Photo of school built in 1937. It had hardwood floors in both the
                      upstairs classroom and in the basement which was used as a
                      playroom (similar to modern day gymnasiums). In the basement
                      were the coal storage room, wood storage room, boys
                      washroom and large open area. Also in the basement was a
                      water tap which brought water in from a nearby well. The
                      washrooms had a holding tank, which was emptied weekly.
                      Upstairs was a cloak room, the girls washroom and the large
                      classroom able to seat 40 students from grades 1 through 10.
                      The front of the classroom on the wall directly opposite of the
                      main entrance door was a slate chalkboard that extended the
                      length of the wall. 

                      There was a school approximately every 4 miles in the vicinity of
                      this school. During the early 1900's family sizes were larger,
                      quite often an immigrating family would have 9-10 children, and
                      farm sizes were smaller usually holding only one quarter section
                      with perhaps an additional quarter section pre-emption. Now, in
                      the late 1900's family sizes are smaller approximately 2-1/2
                      children per family :-) according to the latest statistics, and farm
                      sizes are 5 or 6 times larger as farm machinery and technology
                      enables a farmer to till and harvest larger amounts of land.

                      In the spring, all the schools in the vicinity of this school would
                      gather together for a community play day. There would be
                      relays, baseball games and the like between all the various
                      schools.

                      When not in class in the winter months, the kids would take turns
                      racing along the supports for the floor joists to see who could get
                      from one end of the playroom to the other end. In this particular
                      schoolhouse, the joists were made of 2 x 12's and braced with 2
                      smaller pieces of wood in an x between each joist. 

                      This school was built in 1937, and no longer in use around the
                      late 1960's, and has not been upgraded or renovated for
                      approximately 20 years of disuse. In the picture, there have been
                      some modifications made, adding windows to the photograph
                      and renovating its appearance in the photograph.