FOR EASE OF USE – SEPARATE DOCUMENTS COVERING SHORTER TIME PERIODS OF ABOUT 5 YEARS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AS THIS TAKES A LONG TIME TO LOAD.
CLICK ON THE “ABOUT” SECTION OF THIS WEBSITE (see above) FOR A LISTING OF THE MINUTES FROM 1918-1951, broken into seven shorter sections.
July 12, 2019
Background:
To preserve, as historical records, the Woodnorth Manitoba School Board Minutes – the regular meetings, the Annual Meetings, and the Ledgers of Accounts I have started to scan and post them here. It will be a slow process as I am new to this sort of project and there are several books, covering the period from 1918 to the late 1950s. The writing is quite clear and legible when written in ink but at times the recorder used a light pencil and it is more difficult to decipher. Later, I will work at transcribing the records but my priority is making and posting the scans. The meetings seem to have been held on an as-needed basis rather than on a regular schedule so sometimes there are fairly large gaps between meetings.
Thanks to Grant Shoemaker, also a former student at Woodnorth, and whose father A.E. Shoemaker (1915-1988) was a School Board Trustee, for preserving the Minute Books and Account Books and passing them on to me for this project.
The current posting shows the regular School Board meeting Minutes from 31 July 1918 through December 1951 but eventually all those I have will be posted below. Once they have all been posted I will try to divide it into sections that a reader may jump to directly rather than having to scroll through the entire listing. ~Pamela Forsyth
Anyone interested in more GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT WOODNORTH, including a number of photos of school classes, other people, buildings, and community events may want to click through to another secion of this website:
First School:
The first Woodnorth School, one room with fourteen students and a teacher, Miss H.J. Haw, was established in 1910. This information comes from the community history “Trails Along the Pipestone”, p724, which also includes a photograph of the class and teacher. The Minutes from that time are not in my possession so they are not included here. The list of “Receipts and Expenditures” is, however, and will be listed below, after the Minutes from 1918 to 1952. The School Inspector’s report, dated Oct 19, 1915, a single sheet enclosed in one of the Minute Books is available. It is addressed to the Secretary of the School Board at the time, Donald Cameron (1878-1941), a farmer in the area (and my maternal grandfather):
Transcription: Sir, You are requested to communicate to the Trustees the following remarks respecting the result of my official visit to your school on the above date: Enrolled 28 – present 18. You have a full school now and when the older pupils come in for the winter Miss Martin will have a very heavy school. The School cannot afford to do High School and I have reported to the Department against it. Miss Martin continues to do good work in the school. The several subjects are receiving due attention. The discipline is good. I see the remnants of a fine garden. The caretaking of the school is poor. Surely this can be improved. I note that one closet has been moved. This is good. Yours truly, A. J. Hatcher.
Consolidation
A few years after this report a neighbouring school to Woodnorth, Daybreak, burned down and the two comunities made the decision to consolidate the two schools. A new School Board was formed, the Woodnorth Consolidated School #1533. Below are the Minutes from the first meeting on July 31, 1918 and continuing through two old Minute Books to the end of 1952. The school expanded over time to three rooms as more students enrolled, eventually offering grades one through eleven. The Minutes trace that progression. The Minutes and Account books also combine to offer a complete list of the teachers who worked at the Woodnorth School from 1910 through 1952.
Woodnorth School ceased to operate in June 1968. Students from the area have since then been bused to Virden schools, some fourteen miles distant. I do not know where the Minutes from those last years 1953 – 1968 are located but hope that they have been deposited with the Department of Education or the Manitoba Provincial Archives.
The Trustees serving at the initial meeting on July 31, 1918 were:
- John Henry STEPHENSON (1858-1945) – Chairman
- Joseph Pattinson RICHARDSON (1881-1950) – Secretary Treasurer
- Edward Albert MOONEY (1876-1928)
- Donald Duncan CAMERON (1878-1941)
- Walter Ridgeway PALMER (1886-1919)
School Board Minutes 31 July 1918
Minutes – First meeting of Trustees Woodnorth Consolidated School #1533 held in the School Room 31st July 1918. Present. J.H. Stephenson, E.A.Mooney, D.D.Cameron, Walter Palmer & J.P. Richardson.
Moved by E.A.Mooney & Seconded by J.P. Richardson, that J.H. Stephenson be elected Chairman. Carried.
M/S D.D.Cameron/W. Palmer, that J.P. Richardson be appointed Secretary Treas. Carried.
All Trustees took Oath of Office & placed signed declaration with Secretary Treasurer.
