The Wainwright Schools
We came to Wainwright in the fall of 1950 after I had been appointed vice-principal and Grade VIII teacher in the elementary-junior high school. The high school was housed in the two story brick building, which for many years was the only school in Wainwright. The elementary and junior high students were housed in the new eight room plus gymnasium addition to the previous two room high school, plus basement washrooms, which had been built in 1938.
Mr. Hugh Leskey (who died last year at 93) was the principal. His staff consisted of Mr. Humphries, Miss Bloom, Mr. Crombie, and Mr. Wilson. Mr. L.B. Adams, the principal of the junior high elementary school taught Grade IX, I had Grade VIII, a Miss Erickson, Grade VII, Miss Will Grade VI, Mrs. Holt, Grade V, Miss MacDonald 9now Mrs. Burton of Edgerton) had Grade IV, Miss McCullough from Nova Scotia had Grade III, a Miss Fitzgerald taught Grade II and Miss Lolo Mabey had Grade I.
The new school was named Denwood after the original village site. Also in the Denwood yard was the “dormitory” for out-of-town students. It consisted of two rural schools placed side by side on foundations and joined. Mr. And Mrs. Eugene Carter looked after the dorm and supplied meals. Mrs. Carter still lives in Wainwright. When the dorm closed in the early fifties the two schools were reconverted to classrooms again. A small house for the janitor and a home owned by Mrs. Wood, mother of the late Dick Deyell, were also in Denwood yard. The house now sits north of Highway 14 on old 41.
In my second year at Wainwright, the five high school teachers had fifty- seven students. I had forty-five in my Grade VIII class. The Grade 11’s were also seriously over-crowded. A classroom was opened up in the basement of the 1938 building and in it were placed fifteen Grade VIII students and fifteen Grade IX students with Mrs. Kenn Tory as teacher (Marjorie Bagnall).
Wainwright was expanding and more classrooms were needed. A second room was opened in the basement of the 1938 building. Bloomington Valley rural school was moved in and placed in the yard of the brick building. Later that school became the golf clubhouse and, I believe, is still used for storage.
The 1950s saw much school construction. A two-story seven classroom plus playroom school was constructed just north of the hospital in 1953- 54. It was named Parkview and is still part of the high school complex. Mr. Bill Labatiuk was the principal. A multi-classroom plus gymnasium two-story building was built onto the brick building around 1957. When it was finished and classes installed, the brick building was demolished and replaced with offices downstairs and a staff room plus infirmary upstairs.
The new school was named Lolo Mabey after the long-time Wainwright teacher who was present at the official opening.
Near the end of the fifties another school was built 50 or so yards north of Parkview. This was named Westview. It had eight classrooms plus a gymnasium.
In 1962 a major reorganization of schools took place. Lolo Mabey school had high school downstairs and elementary school upstairs. Denwood had eight junior high classes, two grade ones and an opportunity room. Parkview and Westview had elementary grades. The school board decided to install the junior and senior high schools in Parkview-Westview and the elementary grades in Denwood-Lolo Mabey. Mr. John Krilba was the principal of the junior high – high school and Mr. Frank Lee was principal of the elementary school.
In the 1960s Parkview and Westview were joined giving three more classrooms plus an office complex and storage facilities.
In 1969-70 the business education wing and a large gymnasium were added to the high school. The old gym became the industrial education area.
In 1974 a fire damaged the office area, requiring extensive repair to it and to the three classrooms opposite.
During the 1980s, Lolo Mabey and Denwood schools were joined and the interiors and exteriors were renovated.
The two schools are thought of as the Wainwright High School and the Wainwright Elementary School. The names Parkview, Westview, Denwood and Lolo Mabey are not used very often.
Extensive renovations and modernization of the Wainwright High School took place in 1993, and on February 17, 1994, the public were invited to the ceremonies celebrating the opening of the beautiful structure.
The Wainwright Schools
Submitted by John Taylor
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