Collectivité

Marlborough School

1889-1962

In the spring of 1889 settlers of the Marlborough district resolved to petition the Lieutenant Governor for the erection of a new school district. Trustees elected were William Watson, John G. Beesley and Alex McPherson. The Marlborough School District #156 was five miles square, comprising 100 quarter sections of 160 acres each, was in the southeast part of township 18, range 27. It also included a row of quarter sections 5 miles long on the north side of township 17. This was done so the school could be located on a road exactly in the centre of the school district. The school was built on the road allowance, which was in the centre of the south side of C.P.R. section 15. John Dickinson, a carpenter from Moose Jaw was in charge of construction. Among those who gathered to help were William Watson, John G. Beesley, John D. Fraser, Donald McBean, Arthur Beesley and Ted Heath. The school was one room, 16 feet by 18 feet. A larger school was built in 1906, and a third school was built in 1927. The first teacher was Miss Mary Alexander of Moose Jaw. Her sister, Miss Wroxy Alexander took over about a month later. The first students were Annie, Bertha, Mabel and Johnny Beesley, David and Kelsey Watson, and Hector McPherson. Resident rate payers were William Watson, Angus Watson, Arthur L. Davies, Harry Heath, Arthur Beesley, Henry Checker, John D. Fraser, John G. Beesley, Donald McBean, Alex McPherson and John Winn. The school was closed from 1895 to 1903 due to lack of students. It operated continuously until 1942 when it again temporarily closed down. It re opened in 1945 and continued until its final closing in 1962. Unlike other schools, Marlborough never changed from the original location. When the school closed it was used for grain storage and then demolished after the school district held a reunion in 1983.