Del Bonita’s school history brings together several district schoolhouses and the centralized school that came to serve their pupils.
1913–1914: the first Twin River school
The district later known as Twin River began as Hacke School District No. 3049 on October 10, 1913. Its first small schoolhouse was built in 1914. Heritage of the High Country, p. 156
1915: Del Bonita’s school district is established
Del Bonita School District No. 3275 was established on June 25, 1915. Lumber for its school building was hauled from Milk River. Heritage of the High Country, p. 146
1918: a schoolhouse for Shanks Lake
Shank’s Lake School District No. 3329 advertised for a schoolhouse on Section 2, Township 2, Range 21, west of the Fourth Meridian. Secretary-treasurer W. L. Baxter received tenders through the Del Bonita post office. Lethbridge Daily Herald, March 23, 1918, p. 2 · Shanks Lake School
April 1924: roads and a bridge
The Del Bonita U.F.A. met at the schoolhouse on April 5, 1924. Members heard a letter about arranging a community meeting on roads and a proposed bridge, and raised concerns about wheat-pool payments. The evening ended with singing and refreshments. Lethbridge Daily Herald, April 11, 1924, p. 5
1929: Lens Schoolhouse
1931: the children at Shanks Lake
The children include members of the Hillmer and Gibb families. Galt records Ernie Hillmer of Magrath as the owner of the original photograph. The children and the school
1937: Del Bonita School
1938: centralization begins at Lens
In the fall of 1938, high school classes were gathered at Lens School. Gene Plunet drove pupils from Rinard and Del Bonita to Lens, while elementary pupils from Lens travelled to Rinard. After Lens School burned that fall, an oilfield cook shack provided a temporary classroom for the rest of the school year. Heritage of the High Country, p. 160
A new schoolhouse was also built at Twin River in the fall of 1938. Its original building became a teacherage. Heritage of the High Country, p. 156
1939: schoolhouses move to the centralized site
By July 14, 1939, the Shanks Lake schoolhouse had been moved to land north of the Del Bonita post office. St. Mary’s school division bought the land for a consolidated school. Lethbridge Herald, July 14, 1939, p. 14
The original Del Bonita schoolhouse also moved to the centralized site in the summer of 1939. A new classroom, the Del Bonita and Shanks Lake schoolhouses, and the barn from Lens formed the new school site. Heritage of the High Country, pp. 146–147 and 160
The centralized school brought together the Hillmer, Shanks Lake, Del Bonita, Lens and Rinard districts. It was called Del Bonita in Lens No. 3328, later shortened to Lens School No. 3328—so the name Lens continued at the centralized school in Del Bonita. Heritage of the High Country, p. 160
A school move photographed in 1939
Galt Museum & Archives catalogues this photograph as Moving The del Bonita School. Its description identifies men moving, or preparing to move, the school to a centralized site. The original photograph was lent to the Del Bonita Historical Society by Margaret and Leslie Dalton. The catalogue does not name this building as the Shanks Lake schoolhouse. Galt photograph record
1940: Del Bonita Centralized School
By the fall of 1940, another classroom and a basement had been added. High school classes occupied the basement, and the former Shanks Lake schoolhouse served as a teacherage. Heritage of the High Country, p. 160
Around 1940: the first Del Bonita school buses
1940–1941: pupils at Twin River
1941: Twin River joins the centralized school
On September 1, 1941, Twin River joined the centralized system and its pupils began travelling there by school van. This is its connection to Del Bonita: Twin River had been a separate district school. The centralized school’s staff increased to four, and the original Del Bonita schoolhouse accommodated grades one to three. Heritage of the High Country, pp. 156 and 160
The old Twin River building, by then a teacherage, was sold to John Tangen for use as a granary in 1941. Heritage of the High Country, p. 156
1947: the original schoolhouse’s classroom use ends
The original Del Bonita building remained in use as a classroom at the centralized school until 1947. Heritage of the High Country, p. 147
1950: the original schoolhouse moves again
Albert Hillmer purchased the original Del Bonita schoolhouse and moved it to his farm in 1950. Heritage of the High Country, p. 147
1950: farewell to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Woods
During the winter before August 1950, Jim Woods gave more than thirty days of unpaid work to finish the hall and school alongside Leon Weiss and other volunteers. Mrs. Woods taught the primary grades.
A large crowd gathered in the community-hall section of the schoolhouse to thank and farewell Mr. and Mrs. Woods, despite stormy weather. They were moving to a new home on the coast. Lethbridge Herald, August 26, 1950, p. 5, “Tendered Farewell”
December 1950: the school concert
The first school concert in the community-hall section of the school drew a large audience. Principal Hubert West directed the concert, and pupils in the first two grades performed square dances. Lethbridge Herald, December 27, 1950, p. 5
1952: pupils and staff
1960: a new school
A new Del Bonita school was built in 1960 with six classrooms, a science and chemistry laboratory, and a gymnasium that the community helped provide. Heritage of the High Country, p. 161
1979: the old Twin River schoolhouse
1980: Del Bonita School
About 1980: Del Bonita school buses and drivers
1980: Del Bonita from the air
School closure, 1995–2000
In 1995, Del Bonita pupils in grades 10–12 attended school in Magrath. Del Bonita School closed between 1995 and 2000; by July 2000, pupils from every grade attended Magrath. Darryl Christensen, A Case Study of the Magrath School Council 1995–2000, July 2000, p. 3