When memory fails long-time Prince George residents, they now have pages to turn for a lesson in the history of School District 57.
Historical Memories, People, Places, Programs and Services, School District No. 57 Volume One, is now available to the public, for a trip back in time that will provide facts and photos about schools in the district that included McBride, Valemount, Mackenzie and Prince George.
The book was documented by the Prince George Retired Teachers' Association education heritage committee.
John Stevens and Barb Hall, retired teachers, are part of the committee, about a dozen strong, that took on the task of gathering and collating information about schools that have existed in the district, beginning with South Fort George elementary in 1910.
"This volume of Historical Memories is only the beginning," said Hall. "There were actually 132 schools that existed in our school district. We've only just begun with 30-something schools in this edition."
Stevens said the committee chose to put the information in a loose-leaf binder because they are anticipating additions to the chapters in the book.
The sections in the book include Rural School Paintings, Gone But Not Forgotten, Elementary Schools, Secondary Schools, Programs & Services.
"All the research has been done by retired teachers," Hall added. The education heritage committee keeps the school district's collection at Gladstone elementary.
"All of us that committed time to it have a strong belief that if we don't preserve it now, it's going to be gone very quickly," Stevens explained.
"Schools are being closed and artifacts and archival material is just going to go to the wind."
About 15 years ago there was a push to start a heritage committee to get the collection together, Stevens said. Through that came the idea of compiling a book which tells the stories of early schools, current schools and also some of the programs that are and have been in place in the school district.
"This is only the beginning, with another three volumes to come," said Hall.
The committee has been working on this for three or four years but it won't take that long to prepare the next volumes, as most of the initial work has been completed.
The committee is inviting the public to contribute to the collection.
For more information about the book, or donating to the collection, call Marj Neihaus at 250-563-5862 or e-mail Barb Hall at bhall05@telus.net.
The book is available for viewing at the Prince George public library and the school district resource centre, as well as Exploration Place and other regional museums.
