North Bienfait School #897
Bienfait, Saskatchewan, Canada
It was located on N.E. 1/4 of sec. 36-2-7 W 2nd.
Later this school was moved to S.E. 1/4 sec. 1-3-7 W 2nd as shown in the 1927 road map below.
Closed in the 1950's, students were moved to the Bienfait School
Part of my Dad's 1927 Map of the North School Location
Each small Square on this map is 1 mile Sq
Sept 30, 1903 this District was officially formed under the name Bienfait School District #897
Senior Trustee- A. M. Ellis, Estevan, Assiniboia
Mar 16, 1904 they were allowed to borrow $1,000 to build and furnish a school here.
Treasurer's Address- A. M. Ellis, Estevan, Assiniboia
Arthur Mortimer Ellis- June 30, 1904 Mr. Ellis was appointed Commissioner for taking Affidavits, address- Bienfait SK
same time he was appointed Justice of the Peace.
You can see this school was built 2 miles north of Bienfait
1931 Picture of Students in front of the School
First row, left-right: Leonard John Gadd (died may 5, 2001, age 78), Elsie Grace Ellis (died Apr 11, 1947, age 24), Jessie (Elchyson) Lutes, Mary (Elchyson) Fowler, Stella (Bachynski)Gimby
Second row, left-right: Phyllis Bachynski, Edith Mulligan, Anne (Elchyson) Bozak, Viola Mulligan
Back row, left-right: Paul Mallie, Earnest Goodrich, Mrs Georgina Graham teacher, 1930-31
Thanks to Stan Graham, Calgary AB, son of Georgina Graham, the teacher in the above photo, for sending this picture in for use here.
Note- the horses tied up left rear of the picture, and the old round top lunch boxes, things from the past.
July 16, 2009 Jim Fowler called, from Los Angeles CA, USA, And told me he knew the names in the photo above. His mother and 2 aunts are shown.
My Aunt, Klara Maria Lee (nee Gesell) (1913-1991), taught at this school (Her first name was also spelled Clara) she would have taught here, and other rural schools in the area, after that. She also attended ECI 1927-1932
Klara Maria Lee, nee Gesell
More history, in A Tale That is Told: Estevan 1890 - 1980 history book, no longer online! 
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