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The instant, immigrant village of Yarrow that materialized on the drained bottomlands of Sumas Lake grew rapidly. Chauncey Eckert's advertisements of farmland for sale in such publications as the Winnipeg Free Press Farmer, whose information was reprinted as a letter in the Mennonitische Rundschau, found ready buyers among Mennonite families anxious to escape the harsh climate of the Canadian Prairies. At first, the pioneer settlers' children attended the Majuba Hill or Vedder Schools. When the burgeoning population of children made these arrangements untenable, the Chilliwack School Board built a one-room school on a five-acre property fronting onto Central Road, presently the site of Yarrow Park in downtown Yarrow.
| Yarrow Elementary School — 1928 |
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Looking South-Westerly
Photograph Courtesy of Agatha Klassen
Klassen, Agatha. E. Yarrow: A Portrait in Mosaic. Clearbrook, BC: Klassen, 1976.
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On opening day, September 13, 1928 the school's enrolment stood at twenty-nine children. Miss Currie, the school's first teacher, transferred from the closed Majuba Hill School. In 1929, the Chilliwack School board appointed Mr Carl Wilson the first principal of the Yarrow Elementary School (Klassen 96). Toilets were outhouses, while a hand pump supplied water for drinking and washing one's hands.
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Yarrow Elementary School — 1930
Looking North-Westerly
Photograph Courtesy of Agatha Klassen
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When Yarrow's spiralling growth quickly outgrew this facility, the School Board built in 1930 another one-room building, a copy of the first building.
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Yarrow Two Room School (circa 1932)
Photograph Courtesy of the H. Sukkau Collection
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Just one year later, these two classrooms provided inadequate space for Yarrow's school age children, and the School Board rented two rooms in the MB Church a short distance west along Central Road. By 1933 with the school population at 121 pupils, the School Board resolved its predicament of insufficient classrooms by leasing a two-room school built on the MB Church grounds, to lodge students in grades three to six. The MB Church provided these classrooms with the understanding that they could also be used as Sunday School classrooms.
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MB Church Two Room School — 1934
Looking North-Westerly
Photograph Courtesy of Agatha Klassen
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Student enrollment continued to grow and by 1936 these arrangements were again untenable. The School Board built a large, four-room school along 2nd Avenue, which was occupied by the 210 students at the start of January, 1937 (Klassen 103).
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Yarrow Four Room School (circa 1937)
Photograph Courtesy of Agatha Klassen
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Yarrow children near the big swing
Photograph Courtesy of Agatha Klassen
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Photographs and Names for the Following:
Robert Giesbrecht, Melvin Martens, Otto Baerg, Erma Wiebe, Shirlee Jantzen Fast
Esther Epp Harder, Caroline Derksen, John Penner, Edwin Lenzmann, Elmer Wiens
School Year 1951-52
| Grade One - Miss Mary Derksen's Class |
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Miss Derksen, Walter Klassen, Cary Esau, Melvin Martens, Earl Milller, Edwin Lenzmann, Ron Penner, Victor Janzen, Otto Baerg, Herman Klassen
Eleanore Friesen, Rita Paetkau, Elizabeth Voth, Evelym Froese, —, Angela Martens, Rubena Goertz
Mary Arendt, Margaret Regehr, Patty Andres, —, Elvira Klassen, Caroyln Peters
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| Grade One/Two - Mrs. Dyer's Class |
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Wilfred Derksen, Gordon Wiens, Harry Derksen, Victor Ratzlaff, Robert Reimer, Gordon Paetkau
Girlfriend, Rubena Goertz, Elsie Bergmann, Nettie Klassen, Johnny Penner
Rosella Nickel, Lily Pankratz, Rita Sawatsky, Betty Dyck, Evangeline Sawatsky, Nancy Epp
Randy Dyck, David Nightingale, Elmer Wiens, Robert Giesbrecht, Walter Wolfe
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School Year 1952-53
| Yarrow School Teachers |
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Walter Ferguson, Frieda Nightingale, Erma Wiebe, Mrs Sharples, Joy Fowlie, Mary Derksen, Agnes Allert, Mr McTaggart
Photograph: Courtesy of Erma Wiebe
