History of SJR

1820

The Church Missionary Society and HBC sent Rev. John West (Anglican) to create a co-educational school at the Red River Settlement. In 1820 Rev. West founded the Mission School.

1820s - 1830s

In the 1820s William Cockran, Rev. D. Jones’ assistant, enlarged the farm to 29 acres from its original 3.5 acres. As the farm and its yield increased, so did the diversity and number of students on the mission grounds.

1832

The Red River Academy was founded on the brink of 1832 by Rev. David Jones near present-day north end of Winnipeg. Employees of the Hudson's Bay Company were deeply interested in the schooling of their children, so many retired to the settlement and sent their children to the parish day school on the Mission grounds. With the increase of students, Jones proposed a residential school for “the sons of Gentlemen belonging to the Fur Trade." Governor Simpson and the HBC officers approved and even wanted a similar establishment for the education of girls.

1849 - early 1850s

In 1849, Bishop David Anderson, the First Bishop of Rupert's Land, arrived to the settlement and renamed the Red River Academy to St. John's Collegiate School. He also founded the St. John's College.

1850

To encourage and increase enrollment, Bishop Anderson instituted scholarships that provided free tuition, £10 sterling as pocket money, and the opportunity to sit at the teacher's table during meals.

1859 - 1866

By 1859 due to religious tensions and the schools abandoning their appearances as exclusive private schools, Bishop Anderson lost support of the settlers. All these reasons eventually led to the closure of both the school and the college.

1866

Bishop Machray (1866-1904) was consecrated as the new Bishop of Rupert’s Land and saw the revival of St. John’s Collegiate School and College in 1866.

1877

In 1887, St. John's College, Manitoba College and St. Boniface College were the founding members of the University of Manitoba.

1884

By 1880 plans were made for the erection of a new building to be located on 4 acres of land on the west side of Main Street (Anderson Ave). In 1884 this building became the home of the College. The new handsome building with its two proud towers arose to become a distinguished landmark in Winnipeg’s north end. Dismally the College building was demolished in 1950.

1900s

At the turn of the century, Winnipeg saw itself growing at an unprecedented rate. As Winnipeg’s population grew, so did the school enrolment. Although controversial, 13 girls were admitted into the College but took their classes at SJCS. These girls were the only students in the school’s history, thus far, to matriculate.

1912

New Annex

1913

Above is picturized the Memorial Window from St. John’s Chapel which now resides in Hamber Dining Hall.

The window was created in honour of Eric Hamber, Master and Deputy Headmaster, and SJCS student Blanchard Jaques, who drowned in a river.

1913 - 1914

During these years Colonel R. M. Thomson constructed Thomson House which grew to later become Ravenscourt School. Col. Thomson heroically died in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 which led to the house remaining vacant until 1934.

1913-1914

Founding of the SJCS Cadet Corps. Affiliation: The Royal Winnipeg Rifles, 90^th Regiment. This was the 1^st regiment raised in the City of Winnipeg.

1914 - 1918

World War I

1916 - 1920

Charles Bonnycastle '20 remembers the night Andy Blair (also an alumnus of SJCS) scored 60 goals against a local team at the start of midget hockey. The young players were promised a pop for each goal they scored; Andy had “enough to open a corner store”. Andy Blair went on to become a very successful hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

1918

School Physician, Dr. E.S. Moorhead converted the SJCS Chapel into an infirmary during the Influenza Strike from November 1918 to March 1919. All boys recovered but 1 volunteer nurse, Ms. Campbell. She sadly fell ill and died not much later.

1921

At the close of the war, old students were returning, and younger ones, no longer required for military service were registering in large numbers. Junior House alleviated some of the space shortages but there was still a need for expansion. In February, 1921, Hamber Hall, named after Mr. Eric Hamber who was a Deputy Headmaster, was opened. It consisted of a spacious dining room, new classrooms, library, infirmary and senior study rooms.

1924 - 1946

Walter Burman

Walter Burman was one of the founders of the game of rugby football in Manitoba. Although he was a scholar in the classics, he took a keen interest in sports because he believed that the purpose of education is the development of sound minds and sound bodies.

1929

In 1929 Captain Norman Andrew Thomson Young founded Ravenscourt School. It was located in Armstrong’s Point in Tupper House.

1929

Ravenscourt School's initial location was the extravagant Tupper mansion. A billiard room became a library, the lawns were large enough for cricket and later a hockey rink, the large barn housed scenery and props for plays.

