A photo of Rayside school, at its present location near the Shellbrook museum. (Submitted photo/Kelly Hoare)

By Nigel Maxwell

A new lease on life

Shellbrook explores options for historic school

Mar 22, 2021 | 5:00 PM

An old one room country school that was considered state-of-the-art back in its glory days, may be receiving a new lease on life.

Shellbrook town council is actively exploring the idea of moving Rayside School to an area off highway 3, where it would act as a visitor information office and eventually be designated an official heritage site.

The school, built in 1949, was originally located about eight miles north of Shellbrook, before being moved roughly ten years ago to its present location near the town’s museum (the old CNR station) on the south end of Main Street. Town councillor Brent Miller told paNOW the cost of the move to the new location, and set-up, is estimated to be upwards of $55,000.

“We don’t want to do this as a burden to tax payers, we want to do it in a way that funds itself through grants,” he said.

Miller explained there are plans in place for the re-purposing of the current museum, and so many of the artifacts currently being housed there, significant to the town, will be moved to the school. He added some of the more redundant items may be sold off and the profits used to help with the move.

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“We’ll be talking to the families that donated all the things that are in the museum and then give them the chance to take them back but if they don’t, we’ll consider selling them,” he said.

Miller’s involvement in the project is somewhat personal, as he was in grade one when the school closed in 1964. Miller expressed fond memories of the school’s beautiful windows, and explained that when they inspected the building, they were amazed to see how good of shape it was still in, complete with all the original desks and blackboards.

“Queen Elizabeth’s and Prince Philip’s pictures from when I was in grade one are still hanging at the front of the classroom,” he said.

A photo of the school during its glory days. (Submitted/Rae Moe)

Rae Moe, 75, attended Rayside School from grades one to eight, and told paNOW she supports the plan to re-locate the old school.

“I’m happy because the way it is now, nobody ever goes into it and sees it,” she said.

In recent weeks, a Facebook group titled Friends of Rayside School was created and as of Monday, has 25 members. Moe said some of her formers classmates still live in the area and she enjoys sharing memories with them. She explained at the time of the school’s opening it was considered very state-of-the-art, because it had full insulation, separate bathrooms for the boys and girls, as well as indoor toilets.

“That was pretty big stuff in those days,” she said.

In addition to having its own library, Rayside School also had a full basement with a big play area, and there was a science lab in the attic area with a bunsen burner and other tools for doing experiments.

“You know it was all locked up and it was pretty important stuff,” Moe recalled.

Class sizes back in those days ranged from 20 to 30 children and upon graduation they would then get bused into the high school in Shellbrook. Moe recalled the school also had a ball team, and joked that everyone from grades 3 to 8 played on, regardless of their athletic talents. For games, the team would travel to other schools in the district and the respective teachers at the school would umpire

“Usually on a Friday afternoon, we’d get a half ton truck and everyone would get in the back of it and away we’d go,” she said. “That’s the way it was done.”

The Rayside class of 1949. (Submitted photo/Rae Moe)

During the winter months, the school was also a popular gathering place for parents. Friday nights, they’d come for a card party, pitching in a dollar to play. The funds raised from those card games would then be used to pay for presents, given out at the annual Christmas concert.

“Each child could usually take the Christmas catalogue and pick out a gift for five to ten dollars and the teacher would order those gifts and they would get them from Santa Claus,” Moe said.

Moe went on to explain the Christmas concerts themselves were also always a big deal and usually involved three or four plays and lots of singing. A specially built stage, that was stored throughout the year at a nearby barn, was brought in for the big performance.

“You’d look out and you’d be on the stage and it seemed like you were in a huge theatre,” Moe explained. “When you go back there now, you wonder where they ever put this stage.”

What’s happening to the CNR station?

As of last week’s meeting, a bylaw that would repeal the heritage status of the building, and essentially pave the way for future demolition, remains on hold and has yet to be voted on.

A group of people are in the process of considering options for the building’s future usage. One consideration is for the farmer’s market and artisan events.

The future of the old rail station was first discussed by paNOW in an article on April 13, 2020. At the time, the town’s former Mayor George Toporowski explained the $500,000 cost needed to refurbish the building, was just no longer feasible for the community.

Construction of the old CN rail station was completed in December 1909 and is one of the town’s earliest buildings. In 1988, the property was a designated Municipal Heritage Property and a group of dedicated volunteers have been helping to keep it running as a museum.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell