1

Setting the Schoolhouse on Fire:

Archie Goodwin, Deputy Fire Chief of the Fort McMurray Volunteer Firefighter Department, experienced an event of which many students can only dream. When Archie, who had attended Peter Pond School [then known as McMurray Public School] from 1933-36, was offered the opportunity to demolish the old school buildings for a volunteer firefighter training exercise, he wholeheartedly accepted! In 1961, Archie was given the honour of lighting the match and setting the old schoolhouse on fire! He truly cherished this satisfying moment of revenge!
- On Archie Goodwin

2

P2008.207.15: The second schoolhouse in McMurray, circa 1927
circa 1927
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Fort McMurray Historical Society

3

The Simple Life in McMurray:

"Unlike the children of today, we had neither radio nor television, but we had our stories just the same. After our evening meal, we sat around the table listening to Momma tell us about her childhood or funny incidents or scary tales that her parents had told her..."
- Alvena Strasbourg

"When I was growing up, life in Fort McMurray was very simple. The village was connected by the railway to Edmonton, but very few residents except for the well-heeled ever made the trip "outside." In the winter, one of our favourite diversions was to sit around the stove in the dark and listen to Ronnie Morrison's stories… My memories also include listening to Scotty Morrison's radio in the evenings, which seemed like magic to us..."
- Tom Morimoto

4

P2009.59.4: Children running up Franklin Avenue, circa 1923
circa 1923
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
McDonald Family Collection
Fort McMurray Historical Society

5

P2011.40.11: Boys playing baseball in front of the old school porch, circa 1927
circa 1927
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Stroud Family Collection
Fort McMurray Historical Society

6

P992.48.14: Children swimming in the Hangingstone River, 1931
1931
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Norma Grey
Fort McMurray Historical Society

7

P2011.88.7 David Hill's Birthday Party, circa 1936
circa 1936
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
David Kushner
Fort McMurray Historical Society

8

P2011.40.26: Hugh Stroud, Ron Morrison and Ann Morrison at the Christmas Concert, 1929
1929
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Stroud Family Collection
Fort McMurray Historical Society

9

Education in McMurray was only available up to Grade 9 for many years:

In 1927, Rex Terpening and his sister, Mildred, rented a small cabin in McMurray so they could attend school. While he was growing up, Rex was often at the Snye or apprenticing with aircraft repairs and maintenance until 1931, when he completed Grade 9 at McMurray. In order to pursue further education, he would have had to attend high school in Edmonton, which was not affordable for his family at the time. Instead he went to work on his father's trapline during the winter and cut logs and cordwood for steam wheelers. Upon his return in January 1932, he received a job offer to work as an aircraft mechanic for Spence-McDonough Air Transport of McMurray.
- On Rex Terpening

"In 1931, I passed to grade ten and had to study at home since the school only taught to grade nine. The teacher, John Hammond, tutored me at night. Then in 1932 I attended Eastwood High School in East Edmonton, where I took grades eleven and twelve..."
- Tom Morimoto

10

P993.34.84: Students gathered in front of the second McMurray Public School, circa 1927
circa 1927
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Fort McMurray Historical Society

11

P2011.51.36: Rex Terpening cross-country skiing with a local teacher, Helen McRae, October 1933
October 1933
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Rex Terpening
Fort McMurray Historical Society

12

P2010.39.7: McKinlay, Lauboucane and Hawkins children with a snowman, circa 1930
circa 1930
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Winnie Hutchinson
Fort McMurray Historical Society

13

F2006.01.47: Real Martin and Roy Hawkins - Mr. & Mrs. McTavish, the strap, and burning the school
Nov. 29, circa 1985
Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Interviewer - Irwin Huberman
Interviewee 1 - Real Martin
Interviewee 2 - Roy Hawkins
Mr. and Mrs. Bussieres, and the Fort McMurray Historical Society

14

P992.28.1: Real Martin after his first Communion at the Snye - attended the first school in McMurray
circa 1921
McMurray, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Real Martin Collection
Fort McMurray Historical Society