1934

Ravenscourt School gets re-located to Thomson House on the Fort Garry in 1934.

1934

After Ravenscourt School relocated to its present location (Thomson House), the woods were cleared and an orchard was planted on the new property. Each boy was allotted his own tree to plant and care for, and on frosty nights it wasn’t uncommon to see school sweaters wrapped around the trunks of several little fruit trees.

1937

With the school's evergrowing expansion the New Building was opened. A short time later, in 1941, it was renamed to the Richardson Gymnasium.

1939 - 1945

During wartime enrollment was lower both in the college and school due to many students joining the war effort.

WWII:

Fighting Services: 560

Honour Roll: 55

1939-1940

Founding of the Ravenscourt Cadet Corps. Affiliation: The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. Dissolved in 1950.

1948

The First Floods

1950

The Great Flood and Re-location of the Schools.

1950

Amalgamation of St. John’s College School and Ravenscourt School.
The new St. John’s-Ravenscourt School (SJR) was located in Thomson House.

1950-1965

Founding of the SJR Cadet Corps (one of the terms of Amalgamation was that the Cadet Corps become an integral part of the new School).

1952 - 1968

By 1968, the Headmaster Richard L. Gordon had received over one hundred applications to the School. It was an exciting prospect as it saw the growth of the School.

Mr. Gordon graduated from Ravenscourt School in 1937 and went on to serve as Headmaster from 1952 - 1968. His name also appears on SJR's esteemed list recognizing all graduates who are Rhodes Scholars.

1955

Shepard House, which is the SJR Headmaster’s Residence, was built through the generosity of Mrs. Clarence Day Shepard Sr. in memory of her late husband.

1956

The Hamber Hall and Burman Residence was opened by Hon. Eric Hamber in memory of his father, E.F.M. Hamber, who was a Master at SJCS from 1887 to 1913.

1956 - 1957

Thomson House dining room was converted into a library.

1961

In 1961 construction for the new Camsell science wing, rifle range and a new Lower School building began.

1965

Through the vision and generosity of James A. Richardson and Thayer Linsley, the Lower School building was opened in 1965.

1967

The official opening of the Dutton Memorial Arena (International Rink) occured in 1967. The benefactor for the new areana was Mervyn Red Dutton who named the arena in memory of Joseph and Thomas Dutton, both who died serving with the R.C.A.F. in WWII.

1971 - 1972

For the 1971-1972 school year, girls were admitted to SJR under Headmaster John Schaffter (1969-1977).

1979

During the flooding in 1979 many SJR students not only helped to dike the school but also many other locations all over Winnipeg.

1980

With the new decade the school added a new wing dedicated to the humanities.

1981

In 1981, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted her royal patronage to St. John's-Ravenscourt School.

1982

Ceremony Celebrating Queen's Patronage

1984

In 1984, Max Bell donated $1.75 million to SJR. The gift is equivalent to approximately $3.75 million in current currency as of 2017. His donation was the largest ever made to any Canadian school.

1988

Moffat Richardson Building (Upper School Classrooms, Offices, Moffat-Richardson Theatre, and Art Room). Also, a new gymnasium was built. Reimer Gymnasium officially opened in 1988.

1989

Tom Bredin Athletic Centre opened in 1989

1989

1989 was an exciting year for SJR students and faculty as a memorabilia time capsule was created with the opening date set for September 6, 2018. The capsule was installed in Hamber Dining Hall, where it remains to this day waiting to be opened.

1990

1990 saw the opening of the Albert D. Cohen building with its additions of a new science and library wing.

1990

The School Boy statue, located outside the Tom Bredin Athletic Centre, was unveiled by Dr. Leo Mol on October 3, 1990. The statue is a dedication to Max Bell, who is shown in his youth, wearing hockey equipment.

1991

Many renovations to the beloved Kiddell Building took place in 1991.

1997

SJR welcomes the addition of the New Memorial Wing with the construction of Middle School classrooms and labs, offices and Rousseau Hall beginning.

1998

In 1998, SJR vastly expanded its faculties. Many new rooms opened such as the SJR Music Center, Robinson-Wolinsky Hall, McGarry Guild Gallery, Max Bell Primary Centre, Rousseau Hall and the SJR Archives.

2005

Phase 2 of Max Bell Primary Centre begins in 2005. With the construction comes multiple new rooms such as the SJRPA Music room, 2 new Kindergarten classrooms and a French classroom.