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| Grade One/Two - Mrs. Agnes Allert's Class |
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Herman Klassen, Ron Penner, Neil Friesen, Rufus Loewen, Walter Toews, Edwin Lenzmann, Otto Baerg, Ronnie Klassen, Mrs. Allert
Rubena Goertz, —, Eleanore Friesen, Rita Sawatsky, Lily Pankratz, Elvira Klassen, —, Patty Andres, —
David Nightingale, Cary Esau, Rita Paetkau, Margaret Regehr, Evelyn Froese, Peter Giesbrecht, Ted Schmidt, Betty Dyck, —
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| Grade Two/Three - Mrs. Sharple's Class |
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| Grade Three - Miss Joy Fowlie's Class |
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Miss Fowlie, Wilfred Derksen, Bob Reimer, John Peters, Alvin Martens, David Dyck, Willy Langemann, Dave Klassen, Walter Wolf, Walter Teichgrab
—, Ollie Remple, —, Gordon Wiens, Ernest Neufeld, Victor Ratzlaff, Harry Derksen, —, Henry Konrad, Erica Voth, Lorraine Letkeman, Diane Reimer
Esther Enns, Evelyn Epp, Marlene Sukkau, Anita Koehn, Betty Heinrichs, Evangeline Sawatsky, Pauline Guenther, Gloria Goosen, Joyce Martens, Katie Kroeker, Caroline Derksen, Lillian Martens |
| Grade Four - Miss Erma Wiebe's Class |
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| Relaxing at 5 P.M.!! — — Or Just Visiting |
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School Year 1953-54
The Yarrow Elementary School left the schoolyard in downtown Yarrow in 1953, and moved to the new school on Wilson Road North at the start of September 1953.
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| Yarrow Elementary Junior High School Opening Ceremonies
Program and Picture Courtesy of Erma Wiebe |
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| Yarrow School Teachers, 1953-54 |
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Harry MacTaggart, Walter Ferguson, Arthur Kurz
Dorothy McCutcheon, Lillian Bealle, Erma Wiebe
Elizabeth Lavigne, Frieda Nightingale, Eleanor Wicoll, Agnes Allert
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| Grade Three - Miss Bealle's Class |
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—, Gordon Paetkau, Cary Esau, Edwin Lenzmann, Walter Toews, Robert Giesbrecht, David Nightingale, —, Johnny Penner
Otto Baerg, Walter Klassen, Melvin Martens, Earl Miller, Herman Klassen, David Klassen, Robert Hollins, Elmer Wiens, Miss Bealle
Elizabeth Voth, —, —, —, Rubena Goertz, Elvira Klassen
Lily Pankratz, Angela Martens, Edith Dahl, Evelyn Froese, —, —
Betty Dyck, Margaret Regehr, Rita Sawatsky, Eleanore Friesen, Patty Andres, Mary Arendt, Annie Reimer
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| Grade Four - Miss Erma Wiebe's Class |
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Helmut Peters, Henry Konrad, Victor Ratzlaff, Abe Enns, Harry Duerksen, Bobby Reimer, Ernest Neufeld, Frank Klassen
Walter Wofle, Frank Friesen, Abe Dyck, Kenneth Gross, Edwin Epp, Rudy Baerg, Bobby Unruh, Willy Langeman
Viola Loewen, Olga Bergen, Diane Reimer, Caroline Derksen, Katherine Friesen, Nancy Epp, Joanne Schellenberg, Rosella Nikkel, Sarah Thiessen
Gloria Goosen, Eileen Harder, Betty Heindrichs, Evangeline Sawatsky, Aneta Koehn, Caroline Braun, Carol Wiens, Nettie Klassen, Rosemary Thiessen
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School Year 1954-55
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1954-55 |
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Jim Norberg, Arthur Kurz, Henry Epp, Walter Ferguson
Joy Fowlie, Sharon Ritchie, Helena Braun, Dorothy McCutcheon
Agnes Allert, Erma Wiebe, Joan Lein, Frieda Nightingale
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| Grade Three - Miss Joy Fowlie's Class |
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________, Peter Giesbrecht, Stan Harder, Dave Nightengale, Ben Neufeld, Rufus Loewen, Jake Konrad, Betty Loewen, Judy Thiessen
Lenora Janzen, Shirley Jantzen, ________, Ted Schmidt, Stan Wiens, Gene Roy, Edward Doerfling, Carol Neufeldt, Irene Loewen
John Arendt, Neil Friesen, Jim Dyck, John Klassen, Anita Penner, Marlene Rempel, Ronnie Klassen, Dave Enns, Bernie Thiessen
Laurie Koehn, Ron Dyck, Arthur Friesen, Judy Pauls, Jenny Scheremeto, Evelyn Paetkau, Viola Martens, Abe Klassen, Albert Friesen, Almina Maier
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| Grade Four - Miss Erma Wiebe's Class |
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Robert Hollins, Earl Miller, Ruby Goertz, Lily Pankratz, Helen Fehr, Edwin Lenzmann, Johnny Penner
Evelyn Froese, —, Elizabeth Voth, Marilyn Unruh, —, Elvira Klassen, Edith Dahl, Annie Reimer
Walter Klassen, Gordon Paetkau, David Klassen, Robert Giesbrecht, Otto Baerg, Elmer Wiens, Cary Esau, Melvin Martens
