NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON

1882-1912

Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web, Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web

historic names as Powe, Latham, Kusch, Richardson, Garrison, Hunter, Trounce, Dulmage, Marr, Clark, Hamilton, McGowan and Cleveland. It is of interest to note in passing that this building probably served as the first granary in the district, the first cereal crop being stored there, a quantity of barley, grown by the Indians on the White Cap reserve. The establishment of an official school district was deferred through the unsettling circumstances and threatening perils of the Riel Rebellion. The very existence of the settlement, indeed, hungin the balance in the early months of 1885. It was at this time that, following the appearance and encampment at the very gates of their little city, of a band of war- painted Indians from the reserve of White Cap, there assembled that his- toric council of the fathers of the place to decide whether the people should, in prudence, abandon their homes and retreat southward to civilization, or in faith and courage remain to follow whatever fate lay in store for them. It is told that, prayer being offered for protection from danger, there was a resolution taken "that we go to our homes and about our daily business in the fear of the Lord." Arrangements were made, in the autumn of the Rebellion year, and the Saskatoon Protestant Public School District was established in 1886, numbered 13 of the North-West Territories. The style "Protestant" was early withdrawn. Until recently the seal of that first corporation was in the writer's possession, the initial standing for this word chipped out. The earliest imprint found in 1900 shows this initial wanting. Examination of departmental Records would show, no doubt, the names of the twelve districts established prior to this; they would include Moose jaw, Regina, Qu'Appelle, Prince Albert, Broadview, Wapella and Moosomin. It is known that the first Board of Trustees were three--Thomas Cop- land, Dr. J. H. C. Willoughby, and George Grant. The proceedings of that and several succeeding Trustee Boards were not, unfortunately, handed down with other records to the writer. The only sources of information covering the years 1886 to 1900 are one ledger, showing the names of those to whom payments were made for tuition, among other matters, and the recollection of those who may be questioned, guideed in part by the con- tinuity of certain evidences in the ledger. This lack of written record a matter for great regret. What fund of curious and interesting detail might have been found in the records of those years or recalled by them to the memory of those whose recollections are dim, one can only conjec- ture. The fact remains that the earliest minute book handed down com- mences with the year 1900. Mr. Powers left the settlement early in 1885, but th\ere seemed to have been no difficulty in finding among the young men of the place those capable of taking the school in charge until a permanent teacher could be bad. Mr. Gerald Willoughby, then a freshman of Toronto University, sup- plied the place for some months, followed by others, until with the forma- tion of the school district, Mr. A. B. Davidson appeared as the first teacher employed by the District. Apparently the School District was financially prosperous. It had from its foundation an area of 36 square miles-the whold of Township 36, Range 5, W.3rd, a very considerable taxable territory, including that tri- angular portion of the city of today bounded by the river, Clarence Avenue and Eighth Street. Every even-numbered section not taken up as home- stead was Government land and exempt, as also the sections numbered 11 and 29, school lands, and sections numbered 8 and 26, Hudson' Bay lands, but the odd numbered sections were otherwise all owned by the Temperance Colonization Society or those who had bought them on contract. While the total revenue from taxation of settlers and non-resid- dent investors for lands and town lots was comparatively small, the taxes on a quarter-section apparently being $2.80, and for each town lot 50 cents, the bill of the parent Company against all unsold lands and town lots was sub- stantial, and, what is more to the point, promptly paid on demand, Liberal Government grants, of $350.00 per annum were also available. Money went far in those days. Hundreds managed to live then without Page 84

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