Gray School 1922 - 2007
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The original brick structure was located closer to 2nd Avenue. The build began in fall of 1921 with plans supplied by the Waterman-Waterbury Company in Regina. The furnaces and chemical toilets were supplied by the same firm. The facility was ready for students January 4 1922. The teachers were A.J. Cann, Principal and Gladys Winters. At that time Iowa School closed and those students came to Gray. Ervin Webster was the principal (1926-31) and taught the Grade 12 students in the evenings - four classes per week - for $200/year. There were two classrooms – the Low Room (grades 1-8) and the High Room (9 through 12). This photo is from 1942.
For additional space in 1958 (required for increased enrollment as well as Bristol school closure) a small one-room school was moved to the site (the foundation is still there). This schoolhouse was later sold and moved off-site and used as a grain bin (John Ford home-quarter). |
The present school was ready for students during the 1964-65 school year - trying to determine month of the move. The year began in the old and moved to the new! Once again, with two classrooms. One with a science lab at the back. There was an office/library in between. The first teachers in this new school were Doris Kelly and Mrs. Fisher.
Some years included two rooms; lower grades in one and higher grades in the other. Gray Consolidated remained as a single school division until forced amalgamation in 2007. The school is now owned by the Hamlet of Gray and space is rented to local entrepreneurs. |
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Gray School missing some years; Pre-1966 1975-81 1989 2007 - need the final classes And sometimes we have only one room... Bristol School and Iowa School photos also welcome. CONTACT US to submit photos and/or names (identifying which year) |
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Some school memories;
- Bill Gillis attended Grade One in the big brick school in August 1935. "It was grades 1-12 in two rooms. The basement was divided for boys and girls. It had two coal furnaces. In back was a barn for horses that country kids rode or drove to school. I was fortunate to be one of the town kids - so could go home at noon for lunch. In later years, we moved back to the farm - so four of us rode two bicycles (in good weather) to get to school. I recollect my first day or two at school , when there were not enough desks for all of the students. The school yard would flood every year - but would usually dry quickly because it was the 'dirty thirties'. One year the town flooded early and then froze. We all skated to school and skated the yard at recess. When I was in about grade six there was a fairly large class of boys graduated from grade 12. Most of them went into the services and off to World War II. Fortunately, all but two returned."
- in the early 1940's kids could bring lunch that could be heated atop a two-burner kerosene stove that was installed in the cloak room. One of the high room students was tasked with watching it. Old honey pails were used for lunches, no fancy packs/bags.
- recess could be marbles, softball, football and kick-and-return.
- teachers could take the train to Regina (departed about 5pm) and catch the freight train back Monday morning (arrived at 8am) for a weekend away.
- the curling bonspiel lasted all week and kids could participate (you were expected back in class as soon as your game was complete) or go over for lunch.
- anyone who arrived by horse and buggy had to feed and check their horses at noon.
- Field Day competitions were held between schools. Activities included track and field events and softball.