Norman Granville Paton fonds. — [ca. 1923] – 1982. — 17 cm of textual records.
Biographical Sketch
Norman Granville Paton was born March 6, 1907 in Eagle Hill, Alberta. He attended Calgary Normal School ca. 1923-1924, and married his wife Gertrude ca. 1928. He and Gertrude had two children, Jean and Clifford. Granville taught in one-room schools in southern Alberta, including those in Carolyn and Didsbury. From 1940-1944 he was a teacher at Frisco School in Rocky Mountain House. By 1945, he was working as a shop teacher for the secondary grades in Grande Prairie, and by 1964 he was on staff at the Grande Prairie Vocational High School, first as acting Vice-Principal and by 1965, as Vice-Principal. He was also Principal of the night school classes held there from 1966-1968. In 1969, with the phasing out of the Vocational School and the creation of the Compositie High School, Granville lost his administrative position but remained teaching until 1975. When he retired that year, he had had 51 years of teaching experience and had upgraded his qualifications during summer schools to 5 years of teacher training. He died June 8, 1982. His grandchlldren by his daughter Jean are Doug Duplessis, Norman Duplessis, and Lorna Willsey.
Custodial History
These records were donated to the South Peace Regional Archives by Douglas Duplessis, Granville’s grandson, in 2006.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of records of Granville’s life as a teacher: his personal papers, his teacher training, his early teaching experience in elementary education, and his long-time employment with the Grande Prairie School District (1945-1975) as a shop instuctor and vice-principal of the Grande Prairie Vocational School, and principal of Night School.
Notes
Other teaching materials from the collection are found in Library – education.
Table of Contents
| Series 286.01 | Personal Papers |
| Series 286.02 | Teacher Training |
| Series 286.03 | Early Teaching Career |
| Series 286.04 | Grande Prairie School District |
| Series 286.01 | Personal Papers. — 1944-1982. — 1 cm of textual records.The series consists of a birth certificate, certificates from completed courses at 7 summer school sessions at University of Alberta from 1935-1944, inspector reports from schools at Frisco and Loyalty, a 1963 and 1970 salary schedule, 1963-1975 correspondence, and 1963-1969 statements of salary or wages from the Grande Prairie School District, a Hunter Training Program Certificate, 6 Grande Prairie Vocational Scool graduation invitations, a copy of the Grande Prairie Montrose-High School reunion booklet, and a death certificate. |
| Series 286.02 | Teacher Training. — 1923 c.. — 1.5 cm of textual records.The series consists of Mr. Paton’s Chapman’s Geography Notebook from the Calgary Normal School, made up of maps drawn on art paper. |
| Series 286.03 | Early Teaching Career. — 1930 c.. — 3 cm of textual records.The series consists of materials used to teach elementary grades in the 1920s and 1930s. |
| Series 286.04 | Grande Prairie School District. — 1949-1975. — 11.5 cm of textual records.The series consists of records relating to a regional track meet of 1949, Vocational Education shop plans and equipment, G.P. Vocational School staff meetings, Night School records, school publications, and records from Grande Prairie School District’s Principals’ Meetings. There are also some Superintendent’s Bulletins. |
| SubSeries 286.04.01 | Shop Teacher. — 1945. — 2.5 cm of textual records.The sub-series consists of 3 journals used to itemize materials purchased for instuction in Shop courses as well as instructional notes on Building Construction. |
| SubSeries 286.04.02 | Shop Plans and Equipment. — 1950 c.. — 1 cm of textual records.The sub-series consists of blue prints for instructional purposes, lists of equipment and supplies, and notes on understanding radio operation. |
| SubSeries 286.04.03 | District Track Meet. — 1949.The sub-series consists of records relating to a regional track meet organized by Grande Prairie ATA local and convened by Mr. E.J. Meen. Description of events and schools participating are included. |
| SubSeries 286.04.04 | G.P. Vocational Staff Meetings. — 1964-1968. — 2 cm of textual records.The sub-series consists of a 1964 Staff Directory and staff meeting minutes of the Grande Prairie Vocational School from 1964-1968. |
| SubSeries 286.04.05 | G.P. Vocational School – Night School. — 1966-1968. — 1.5 cm of textual records.The sub-series consists of records when Mr. Paton was Principal of Night School Classes including correspondence, schedules including staff names, and class lists for various courses. |
| SubSeries 286.04.06 | G.P. Vocational School – Publications. — 1956-1969. — 1 cm of textual records.The sub-series consists of 2 copies of “Hi-Lites” from 1956 and 1957; a description of the Industrial Business Program; 4 copies of the 1965-1969 Program and Courses of the Grande Prairie Vocational High School; along with 2 postcard pictures of the school and a copy of the Educational Routes of the Grande Prairie Compositie High School programs. |
| SubSeries 286.04.07 | Principals’ Meetings. — 1964-1968. — 1.5 cm of textual records.The sub-series consists of minutes of the Grande Prairie School District’s Principal’s Meetings from 1964-1968. |
| SubSeries 286.04.08 | Administration News. — 1964-1968. — 1.5 cm of textual records.The sub-series consists of Superintendent’s Bulletins, and a summary of a High School Administrator’s Conference. |