09/02/2026
As students return to school this September, it's fascinating to look at what "back to school" meant for children growing up around Chauvin, Ribstone, and the surrounding districts a century ago.
For prairie children in the mid-1920s, the school day often began long before the first lesson. Chores had to be completed before leaving home. Cows were milked, livestock fed, wood carried, and water hauled. Only then could children begin the journey to school.
Many students walked for miles across open prairie. Others travelled by horseback, horse and buggy, or sleigh during the winter months. Esther Lasell remembered beginning school at Roros School in 1924 and making the two-mile trip with her mother by buggy in summer and by sleigh in winter. Her father had a rule that if it was colder than -40℉ (-40 ℃), she was not allowed to go to school. Later, Esther saved her money and bought an Eatonia bicycle and kept it in the teacherage during school hours.
Teachers often faced the same challenges as their pupils. At Roros School, teacher Pratt Perry travelled eight miles daily from his farm near Chauvin using a team and buggy or sleigh. His wife, also a teacher, Flora Perry, was remembered fondly for helping organize community activities and events. Miss Folkins, another early teacher, became known for encouraging music and school concerts that brought families together from across the district. Weeks of preparation went into those songs, recitations, and plays.
At Battle Valley School, teacher Gretchen (Richardson) Wright recalled that the school year of 1924 actually began in July and broke for holidays in January because winter roads were frequently blocked by snow. She remembered that most students walked to school, while the Swanson children rode together on a pony. Looking back, she noted that after completing farm chores and walking miles, children found it easy to sit quietly through lessons.
One-room schools brought together children of many ages and abilities. In a single classroom, beginners learned their alphabet while older students prepared for Departmental Examinations. The teacher taught every grade, often with little more than a blackboard, textbooks, and determination.
The schoolhouse itself reflected the ingenuity of prairie communities. At Roros School, a barn was added in 1922 to shelter the horses that brought children to class. A furnace was installed in 1923, making winter attendance much easier. Students arriving by horse and buggy were sometimes paid a few cents to bring water to the school in cream cans because attempts to dig a reliable well had failed.
Yet school was not all work. School also created lifelong friendships. Children such as William Nysetvold and many others who attended the district schools shared experiences that connected families across the prairie. In communities where neighbours might live several miles apart, school was often the centre of social life as well as education.
The return to school each year represented more than the start of lessons. It reflected a community's commitment to its future. Parents donated land, served as trustees, supplied fuel, hauled water, maintained buildings, and raised funds to keep schools operating. Teachers became community leaders, organizers, and often lifelong friends of the families they served.
The one-room schools of the Chauvin district helped transform scattered homesteads into thriving communities. Through harsh winters, muddy roads, and economic hardship, prairie families ensured their children received an education.
As students head back to school in 2026, their journey may be shorter and more comfortable, but they follow a path first opened by the determination, sacrifice, and optimism of our district's pioneer families.
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Join the effort to celebrate Chauvin’s rich history by sharing, liking, and reposting with your friends, neighbours, and family.
While you search through attics and basements for family keepsakes, think of your local museum. These treasures from your past could be donated or lent, allowing future generations to uncover the fascinating stories they carry.
