MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
Coalhurst staff in 1932 had the following eight teachers: Cleota
There were two four room school buildings on the north side
Mr. Merkley and I taught all the High school subjects (Grades IX
The school population decreased in the next few years. Many
Mr. Merkley left Coalhurst at the end of June, 1936, to
The Oddfellows Hall, west of the Bank of Commerce brick
Lethbridge School Division was expanding the subject field
Coalhurst being near Lethbridge, was a favorate place for
I found the people of Coalhurst and the parents from the
Coalhurst school had a Christmas concert each year for
The schools of the area sponsored an annual track meet in
The school had basketball and softball teams for both
Coalhurst sponsored a Musical Festival in the 1940's. Owen
The local board in 1939 arranged for a van to take pupils to
The Canadian Parliament during World War 11 moved many
Rota and Voldis Dalderis, originally from Latvia, come to
Hugh McLachlan and his brother attended a country school
There are people who help so much but without mention
Our first house was owned by Mr. Tedesco, located across
The first person who came to our door in Coalhurst was
The schools in this area did what was asked and the pupils
My eighteen years in Coalhurst was the best of the 46 years
Crowe, Nora Tennant, Emily Rosewarne, Frances Morrissey,
Kay Morrissey, Sid Oliver, Bill White (vie-principal), Marion
Merkley (principal) and Howard Start(caretaker).
of the village. Across the road west of the school was the
Locatelli farm. Each building had a very small basement just
enough room for the furnace, coal bin and a small area for
storage of such things as extra desks. Each school had a
small storage area on the ground floor for school supplies -
scribblers, ink, chalk, etc. The eastern building was called
the little school (Grades I to VI) and the western one the big
school (Grades VII to XI). The big school had a Principal's
office. The school yard was fairly large with the greater part
of the playground west of the big school.
to XI) except French. Mr. Oliver taught the French and Mr.
Merkley taught Language and Literature in Grades VII and VIII.
miners left when they could find work elsewhere, because the
mine only worked a few days a week. There was plenty of
coal but no market for it. In December, 1935, the Coalhurst
Mine Disaster brought an end to mining except for a short
run early in 1936. This caused another decrease in
population and school pupils. Coalhurst was dissolved as
a village and the school became part of the Lethbridge
School Division #7.
attend University in Salt Lake City. I was given the position
of Principal. Sid Oliver left the teaching profession to join
the Canada Custom Staff. Joe Luco came to Coalhurst as
Vice-Principal. We started the first Grade XII in September,
1936.
building on main street, was obtained in the following manner.
Early in the 30's the hall went to the village because of tax
failure. When the village was dissolved the hall was under
the jurisdiction of the Provincial Municipal Affairs Department.
The Coalhurst Local School Board asked School Division
#7 to try to get this hall. Mr. J. Tiffin, Chairman of Lethbridge
#7, made a trip to Edmonton and succeeded in getting it. Now
the school had a place for basketball, volleyball and social
affairs.
to give High School students a greater choice of subjects.
They added teachers for Home Economics for girls and
Shop Work for boys. Mr. Alvin Reid (Shop Teacher) and
Miss Dyson (Home Economics) were stationed at Barons
and travelled to other centers. I believe the first year they
came to Coalhurst was 1940. Elsie Peterson took over the
Home Economics in 1942 and Betty Borgen in 1946 while
Mr. Reid continued as Shop teacher. They were now living
in Coalhurst and went to other centers on certain days.
About this time the basement had been enlarged in the
big school and the Home Economics had a home there.
The Shop was taught in the basement of the school hall.
visits from High School Inspectors. I think we had an
inspection every year. Here are a few remarks from their
reports. On an early report in the 30's was this "This is
the type of school where the atmosphere is such that
the pupils find it very difficult not to learn. "A report in
the 40's was this "In the academic field, the Coalhurst
School has the proud boast of an enviable record. On
many occasions, inspite of a large number of candidates
for the Departmental Examinations in Grade IX and XII,
the Coalhurst School secured a hundred percent pass
mark. On several occasions pupils were awarded the
Governor General's medal - signifying the best student
in Grade IX in the Lethbridge School Division. "These
reports were sent to the school, copy to the Divisional
Office and later to the School Department of the County
of Lethbridge.
other areas whose children were vanried to Coalhurst,
very interested and helpful in the school. I remember the
work of the members of the school board such as Bob
Gammon, Andy Barrie, Dominic Tedesco and secretary-
treasurer, Arthur Cunning. Mr. Conners, another helpful
member of the local board, did a great deal of work in
getting water to flood the outside skating rink. When
Coalhurst went into the Lethbridge School Division and
later the County of Lethbridge we still had a Local Board
who did their best to get what the school needed from
the Divisional Board. There were men such as Russell
Clifton, Bill Willis, Tony Pavan and many others who did
everything possible for the good of the school. After
Howard Start retired as caretaker, Walter Garrick and his
wife Denise took over. They were proud of their school
and helpful to both staff and pupils. Walter also drove a
school van. Other van drivers were: George Firth, Mr.
