Summary information
| Repository: | South Peace Regional Archives |
| Title: | Spirit River (Spirit City) School District 3361 fonds |
| Reference code: | 0235 |
| Date: | 1916-1997 (date of creation) |
| Physical description: | 337 cm textual records |
| Dates of creation, revision and deletion: | Processed by Mary Nutting Added to new database July 2025 – TD |
Administrative history / Biographical sketch
With the coming of the railroad in 1916, a new village school district was formed in Spirit River, with C.W. Gough as the senior trustee. School was first held in a portion of Holdens Hall. Teachers were Miss Cassidy and Miss Hull. Jessie Henderson transferred from the Rycroft School in 1919 (to begin a 35 year career), and along with. C.O. Sutherland (who taught the higher grades) managed a school population of 40-50 students from 1919-1924.
In 1919, a school site had been chosen in Block 8, and in 1920 the district borrowed $12,500 to purchase the land, erect a school, and purchase equipment. This school burned down in 1925 and another two-room school was built. In 1929 a second floor housed the Spirit River Rural High School. In 1943 the Board approved borrowing money to build a four-room school, southwest of the former one. This school was opened in 1944 and in 1945 this district was included in the Spirit River School Division 47 as Subdivision No.4.
In 1951, a new wing dedicated to Miss Henderson was added to the school, and in 1953 three more rooms were added to the wing. In 1956, a gymnasium and set of rooms for junior high were added and in 1961, another addition provided for the high school. In 1962 the name was changed from Spirit City School District 3361 to Spirit River School District 3361.
Custodial history
The records were preserved and given to the Spirit River School Division No. 47 sometime after it was formed in 1940. Peace Wapiti School Division assumed responsibility for this division in 1994 and the records were deposited in the Grande Prairie Regional Archives in 2003. The financial and assessment records were preserved by the M.D. of Spirit River No. 133 and deposited in the archives in 2010.
Scope and content
The fonds consists of three minute books from 1916-1945, Daily Registers from 1917-1997, two Home Economics Record of Attendance Registers from 1950-1952, six Cash Book ledgers from 1917-1944, seven Assessment & Tax Roll ledgers from 1916-1942, a 1930 certificate showing Spirit City’s participation in the Junior Red Cross division of the Canadian Red Cross Society, and a 1957 poster from the Province of Alberta advertising an “Auction Sale of School Lands and Private Lands”.
Notes
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents.
Access points
- Textual record (documentary form)
- Education (subject)
Table of contents
0235.01, School Board Minutes, 1916-1945
0235.02, Attendance Records, 1917-1997
0235.03, Financial Records, 1917-1944
0235.04, Assessment Records, 1916-1942
Series descriptions
| Series 0235.01: School Board Minutes
Date: 1916-1945 (date of creation) Scope and content: The series consists of 3 minute books for the Board of Directors of Spirit City School District 3361 from 1916-1945, covering from the time of its formation until it was taken over by Spirit River School Division No. 47. Physical description: 3 cm textual records Access points: • Textual record (documentary form) Publication status: Published |
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| Series 0235.02: Attendance Records
Date: 1917-1997 (date of creation) Scope and content: The series consists of Daily Registers for Spirit City School District 3361 from 1917-1997 and 2 Home Economics Record of Attendance Registers from 1950-1952. Physical description: 316.5 cm textual records Access points: • Textual record (documentary form) Publication status: Published |
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| Series 0235.03: Financial Records
Date: 1917-1944 (date of creation) Scope and content: The series consists of six Cash Book ledgers showing the financial dealings of Spirit City School District 3361 from 1917-1944, at which time it was taken over by Spirit River School Division No. 47. Physical description: 7 cm textual records Access points: • Textual record (documentary form) Publication status: Published |
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| File / item list | |||
| Reference code | Title | Dates | Physical description |
| 0235.03.01 | Item – District Cash Book | 1917-1922 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A District Cash Book for Spirit City School District 3361 showing receipts and expenditures for 1917-1922. |
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| 0235.03.02 | Item – District Cash Book | 1923-1929 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A District Cash Book for Spirit City School District 3361 showing receipts and expenditures for 1923-1929. |
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| 0235.03.03 | Item – Moyer’s School District Cash Book | 1930-1934 | 1 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A School District Cash Book for Spirit City School District 3361 showing receipts, expenditures, and a copy of the Financial Statement and Auditor’s Report for each year from 1930-1934. |
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| 0235.03.04 | Item – Moyer’s School District Cash Book | 1934-1938 | 1 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A School District Cash Book for Spirit City School District 3361 showing receipts and expenditures for 1934-1938. |
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| 0235.03.05 | Item – Moyer’s School District Cash Book | 1938-1941 | 1 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A School District Cash Book for Spirit City School District 3361 showing receipts and expenditures for 1938-1941. There are also loose copies of the Financial Statement and Auditor’s Report for each year from 1938-1941. |
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| 0235.03.06 | Item – Secretary-Treasurer’s Account Book | 1942-1944 | 1 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A Secretary-Treasurer’s Account Book for Spirit City School District 3361 showing receipts and payments for 1942-1944. There are also loose copies of the Financial Statement and Auditor’s Report for each year from 1942-1944. |
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| Series 0235.04: Assessment Records
