Memories of Monitor’s one-room school

By Joan Janzen

Community history books are filled with treasured memories of the past, and the book ‘A Treasure of Memories’ is no exception. In an article by Sharon (Kropinske) Wiens, she recalls memories of Monitor’s blue one-room school.

She described the daily routine which included reciting the Lord‘s Prayer, singing ‘God Save the Queen’, followed by a health check to see if students had brushed their teeth. Sharon’s father, was the teacher.

The desks were placed in rows facing west with big windows on the east. The Grade one students were on the north side and the grade four students were on the south side in front of the teacher’s desk.

Monitor classroom grades one to four: L-R front: Richard Ference, Kim Cummins, Brenda Wiechnik. 2nd row: Bryce Schacher, Gary Gilroyed, Jim Wiechnik, Robbie Day. 3rd row: Louise Connell, a Ridsdale student, Linda Ference. 4th row: Linda Johnson, Bill Wiechnik, Stanley Connell, Bob Kubinchak, Karen Bogen. 5th row: Earl Deacon, a Ridsdale student, Pam Kubinchak, Shirley Wiechnik, Bev Kubinchak. Photo from A Treasure of Memories

Every day the students were sent to the cloak room or to one of the bathrooms where they would practice their oral reading. “Sometimes an older student was sent out to quiet us down when our reading became too loud” she recalled.

Although they were the smallest school in the area, they won the trophy for the track meet. For fun they played ball, games at the red barn, hopscotch in the dirt, and the girls made play houses in the caragana trees.

“We held a tea in the spring for the mothers with real china tea cups and saucers, fancy sandwiches, dainties and handmade gifts,” she wrote.

Every Christmas, hours of memorization and practice were required for the annual school concert performances. The students dressed in their best clothes, and the girls wore crepe paper skirts when they twirls for their drills. Santa always showed up handing out oranges, peanuts in the shell and rock candy.

End of school parties were memorable. “One year we had a treasure hunt in the gravel pit,” she recalled. This was followed by hot dogs roasted with willow sticks.

“It was a sad day when the Monitor School was closed in June of 1966,” Sharon reported.