Leather River School District # 2253.

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The Leather River School opened in 1909. The School was built on the NE13-46-16-W2. The first teacher was Lena Dauncey.

Florence (Reid) Cummings taught at the Leather River School during the 1920s. She recalled teaching all grades from one to nine. In the spring of 1925, when six beginners came to become acquainted with the school, there were no extra desks or place to put them, so the Board purchased a small table and six small chairs. These were placed at the front of the room alongside the teacher’s desk. She also recalls riding her bay pony Ned to the school from the McPhail home where she boarded.

In the late 1930's there were thirty to thirty-five students attending Leather River School. During the winter students travelled to school in horse drawn vans or cabooses heated by a little wood stove. This was often a concern in winter because of the danger of the vans tipping over on the snow covered roads.

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The highlight of the winter was the annual Christmas Concert. In addition to the performances by the children, the school was carefully decorated and there were treats and candy for all. In the winter of 1939, the community came together to build an outdoor rink behind the school. That winter there were often broom-ball and hockey games with visiting teams from neighbouring schools. spring ball games and the annual “Field Day” were something to look forward to.

The Leather River School closed in 1959. Freda Smelt was the last teacher.

The Teachers:
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Lena Dauncey

1909-10

Kate Galvin

1911

Mabel Robertson

1911

Mr. Midgley

1912

Ruby McDiarmid

1913

Ella Porterfield

1914-15

Bertha Jordon

1916-18

Ellen Hamilton

1919-21

Muriel Byers

1922-23

Mr. Wilkenson

1923-24

Florence Reid

1924-25

Mr. Leighton

1925-26

Miss O’Connor

1927-28

Sadie Howe

1928-29

Miss Hutchinson

1929-30

Uarda Morgan

1930-37

Mary Edworthy

1937-38

Myra Duguid

1938-40

Alice Holmes

1940-41

Evelyn McFarland

1941-42

Bernice Gibson

1942-43

Jean Boxall

1943-44

Carlyle L. Avery

1944-45

June Schmidt

1945-46

Helen Nadiger

1946-47

Beatrice Pearson

1947-49

Mary Barron

1949-50

Mary Trischuk

1950-52

Marion (Gay) Goodin

1952-54

Marjory Craig

1954-56

Dorothy Stonehouse

1956-57

Freda Smelt

1957-59
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