Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 05, 2008, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page 3 Winnipeg repress. Com perspective Winnipeg free press october 5, 2008 b3 s Arto Helen Feniuk walks into the one room Willow Plain school and suddenly Sheds a Little girl again trudging five Kilometres a Day on Back country roads to sit two or three to a desk. Ism that Little girl again sitting at the desk smiled Feniuk standing in the very classroom where she started school in 1949. This is my school and my dads school. Manitoba once had More than 1,500 one room schools provincial officials say. Almost All of them disappeared decades ago. Not Here in Sarto where a Small group of people calling themselves the District schools heritage association inc. Has lovingly restored Willow Plain school and pulled together artefacts from five other vanished one room schools which served ukrainian immigrants South of Steinbach nearly a Century ago. Willow Plain school was built in 1911 on provincial Road 205, West of Highway 12, in the Little Village of Sarto. Sit up straight and pay attention now there was also a Sarto school built in 1910, but it a snot in Sarto it was about three Kilometres or so to the Southeast. And there were Backfield Carruthers Shawna and tiny Creek schools All with As Many As 50 kids crammed into one room presided Over by one teacher heated by an enormous Wood stove with a couple of outhouses out Back. The janitor would come in at 8 a. M. To get a fire going. We got water from the Farmer across the Road said Feniuk. The Days of the one room schoolhouses ended when Premier Duff Roblin consolidated Manitoba ass school districts in the 60s. By then school buses were taking the Rural kids into Steinbach or Grunthal to much bigger schools. But the empty Willow Plain school Hung in there used As a storage building by the ukrainian Catholic Church across the Road. Flash Forward to the 1990s, when the late Bob Osadchuk an alumnus of Shawna school and Uncle to Feniuk and one room Veteran Paul Rekrut organized a reunion and Homecoming. Pretty soon plans were afoot to restore Willow Plain school and turn it into a heritage site preserving the memory of the one room schools. Paul Rekrut was one person who encouraged the Community not to get rid of the building recalled Feniuk. He said this building should not be demolished. People such As Paul Minsky Lawrence Senkiw Arnie Schnellert Steve Zaherniak Anne Pankiw and Eleanor Ulasy began knocking on doors in the area finding out who had managed to Salvage desks and other artefacts before the schoolhouses were demolished gathering Memorabilia. They scoured records to track Down the names of every student Whord Ever attended the six one room schools. This summer they reopened Willow Plain school and ran guided Tours in july and August. Its a nostalgia trip its a trip Back to a More innocent time said Feniuk. You dont see desks like this anymore a vent for a Long time. The Back of one Bench is attached to the desk of the kid or kids sitting behind each desk with a Hole for an Ink Well. The schools served grades 1 to 8, smaller kids sitting two to a desk really Small kids three to a desk. There is a hand Bell on the teachers desk. A portrait of King George i smiles Down approvingly on the children. The Book Case contains tattered hardcovers such As mathematics texts the Prince and the pauper and a set of the Audubon nature encyclopedia. There is a 1927 Calendar from a Clellands drug store at the Corner of Selkirk and Arlington in far away exotic Winnipeg phone number 56 104 does anyone know Why there was a space Between the second and third numbers a giant Wood stove is engraved apostle Isles Heater. A 1944 Calendar bears the name of Stein Baches great West life agent Wasyl Kobzar. He was the go to person when anyone had a problem or. Kobzar said Feniuk. There is a painting of each of the six schools along with Ledger books containing the names of every student who attended. The teachers either lived on site in a special Bungalow or boarded with families i remember the teach rage. The teach rage was a very impressive building to a Little girl like me because it had a Verandah Feniuk said. The teacher almost always lived on the site. Some of them were original Community members. It was five Kilometres to walk to school she said. We walked to school with some of the Neighbour kids. In Winter her father would hitch up the horse and Sleigh but the kids would run behind to keep warm. My father got disgusted with this she laughed. Kids brought their lunches every Day and to this Day Feniuk cant eat bread and Jam always the same bread and Jam bread and Jam said Feniuk who taught seven years in Steinbach 35 in St. Vital. There were 50 kids at these schools said Iris Osadchuk bobs widow who went to a one room school in Vita. The one room schools were built solid. My husband went to Shawna. Bob walked to school. In the Winters he would go to the Neighbours and they would take him in the horse and buggy Osadchuk said. Feniuk had special memories of teacher Tom Ladobruk extraordinary for his Day telling Little girls they could be whatever they wanted to be. Christmas was the highlight each year tremendous pressure on the teacher to outdo the pageants of past years. Concerts were quite extraordinary events held in the ukrainian Hall next door with everyone for Miles around come to watch said Feniuk. Out behind the Long gone outhouse thatus where some kids smoked. And teachers had a leather strap whose memories still chill. You just dreaded that strap she said. One teacher hid it in the Wall of the girls cloakroom