Historic Sites of Manitoba: Sperling Consolidated School No. 1488 (Sperling, RM of Morris)

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

The original Sperling School District was organized in April 1909 at Sperling in the Rural Municipality of Morris. It became Sperling Consolidated School through the consolidation with Garnett School No. 210, Tremont School No. 1127, and Lone Star School No. 1629. A two-storey, four-classroom brick structure was erected in 1910. The building was destroyed, by a fire started in coal stored in its basement, on 23 May 1924. It was replaced by a one-storey, four-classroom building, designed by Winnipeg architect Alexander Melville, that opened in November 1924. In January 1968, it became part of the Midland School Division.

The former teacherage was sold in 1974 for use as a private residence. The school closed in 1987 and the building was demolished in early 2006 after standing vacant. The corner stone and some bricks from the building were preserved in the wall of a picnic shelter in a public park at the site. A commemorative plaque was installed by the municipality in 2015.

Principals

Period

Principal

1910-1912

Joseph Hurl

1912-1914

Frederick Leopold Johnston (1884-1961)

1914-1915

Joseph James McLaughlin

1915

G. J. F. Vanstausk

1916-1918

William Henry Fenton (1872-1974)

1918-1919

Mrs. Elmah Tench

1919-1920

Winfred Elmore Marsh (1872-1932)

1920-1921

James Thomas Hulme (1864-1938)

1921-1924

Arthur Victor Pigott (1900-1987)

1924-1928

Neil Albert McIntyre (1888-1972)

1928-1932

George Edgar Haywood (c1902-1985)

1932-1934

Orville Ernest Holmes (1905-1987)

1934-1940

Frank Alywin “Andy” Anderson (1907-1972)

1940-1944

Abiah Davies Morgan (1899-1967)

1944-1952

Donald Richard Thom (1908-1988)

1952-1955

Henry Royal Dwyer (1905-1996)

1955-1958

Frank P. Giesbrecht

1958-1963

James Maxwell Taylor

1963-1967

Pat Anderson Jenkins

1967-1971

Miron Paul Swintak (1935-1987)

1971-1980

Jean Jackson Anderson

1980-1981

John Hildebrand

1981-1984

Lee Wallwin

1984-1987

Deb Nairne Russell

1987

Joyce Foote Nicolajsen - Acting

Teachers

School Year

Teachers

1910-1911

Joseph Hurl (room 2), Miss Minnie Stewart (room 1)

1911-1912

Miss Helen Brunt (room 1), Joseph Hurl (room 3), Miss Minnie Stewart (room 2)

1912-1913

Frederick Leopold Johnston (room 3), Miss Sarah C. MacLean (room 2), Miss Delle Myers (room 1)

1913-1914

Frederick Leopold Johnston (room 3), Miss Sarah C. MacLean (room 2), Miss Delle Myers (room 1)

1914-1915

Joseph James McLaughlin (room 4), Miss Delle Myers (room 1), Miss Adeline Helen Strachan (room 3), Miss Mary S. Thomson (room 2)

1915-1916

Violet Clements (room 1), Mary Dobson (room 2), William Henry Fenton (room 4), Miss Barbara C. MacLean (room 3), Miss Delle Myers (room 1), Miss Adeline Helen Strachan (room 3), Miss Mary S. Thomson (room 2), G. J. F. Vanstausk (room 4)

1916-1917

Violet Clements (room 1), Irene Dobson(?), William Henry Fenton (room 4), Miss Edith Greenwood (room 2), May MacKenzie (room 3), Miss Barbara C. MacLean (room 3), Miss Ellen Whitmore (room 1)

1917-1918

William Henry Fenton (room 4), Miss Edith Greenwood (room 2), May MacKenzie (room 3), Mrs. Elmah Tench (room 4), Miss Ellen Whitmore (room 1)

1918-1919

Jane J. Gordon (room 2), Miss Violet MacKenzie (room 2), Ida Norman (room 1), Mrs. Elmah Tench (room 4), Miss Myril E. Vanwyck (room 3), Sarah Willett (room 3)

1919-1920

Mary Delgaty (room 3), Miss Olive MacDonald (room 3), Winfred Elmore Marsh (room 4), Ida Norman (room 1), Miss Nellie Palmer (room 1), Miss Edith Waddell (room 2), Ethel M. Wilson (room 2)

1920-1921

Mary Delgaty (room 3), Laura Etselle (room 1), James Thomas Hulme (room 4), Muriel Rankin (room 1), Grace G. Rouse (room 2)

1921-1922

Margaret Arthur (room 3), Arthur Victor Pigott (room 4), Grace G. Rouse (room 2), Miss Annetta Wiechman (room 1)

1922-1923

Miss Delle Myers (room 1), Annie Phillips (room 3), Maude Phillips (room 2), Arthur Victor Pigott (room 4)

