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The Sifton School District was organized formally in May 1899 and a building was erected in Sifton, in the Rural Municipality of Dauphin. It was replaced by a two-storey, five-classroom brick and stucco structure built between 1948 and 1949. Through the 1960s, as rural schools from the surrounding area closed, their students came here. These included Trembowla School No. 1040, Oukraina School No. 1112, Fishing River School No. 1153, Mink River School No. 1154, Podolia School No. 1157, West Bay School No. 1223, Wycliffe School No. 1564, and Norton School No. 2094.
After the dissolution of the Wycliffe School District in 1946, its nearby building was used for high school classes. A new, five-classroom school building was constructed between 1948 and 1949.
The Sifton School building was later closed and demolished. The site is now a public playground.
Period
Principal
1920-1921
Frederick Ladlay “Fred” Bousfield (1865-1957)
1921-1922
?
1922-1923
George Isaac Herman Garrett (1884-1977)
1923-1924
Wilfred Almon Rideout (1878-1949)
1924-1925
William M. Stewart
1925-1928
Harry L. Stein (1902-1974)
1928-1931
Gerald Leopold Kramer (1908-1977)
1931-1932
Helen B. Hawryluk
1932-1937
James N. Stanko
1937-1939
Joseph Kahana (1900-1993)
1939-1956
James N. Stanko
1956-1957
William Nowosad (1931-2001)
1957-1959
Isadore A. Woronchuk
1959-1961
Omelan Kalichinsky
1961-1963
?
1963-1965
Nestor Weselowski
1965-1966
?
1967-1967
J. Fast
1967-1974
Mary Rosalia Prokopowich (1916-2003)
1974-1978
Ron Shewchuk
1978-1981
Robert Smith
1981-1986
Cecil “Bunny” Small
Among the early teachers of Sifton School were William Farrar (1905-1907), Cornelius S. Prodan (1907-1910, 1912-1913), May O'Donnell (1910-1912), P. Malkovich (1912), Mrs. C. Prodan (1912-1913, 1914-1919), D. Madkovich (1913-1914), Elizabeth A. Smith (1921-1922, 1934), Nellie Chorneyko (1921-1925), Miss J. Uhryniuk (1925-1926), Della Baker (1926-1927), Jessy Botty (1928-1929), Sister St. Jerome (1928-1934), Frank Halinski (1928), C. Kramer (1928-1929), Miss Jean Ogryzlo (1932), Lila Muriel Burge (1934-1935), Ann Hrushowy (1934-1940), John J. Hrushowy (1935-1936), Mr. Tolstai (1935), Miss Black (1935-1939), Michael M. Sawchuk (1935, 1938), Xenia Pelech (1938), Helen Piloski (1938), Mary Urbanovitch (1938), J. Kahana (1938), J. Huyda (1938), V. Poloway (1938), Edna Prokopowich (1942-1943), Mrs. O. Farion (1942), John Ferance (1942-1949), Sister M. Eleanor (1945-1949), Miss Elsie Demchuk (1946), Pauline Zuk (1947-1949), and Melvin Solar (?-?).
School Year
Teachers
1949-1950
Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1950-1951
Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1951-1952
Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1952-1953
Sister Alfred, Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1953-1954
Sister Boniface, Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1954-1955
Sister M. Eleanor, John Ferance, Sister Gerarda, Pauline Zuk
1955-1956
Sister M. Augustine, Sister Boniface, John Ferance, Pauline Zuk
1956-1957
John Hrushowy, Mrs. Pauline M. Ignash, Marie Kowaluk, William Nowosad
1957-1958
John Hrushowy (grades 7-8), Marie Kowaluk (grades 1-3), Stella Orisko (grades 4-6), Nestor Weselowski
1958-1959
John Hrushowy, Nestor Weselowski, I. Woronchuk, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek
1959-1960
Mrs. Dalner Friesen, Omelan Kalichinsky (grades 9-11), Elsie Schesnuik (grades 6-8), Steve Stasiuk (grades 3-5), Miss Williamson, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek (grades 1-2)
1960-1961
Elsie Schesnuik, Steve Stasiuk, William E. Walker, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek
1961-1962
Elsie Schesnuik, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek, ?
1962-1963
Elsie Schesnuik, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek, ?
1963-1964
Elsie Schesnuik, Mrs. Mary Yakielashek, ?
