Summary information
| Repository: | South Peace Regional Archives |
| Title: | Bonanza School District 4516 fonds |
| Reference code: | 0205 |
| Date: | 1931-1997 (date of creation) |
| Physical description: | 53 cm of textual records |
| Language: | English |
| Dates of creation, revision and deletion: | Processed by Mary Nutting Exported from AoR and added to new database May 2022 – TD |
Administrative history / Biographical sketch
The Bonanza School District was formed in 1930. Board members included David Nickel, chairman, Mrs. E.S. Iverson, secretary/treasurer and Paul Radke (later replaced by Eric Hingley). Construction of a school was begun in 1931. Miss Hilda Bland (sixty years old) was offered a teaching contract for 1932 at a wage of $700 and a mill rate of 25 mills on the dollar was assessed. Miss Bland preferred to live in a teacherage so Elmer Iverson built one in his yard. In 1933 permission was requested from the Department of Education to hire a teacher for $50 a month. A barn was also built and an ice house was built in 1934. In 1934, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Remenyk plastered the inside of the school using a straw and clay mixture. Whitewash was then applied giving the walls a clean fresh appearance. In 1943 the original building was replaced by a two-room frame structure, and then replaced again in 1955-56 and sold in 1959. By the 1956-57 term, the school included high school including 6 grade 11 students. Students from Clark and Many Creeks were bussed to Bonanza, and Bay Tree students came in the fall of 1957. By 1959-60 the school had expanded to 4 classrooms. A staff room, principal’s office, two washrooms and a mud entrance were added in 1962 and the heating changed from coal to propane. By 1963 the school was overcrowded with 110 students, so in 1964 two more classrooms were added: a library and a portable building brought in to act as a gymnasium. By 1965, high school students were being bussed to Dawson Creek.
Custodial history
The records were preserved and given to the Spirit River School Division No. 47 sometime after it was formed in 1940. Peace Wapiti School Division assumed responsibility for this division in 1994 and the records were deposited in the Grande Prairie Regional Archives in 2003.
Scope and content
The fonds consist of one minute book from 1931-1941 and Daily Registers from 1934-1960 completed by the following teachers: Miss Joy Gray, John Shaw, Mrs. G. Johnson, Alice Hagen, J.H. Chepeha, Lydia Madsen, V. Sawchuk, Alice Patnode, Emeline Meckanuck, Julia Iverson, S. Ziniewig, Marion Johnson, H Sather, B. Yanishewski, Madge Murphy, Mrs. V. Boehm, R.B. Hemphill, Verna Smathers, Sheena Sawers, P W Okanowshi, G. Pankow, Mrs. M.L.Rowe, Ann Sather, G.D. Logan, Louise Sutherland, Louise Pegg, Viola Rutledge, Mrs. G. Kut, Martin Iftody, I.A Swerediuk.
Notes
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents.
Restrictions on access
There are no restrictions on access.
Accruals
No accruals are expected
Access points
- Textual record (documentary form)
- Education (subject)