miamischool

Miami School History

The following history of the Miami Schools is taken from the 'Miami and R. M. of Thompson Chronicles', published in 1998. We are grateful to the editors and authors of the 'Chronicles', who worked so hard to produce such a great book that is used almost daily in the Miami School Library. Thanks also to Chelci Waldner and Silke McLeod for typing it all out.

When the Municipality was first being settled, the settler’s children needed to be educated. Many a small one roomed building served as a school as long as there was a teacher. Textbooks were few and for most of the grades, lessons had to be written on the blackboard for students to copy onto their slates. The inevitable screeching of slate pencils on the slate tablet was a sound that must have driven many teachers to distraction. Later, scribblers and pencils came into being, when the parents could afford them. The heating system was usually a stove set just inside the door and was lit about an hour or so before the classes were about to begin, just enough to take the chill off winter. In the small country schools this task was usually done by the teacher or one of the older students for a small fee.

“Teachers of the early 1900’s received their training at Winnipeg or Manitou Normal Schools. A three month course gave a grade ten student a third class certificate. A grade eleven student could earn a second class certificate. All must teach at least one year in a country school – how different it was from today. The teacher ‘lived’ (as opposed to “boarded”) in the homes and was made “one of the family” as well as contributing eight or ten dollars to the family budget. In addition to teaching, they shared in the life and work of the community –attending church, teaching Sunday School, getting up school concerts, especially at Christmas time, helping out with some house chores and adding romance to all public gatherings”. (Excerpt from “The Hills of Home”).

As early as 1875, children of school age in this area were taught in the homes of James Campbell (22-6-5w), William Thompson (5-5-6w), and James Duncan (10-4-6w). It was difficult to offer regular schooling and in winter most children received very little formal education.

On January 8, 1879, the School District of Miami #74 was formed, and in 1883 a log school was built on 32-4-6w, one mile south of Miami. This school, known as Blair School, was closed in 1889. The empty Presbyterian Church at the Cemetery was then equipped to function as a school until 1893. The enrollment increased to fifty-nine.

When the railway went through in 1889, the town site was laid out. Four acres between Broadway and Collins Street was set-aside as a school site, and on it a two-room school was built in 1893. This was known as the “Red School”. It was heated by a large black iron stove in each room, and there was no lighting or fire escape. It became quite evident as the population of the district increased that this building was very inadequate. The log church, which had been moved from the cemetery into town, and had become known as the Patron’s Hall of Miami, was pressed into service as a primary room.

In 1903, two more rooms were added to the north end of the original building. One of the new rooms was not used until 1908, when all four rooms of the “Red School” were brought into use. Prior to opening the fourth room, there had been fifty-eight primary students attending the primary room. It was realized at this time that a larger school would be needed before very long. The Red School was used for twenty-one years, and the crowding which took place during the last few years of its life made it absolutely necessary to find the money to replace the old Red School.

Finally in 1912, a large four-room brick school was built for $15, 425, heating and ventilation. J. Little won the contract to construct the building and the heating system was installed by W.H. Campbell. It was designed according to styles of the time with great staircases in front and back in a central shaft that was almost as large in area as one of the rooms. A library room was located in the area above the front entrance and under the bell tower. This room was quite small by today’s standards and could accommodate a few students at a time. Each room was equipped with a cloakroom accessed through a door at the front. The high school room, located in the upper west side also sported a laboratory, which was the scene of many illicit experiments by some of the budding young scientists. Each room was lit with very large windows, which admitted large quantities of cold air in winter as well as light. Fortunately the heating radiators were placed under the windows and managed to arrest to influx of cold air amid pops and hisses, before was felt by the student body. This brick school was used for 41 years. Two rooms were opened in the basement but still there was not enough room.

Consolidation went through in 1917 and the name was changed to Miami Consolidated School District #74. This larger school district initially included Nobleton and Morton but as the years went by, others joined as their student population declined and transportation became easier.

In 1954, the present elementary school consisted of nine rooms plus an auditorium, was opened. This housed all grades until 1960-1961, when overcrowding saw grades six and seven being taught in the upstairs room of the Miami Arena.

The midland school division was formed in 1961 and the Miami Collegiate for grades nine to twelve was built on the north end of Scott Street. In 1971, grade seven and eight were moved from the elementary school to the Collegiate. Two more additions have been made since to the Collegiate-in 1967 the gym was enlarged and later a stage and additional classrooms were built on the south side of the building.

During the 1960’s it was believed by some that smaller high schools, like Miami should be closed and the students to the larger school in Carman, so that such programs as Industrial Arts and Home Economics could be available to more students. It was felt that the larger school would more efficiently use the available resources. Transportation became a major issue as well as the fact as closing the high school would adversely affect the Miami Community. A very strong lobby was taken to the Midland School Board and through hard on part of the individuals involved, Miami was allowed to keep the high school. Through innovations and teaching methods and the work of dedicated staff down through the years, the small school has served its students and the community very well. In fact, in province wide tests, Miami high school students have scored among the highest.

Industrial Arts, Home Economics, Band and Computer programs have been added to the collegiate curriculum over the years. In some cases where the class size is too small, students are transported to receive instruction, and in others teachers move from one school to another to take classes in subjects that otherwise could not be offered.

Modern technology has made it possible since about 1990 to hold classes in three different schools with one teacher. Inter-active television was introduced as a pilot project in Miami, Carman and Elm Creek schools to teach such subjects as calculus, in which only a few students from each school were enrolled. As these methods evolve and improve, more subjects will be made available to students in the rural areas.

Research has shown that the first kindergarten classes were held in the elementary school in the spring of 1974 with Mrs. Shirley Truss as teacher. Later, kindergarten classes were held on alternate days and this practice continues at the present time.

A problem recently come to light is that the south wall of the elementary school is beginning to bow inward. Three options have been presented to the school board; first-to renovated the existing building (except the gymnasium); second-replace the existing building except the gym; third-build a new elementary structure on the Collegiate grounds.

The funding of education has always been a joint effort between Provincial and local governments in Manitoba. In early years the amount of money involved was very small by 1990 standards. Government grants were given to help pay for both, with a certain percentage collected by the municipality. At the present time, capitol projects suck as the new school building, or the repairs required by the elementary school would be paid for by the province-provided that the project was approved by the provincial educational board, created to oversee such expenditures. The general operation of the school is still a joint responsibility, with pupil grants being supplied by the province and the balance being raised by the municipality.