Little Schools in the Parkland

The first part of this account is taken from “Buffalo Trails and Tales,” and the latter part is contributed by Mr. John Taylor.

In records of research work, copies were found of ordering the establishment of the Denwood School District #1658 on June 12, 1907. School was held in the Dawson building with the attendance of fifteen pupils. Teacher was Mr. N.S. Kenny.

In 1908 the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway came through a few miles south of Denwood. The people who had settled in Denwood thought that the steel was coming through Denwood, so in 1908 all the buildings were moved to the village called Wainwright. The rails created a boom, settlers came in droves. On May 1, 1908, the children still attended school in the same Dawson Building that had been moved to Wainwright. It was situated near the site where the old Legion Hall is standing today, on the south side of 2nd Avenue East. The children went to class upstairs, as Dewar’s Flour and Feed Mill was on the main floor. Mr. N.S. Kenny had relocated and continued as their teacher. The school district then, as now, did not necessarily coincide with the boundaries of the town, and was run by a School Board. Taxes were collected by the town. The tax levy in 1912 was broken down as follows:

The brick school was built in 1910, at a cost of $18,000. Principal was Mr. W.J. McLean, with teachers Miss Shantz and Miss McGregor.

Three pupils from the first group attending this school finished all their grades from one to twelve in Wainwright – namely Lolo Mabey, Vera Limpert and Murray Pawling.

In 1913, the Board was authorized by the Minister of Education to borrow the amount of $3300 to erect a brick school house, and fence and improve the school site. The little Brick Cottage School was then built in 1913.

One of the teachers was Miss Cummings. Some of the pupils who attended were: Margaret Livingstone, Norma Shirley, Vera Limpert, Merle Mabey, Harry King, Murray Pawling, Annislay Kenny, Juan Fan, Josie Reid, Sheila Gregory, Lolo Mabey, Stan Drewicki, and Vern Prosser. In a few years the little Cottage School was torn down and a dormitory built within the school yard. Wainwright School District #1658 was included in Wainwright School Division #32 when it was established in 1938.

In 1962 Parkview and Westview Schools were joined together to form the Wainwright High School.

Wainwright School District No. 1658
Submitted by Phyllis Craig
from information in “Buffalo Trails and Tales”

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