| Mrs.
Sadie Barrington |
In
1896, the original School District application was submitted in the
name of Smith's Grove,
and covered the areas of what would become the Asker and Waterglen
School Districts.
The first schoolhouse was a log cabin purchased from Mr. Sigalet who
was located in the territory between Samson and Red Deer Lakes, for
the price of $50. There were two houses exactly alike, and Asker bought
one and Fair (Waterglen) the other.
Mr. VOLD, O.C. RAVNSBORG, Roy and Nansen VOLD dismantled the cabin,
and took it on four sleighs with four teams, to a site donated by
E.A., KREFTING on the SW of 14-43-23-W4th. This move was made in 1899,
and Henry, John, Olaf and Einar Krefting redesigned and built the
new log schoolhouse. Their family moved in while they built their
own new home, and when they were able to move to the new home on March
1, 1900, E. Krefting and the boys set about making the desks for the
teacher and students from rough lumber which was all hand planed.
Because it was hard to come by a teacher, classes did not begin until
July 1, 1900 when Miss Katherine (Katie) Carruthers (who later married
Thomas Philips) came to the district from Ontario, and took on the
position for $300 per year. She boarded with the Kreftings for the
price of $12 per month, and was the first of the teachers who later
came to Asker between 1900 and 1930, to make her home with John
and Hildur KREFTING, as they were just 3/4's of a mile from the school,
which made for a healthy walk.
The last teachers to board with the Kreftings paid only $30 per month
room and board.
The
log cabin schoolhouse served as the Smith's Grove School from 1900,
until 1903 when the new school was built during the spring and summer,
to accomodate the larger number of students.
The construction of the new school was let on contract, and there
were three bids, the lowest bid was that of John, Olaf and Einar KREFTING,
who were then awarded the contract and then completed the new schoolhouse
in 1903. The new school was large and beautifully finished and painted.
The students put on a concert and bought a bell for the belfry. All
furniture, teacher's desk, chair, bookcase, desks and seats, globe
and
maps were from Christies School Supplies.
Also in 1903, the School Board Secretary received a notice from the
Commissioner of Education of the NorthWest Territories, in Regina,
approving the requet to rename the school adn district, Asker.
The first school Inspector was Mr. Bryan, who came to Asker on his
first inspection, in October, 1900. In June, 1902 the then Inspector
Boyce made his first visit.
The first mention of taxes was in 1903, and the rate was set at 5
1/2 cents per acre. Taxes were later lowered for a few years when
the District finished paying the debentures on the school.
The first School Board was Andrew VOLD, Ole CRAFT and Erland KREFTING,
Secretary-Treasurer. |
|