another kept it in the desk. Feniuk remembered that one boy took the strap and tossed it in the Wood stove and the next Day was beaten with a piece of Willow for his impertinence. The preservation society Hopes to get provincial Grants to run Tours again next july and August but several people in Sarto have keys if you re passing through ask around to see who can let you into the school. The District schools heritage association inc. Holds its annual meeting oct. 7 at 7 p. M. At 396 Provencher blvd., and a fundraiser oct. 17 from 5 30 to 8 30 p. M. At the Transcona Canadian. Anyone who wants to get involved or who maybe salvaged a desk or textbook from Long ago can Call 453 4041. Nick. Martin free press. My. Ca f Ragile in stature in life Anton Tony Kirk stood Strong against a Canvas coloured by More than 90 years of experiences. Long time supporters of cultural arts driven organizations Anton and wife Patty who predeceased him will be much missed. Anton was the third of four sons born to Dmytro Kryworuchka and Julianna Melnyk who came to Canada from Western Ukraine in 1901 and settled in Gypsumville before moving to Winnipeg in 1914, the year of his birth. He was registered at King Edward school under the surname Kirk to avoid possible discrimination prevalent at the time stories told by immigrants illustrate How difficult it was for them and their children to find lucrative jobs or to Advance socially outside their ghetto like communities. Antonis love for music developed in Grade 6 under teacher Gladys e. Bayne. Classmate Patty Zarosinski helped him with his music lessons and As Fate would have it became the love of his life. His brother Bill taught him to play a trumpet and later Anton established a scholarship in his memory at the University of Manitoba ass faculty of music. He was basically a self taught Man whose part time jobs included bookkeeper collector of accounts proofreader and mat Caster for Western jewish news. In 1939, he got a permanent joining the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve in 1943. He enrolled in a gunnery course in Halifax and Portsmouth England before service in the Pacific theatre of War. While in charge of a Crew in the transmitting station on the Cruiser Uganda Canadas Only Cruiser in the South Pacific in the second world War he shared his musical Talent As one of the ships Bondsmen. He played his Cornet for anthems and the last Post each remembrance Day As a member of Robertson memorial United Church la Doug Martindale recounted at the reception following Antonis funeral. Following his stint on the Cruiser Uganda another adventure unfolded. Anton returned to Winnipeg and the car in 1945 and married Patty Zarosinski two years later. She was a resource teacher in the Winnipeg school division working with children who had Reading and learning disabilities. A child brought up in an educational background is Seldom brought up in court Anton often remarked. His wife believed that students needed the Best in books to pursue higher education and to honour her memory he established an endowment fund forum libraries in her name and a scholarship at the University a omens club of Winnipeg where she was a member for Over 25 years. Shortly after marriage Anton and Patty bought one $ 5 share each in the drive to raise funds at the concert Hall for the Winnipeg symphony orchestra launching a far reaching philanthropic career in support of Manitoba theatre Centre Manitoba chamber orchestra Royal Winnipeg Ballet a stained Glass window for Deer Lodge Hospital and medical research to name a few. The Kirks were awarded the title of Art supporter of the year by the Manitoba chamber orchestra in 1994. After a ttys death in 1995, the Manitoba chapter of the National society of fund raising executives presented Anton with Winnipeg Gas first philanthropist of the year award and in 2002, he received the Queens Golden Jubilee commemorative medal. He volunteered at dal Navert museum ukrainian cultural and educational Centre of Sereduk music festivals museums and senior care Homes. He was a regular at St. Mary the protect Ress Church and delighted in being a greeter at sunday services and in making fund raising Erogies. A frequent diner at Alyce ass restaurant and the paddle wheel restaurant at the Bay Anton laughingly referred to the adjoining enclosed banquet room As my office. Walking through life peacefully quietly and humbly he enjoyed taking his family and friends to the symphony opera theatre and chamber music performances on the second ticket he maintained in a ttys name. He was respected by old and Young alike. Fiercely proud of his ukrainian heritage Anton appeared to derive his strength from his Strong belief in god and in a life hereafter. A dedicated visitor to a ttys graveside at Glen Eden cemetery he was confident that one Day he and my Angel Patty would be reunited in eternity. That happened on August 3. June Dutka librarian emeritus is a local researcher and writer. One More lesson history schoolhouse depicts the Way we once Learned by Nick Martin he was a giant on the Winnipeg arts scene Ken Gigliotti / Winnipeg free press archives Anton Kirk had a lifelong love of music and drama. Around Manitoba Raof p nent Job at the Canadian National railway overseeing a staff of 10 before passing photos by Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg free press Helen Feniuk in Willow Plain school where she went As a girl. Inset Feniuk with Iris Osadchuk another Volunteer who helped with the restoration. Its a nostalgia trip its a trip Back to a More innocent time Helen Feniuk a 03_ oct 05 08_ Smyk. Ind b3 10/ 4/ 08 7 21 18 pm ;