Lower Beaverlodge School. — 1912-1932. — 10 cm of textual records.
Agency History
In 1910, the settlers at Lower Beaverlodge petitioned the government to form a school district for their children. The Lower Beaverlodge School District #2812 was formed in 1912, the second in the Grande Prairie area. That same year a notched log school was built on the SE ¼ -16-71-9 W6th, 7 miles southeast of the community of Beaverlodge, by Billy Johnson. The total cost was $125.00. J.W. Wilkie was hired as the first teacher in September 1913 for $600 per year, plus $20.00 for lighting fires. From 1924-1927, the Board made agreements with Mountain Trail School District 4071 and Two Rivers School District 3497 to educate the children residing in those districts until they had enough to have their own schools open, and in 1929 they began planning for a consolidated high school at Beaverlodge. In 1930, an influx of settlers created demand for a new school in the area, a new site for Lower Beaverlodge, and a change in boundaries, which caused a great deal of controversy. The school was closed under consolidation in the 50s, and was moved to a park in Beaverlodge. The board participated in different programs to give the students the best education possible in a one-room school including a School Fair sponsored by the Provincial School of Agriculture in Vermilion, Junior Red Cross clubs sponsored by the Canadian Red Cross Society, Sports Days supported by the Alberta Branch of the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada, and a membership in the Canadian Geographical Society.
The schools were also used as for church services and as community centers. The Lower Beaverlodge School was the polling station for all provincial and federal elections, and the Halcourt School served at least once as a medical clinic. In 1930 children from the Lower Beaverlodge School congregated at the Halcourt School, where a team of doctors, nurses, and dentists did removals of tonsils and adenoids ($15.00/child) and teeth ($1.00/tooth) as required.
Custodial History
The records were preserved by Isabel Campbell and deposited at the Grande Prairie Public Library with her complete collection. In 2014, the records were transferred to South Peace Regional Archives.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of records maintained by the Board of Directors for the operation of the Lower Beaverlodge School. It includes correspondence with the Departments of Education, Municipal Affairs and Public Health, the Soldier’s Settlement Board, the Workman’s Compensation Board, school inspectors and parents; financial records including annual financial statements and auditor’s reports, grant statements; insurance, education assessment and tax records, purchases of equipment and curriculum materials; school inspection reports; school census records listing the names and birthdates of children, their parents, and their address; agreements with teachers; supplementary curriculum aids such as radio programming and flags for Empire Day, rough voters lists for 1928 and 1931 elections
Family names common in the records include Idan Thoreson, Peter Benson, John Walton, Wesley Bell, Mrs. Shattuck, Wm Eisenmann, Jesse Romine, Victor Flint, Charles Cassity, Albert Henry, Duncan Hume, William Bernard, Charles Edgerton, Homer Jacque, William Oakford, Harry Parfrey, Gordon Sherk, and Frank Willsey.
Notes
Title based on the contents of the fonds.
Acquisition No. 2013.080
Related records: Grande Prairie School Division No. 14 fonds 063