Angela Martens, Eleanor Friesen, Mary Arendt, Betty Dyck, Rita Paetkau, Patricia Andres, Margaret Regehr, Rita Sawatsky
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School Year 1955-56
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1955-56 |
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Jim Norberg, Peter Fast, Art Kurz, Henry Epp
Joy Fowlie, Helena Braun, Sharon Ritchie, Erma Wiebe
Freda Nightingale, Walter Ferguson, Frieda Fast
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| Grade Four - Miss Erma Wiebe's Class |
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Rufus Loewen, Ted Schmidt, Gene Roy, Jake Konrad, _____ Loewen, Ben Neufeld, Dave Nightengale, Stan Harder, Peter Giesbrecht
Bernie Thiessen, Stan Wiens, Michelle _______, Irene Loewen, Betty Loewen, Judy Thiessen, Lenora Janzen, Carol Neufeldt, Marlene Rempel
Albert Friesen, Jim Dyck, John Klassen, Edward Doerfling, Dave Enns, _________, Abe Klassen, John Arendt, Ron Klassen, Arthur Friesen
________, Jenny Scheremeto, Shirley Jantzen, ________, Katie Dettling, Evelyn Paetkau, Judy Pauls, Anita Penner, Laurie Koehn, Almina Maier
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| Grade Five - Miss Sharon Ritchie's Class |
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Johnny Penner, Lily Pankratz, —, Marilyn Unruh, Elsie Loewen, — Gordon Paetkau, Cary Esau
Edwin Lenzmann, Evelyn Froese, Edith Dahl, Ruby Goertz, Helen Fehr, Elvira Klassen, Elizabeth Voth, Melvin Martens, Victor Janzen
Earl Miller, Robert Giesbrecht, Rita Sawatsky, Jenny Shermeto, Annie Reimer, Mary Arendt, Elmer Wiens, Walter Klassen, Miss Sharon Ritchie
David Klassen, Patty Andres, Eleanore Friesen, Margaret Regehr, Rita Paetkau, Betty Dyck, Otto Baerg
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| Grade Six - Mr Jim Norberg's Class |
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School Year 1956-57
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1956-57 |
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Art Kurz, Student Teacher, Erma Wiebe, Walter Ferguson
Lila Blackwell, Dorothy Funk, Frieda Fast
Harold Kost, Bev Hailstone, Gary Ferguson, Mary Unger
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| Grade Four - Miss Erma Wiebe's Class |
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| Grade Six - Mr. Gary Ferguson's Class |
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School Year 1957-58
Yarrow School Teachers, 1957-58
(Picture not available)
School Year 1958-59
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1958-59 |
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_____, _____, _____, _____
_____, Erma Wiebe, _____
Mary Unger, Frieda Fast, Hulda Reimer
Art Kurz, Ken White, Walter Ferguson
Photograph: Courtesy of Erma Wiebe
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| Grade Six - Miss Erma Wiebe's Class |
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School Year 1959-60
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1959-60 |
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Hulda Reimer, Erma Wiebe, _____, Mary Unger, _____
Mr Newby, Walter Ferguson, Ken White, Art Kurz
Photograph: Courtesy of Erma Wiebe
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| Grade Six - Miss Erma Wiebe's Class |
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School Year 1960-61
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1960-61 |
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_____, Erma Wiebe, _____
Art Kurz, Mr Newby, Reid Weight, Walter Ferguson
Mary Unger, _____, _____
Photograph: Courtesy of Erma Wiebe
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| Grade Six - Miss Erma Wiebe's Class |
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School Year 1976-77
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1976-77 |
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School Year 1977-78
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1977-78 |
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School Year 1978-79
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1978-79 |
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School Year 1979-80
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1979-80 |
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School Year 1980-81
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1980-81 |
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School Year 1981-82
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1981-82 |
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School Year 1983-84
| Yarrow School Teachers, 1983-84 |
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