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School History
|
 Clarinda School - Built in 1912 |
| Rural schools surrounding the Village of
Coutts predated the Coutts School by about 10 years. Rural schools
played a important part in Alberta's history. They were at the
center of rural life, serving as School, Community Center and often
Church House. |
| Rural Schools in
the Coutts Area |
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| School |
 |
Number |
|
Location |
||
| Indian Rock Locke Clarinda Verburg Sexton Creek Lind |
2540 2730 2459 2439 2510 2170 |
18-1-12 -W 4 31-1-13 -W 4 8-1-13 -W 4 33-1-14 -W 4 9-1-14 -W 4 34-1-16 -W 4 |
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Classes in the hamlet of Coutts began in, January of 1918,
with five students, in a
building belonging to Mr. Paul Audet. In 1920 the first School house
was built. This building was used
continuously as a store and then office building until its demolition,
to
make way for the new joint Canada - USA port of entry in 2002. The oil boom of 1923-1924 brought an increased number of
students to the hamlet of Coutts. A second building was built to
accommodate the new residents. Senior grades used the second
building where high school subjects were taught. This building is
now part of the Coutts Civic Center. In september of 1929 a
temporary arrangement for a third room was made available in the Parish
Hall of St. Peter's Anglican Church.  Coutts School 1929 - 1937 A new brick school house was built in 1929,
officially opened December 18. The building had three class
rooms, a gymnasium, stage, two play rooms, and indoor plumbing.
From it's opening the gymnasium was used every day and night of
the week. Saturday was reserved for civic meetings. Two different
denominations held church services on Sunday. On a bitterly cold,
January 4, 1937 the building burned down. It was thought that a
spontaneous combustion in the coal bin was the cause.
 Coutts School 1937 - 1955 A new school building was soon raised. The fall
term of school was delayed until October 4, 1937, when school was
opened with carpenters still at work. The new building has five class
rooms, two staff rooms, two large basement rooms for manual training
and home economics, and a large gymnasium equipped with a stage.
In 1936 the rural schools were closed and students were bussed to
Coutts.
 Coutts School 1955 1954 had an enrollment of 160 students. The
stage, shop, and home economics room were used as classrooms. Soon
construction began on the new addition in October of 1954, which
was opened March 21, 1955. The addition added a modern science lab,
four classrooms, a staff room and three small rooms. One of the
classrooms was used as a library. Later renovations include a hipped
roof for the new section of the school.
 Coutts School - Present resource material
The History of The Border Country of Coutts |
