Alma School - No. 43

     It's been said that Prince Edward Island had a schoolhouse every 3 miles so that students didn't have to walk any further than 1-1/2 miles to attend school.  Below is one of those schools, Alma School, No. 43.

    

Above: Alma School c.1950's cf. Donna Barbour MacPhee Collection

     The following information comes from the Prince Edward Island Public Archive's school records:

     Alma school opened in September 1869.  Henry Graves was the carpenter.  The first school teacher was John Foley of Charlottetown, then came John Beaton also of Charlottetown, then a Miss Weeks of Albend.  The first trustees were: Morris O'Connor, Henry Graves, James Mountain (secretary), George Mountain, and John Currie Jr.

Alma School District No. 43 (1869‑1971)

     Year(s)   /  Teacher  /     No. of Pupils

      1869          John Foley        ?
      1874          Alice Weeks, 1st Class
Superintendent note:  School has long been Vacant.  No map of PEI. Prospects encouraging.
      1875          Vacant teacher expected in a few days.
                         ? John Beaton       ?
                         ? Miss Weeks        ?
      1878          M.E.Gordon       51
      1879          Maggie E. Gordon 42
      1880          John Beaton      40
      1881          John Beaton      60
      1882          Maggie E. Gordon 48
      1883          No Teacher       44
      1884          Mary E. Gordon   52
      1885          Mary E. Gordon   48
      1886          Carrie W. Darley 40
      1887          John B. Champion 53
      1888          John B. Champion 60
      1889          Peter Cunningham 54
      1890          Christine Miller 74
      1891           Christine Miller 52
      1892           Albert J. Barry  57
      1893           Frank McCarvill  59
      1894          J. McElmeel      68
      1895           Mary Dunbar       ?
      1896           George A. Hardy   ?
      1897           George Hardy      ?
      1898           George Hardy     58
      1899           Franklin Mellish 44
 1901‑1902     EddieChristopher 42
 1903‑1904    Mary A. Dunbar   40
      1905           Mary E. O'Brien  30
      1906           James Sinclair   38
      1907           J.B. MacDonald   40
 1908‑1909    Annie L. McGrath 41
      1910            no teacher        0
1911-1912         Estelle Bowness 20?
Dec.1, 1922‑
June 30,1923    Minnie Wackey?  ?
Aug‑Dec1923 Wm B. Wallace   ?
     1939?           Mildred Barbour   ?
                            ? Blanche Rennie    ?
   1967‑68        Barbara Rayner    ?
   1968‑69        Willie Handrahan  ?
   1969‑70        Sonia Hardy       ?
   1970‑71         Mildred Barbour   ?
   1971‑72         Mildred Barbour  23

     When Lauretta School closed in the 1950's students from Lauretta came to Alma.

     Alma's one‑room schoolhouse closed in the spring of 1972 as a result of provincial school consolidation - students from here went onto Elmsdale Elementary, Alberton Elementary and Alberton High Schools.

     Below is the last class to attend Alma School, 1971-72, 23 students in total in Grades 1-7. 

The students in the above photo above are as follows:

Back row:  Robert Jeffery, Carter Jeffery, Gordon MacAssey, Kevin Gordon, Blair Duggan, Wayne McNeill, Kevin Kelly, Kent Smallman, and teacher Mildred (Dunbar) Barbour.

Middle Row: Marlene Rayner, Patsy Murphy, Shiela Rennie, ? Blanchard, Jean Murphy, Laura Blanchard.

Front Row: Ivan Dunbar, Randy Jeffery, Douglas Dunbar, John MacAssey, Scott Clark, Kendell Bowness, Kenny Gordon, Glen Barbour, Gary MacAssey. 

     Following it's closure, Alma School was sold by the Provincial Government to the Alma Women's Institute for $1.  W.I. used it as a community center fixing it up with Government Summer Student projects.  In the 1990's the Institute sold the property to Kevin Gordon who used it for storage, etc.  When the Western Road and Centerline Road intersection was reconstructed in 2007 the school was demolished.

     Stay tuned to this blog for further information and photos of Alma School, etc.