Historic Sites of Manitoba: Rorketon School No. 2208 / Lawrence Municipal School No. 2208 (Rorketon, RM of Lakeshore)

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

In 1925, the former Farnham School building was moved into Rorketon, in what is now the Rural Municipality of Lakeshore, to serve as the community’s first schoolhouse. The Rorketon School District was established formally in September 1929. It became part of the Lawrence Municipal School District in April 1936, the Rorketon School District No. 2314 in April 1949, and part of the Duck Mountain School Division in 1967. In need of more space to meet growing student enrollment, the former Cecil School building was moved to the site in 1943, and a new school was designed by the Winnipeg architect Edgar Prain and built between 1949 and 1950.

As school consolidation occurred in the 1960s, students were transported into Rorketon from surrounding rural school districts. The resulting increase in enrollment created a shortage of space in the school. As a temporary measure, a nearby Greek Orthodox church was converted into two classrooms. In 1963, two classrooms and a laboratory were added to the north end of the school building. With the student body continuing to rise, a Drop-In Centre was converted into three classrooms and two huts were installed, first on the grounds of the curling rink, and later connected to the school building. By 1969, the school had a record 308 students. The building underwent a major renovation in 1970, with the addition of a resource centre, multipurpose room, computer lab, large gymnasium, and open area equivalent to the size of four classrooms. It was further remodelled in 1985. The north end was removed and the huts were sold, with renovations resulting in the present school configuration.

Principals

Period	Principal
1937-1943	Helen Ackerman
1943-1944	Mrs. Doreen Scott
1944-1950	Adam Joseph Juce (1921-2010)
1950	Scottie Young
1951-1956	Dagney M. Christiansen Chornoboy
1956-1960	Harry W. Chornoboy
1960-1966	Steve Gingera (1930-2014)
1966-1967	William Nowosad (1931-2001)
1967-1990	William “Bill” Bradford
1990-1992	Stan Struthers
1992-?	Walter Tymchuk

Teachers

Among the early teachers of Rorketon School were Miss Moar (1925), Mary M. Cumings (1926-1927), Marie Talpash (1938), Elizabeth Koshey (1938), Evelyn Bottrell (1938), Frederick Samuel Zaplitny (1938), Don Slobodian (1960s), Dan Stykalo (1960s), and Bill Bunka (1960s).

School Year	Teachers
1961-1962	Steve Gingera, Jean Kujanpaa, Willy Ho, Ted Deley (high school)
1962-1963	Bill Bradford, Olga Hanchar (grades 1,2), Marvin Krawec (grades 6,7,8), Jean Kujanpaa (high school), Elizabeth Werbiski (grades 3,4,5)
1963-1964	?
1964-1965	?
1965-1966	?
1966-1967	?
1967-1968	Donald Curtis (grade 10), Syl Didur (grade 8), Olga Hanchar (grade 1), Leo Hrushowy (grade 6), Sylvia Hrushowy (grade 4), Mary Korotash (grade 9), Jean Kujanpaa (grade 12), Richard Lytwyn (grade 7), Maggie McKinnon (grade 2), Elizabeth Michalot (grade 5), John Remniak (grade 3), Larry Smerch (grade 11)
1968-1969	?
1969-1970	?
1970-1971	?
1971-1972	?
1972-1973	?
1973-1974	?
1974-1975	?
1975-1976	?
1976-1977	?
1977-1978	?
1978-1979	Terry Boettcher, Olga Borowski, Garry Hooper, Leo Hrushowy, Mary Korotash, Jean Kujanpaa, Magdaline McKinnon, Elizabeth Michalot, Betty Remniak, John Remiak, Elaine Shewchuk, Brian Tumak
1979-1980	Penelope Blatz, Terry Boettcher, Olga Borowski, Mary Higham, Gary Hooper, Leo Hrushowy, Mary Korotash, Jean Kujanpaa, Elizabeth Michelot, John Remniak, Elaine Shewchuk, Brian Tumak
1980-1981	?
1981-1982	?
1982-1983	?
1983-1984	?
1984-1985	?
1985-1986	?
1986-1987	?
1987-1988	?
1988-1989	?
1989-1990	?
1990-1991	?
1991-1992	?
1992-1993	?
1993-1994	?
1994-1995	?
1995-1996	?
1996-1997	Shawn Beatty (grades 7,8), William “Bill” Bradford (grade 10), Wayne Inkster (grades 3,4), Doreen Korotash-Shewchuk (grade 11), Anita Koski (grades 5,6), Marilyn Robinson (grade 9), Janice Sedor (grades K,1,2), Elaine Shewchuk (grade 12)

Photos & Coordinates

Rorketon School (late 1930s) by G. H. Marcoux Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-3, page 115. Students of Rorketon School (late 1930s) by G. H. Marcoux Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-3, page 115. Students of Rorketon School (late 1930s) by G. H. Marcoux Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs, GR8461, A0233, C131-3, page 115. Site Coordinates (lat/long): N51.39114, W99.59138 denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Memorable Manitobans: Edgar Prain (1881-1958)

Sources:

“The local round,” Dauphin Herald, 20 October 1938, page 9.

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

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.

“Camperville students back early,” Dauphin Herald, 6 September 1978, page 2.

“Teachers ready for year at Duck Mountain School Div.,” Dauphin Herald, 12 September 1979, page 19.

Opening the Door - The Past Comes Alive, The History of the Rural Municipality of Lawrence by Lawrence Municipality History Committee, 1997, pages 280-283.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 21 January 2023

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