Harvard School - 1908, teacher, Donald Patterson. Some of the pupils were: John, Ida, and Ruby Long; Edward, John and Myrtle Lobban; Addie Harper; Nora McClure; Mabel Smith; Grace Wright; Sidney Baker; Clarence and Mabel Thompson; George, Fred and Glenn Clever; Ralph Mason; Willie Stanton; Charlie Wright; and Johnny Harper.
The Harvard school, built in 1907, was situated three-quarters of a mile south of the Cleverville Cairn. Established on August 29, 1906, it was located on the SE quarter of 8-15-23-W4. Directions from Champion – East 2 miles on Highway 529. Latitude 50.25164, Longitude -113.12051
This was the first school in the Cleverville district, and served the surrounding district as well as the area west of what is now Champion. Martin Clever donated the use of the land for the school as long as it was in use as a school at that location. Don and William Ulrich and Frank Smith hauled the lumber for the school from Stavely and Nanton. Several of the farmers in the district, including John and William Beaubier, helped build it. John Moe did most of the plastering and built the brick flue.
Donald Patterson (a brother of the late Peter M. Patterson), was the first teacher. He remembers the following pupils, John Long, Ida Long, Ruby Long, Edward Lobban, John Lobban, Myrtle Lobban, Addie Harper, Nora McClure, Mabel Smith, Grace Wright, Sidney Baker, Clarence Thompson, Mabel Thompson, George Clever, Fred Clever, Glenn Clever, Ralph Mason, Willie Stanton, Charles Wright. As well as a teacher, Donald was a homesteader. His homestead was three miles from the school.
Donald and his brother, Dave, played on the Cleverville ball team. One of Donald’s pupils told how well he got along with D.W. He said he never rang the bell when they were playing baseball until they finished the inning. At social evenings, he used to recite “O’ Grady’s Goat”, “Wee Devil” and “So was I”. He clerked part-time in the Cleverville store operated by George Marks.
Gladys (Kellogg) Koch couldn’t go to school for three years after arriving in Alberta. When Harvard opened, she rode the 6-mile distance on “Old Mike”.
Alice Moffatt joined her brothers, Roy and Milton, in the fall of 1912. She started to teach at the Harvard School, following Donald Patterson, the first teacher.
Later Mrs. Martin Clever was the teacher. Additional pupils were Bill Orr, Arthur Bjordall, Edwin Bjordall, Selma Balstead, Johnny Harper, Gordon Stoddard (Miller), Albert Bjordall. Other pupils in 1914 were Roy Ulrich, May Ulrich, Irene Dillingham, Ethel Long, Myrtle Ulrich, James Lobban.
Facts came to Mabel (Smith) Jones memory. She talked of the seating arrangements. The seats faced east, the teacher’s desk sat on a podium, and the blackboard was on the east wall. One of her teachers in 1909 was Miss Wise, Fred Wise’s sister. She remembers Fred and George Clever and Ada Harper as classmates.
Like many early students, she remembers other things, too. The Communal dipper was part of those days. An outstanding memory was the Christmas Concert with a drill. Their wooden hoops, taken from barrels, were decorated with crepe paper and the music was “The Battle Hymn of The Republic.” The music was from an organ. Mary Bond came and helped with the program.
Like all country schools everyone played together. Their favorite time for “Hide and Go Seek” was fall, when the stooks made great hiding places.
Mabel remembers the potbellied stove which warmed the school. In her memories this stove was huge, very effective to toast your front, but not so warm for the back.
Ida (Watland) Rodne began in the primary grade with William McDougall her first teacher. She remembers other children attending school at that time: May, Irene and Myrtle Ulrich, Alta Zinn, Esther and Albert Bjordahl, Nettie Loban, Ruby and Ida Watland. There were others, whose names she cannot recall. The family left Champion in March, 1914.
In 1913, a three-room school opened up in what had become Champion. Harvard School closed in 1914, having only been open for four years..
The building was moved into Champion during the flu epidemic 1918-1919 and was used as a hospital. Later it was converted into a residence to be occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Miller.
Harvard School in about 1912. Located three-quarters of a mile south of the present Cleverville Cairn. 1907-1918. The last class in Harvard before the new school was built in town. Back row L.-R.: Mabel Smith, Vera Baird, Nora McClure, Charlie Wright, Teacher Don Patterson, Albert Bjordale, John Long, Second Row: Myrtle Ulrich, May Ulrich, Doris Teal, Roy Ulrich, Beside Roy standing sideways? Mason, Small boy in front on Mason, ? Clever, ? Harper, ? Adams. Front Row: Unknown.
More information about Harvard School may be found in “Cleverville Champion 1905 to 1970” and “Champion and District School Reunion 1906-1961” at the Vulcan and District Archives and from school directories (maps and driving directions) which are available at the Village of Champion Office, the Champion Pioneer Club and the Vulcan & District Museum.