1964-1965
Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Nestor Weselowski (grades 7-8), Mrs. Mary Yakielashek (grades 1-3)
1965-1966
Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Nestor Weselowski (grades 7-8), Mrs. Mary Yakielashek (grades 1-3)
1966-1967
Mr. J. Fast, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Mrs. Mary Yakielashek
1967-1968
Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski, Edith Stanley
1968-1969
Mrs. J. Lagace, Mrs. B. Lemieux, Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski
1969-1970
Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski
1970-1971
Olive Comerford (grades 1-2), Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 3-4), Isabel Schykulski (grades 5-6)
1971-1972
Mary Prokopowich, Elsie Schesnuik (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski
1972-1973
Colleen Federowich, Mary Prokopowich, Isabel Schykulski
1973-1974
Colleen Federowich, Mary Prokopowich, Isabel Schykulski
1974-1975
Colleen Federowich (grades 1-2), Mary Prokopowich (grades 7-8), Isabel Schykulski (grades 5-6), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3-4)
1975-1976
John Andrelunas (grades 5-6), Isabel Schykulski (grades 1-2), Ron Shewchuk (grades 7-8), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3-4)
1976-1977
John Andrelunas, Isabel Schykulski, ?
1977-1978
John Andrelunas, Elsie Lesyk (grades 4-6), Isabel Schykulski, ?
1978-1979
John Andrelunas (grades 5, 6), Elsie Lesyk (kindergarten, grades 1, 2), Robert Smith (grades 7, 8), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3, 4)
1979-1980
John Andrelunas, Elsie Lesyk, Robert Smith, Nadia Yakielashek
1980-1981
Miss Elizabeth Herman, Elsie Lesyk (grades 1-2), Mary Quick (kindergarten), Robert Smith (grades 5-6), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3-4)
1981-1982
Miss Elizabeth Herman, Elsie Lesyk (grades 1-2), Mary Quick (kindergarten), Cecil “Bunny” Small (grades 5-6), Nadia Yakielashek (grades 3-4)
1982-1983
Miss Elizabeth Herman, ?
1983-1984
?
1984-1985
?
1985-1986
Olga Borowski (kindergarten), Theresa Genik (grades 3-4), Mary Quick (grades 1-2), Cecil Small (grades 5-6)
Other teachers of Sifton School included Miss Walker (c1970), Olive Couch (music teacher), Audrey Dowler (music teacher), Mrs. Fjeldsted (music teacher), Chris Christopherson (physical education), A. Juce (physical education), Ed Doloff (special education), and Miss Peterson (special education).
The original Sifton School (no date) by H. J. Everall
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 39.
Site of the former Sifton School building (May 2012)
Source: Gordon GoldsboroughSite Coordinates (lat/long): N51.35728, W100.14184
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Historic Sites of Manitoba: Wycliffe School No. 1564 (Sifton, RM of Dauphin)
Historic Sites of Manitoba: St. Mary’s Convent School (Sifton, RM of Dauphin)
“The local round,” Dauphin Herald, 20 October 1938, page 9.
Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.
“Teaching staffs named for “A” and “B” groups,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 9 September 1954, page 1.
“Record-breaking enrollments expected here in collegiate, elementary schools,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 1 September 1955, page 1.
“All-time high enrollments expected for town schools,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 30 August 1956, page 1.
“Town schools open today, high enrollments expected,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 29 August 1957, page 1.
“Total of 110 teachers assigned to schools in Dauphin-Ochre area,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 4 September 1958, pages 1, 6.
“Teaching staffs assigned to rural, village schools,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 3 September 1959, page 1.
“26 rural schools start fall term classes Tuesday,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 31 August 1960, page 4.
“Teaching staff for area schools increases to 132 for opening 1963-64 term,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 21 August 1963, page 1.
“All area schools open classes next Tuesday, 131 on teaching staffs,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 26 August 1964, page 1.
“All schools in area open classes Sept. 1 – 133 on teaching staffs,” Dauphin Herald and Press, 25 August 1965, page 1, 8.
“Twelve new faces among staff at Dauphin-Ochre schools,” Dauphin Herald, 6 September 1978, page 2.
“Dauphin Ochre teaching staff down slightly from last term,” Dauphin Herald, 12 September 1979, page 19.
“Teachers for 1980/81,” Dauphin Herald, 27 August 1980, page 16.
“School bells ring today,” Dauphin Herald, 2 September 1981, page 4.
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.
Sifton Then and Now: A Reminiscence of the Pioneer Era by Elsie Lesyk, Dauphin, 1992, pages 149, 169-183.
A Study of Public School Buildings in Manitoba by David Butterfield, Historic Resources Branch, Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, 1994, 230 pages.
We thank Nathan Kramer and Adeline Curle for providing additional information used.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 20 May 2023
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