Hendrie and two students from the Newlands area, Bert
and Donald Pearson and Howard Brown from West
Lethbridge.
the children and parents. Each room took part in the
program. The success of these concert was due to the
students, teachers, caretaker and 6 parents of the pupils.
I always remember the works Mabel Luco, her choir of
pupils and their part in the concert, singing Christmas
Carols and Hymns to bring an end to the program.
the 40's. After having this event in several centers it was
decided to hold it at Park Lake each year. The schools
participating were: Diamond City, Picture Butte, Nobleford,
Rolling Hill, Monarch and Coalhurst. Individual winners
received a ribbon but the important thing was which
school could get the most points. That school was
awarded a trophy. The shop teacher with students was
responsible for carpenter work such as booths, ball
diamond and the Home Economics for food.
boys and, girls. Games were played with students from
other schools and competition was keen. The money
needed for equipment for sports was raised by the local
school. Coalhurst did not get any money from the
Lethbridge Divisional Board or County Board. The school
sponsored dances to get money for sports' equipment.
When teams were taken to other towns we had to get
cars to take them. I especially remember Harvey Sandham
who was always willing to take a load anywhere we had to go.
Williams, Superintendent of Schools, obtained the
Adjudicators and helped to arrange the program. The Home
Economics being in larger quarters in the basement of the
school made it possible to have a Grade XII graduation
banquet for the graduates and their parents. Here again,
the co-operation of the staff especially Betty Borgen and
the girls in Grade IX, X and XI who helped her make this
a success.
Calgary for the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
They were able to get a van and driver from Nobleford.
Bill Ramage, a member of the local board was in charge of
the trip. We stopped at High River for a picnic lunch and
then on to Calgary. A spot with an excellent view of the
Royal Couple was obtained after unloading the van. I felt
very proud of the behaviour of the Coalhurst pupils and the
work of Mr. Ramage in his management of the trip. I think
all of us will always remember that day.
of the Japanese from B.C. to Alberta. A large number were
brought to Southern Alberta to work in the beet fields. Nearly
all the schools in Lethbridge County #7 had some Japanese
students. Miss Bartling, a United Church Social Worker, helped
the Japanese young people overcome their difficulties in the
various communities. Miss Bartling told me the Japanese
children were adjusting to their surroundings in the Coalhurst
School better than other schools in the Lethbridge area. To
help the Coalhurst girls, Miss Bartling started a C.G.I.T. They
used a room in the small school for their weekly meetings.
Later, Miss Bartling became an ordained minister in the
United Church. She was awarded an Honorary Doctor's
Degree in 1980 by the University of Lethbridge.
Coalhurst after the war. They had been in a concentration
camp in Germany where they learned some English. Rota
soon obtained her Senior Matriculation and went on to
University receiving her Doctorate in Dentistry.
near Aden, They came to Coalhurst, staying with relatives,
to complete their High School. I heard no more of them
until my retirement when I had a letter from Ottawa from
Hugh. He was at that time a Brigadier General and after
that made several advances in his field. He became
head of the Air Transport Command of the Canadian
Armed Forces.
or publicity. I want to mention one who has lived in
Coalhurst many years - Mrs. Nestoruk. When the school
or someone in the school was in difficulty, Mrs. Nestoruk,
in her quiet way would be there to help.
from the school. The neighbors we remember kindly on
that street were: Merkleys, Mellings, Palletts, Mazzaros
and Pat McLeods. Not far away were the McCaughertys,
Rohovies, Cunnings, Gusellas, Starts and Hugh McLeods.
Other houses we lived in, near by were the Joevenazzos,
Katanchuks, Bacades, Yucytus, Komars, Ramages and
Loxtons.
Bill Arsene. He asked if he could deliver milk to us and
Bill or his brother, George, did this all the years we were
there. We bought vegetables, chickens, eggs and
strawberries from the Lacatelli's or the Garrick's. The
Aben boys brought cream. We had a series of paper
boys all courteous and reliable.
received a good education. It was necessary for the
Coalhurst School to have the co-operation of the people
of the Village and adjacent area from where pupils came.
We had this co-operation and for this the teaching staff
was most grateful. There was no wilful destruction of the
school by the pupils. Both parents and pupils were proud
of their school.
I had teaching. Probably this was due to the few times I had
complaints from parents, and not many problems with the
students. I have fond memories of the teachers, pupils and
their parents. May they have had many happy years, and
many more in the future.
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