© photo by ROBERT W. HARWOOD

about The Little Brick Schoolhouse
The schoolhouse was built in 1927, the Diamond Jubilee of Canadian Confederation, and one year after the incorporation of the Village of Val Marie.

The substantial brick and masonry construction reflected the small community’s commitment to education and its optimism for future growth.

There were two classrooms on the main floor. By 1939, over-crowding caused some classes to be moved to the nearby Catholic Convent (restored as the Convent Inn in 1996).

The school was closed in 1985, when a larger, more modern facility was built. By 1997 the schoolhouse was derelict.

PWSS volunteers saved the school from demolition by refurbishing it and having it declared a Municipal Heritage Site. PWSS took out a 10-year lease from the Chinook School Division and in 2007, ownership of the building passed on to the Village of Val Marie.

Today, the school is one of only a few of its era in Saskatchewan still in use. Its distinguishing architectural features include simple massing and form, hip roof with cedar shingles (the originals were replaced in 2007), double hung, multi-plane windows, and wood flooring and mouldings.

The considerable effort of the Sand Lake Hutterite community in restoring the roof is gratefully acknowledged.

Galleries
Open May 2012

The Cloakroom Gallery
Robert W Harwood, photographer, resides in Val Marie.
Two shows: May–June — Winter on the prairie;
July – August — Birds of southwest Saskatchewan.
See Robert’s flickr site for a sample of his work.

THE MUSEUM GALLERY
Nicole Dyck, painter. Nicole, daughter of Val Marie painter Lise Perrault, is currently living in Mankota, s/w Saskatchewan.

foyer
A Collection of Women’s Stories in word and quilt [at top of the stairs]  
Forty women’s stories, each represented by a square in the quilt. A 3-ring binder on the table below the quilt contains the written version of the story pictured in cloth. This is a standing exhibit.

Please visit our Facebook page to see images of exhibits and installations.