1923-1924

Elizabeth King (room 1), Miss Delle Myers (room 1), Annie Phillips (room 3), Maude Phillips (room 2), Arthur Victor Pigott (room 4)

1924-1925

Laura Courtney (room 1), Neil Albert McIntyre (room 4), Annie Phillips (room 3), Maude Phillips (room 2)

1925-1926

Pearl Bell (room 3), Ethel Lowry (room 1), Neil Albert McIntyre (room 4), Cliffie M. Woodworth (room 2)

1926-1927

Ethel Lowry, Tena H. McDonald, Neil Albert McIntyre, Cliffie M. Woodworth

1927-1928

Ethel Lowry, Tena H. McDonald, Neil Albert McIntyre, Cliffie M. Woodworth

1928-1929

George Edgar Haywood, Alice Henderson, Fanny B. H. Stirling, Cliffie M. Woodworth

1929-1930

George Edgar Haywood, Alice Henderson, Fanny Stirling, Cliffie M. Woodworth

1930-1931

Gladys Copeland, George Edgar Haywood, Alice Henderson, Florence McKillop, Fanny Stirling, Cliffie M. Woodworth

1931-1932

Gladys Copeland, George Edgar Haywood, Fanny Stirling, Cliffie M. Woodworth

1932-1933

Gladys Copeland, Orville Ernest Holmes, Fanny Stirling, Ethel Wilson

1933-1934

Winnifred Cook, Gladys Copeland, Orville Ernest Holmes, Fanny Stirling, Ethel Wilson

1934-1935

Frank Alywin “Andy” Anderson, Etta Fewster Gehring, Beth Mitchell, Ellen North

1935-1936

Frank Alywin “Andy” Anderson, Etta Fewster Gehring, Beth Mitchell, Ellen North

1396-1937

Frank Alywin “Andy” Anderson, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Etta Fewster Gehring, Beth Mitchell

1937-1938

Frank Alywin “Andy” Anderson, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Etta Fewster Gehring, Beth Mitchell

1938-1939

Frank Alywin “Andy” Anderson, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Charlie Bell, Etta Fewster Gehring

1939-1940

Frank Alywin “Andy” Anderson, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Charlie Bell, Etta Fewster Gehring

1940-1941

Pat Anderson Jenkins, Violet Anderson, Mary Cowan, Abiah Davies Morgan

1941-1942

Violet Anderson, Mary Cowan, Minnie Douglas, Abiah Davies Morgan

1942-1943

Mary Cowan, Minnie Douglas, Abiah Davies Morgan, Elizabeth Nash

1943-1944

Mary Cowan, Abiah Davies Morgan, Elizabeth Nash, Nellie White

1944-1945

Mary Cowan, Ruth Fallis, Donald Richard Thom, Nellie White

1945-1946

Ruth Fallis, Bernice Fines, Donald Richard Thom, Nellie White

1946-1947

Ruth Fallis, Bernice Fines, Donald Richard Thom, Nellie White

1947-1948

Evelyn Griffiths, Inez Helgason, Joyce Sutton, Donald Richard Thom, Nellie White

1948-1949

Inez Helgason, Jean Jackson Anderson, Joyce Sutton, Donald Richard Thom

1949-1950

Inez Helgason, Jean Jackson Anderson, Velma Adell Motheral, Donald Richard Thom

1950-1951

Dorothy Elliot, Fran Fleming, Ruth King, Velma Adell Motheral, Donald Richard Thom

1951-1952

Dorothy Elliot, Fran Fleming, Ruth King, Velma Adell Motheral, Donald Richard Thom

1952-1953

Henry Royal Dwyer, Marion Hammond, Ruth King, Audrey McRorie, Ivy Patterson, Norah Stewart

1953-1954

Henry Royal Dwyer, Doreen Fewster, Ivy Patterson, Phyllis Pulfer, Melva Skeavington, Joyce Sokol, Edith Thompson

1954-1955

Henry Royal Dwyer, A. Fraser, Ivy Patterson, Kay Pogson, Phyllis Pulfer

1955-1956

Evelyn Bridgeman, Donelda Cook, Keith Fleming, Frank P. Giesbrecht, Ivy Patterson, Kay Pogson, Lancelot William Stephens

1956-1957

Joyce Bowman, Frank P. Giesbrecht, Kay Pogson, Harold Stewart, Lancelot William Stephens

1957-1958

Lena Allison, Frank P. Giesbrecht, Elizabeth Menzel, Myrtle Munday, Isabell Robertson

1958-1959

Lena Allison, Katie Cook, Elizabeth Menzel, James Pollock, Isabell Robertson, James Maxwell Taylor

1959-1960

Lena Allison, Doreen Fewster, Morris Hykaway, G. J. Gommerman, Elizabeth Menzel, J. Pollock, Betty Rance, Isabell Robertson, James Maxwell Taylor

1960-1961

Esther Hildebrand, Morris Hykaway, Pat Anderson Jenkins, J. Pollock, Isabell Robertson, James Maxwell Taylor, Merle Taylor

