St. Alphonsus School celebrates centennial

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This article was published 15/01/2021 (1806 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While celebrating their centennial during a pandemic wasn’t the way they drew it up, the students, staff and alumni of St. Alphonsus School will still be celebrating the occasion throughout 2021, principal Christine McInnis said.

The nursery through Grade 8 school at 343 Munroe Ave. officially marked the occasion Jan. 10. Further celebrations will occur at a virtual gala event and hopefully a fireworks show later in the year. Should restrictions lift and the authorities deem it safe, additional activities could occur.

St. Alphonsus began as a Catholic school for the children of parishioners, McInnis explained. Over the years the student body has expanded to include students from other Christian denominations as well as children from Sikh, Hindu and Muslim faiths, their families attracted by a strong and supportive environment.

“It’s like a small town. Everyone knows everyone else in the community,” McInnis said. “Everyone is known and loved in this community. The idea is we are all working together for the good of the children.”

St. Alphonsus began in a small building at the corner of Munroe Avenue and Brazier Street before moving to its current location in the 1950s, McInnis said. Changes have come, with the biggest being a gymnasium which was built in 1990 and paid for by parents who secured a loan and had it constructed.

McInnis has worked at St. Alphonsus for close to 20 years, beginning as a teacher before becoming principal a few years back. One of her favourite aspects of life at St. Alphonsus is seeing the children and grandchildren of alumni also enrol at the school. While many of the students are from Elmwood, others travel from across northeast Winnipeg and beyond to study every day.

In preparing for the centennial celebrations, McInnis discovered many pieces of nostalgia in the school’s archives, including a quilt made to celebrate Manitoba’s 125th birthday in 1995. It includes the handprints of every student at the time. A quarter-century later some of those students’ children also attend St. Alphonsus.

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Regardless of what St. Alphonsus School’s centennial year holds, there will be plenty of opportunities to share memories, McInnis said. Former staff and alumni are invited to share their stories, photographs and memorabilia by emailing 100th@stals.ca. They can also visit stalphonsusschool.ca to view a virtual yearbook.

Tony Zerucha is a community correspondent for East Kildonan. Email him at tzerucha@gmail.com

Tony Zerucha
East Kildonan community correspondent

Tony Zerucha is a community correspondent for East Kildonan. Email him at tzerucha@gmail.com

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