
Fred Payton
Prince Albert Historical Society
Not every column has its origins at the Historical Museum, emanating from the confines of the Bill Smiley Archives. The seed for this column was planted in the midst of the parking lot surrounding the South Hill Mall.
I was advised by the person with whom I was speaking that she and her husband have long resided in what was once the Ninth Street School, much altered and extended, but still the former school building. The site of that school had long been discussed amongst those of us who volunteer in the Archives, so this information was quickly shared with the others when I rejoined them shortly thereafter.
Most of us who have lived in Prince Albert for the majority of our lives will remember schools which once were but are no more. Central School, demolished to make way for the Gateway Mall; Prince Charles School, now the site of residential housing; Queen Elizabeth School (once known as the Cottage School, but more recently as Angus Merasty School); each has been demolished.
A few of us, more as a result of research than memory, will be aware of the Hazeldell School, Goschen School, and the Ninth Street School. Information about these schools is sparse, even in such publications as The Development of Educational Institutions in Prince Albert (also known as A Record of the Early Education in Prince Albert), a pamphlet published in March 1955 as part of the Golden Jubilee of the Province of Saskatchewan. So, when additional information is found, or existent information can be confirmed, it is a meaningful moment.
Ninth Street School is first mentioned in the 1913 edition of the Henderson’s Directory for Prince Albert. It is listed as being located on Ninth Street East between 5th and 6th Avenues. A. McEwen (no first name could be found) was listed as the principal, with Margaret G. Campbell as the teacher. T. Crossland was listed as the caretaker. No address could be found for A. McEwen, while Margaret Campbell was listed as living at 221 – 21st Street West. If T. Crossland was Ted Crossland, he might have been the E. Crossland who lived at 211 – 9th Street East.
The 1914 Henderson’s Directory listed two teachers, but no principal. Miss Lily Rose of 11 Harphill Apartments, and M.E. McDonald (possibly the Mary E. McDonald who had rooms at 571 – 19th Street East) sought to educate the students in their care. The maintenance of the school fell to Isaac Bryant who lived at that time at 520 – 9th Street East. Of note was the fact that the houses on each side of the school (516 and 526 9th Street East) which had been occupied in 1913 were now vacant.
The next Henderson’s Directory to be published for Prince Albert was in 1919, following the Great War. Vera Muzzy of 406 – 8th Street East was listed as the principal. No other teacher was listed. Once again, Isaac Bryant was listed as the janitor, only this time he was listed as living at 561 – 9th Street East. The two houses which had been vacant in 1914 no longer existed, and the Ninth Street School was now listed as being on the corner of 9th Street and 5th Avenue.
Succeeding Henderson’s Directories, in 1923 and 1925, listed Kathleen Bradshaw and Mildred Frith as the school’s teachers. Kathleen had two other sisters, one of whom was a teacher. She resided in the family home at 317 – 9th Street East. Mildred’s father was a farmer, but her brother was listed as a partner in the law firm of Mathieson, Salter and Frith. She also had two sisters who were teachers, including one, Irene, who taught at King George School. The Frith family lived at 320 – 11th Street East. A third teacher was listed for the school in 1925, Grace G. Dryden, who lived at 404 – 10th Street East.
By 1923, Isaac Bryant had died, and the new janitor for the school was listed as K.A. Turner. He was still the janitor in 1925. Principal Muzzy was no longer listed in the Henderson’s Directory in 1923, although we know that she later returned to Prince Albert, becoming the first woman to be elected to City Council.
By 1927, the year in which the next Henderson’s was published, Ninth Street School was no longer in operation. Kathleen Bradshaw and Mildred Frith were both teaching at Prince Edward School. Grace Dryden was no longer listed in the Henderson’s, at least not under that name. She may have moved on to another community, or she may have married.
It is interesting to speculate on matters such as from where these teachers came, and to where they disappeared. As noted, Grace Dryden may have attained employment elsewhere, or she may have married. Kathleen Bradshaw appears to have remained unmarried, as she is listed by that name in a family obituary in 1959.
We do know that in the years of operation of the Ninth Street School, the provincial government made available a number of teacher training classes throughout the Province in order to supply the teachers necessary to meet the needs of the growing population. This programme began in January of 1914 and, with considerable changes, continued into the 1960s when the schools were absorbed by the University of Saskatchewan (1964) and the University of Regina (1969).
In the beginning, a four-month course was provided for students with a Grade X academic standing. Successful completion of the course resulted in the student receiving a Third Class permit. Students entering the programme with a Grade XII were given a longer course and, upon successful completion, received a First Class Temporary permit. Three years of successful teaching resulted in the temporary permit becoming a permanent permit.
In Prince Albert, these classes were held initially in King George School, with J.H. McKechnieas the Principal and W.H. Magee assisting. By 1920, the classes had been transferred to Queen Mary School, where they continued until the Government terminated the progamme in Prince Albert. From 1916 until its termination after the 1926/27 term, Mr. J.T. Tomlinson was the principal.
One of the students attending the Ninth Street School was H. Arthur Loucks. He commenced attendance at the school in the spring of 1915. Art remembered the school as being a two room school, with one room downstairs, and a second room on the upper floor. The second floor room was reached by an outside stair case on the north side of the building. Beginners were placed in the main floor room, with higher grades using the upper floor. Art continued at the Ninth Street School until the end of term in 1915.

Art Loucks who was once a student at the Ninth Street School, and later principal of Queen Mary School.
Art could not recall the name of his teacher, but did remember the caretaker of the school who obviously made a far greater impact on him. He recalled Isaac Bryant as a man with a long, white beard. The caretaker’s son was also in Art’s class, and they played “war games” in the lot across the street from the school.
Art’s sister, Edith Loucks Terry, also recalls her attendance for one year at the Ninth Street School. She remembers is as a wooden building, rather as a stop gap measure. Her only memory of her education there is a recollection of “a stranger” coming in one afternoon and teaching the students to sing “March of the Men of Harlech”.
Ella Muzzy’s daughter, Winnifred McKinnon, was educated at the Fourth Street School (known as Goschen School). She did not attend the Ninth Street School, but believes that it was opened in order to take care of the primary grades. The Ninth Street School was under the administration of Central School, which would explain why there were only two years when the school had a principal listed.
Although short-lived, and educating so few students, it is interesting to note that at least two of the students who attended the school went on to become teachers.
As we come closer to the end of the calendar year, I remind you once again that memberships in the Historical Society need to be renewed. I would also encourage you to consider one final charitable donation to the Society in order to reduce your tax burden!
fgpayton@sasktel.net