CRESCENT HILL SCHOOL DISTRICT No.4375

1. An area between four school districts, namely, Sunny Brae to the west,
2. Roseberry to the north, Fabyan to the south-east and Battle Heights to the
3. north-east was not included in any school district. Children in this area
4. had to walk or go by horseback four or more miles to attend any school. In
5. 1928 when the Fitzpatrick family moved in, it had a possible school-age
6. population of 20.
7.  
8. The ratepayers contacted the Department of Education with the result this
9. new school district was formed and the building constructed in 1929. It
10. was the last country school built in the Irma area.
11.  
12. The site chosen was on the NE $frac14; 23-45-8 W4 on land owned by Mr.
13. James Enger. The exact five acres was on a hill by the curve in the then
14. Highway #41—thus the name Crescent Hill was suitable.
15.  
16. Members of the first school board were Miss Clara Sellers, Richard
17. Fitzpatrick and William Steele, Secretary-treasurer. Others serving in
18. later years were Martin Enger, William Crabb and Thomas Sanders.
19.  
20. The building of the school was completed by September, but there was a
21. delay in receiving the furnishings and furnace.
22.  
23. To quote Mrs. Alma Enger, the first teacher: “Captain Edwards, school
24. inspector at that time, gave permission for the school to open and “make
25. do” with makeshift furnishings—tarpaper for a blackboard, benches and
26. tables for desks and “faith” that the weather would remain good until the
27. furnace was installed.” The furnishings and furnace were all there early
28. in October.
29.  
30. Nineteen pupils were registered for the first term in grades one to nine
31. inclusive. They were: Myrtle, Edith, Sarah, Gordon and Awilda Fitzpatrick;
32. Mabel and Clara Enger, Leona, Hubert, Arthur and Lenard Frye; Eula, Doris,
33. Bob and Margaret Morgan; Eric, William Jr. and Stella Steele; and Pearl
34. Haveruk.
35.  
36. As mentioned, Miss Alma Miles taught the first year and later in the
37. forties as Mrs. Enger, riding her bicycle from Irma, a distance of 8 miles.
38. Miss Olive Rush was the next teacher, and returned (as Mrs. Sather) to
39. teach for the last five years it was open. She had a standing invitation
40. that if it was too stormy she could spend the night at the M. Enger home, a
41. two mile walk. Miss Della Stone spent three years and Miss Irene Ross
42. one year as teachers of Crescent Hill, too. This pseaks well for the very
43. faithful and dedicated teachers also agreeable ratepayers tot have only
44. four teachers in eighteen years. The school closed in 1947 and the
45. children bussed to Irma. The building is still there with the land
46. owned by Jay Fenton.
47.  
48. The first music for the tradional Christmas concerts, etc. was taught
49. from a tuning fork. The young people of the district decided the school
50. needed a piano. The result was they staged two three-act plays and then a
51. one-act play with other items for a program. One of these plays needed a
52. dog in the action. Rather than use a stuffed one, they decided on a live
53. one. A neighbour dog was brought to school that day and the boys were
54. given permission to take turns leading the dog around the school grounds
55. with no rest. A tired dog was one of the stars of the evening performance.
56. This school became the centre of the community for social evenings and
57. later dances were frequently held. Music was supplied by the district
58. musicians. Church was held there for a number of years by the United
59. Church and also later a Sunday school with Harold King as leader. The
60. wedding ceremony and reception for Amanda Neufeld and Allan Worthing
61. was a special, happy event. The children remember the days the nurses
62. came and vaccinated them for childhood diseases.
63.  
64. The school was closed after opening exercises one day because one family had
65. had garlic for breakfast. While it was healthy food, other pupils and
66. the teacher were affected nauseously.
67.  
68. Mrs. Georgina Enger taught the singing for Christmas programs during the
69. years of Miss Stone and Mrs. Sather. One day the teacher, sitting with
70. her elbow on her desk, sneezed and dislocated her arm at the shoulder.
71. Georgina’s services were required that day.
72.  
73. To my knowledge only one of the former pupils or ratepayers live in the Crescent
74. Hill School District. Most have gone one to take their place in
75. other parts of the world and are a credit to the district’s teaching and
76. home training.
77.  
78. Many thanks to the first Irma History Book “The Times of Irma” account by
79. Mrs. Alma Enger.

Crescent Hill School District No. 4375
Submitted by Mrs. (M) Georgina Enger

55-56-57