Little Schools in the Parkland

The McCafferty School District was formed in 1912, with the first general meeting being held on April 29 of that year. Those present were Hiram Carney, Henry and Herbert Spencer, Bert Allen, Jim McCafferty, Edson Martinell, H.D. Davis, W. Maxwell, F. Robinson, Jack Cram, Sam and John Rae, J.C. Campbell, tom Parker, and Lowell Martinell. Of the above named. sixteen of the eighteen were bachelors at that time. Six of them ultimately became trustees, and two served as secretary.

The district was named after Jim McCafferty who first offered land as a building site. That particular spot on NE 22-42-4 being rejected, land was given by Mr. H.D. Davies, NW ¼ 14-42-4 W4.

E.A. Martinell, J.L. McCafferty and Hiram Carney, who acted as chairman, with H.E. Spencer as secretary comprised the first school board. The bondsmen for the secretary-treasurer were B.C. Lees and Bert Allen for the sum of $300.

The first school was built in 1913 by Mr. Harrison of Edmonton, for $1350. When the school opened there were twelve seats, and the teacher was Miss Clara Crowe of Truro, N.S., who taught for a salary of $55 as per the “School Ordinance.”

In 1914, Bert Allen joined the Board. The assessment was $400 taxes collected by the secretary-treasurer. The estimated cost of the school in 1915 was $940. That year Walter Kerr painted the school, two coats for $25. The next teacher was Mrs. O’Brien, followed by Miss Mabel Borden, who later became Mrs. Harry Martinell. In 1916 Jack Cram joined the board and Mrs. Henry Spencer became a trustee. About this time, the records show that the U.F.W.A. local recommended planting trees. Costs began to rise, and the estimate for the school year was $1104. Anyone using the school at this time was charged a fine of five dollars if permission had not been granted for its use.

1917 saw an addition to the building, erected by George Trotter. The teacher that year was Miss Kellogg. In 1918 W.N. Etson became a trustee followed by . Smith. The school was then closed for a time as there were only two local pupils - $.50 per day was paid to these children for the use of their horses as they rode to the other school.

John Trotter, in 1920 was elected a trustee. The school re-opened with Miss Dorothy Lees as teacher. W.A. Alwood was the next new trustee. Salaries were now a little higher - $75 per “School Ordinance” and taxes were six dollars per quarter section of land.

In 1922 Herbert became sec.-treas. as Henry had been elected member of parliament at Ottawa. Mr. Eugene Smith was teacher and the first man to hold that position. Also, Grade IX was taught for the first time.

The debentures were paid off in 1924. The district during these years had financed without borrowing from the bank. By 1925, the Municipality, which now collected the taxes, was asked for $1300.

As the school had become very crowded, it was decided to enlarge the district and build a two-roomed school, the only one in the Edgerton rural area. To build the new school a bylaw was passed giving the board power to borrow $8000. But the Board of Public Utilities frowned on this extravagance, and eventually $6000 was borrowed. The old school was sold to the community and made into a hall. The new school was situated on the NW ¼ 15-42-4 W4 and opened in December, 1928. By 1932 the demand on the municipality had risen to $3600.

A Health Clinic was organized at the school in 1936 and for the following two years a doctor, dentist and eye specialist were engaged for a moderate fee.

At this time the district was taken into the larger unit school division which became the Wainwright School Division #32. Mr. H.E. Spencer was elected to the divisional board in Subdivision #4. The school had grown from one with twelve seats and a yearly cost of less than $1000 in 1915 to a two-room unit in 1938 with a cost of $3,000.

Some of the teachers during these years were: Miss Ivy McAfee from Edmonton who had the first “permanent wave” in the district, and who came to school one morning wearing the biggest diamond solitaire any of us had ever seen! She later became Mrs. Walter Taylor. Miss Gilbert, who fascinated us because she wore a wig to cover her totally bald head and Miss Jean Peden with beautiful red hair, I believe, were the first tow teachers in the new two-roomed school in 1928. Mr. Joe York, a native of Provost, instructed us in gymnastics, and could always be counted on to give us an extra half hour at noon, when the flowing well “down over the hill” made a perfect skating rink. Mrs. Marie Krinbill also taught here. Miss Bullock, from Leduc, was remembered for her acting ability in the three-act plays which were common at that time, and Mr. Ken Sparks was beloved by all who knew him.

In 1956 the school was closed forever, and the pupils were bussed to Edgerton. Progress, certainly, but with the closing of these smaller schools, a bit of the “spirit” of the district has disappeared.

Mary Cram gives a student’s thoughts about the school. She writes:

“A feeling of nostalgia comes over me when I think of days at the old McCafferty School. It not only served as a school but as a community centre and church. School friends and many parents have gone on and those left are scattered far and wide. But the old school is a common bond. Here the pattern of our lives was shaped for our future.

“My first teacher was Miss Dorothy Lees and since most of the children were very young, school was held during the summer months and closed in winter. Eugene Smith taught next from 1922-24 and boarded at Mr. and Mrs. Fred McBride’s home. He was the Methodist minister’s son and so tall that it seemed to me that he was all legs. He played games with us at recess and noon hour. Our games were Red Light, Anti-I-Over, Oom-pom- pull-away, Hopscotch, Four bases and as we grew older football, softball and basketball.

“1928 saw the new school completed – two rooms – built a mile west of where the old school had been, on the corner of Billy Ferris’ C.P.R. land. With two large classrooms, two cloakrooms, a hallway and entrance back and front, a full-sized finished basement, with one side for boys, one for the girls, and indoor toilets, this was a very sophisticated school for the country.

“Getting to school in those days was a problem. Some walked, while others rode horseback or drove either buggies or sleighs. The Spencers had their old Ella, the mule who was very faithful. Johnston girls rode Shorty and Peggy, while the Etsons had faithful Bonnie.

“Many pupils were frightened by the neighbour’s bull, which usually grazed in a pasture near the school, or certainly in one somewhere along the way.

“Other teachers were Mr. B. Wilkinson, Miss Benoit, Mrs. Whitby.”

McCafferty School District No. 2729
Submitted by Peggy (Mrs. Bob) Jackson

89-90-91-92