Sligo School District No. 2311
On Dec. 20, 1910 the Board of Trustees met with all members present, to
procure two acres of land on the SE ¼ 31-45-4 W4 just north of P.T.
Smale’s. On March 22, 1911, the Board met again with all members
present and accepted the tender of Frank H. Bailey for the building of the
schoolhouse for the sum of $1000. Officers were: William Fell,
Secretary-Treasurer, John H. Granigan Sr., Chairman, Peter Monahan,
Trustee. William Fell resigned as Secretary-Treasurer, but remained as
trustee. He was replaced by Peter Monahan as Secretary-Treasurer. Then
in January 1913, Peter Monahan resigned and was replaced by Alexander M.
Postans, who held this position until 1920. In 1912, William Fell was
nominated as chairman when John S. Granigan resigned. William Fell was
replaced by W.J. Gilbert in 1916. Mr. Thomas McAfee took John Granigan’s
place as trustee.
In the beginning the school was called Maryville in honour of the first baby born in 1908. This was Mary Monahan. However, as the story goes, a certain Irish settler wanted it named after the place he came from, Sligo, Ireland, and his motion carried. On completion of the school building, the Board of Trustees hired Gordon Garriok as the first teacher. The term was to commence September 18, In 1911, with the rate of pay set at $40 per month. He taught school until he was replaced by Miss Agatha Harding in 1912. After her term, Mr. Wiggley commenced teaching on April 1, 1913.
The first pupils of the school were: Mabel Bailey (Mrs. P.T. Smaile), Nellie Postans (Mrs. Archie Aplin), Marion Postans (Mrs. Bruce McDougall), Lulu McAfee (Mrs. Harold Taylor), Gladys McAfee (Mrs. Lloyd Oxby), Charlie Wilson, Althea Kessler, and Anna Monahan (Mrs. Clarence Patterson).
In January 1917, Mr. Thomas McAfee was replaced as trustee by Mr. Richard Carey. Mr. Frank Zajic was elected trustee April 15, 1924. He held this position continuously until 1944 when he resigned. In January 1949, a vacancy was left by Henry Spencer on the Wainwright School Division Board and Frank Zajic was elected to that board. He held the office until January 1959.
The last special meeting held in Sligo was on May 15, 1957, with Vern
Avison, Chairman and Stan Postans, Secretary. It was conducted by Mr.
Frank Zajic from the Wainwright School Division Board, to decide if Sligo
ratepayers wished to have the children bussed to Edgerton. After some
discussion a vote resulted in eight for and twelve opposed. The decision
was over-ruled and the pupils were bussed to Edgerton for the September
1957 term. The last pupils attending Sligo School who transferred to
Edgerton, were: Darrel Granigan, Virgie Nanias (Mrs. Keith Kellog), Diane
Postans (Mrs. Clinton Carl), Clayton Granigan, Merle Granigan, Clement
Zajic, Myron Zajic, Christine Nanias. Mrs. Sirois of Wainwright was the
last teacher at Sligo.
Those who taught at Sligo were: Gordon Garriok (1911), Agatha Harding (1912), Miss Thomas and Norman Thomas (1914-1915) O. W. Murray, H. Lane, Irma McFarland, R. Westbrook, Mr. Murdock, J. Bryce, Lennea Johnson. Some later teachers were: Glynne Evans, Muriel Hill, Elsie Horn, Mrs. Ruth Erickson, Jack Dewar, Mary Mansfield, Mr. Durocher, Mrs. Siriois.
Sligo School District No. 2311
Submitted by Stan Postans
85-86