M/S D.D.Cameron/ E.A. Mooney, that the Expenditure be applied for as levied. Carried.
M/S E.A.Mooney/W. Palmer, that the Secretary be authorized to secure the necessary Books, etc. Carried.
M/ S W. Palmer /E.A.Mooney, that the secretary phone E.N.Moyer Ltd School Supplies. Carried.
M/S E.A.Mooney/J.H. Stephenson, that the Secretary Treasurer secure the following Grant from Council: Salaries, $1600. Sinking Fund $100. Interim debentures $78, Furnishings & Repairs $200. Transportation $1000, Fuel $150, Sundrys $150. Copy of levy attached. Carried
Meeting adjourned. [Signed] J.P. Richardson, Sec. Treas. & J.H. Stephenson, Chairman
8 August 1918
Minutes of meeting held in School 8th August 8 PM
Present. All Trustees. Minutes of last meeting read & adopted as read.
M/S E.A. Mooney/D.D. Cameron, that we accept the application of the Misses Westernsons (sp?) of Principal & Assistant subject to approval Dept of Education. Carried.
M/S J.P. Richardson/W. Palmer, that the School accounts be placed with the Union Bank of Canada, Virden. Carried.
M/S E.A. Mooney/D.D.Cameron that the Secy Treas be instructed to deal with Mr. Wm Brough in purchasing of Hall for 2nd School & to offer him $800 cash with the privilege of taking out petitions. Carried.
Meeting then adjourned. [Signed] J.P. Richardson, Secretary Treasurer, J.H. Stephenson, Chairman
13 August 1918
Minutes of meeting held in School 13th August 1918.
All trustees present. Minutes of last meeting read and adopted as read.
M/S E.A.Mooney/D.D. Cameron, that we order from E.N. Moyer the following supplies – 20 Desks, Teacher’s desk, Chair, Globe & other necessary supplies. Carried.
M/S J.P. Richardson/D.D.Cameron that the Trustees borrow up to $1000 to meet current expenses. Carried.
M/S J.P. Richardson/W.Palmer that the Van Routes as mapped out by Trustees be approved & advertised for drivers. Carried.
Meeting adjourned. [signed] J.P. Richardson, Secretary Treasurer, and J.H. Stephenson, Chairman.
31 August 1918
Minutes of meeting held in School 31 August 1918. All Trustees except W. Palmer present. Minutes of last meeting read and adopted as read.
Tenders for Van Routes opened and tabled for present.
M/S EA Mooney/DD Cameron, that the Chairman and Secretary Treasurer be authorized to draw down funds as required.
M/S DD Cameron/EA Mooney that Bylaw No. 1 borrowing $1000 for current expenses be passed. Carried.
M/S EA Mooney/JP Richardson, that we purchase School Van from York School District for $125 & that the Secretary Treasurer be instructed to pay same. Carried. Copy of ByLaw attached.
Meeting then adjourned. [Signed] JP Richardson Secretary Treasurer & JH Stephenson Chairman.
4 October 1918
Minutes of meeting held in the School Friday evening 4 October 1918. All Trustees present. Minutes of last meeting read and adopted as read.
Letter from Inspector Beveridge giving school report read.
M/S EA Mooney/DD Cameron, that Jas. Taylor’s tender for NorthWest School Route be accepted the rate per day $5.25. $100 to be retained as Contract Bond out of first month’s earnings. Carried
M/S JP Richardson/W Palmer, that the Secretary Treasurer offer Wm McD? $3.75 per day to drive the North route. Carried
M/S JP Richardson/DD Cameron, that we offer James Cochrane $3.50 for the driving of the South route. Carried.
M/S EA Mooney/DD Cameron that Thomas Dexter’s offer to light fires and sweep schools for 75 cents per morning be accepted. Schools to be swept out in evening and to be at a temperature of 65 degrees at opening hour.
Meeting adjourned. [signed] JP Richardson Sec. Treasurer, JH Stephenson, Chairman
25 October 1918
26 Nov 1918
17 December 1918
28 January 1919
8 February 1919
17 March 1919
16 April 1919
29 May 1919
Woodnorth, Man. 29 May 1919. Minutes of meeting held in School. Trustees all present. Minutes of last meeting read & adopted as read. Both teachers present & lodged complaint regarding conduct & language by the Leech children while at school.
Moved & seconded that the Secretary [ ? contact] Wm Leech & warn him of same & ask guarantee of good conduct & unless same be forthcoming children will be expelled. Carried
Moved by D.D.Cameron& seconded by E.A.Mooney that we borrow enough money to cover all outstanding debts. Carried.
