Sunny Brow School District # 2993
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The history of the Sunny Brow district commences in 1913 with the first organizational meeting held at George Ready's house on August 27, 1913. George Ready was chairman. Bill Spedding, Jim Laycock and Dinty Simpson were among those at this committee meeting. Another meeting was held on January 14, 1914. Here a vote was taken and the formation of a school district was rejected. At this time the school already had its name. Another petition must have been sent to Regina between this date and March 30, when the Deputy Minister of Education, Augustus Ball demanded an explanation of the discrepancy in the recorded enrollment.
Despite the friction and problems, Sunny Brow School was finally built by Ross Hogarth and Jim Laycock as carpenters. Robinson and Dave Schlimme helped as did many others. The school was built on SE 20-43-12 and opened in the fall of 1916. The first teacher was John Champness. There were 13 children enrolled. The total cost of materials, minus the lumber, was $157.43. The lumber was secured through vouchers. The site was purchased from the government for $20.00 and in 1925 two more acres were purchased from Mr. Hayes for $40.25.
An interesting story is told that Sunny Brow received its name from John Laycock, who with a friend was returning from Crooked River, at this time the nearest center for supplies. As he came within sight of the hill which old timers refer to as Baverstock’s hill, the sun came out. Mr. Laycock made a remark about nearing the sunny brow of the hill. The name stuck.
As with most schools, Sunny Brow was the heart of the community. Here Christmas concerts were held on a make-shift stage. The music was supplied sometimes by the teacher and sometimes by Mrs. Hayes who brought along her own piano and also Jim Laycock who played the organ. Box socials and pie socials were money raising events. The auctioneer was Mr. Squires. At dances the floor shook with the beat of pounding feet while the babies slept on coats and blankets on desks pushed against the wall. Robbie Leeder, Arnold Ruether and Frank Laycock provided the music while Mr. Squires accompanied with the spoons. Mr. George Henderson sometimes played the bag pipes.
Mrs. Therese Mahussier was the last teacher before the school closed in 1957. She had also attended Sunny Brow and was the first child to go on to complete High School and take teacher training. After the school closed the children were bussed to Bjorkdale. The building was purchased by Fred Baverstock and moved to Bjorkdale.
The Teachers:
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Despite the friction and problems, Sunny Brow School was finally built by Ross Hogarth and Jim Laycock as carpenters. Robinson and Dave Schlimme helped as did many others. The school was built on SE 20-43-12 and opened in the fall of 1916. The first teacher was John Champness. There were 13 children enrolled. The total cost of materials, minus the lumber, was $157.43. The lumber was secured through vouchers. The site was purchased from the government for $20.00 and in 1925 two more acres were purchased from Mr. Hayes for $40.25.
An interesting story is told that Sunny Brow received its name from John Laycock, who with a friend was returning from Crooked River, at this time the nearest center for supplies. As he came within sight of the hill which old timers refer to as Baverstock’s hill, the sun came out. Mr. Laycock made a remark about nearing the sunny brow of the hill. The name stuck.
As with most schools, Sunny Brow was the heart of the community. Here Christmas concerts were held on a make-shift stage. The music was supplied sometimes by the teacher and sometimes by Mrs. Hayes who brought along her own piano and also Jim Laycock who played the organ. Box socials and pie socials were money raising events. The auctioneer was Mr. Squires. At dances the floor shook with the beat of pounding feet while the babies slept on coats and blankets on desks pushed against the wall. Robbie Leeder, Arnold Ruether and Frank Laycock provided the music while Mr. Squires accompanied with the spoons. Mr. George Henderson sometimes played the bag pipes.
Mrs. Therese Mahussier was the last teacher before the school closed in 1957. She had also attended Sunny Brow and was the first child to go on to complete High School and take teacher training. After the school closed the children were bussed to Bjorkdale. The building was purchased by Fred Baverstock and moved to Bjorkdale.
The Teachers:
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John Botham Champness |
1916 |
Laura Boxall |
1917 |
Grace Schlimme |
1918-21 |
Elda Anderson |
1919 |
Gertrude Eddie |
1920 |
Della Follis (Bell) |
1922-23 |
Pearl Argall |
1923-24 |
Thelma Boxall |
1924 |
Catherine Hutton |
1924-25 |
Ruth Beaumont |
1925-27 |
Eliza Arnold (McCrea) |
1927-28 |
Rita Kennedy. |
1928-29 |
Mary Wilson |
1929-30 |
Mary Carlson (Bone) |
1931-33 |
A. I. Rainbow |
1934 |
Sylvia Fletcher (Forli) |
1934-35 |
M. Martman |
1935-36 |
Rae Emmerson |
1936-39 |
Frances M. Labelle |
1939-40 |
Mrs. Hilda Wood |
1940 |
Francis Morrison |
1940-43 |
Mrs. M. E. Young |
1943-45 |
Anne Kukura |
1945-46 |
Marjorie Lemire |
1947-48 |
Kathleen Miller |
1948-49 |
Robert A. Kalapaca. |
1949-50 |
E. M. Chadney |
1950-51 |
Joyce McKeith |
1951-55 |
June Stacey |
1955-56 |
Therese Mahussier |
1956-58 |
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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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