Jarrow School District No. 2450
Jarrow school was built in 1912 by Lambie and Rainie. In 1911 school had
been held in the church with Mr. Nelson Tweedy, who lived in the Melbrae
district, as teacher. The board was made up of Mr. Linholm and Mr. R.E.
Westbrook. Nineteen pupils made up the first enrolment.
To purchase the required desks, $250 was borrowed from the bank. To repay this, taxes of 25 cents per lot were collected. The Department of Education, represented by the inspector of schools, took over the running of it. The school district was assessed as a village district. In order to collect remainder owing, the Inspector went to the property owners and seized oxen, cattle, watertanks — whatever was available. This put the district into good standing so no taxes were collected for two years.
Other school board members were Mr. Tillman, Mr. Charles Knowles with George Theroux as secretary-treasurer. Later Mr. R.T. Meakins, Tom Overbo and Arthur Overby officiated. The school board in 1955 consisted of Lawrence White, Percy Wright and Gordon Meakins.
For the first few years school was held from January to September. In 1916, Miss O. Knudson (Mrs. George Theroux) was responsible for raising funds to buy a school bell. A basket social was held as well as a drive for donations. The bell was bought. While waiting to be hung in its rightful place on high, it was stored in the school. One Hallowe’en night, some “energetic folk” made off with the bell. After much searching, the missing article was located and soon hung, merrily calling the pupils to school.
Teachers included Miss Brickman, Miss Doris Smith, Miss Olivia Knudson (Mrs. George Theroux), Mrs. Victor Manners, D.G. Code, Mr. Dinwoodie, Mr. Dockerty, Mr. McNabb, Thomas Edmunds, Elfrieda and Lucille MacNail (a high school was opened over the store), Mr. Hales Barton, Margaret Johnson, Anne Watt, Mary McKay, Daisy Kennedy, Mrs. Jenkins, Edith Hart, Mrs. Olive Sather, Mrs. Wm. Meakins, Genon Theroux (Astley), Mrs. Doris Likness, Mrs. Ella McRoberts, Mr. Derocher and Mrs. M. Millar. Mrs. Likness took over again in 1955 until the school was closed in 1958. In September, 1955 some pupils were bussed to Irma and the remainder went in 1958. In 1961, the Avonglen Mission purchased the Jarrow school building and moved it to their community where it serves as a church.
Mrs. Matthew was school caretaker until the early thirties. Mr. Joe Petzman took over until the school was closed.
Some of the pupils 1919 — 1935: Hans and Howard Jamieson; Olga and Henry Triekel; Eileen and Gladys Meakins; Lil Meakins; Aubyn and Veda Marbry; Avis and Elvin Christenson; Irene Nichols; Sylvia and Hart Cantelon; Marshall Burns; Roland Bick; Myrtle, Edna, Ralph and Ethel Peet; Marion Matthews; the Sayer children; Morgans, Knowaliks; Dorothy and Wesley Orr; Jean, Jim and Gordon Matthews; Fern Luxton; Coe; Ronjom; McKenzie; Sherman; Whitford; Carter; McNabb; Lisson; Bailey and Routledge.
Other families attending the school until it closed were: Swingen, Beer, Millar, Taylor, Crouteau, Overbo, Lovig, White, Wright, Overby, Moore, Michael, Lind, Rae, Belton, Andreson, McLaughlin, Thompson, Theroux, Skori, Boyd, Young, Williams, Wahlund and Reitan.
Jarrow School District No. 2450
from “Down Memory Lane”
and Genon Astley
53-54