurice Reid Quesnel (grades 4, 7-9), Stephania Yurkiwsky (grades 2-4)

1965-1966

Wilma E. Essex (grades 4-6), Rudy Frederick Fast (grade 7), Marianne Penner (grades ?), Louis Joseph Regnier (grades 4-6)

1966-1967

Paul Allan (grades 5-8, 1966), Wilma E. Essex (grades 3-4), George Michael Maneluk (grades 5-8, 1966), ? (grades 5-8, 1967), Marianne Penner (grades ?)

1967-1968

Marianne Penner (grades 3-5), George Michael Maneluk (grades 4-7), Franklin Peter Humniski (grades 8-9), Wilma E. Essex (grades 3-6)

1968-1969

Rosslyn L. Ward (grades 2-5), Arthur James Rathgeber (grades 5-8), Charles S. MacIver (grades 7-8), Wilma E. Essex (grade 4)

Photos & Coordinates

John G. Stewart School

John G. Stewart School (October 2019)
Source: Nathan Kramer

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.95766, W97.06705
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Manitoba Organization: Knowles Home for Boys / Knowles School for Boys / Knowles Centre

Sources:

Henderson’s Winnipeg and Brandon Directories, Henderson Directories Limited, Peel’s Prairie Provinces, University of Alberta Libraries.

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

“Knowles boys at Fort Garry,” Manitoba Free Press, 10 May 1917, page 5.

“Their future depends upon your assistance,” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 1939, page 3.

“Knowles School portage paid, Crossin tells annual meeting,” Winnipeg Free Press, 28 September 1940, page 3.

“Cash awards presented to Knowles Boys,” Winnipeg Free Press, 27 June 1952, page 7.

“Dream realized, Knowles School shop opened,” Winnipeg Free Press, 9 December 1954, page 9.

“Boys’ School may provide own teachers,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 December 1954, page 2.

“Male teacher requires at the Knowles School for Boys,” Winnipeg Free Press, 29 December 1955, page 23.

“Fund drive for Boys’ School,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 December 1959, page 3.

“100 Club tea marks 50th anniversary of Knowles School,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 March 1958, page 10.

“$17,000 for Knowles School,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 December 1959, page 3.

“Knowles School conversion program completed in time for new term,” Winnipeg Free Press, 4 January 1960, page 3.

[Feature full page article, untitled], Winnipeg Free Press Leisure, 9 March 1968, page 5.

Obituary [Robert John Walker], Winnipeg Free Press, 22 November 1975, page 42.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 2 May 2021

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