Immigration to Cut Knife and area began in earnest in 1904. Settlers often chose to put down roots near people with a similar cultural background to themselves but it also wouldn’t be long before they were friends with all of their neighbours. Through the one room schools, and the activities held there, all residents were encouraged to participate in the life of the community.
For the students who attended, for the teachers and for the parents, one room country schools created many memories that are still held very dear. These buildings were respected as centres of learning; they hosted community events; they were recognized as the framework within which the community grew – for the years they remained open. Today, one room schoolhouse families continue to identify with the school district in which they lived.
Cut Knife and Districts School Sites & Points of Interest
Unfortunately, most of those buildings are gone, now. The Wembley School, featured above in its prime* and opposite in 2011, is the last one room schoolhouse in the area that remains on its original site. Future generations will have to rely upon the archival records we keep for them and the stories that we share with them.
We have used GPS (Global Positioning System) to help us create a document listing the former schoolhouses that featured so prominently in our past. This project was completed for the 2012 Cut Knife Centennial. We apologize for any errors or omissions.
If you have additional information to contribute, please contact us and we will update as necessary.
*The photo of the Wembley School at the top of this page was kindly shared with the museum by Sharon Fluney. Her mother, Gladys M. Stephens, was a teacher at the school for about 2 years in the 1940s.
Clayton McLain Memorial Museum 