Meeting adjourned. [signed by] J.P. Richardson, Secretary Treasurer & J.H. Stephenson, Chairman.
2 June 1919
13 June 1919
27 June 1919
12 July 1919
25 July 1919
9 August 1919
7 October 1919
3 November 1919
8 December 1919
20 Dec 1919
19 February 1920
22 March 1920
22 June 1920
26 July 1920
4 Aug 1920
24 August 1920 & 27 October 1920
1 December 1920 and 13 December 1920
8 Jan 1921
4 June 1923 and 2 July 1923 & 23 July 1923
6 August 1923 and 29 Nov 1923
Dec 19, 1923 and April 16, 1924
June 13, 1924 and June 18, 1924
14 August 1925
21 October 1926
27 Dec 1926
28 February 1927
May 23, 1927
July 18, 1927
August 2, 1927
August 29, 1927
Form pinned to the Minutes of August 29, 1927:
Dec 1, 1927
Transcription: Minutes of meeting of Trustees held in Schoolhouse Dec 1, 1927. Moved by C. Ritchie, seconded by Mrs Holt that Minutes of last meeting be adopted as read.
Moved by C. Ritchie and seconded by D.D.Cameron and resolved that the School Board take the stand that so long as the piano remains in the school buildings that it is in the custody of the school board and whoever removes it from the school room must be responsible for its return and further that if the party removing the piano will not return it that a charge be made to cover expense of returning it.
Moved by D. Cameron seconded by Mrs Holt that necessary steps be taken to make the north west van comfortable.
Moved by C. Ritchie seconded A. Dakin that we have the toilets repaired.
Feb 8, 1928
Aug 7, cont. & October 25, 1929
February 11, 1930 & Jan 24, 1930 (these seem to be out of order) and July 8, 1930
July 8 cont and July 25, and Aug 4, 1930
Aug 4 cont and Oct 6, and Oct 27, 1930
Oct 27 cont & Dec 1 and Dec 12, 1930
Jan 19, and Feb 9 and March 24, 1931
March 24 cont. & May 7 and May 27, 1931
May 27, 1931 continued
June 13, and July 6, and Aug 3, 1931
Aug 3 continued and Aug 10 and Aug 31, 1931
Jan 25 continued & March 2, 1932
April 21 and May 23, 1932
June 6 and June 28, 1932
August 3, 1932
August 10, and October 3, 1932
October 17 and Nov 18, 1932
Feb 2 and March 6, 1933
March 6 continued and April 3 and May 1, 1933
May 1 continued and (indecipherable May or June?) 5, 1933
June 5 and June 22, 1933
July 17 and 26, 1933
1933. 34
Aug 2 and Sept 13, 1933
Sept 13 continued and Sept 25 and Nov. 3, 1933
Nov 3 continued and Dec 4, 1933 and January 8, 1934
January 8 continued and March 13 and May 28, 1934
June 5 & June 15 & June 20, 1934
June 20 continued & July 4, 1934
July 26 and August 9, 1934
August 9 continued
September 27 & October 17, 1934
October 17 continued & November 27 & December 19, 1934
December 19, 1934 continued & January 30 and February 22, 1935
Feb 22 continued & March 18 & April 15, 1935
May 20, May 27 and June 3, 1935
June 3 continued & July 8 and August 7, 1935
August 7 continued and August 14, 1935
August 28 and October 24 and October 30, 1935
November 5, 1935 & December 2, 1935
December 2 continued & Dec 17, 1935 & Jan 23, 1936
January 23 continued & April 6 and June 16, 1936
June 16 continued & July 2, 1936
July 13, 1936
August 5, 1936
August 5, 1936 continued
August 14, 1936
August 28, 1936
October 14, 1936
November 16, 1936
Nov 16 continued and November 18, 1936.
December 21, 1936 and January 20 1937.
January 30 continued and February 18, 1937.
May 3, 1937
June 3, 1937
June 24, 1937
July 13, 1937
July 13, 1937 continued
July 30, 1937
August 4, 1937
August 4, 1937 continued
August 16, 1937
MINUTE BOOK #2
Inside front cover:
For some reason the Minutes of the meetings of August 4, and 16, 1937 have been re-copied into the front of the new Minute book so they are repeated below. From page #6 through # ? the even numbered pages in the book were left blank, perhaps a choice made by the current Secretary Treasurer. It does make the Minutes easier to follow than in the first book which was not paged and where often not even one line was left blank between meetings.
pamela forsyth 