Bjorkdale Rural School District #3162
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Bjorkdale Rural School was built in 1916 on SE 13-43-12-W2nd. Mr. Chapman was the first teacher. Trustees were Charles Bjork and Frank Thompson, while Bert Maisey was the first secretary.
Mr. Chapman stayed only a short time before going to teach at Sunny Brow School where there were more pupils. There were only four pupils out of a possible ten who could attend Bjorkdale Rural as the rest lived too far away and there were no roads.
Usually the farmer living closest to the school would be caretaker, putting on fires in the big stove which burned wood and coal. A pail of water was usually brought along for the pupils to drink until a well was dug. Children carried their lunches in lard pails. Some walked if not too far away, while others rode horseback or on a toboggan pulled by a single horse. The schoolhouse was used for meetings, Sunday School, picnics, sports days, box socials, dances and Christmas concerts.
As time went on, with a family on nearly every quarter section of land, the enrolment at the school reached 60 when Miss Annie Hopkins came to teach. The little school was filled to capacity, with pupils even seated in the porch.
The school closed in 1958 and the students bussed to Bjorkdale Hamlet School. The school was later moved into town by Elmer Fredsberg, who converted it into a garage.
The Teacher: (list not complete)
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Mr. Chapman stayed only a short time before going to teach at Sunny Brow School where there were more pupils. There were only four pupils out of a possible ten who could attend Bjorkdale Rural as the rest lived too far away and there were no roads.
Usually the farmer living closest to the school would be caretaker, putting on fires in the big stove which burned wood and coal. A pail of water was usually brought along for the pupils to drink until a well was dug. Children carried their lunches in lard pails. Some walked if not too far away, while others rode horseback or on a toboggan pulled by a single horse. The schoolhouse was used for meetings, Sunday School, picnics, sports days, box socials, dances and Christmas concerts.
As time went on, with a family on nearly every quarter section of land, the enrolment at the school reached 60 when Miss Annie Hopkins came to teach. The little school was filled to capacity, with pupils even seated in the porch.
The school closed in 1958 and the students bussed to Bjorkdale Hamlet School. The school was later moved into town by Elmer Fredsberg, who converted it into a garage.
The Teacher: (list not complete)
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Mr. Chapman
Mr. Robinson
Bernice Winters Kenneth McGaw Josephine Lee Henry Brown Mrs. Dykeman Mrs. George Wright Clara Sather
Wm. Purdy Browne
A. J. Edwardson
Gladys Furry
Anne Bailey
Mr. Robinson
Bernice Winters Kenneth McGaw Josephine Lee Henry Brown Mrs. Dykeman Mrs. George Wright Clara Sather
Wm. Purdy Browne
A. J. Edwardson
Gladys Furry
Anne Bailey
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1950-51
1952-53
1956-57
1957-58
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1950-51
1952-53
1956-57
1957-58
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(later the Hon. John Brockelbank, MLA, Minister of Natural Resources)
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1944-45
1951-52 - 53-55
1955-56
1956-57
(later the Hon. John Brockelbank, MLA, Minister of Natural Resources)
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1944-45
1951-52 - 53-55
1955-56
1956-57
Miss McCulvin
John Brockelbank
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Emma Pallora
Clara Hoist (Beeching)
Annie Hopkins
Miss Doyle
Alan Squire
Bill Brown
Pauline Makie
Muriel Pocket (Popp)
Doreen Lupien
Alma Green
John Brockelbank
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Emma Pallora
Clara Hoist (Beeching)
Annie Hopkins
Miss Doyle
Alan Squire
Bill Brown
Pauline Makie
Muriel Pocket (Popp)
Doreen Lupien
Alma Green
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Abstracted from: A Season or So ... A history of the people of Bjorkdale and surrounding districts, 1983. Published by Bjorkdale Historical Committee.
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