1961-1962

John Cesmystruk, William George Cooper, Morris Hykaway, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Isabell Robertson, James Maxwell Taylor, Merle Taylor

1962-1963

John Cesmystruk, Morris Hykaway, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Lois J. Malach, Donna McLean, James Maxwell Taylor

1963-1964

Betty J. Gross, John F. Gross, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Lillian Munro

1964-1965

Janet Alexander, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Sandra Kulbaski, Don Wrobleski

1965-1966

Audrey Gilman, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Sandra Kulbaski, Don Wrobleski

1966-1967

Irene Belcher, Sandra Delaloye, Pat Anderson Jenkins, Brenda Porter Peters

1967-1968

Jean Jackson Anderson, Sandra Delaloye, Fern Rose, Miron Paul Swintak

1968-1969

Jean Jackson Anderson, Sandra Delaloye, Fern Rose, Miron Paul Swintak

1969-1970

Jean Jackson Anderson, Sandra Delaloye, Fern Rose, Miron Paul Swintak

1970-1971

Jean Jackson Anderson, Sandra Delaloye, Fern Rose, Miron Paul Swintak

1971-1972

Jean Jackson Anderson, Bob Cain, Fern Rose

1972-1973

Jean Jackson Anderson, Bob Cain, Fern Rose

1973-1974

Jean Jackson Anderson, Bob Cain, Fern Rose

1974-1975

Jean Jackson Anderson, Heather Lovatt, Fern Rose

1975-1976

Jean Jackson Anderson, Dorothy Biggar, Fern Rose, June Stockford (music)

1976-1977

Jean Jackson Anderson, Dorothy Biggar, Ann Hamilton (music), Fern Rose

1977-1978

Carol Anderson, Jean Jackson Anderson, Dorothy Biggar, Neil Martin (physical education), Carol Ross-Boggs (music)

1978-1979

Jean Jackson Anderson, Dorothy Biggar, Barbara Leslie, Neil Martin (physical education), Carol Ross-Boggs (music)

1979-1980

Jean Jackson Anderson, John Hildebrand, Barbara Leslie, Carol Ross-Boggs (music), Gordon Stobbe (physical education)

1980-1981

Francine Adelman (music), Joyce Foote Nicolajsen, Barbara Leslie, Gordon Stobbe (physical education)

1981-1982

Francine Adelman (music), Alice Elias, Joyce Foote Nicolajsen, Brian Reid (physical education)

1982-1983

Francine Adelman (music), Alice Elias, Joyce Foote Nicolajsen, Brian Reid (physical education)

1983-1984

Francine Adelman (music), Alice Elias, Joyce Foote Nicolajsen, Brian Reid (physical education)

1984-1985

Francine Adelman (music), Alice Elias, Joyce Foote Nicolajsen, Brian Reid (physical education)

1985-1986

Francine Adelman (music), Joyce Foote Nicolajsen, Brian Reid (physical education)

1986-1987

Francine Adelman (music), Heather Bunka, Joyce Foote Nicolajsen, Brian Reid (physical education)

Photos & Coordinates

Sperling School

Sperling School (circa 1910)
Source: Education Department Report, 1910, Manitoba Legislative Library.

The original Sperling School, destroyed by fire in 1924

The original Sperling School, destroyed by fire in 1924 (June 1911)
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspector Photos GR2664, C65.

Sperling School, constructed in 1924

Sperling School, constructed in 1924 (no date) by D. S. Woods
Source: Archives of Manitoba, School Inspectors Photographs,
GR8461, A0233, C131-2, page 126.

Sperling School

Sperling School (circa 1986)
Source: Historic Resources Branch, Public School Buildings Inventory, slide 721.

Sperling School

Sperling School (circa 1986)
Source: Historic Resources Branch, Public School Buildings Inventory, slide 722.

The corner stone from Sperling Consolidated School, built in 1924

The corner stone from Sperling Consolidated School, built in 1924 (October 2010)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough

Sperling Consolidated School commemorative sign

Sperling Consolidated School commemorative sign (July 2020)
Source: Rose Kuzina

Site Coordinates (lat/long): N49.50527, W97.70476
denoted by symbol on the map above

Sources:

“Tenders for Sperling Consolidated School,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 July 1924, page 16.

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

Tales of Sperling, circa 1970. [Manitoba Historical Society Library, 971.27Spe]

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.

Furrows in the Valley: A History of the Municipality and its People compiled by the Morris History Book Committee, edited by Lenore Eidse, 1980.

Aerial photograph A11638-199 [1948], Manitoba Air Photo Library.

Obituary [Velma Adell Motheral], Winnipeg Free Press, 18 February 2023.

We thank Patricia Tennent, RM of Dufferin, Suzanne Schroeder, Ed Leask, Glenn Peckover, Rose Kuzina, and Deb Russell for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 3 November 2023

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!