Cando School

A pioneer school and teacherage near Big Stone, Alberta.     

I had found the school by chance a few years previously but failed to make note of the location so I more or less forgot about it.  Then, about three weeks ago while on a road trip in the Hanna area, I chanced upon it again.  First thing I did was mark the location on my GPS device then take some photos.

There was no sign at the school but now that I had a location I could research the area to see if I could identify it.       

According to William Peter Baergen's "Pioneering with a Piece of Chalk" this is Cando School.  

The teacherage was the former Niles School which was moved here after it closed.  

Of interest, Cando School was named after Cando, North Dakota.  Niles School was named after a homesteader who was killed by a lightning strike while unloading his earthly possessions in front of his newly built shack.

Photographed on November 7, 2021.

Porky

On a recent drive through Grasslands Park in southwest Saskatchewan...

...I met up with this porcupine.

We were more than happy to make acquaintance with each other.  

Porcupines really are quite friendly.

Photographed on November 19, 2021.

Brush Hill

Down this road is Brush Hill Reformed Church...

...but let's first take a look at the cemetery.  Gated, fenced and nicely kept.  Someone has planted columnar aspens along the open eastern side.  A memorial cairn and miniature representation of the church are neighbours within the cemetery.  

Obviously someone cares about the dearly departed here.

Now, a view of that church just down the road.  Trees and brush have now almost surrounded the structure.

The cairns at both the church and cemetery are "dedicated to the pioneers" and were constructed in 1995.

Pointed-arch louvres high up on the bell tower.  Ring!

Certainly a landmark.  

In winter:  Church at Brush Hill

Photographed near Vegreville, Alberta on September 21, 2021.

Just Passing By

Even though seemingly abandoned, the structure still looks remarkably solid.

This is in farming country near Wiseton, Saskatchewan.

Photographed on October 7, 2021.

Fonehill Cemetery

A small country cemetery near Fonehill, Saskatchewan.

A handful of graves are marked but the majority are "Unknown."  

The mature trees create a park-like setting.

Fall colours.

Fonehill is also known as Phone Hill.

Photographed on October 10, 2021.

Kutawa S.D. No. 477

A summer visit to Kutawa School.

The Heritage Schoolyard sign reads:

"A program dedicated to the preservation of country schoolyards for their wildlife and historic values"

Leaving the grounds of old schools, churches and cemeteries for wildlife habitat is admirable.  

There is a small lean-to addition at the back of the building.  

Chalkboards cover most of the south and west walls...

...with a bank of windows facing east.

My favourite shot...kid's drawings on the bulletin board.  Each picture has the name of the budding artist too.

Kutawa School was open from 1921 to 1963.

Six months earlier it looked like this:  "K"

Photographed near Punnichy, Saskatchewan on July 26, 2021.

Alberta Wheat Pool

The grain elevator in Big Valley, Alberta.

Looks like new.

Comes with a snow plow too.

Photographed on September 17, 2021.

Teo Lake S.D. 1358

An elegant sign at the former site of Teo Lake School.  Curlicues and prairie seem to be a perfect match. 

Photographed near Driver, Saskatchewan on November 6, 2021.

Антоній Фарашук

На згадку про Антоній Фарашук.

In memory of Antoniy Farashuk.

Lots of snow but it wasn't really all that cold...or at least it didn't seem to be.  I always enjoy drifting through a country cemetery.

Vichnaya Pamyat!

Memory eternal!

Photograhed at the Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery of Saints Peter and Paul near Thorsby, Alberta on February 17, 2021.

Alsask S.D. No. 2761

This imposing two storey brick school was in operation from 1914-1976...a long run for a country school.

Photographed in Alsask, Saskatchewan on November 5, 2021.