Date: 1916-1942 (date of creation) Scope and content: The series consists of eight Assessment & Tax Roll ledgers from 1916-1942, from the creation of Spirit City School District 3361 until about the time school taxes became amalgamated with municipal taxes. Physical description: 10.5 cm textual records Access points: • Textual record (documentary form) Publication status: Published |
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| File / item list | |||
| Reference code | Title | Dates | Physical description |
| 0235.04.01 | Item – Christie’s Assessment & Tax Roll | 1916-1920 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A Christie’s Assessment & Tax Roll for Village School District ledger for Spirit City School District 3361 from 1916-1920. Information includes the name of each land-owner, their post office address, a legal description of the property, assessed value of real property, value of additional personal property or income, tax amounts, payments, and arrears. |
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| 0235.04.02 | Item – Village School District Assessment & Tax Roll | 1921-1923 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A Village School District Assessment & Tax Roll ledger for Spirit City School District 3361 from 1921-1923. Information includes the name of each land-owner, their post office address, a legal description of the property, assessed value of real property, value of additional personal property or income, tax amounts, payments, and arrears. |
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| 0235.04.03 | Item – Christie’s Village School District Assessment & Tax Roll | 1924-1926 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A Christie’s Village School District Assessment & Tax Roll ledger for Spirit City School District 3361 from 1924-1926. Information includes the name of each land-owner, their post office address, a legal description of the property, assessed value of real property, value of additional personal property or income, tax amounts, payments, and arrears. |
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| 0235.04.04a | Item – Assessment and Tax Roll | 1930-1932 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
An Assessment and Tax Roll ledger for Spirit City School District 3361 from 1930-1932. Information includes the name of each land-owner, their post office address, a legal description of the property, assessed value of real property, value of additional personal property or income, tax amounts, payments, and arrears. |
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| 0235.04.04b | Item – Village School District Assessment and Tax Roll | 1927-1929 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A Village School District Assessment and Tax Roll ledger for Spirit City School District 3361 from 1927-1929. Information includes the name of each land-owner, their post office address, a legal description of the property, assessed value of real property, value of additional personal property or income, tax amounts, payments, and arrears. |
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| 0235.04.05 | Item – Moyer’s Assessment and Tax Roll | 1933-1935 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
A Moyer’s Assessment and Tax Roll ledger (New Act) for Spirit City School District 3361 from 1933-1935. Information includes the name of each land-owner, their post office address, a legal description of the property, assessed value of real property, value of additional personal property or income, tax amounts, payments, and arrears. |
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| 0235.04.06 | Item – Assessment and Tax Roll | 1936-1938 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
An Assessment and Tax Roll ledger for Spirit City School District 3361 from 1936-1938. Information includes the name of each land-owner, their post office address, a legal description of the property, assessed value of real property, value of additional personal property or income, tax amounts, payments, and arrears. |
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| 0235.04.07 | Item – Spirit City S.D. Assessment and Tax Roll | 1939-1942 | 1.5 cm textual records |
| Scope and content:
An Assessment and Tax Roll ledger for Spirit City School District 3361 from 1939-1942. Information includes the name of each land-owner, their post office address, a legal description of the property, assessed value of real property, value of additional personal property or income, tax amounts, payments, and arrears. |
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| Series 0235.05: Ephemera
Date: 1930-1957 (date of creation) Scope and content: The series consists of two posters, a 1930 certificate showing Spirit City’s participation in the Junior Red Cross division of the Canadian Red Cross Society, and a 1957 poster from the Province of Alberta advertising an “Auction Sale of School Lands and Private Lands”. These posters were found folded and tucked into Spirit City Daily Registers. Physical description: 2 pp. textual records Access points: • Textual record (documentary form) Publication status: Published |
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| File / item list | |||
| Reference code | Title | Dates | Physical description |
| 0235.05.01 | Item – Junior Red Cross Certification Document Canadian Red Cross Society |
1930 | 1 certificate : 11 x 15 in. |
| Scope and content:
Certificate from the Canadian Red Cross Society certifying the the Spirit City School District “has been organized under the Junior Red Cross and under the warrant and authority of the Canadian Red Cross Society is entrusted with the responsibility of helping in the Peace-time Mission of the Red Cross: The Improvement of Health, the Prevention of Disease, and the Mitigation of Suffering throughout the World.” The document is dated September 1930, but re-enrollment seals attached to the document certify the school until 1937. |
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| 0235.05.02 | Item – School Lands for Sale Poster Alberta Department of Lands & Forests |
1957 | 1 poster |
| Scope and content:
A 1957 poster from the Province of Alberta advertising an “Auction Sale of School Lands and Private Lands” in the Wanham area. The lands for sale are in half section amounts, probably lands which were once designated for the support of the local one-room school when the land was surveyed. |
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