Key Number:	HS 15585
Site Name:	East Coulee School
Other Names:	East Coulee School Museum
Site Type:	0305 - Educational: Composite School

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			27	18	4

Address:
Number:
Street:
Avenue:
Other:
Town:	East Coulee
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:	Rectangular
Storeys:	Storeys: 1
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Concrete
Superstructure:	Nailed Frame
Superstructure Cover:
Roof Structure:	Low Gable
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Wall Design and Detail: Pier or Pilaster
Exterior:	Eaves closed cornice. The East Coulee School is a rectangular flat roofed structure constructed of wood and covered with white stucco. It is a utilitarian building which is only embellished with three pediments on the sides of the 1930 portion of the building and pilasters on the north and west facades. The school reflects the provincial government design initiative during the 1920's and 1930's to encourage relatively inexpensive styles of one or two storey schools with hipped or flat roofs. In line with this general trend, East Coulee School is a flat roofed structure divided into four bays by stucco pilasters (wall projections designed to simulate columns). The roof line of the building is very simple and straight, relieved only by the pediment over the entrance and the slight rise at the facade ends.
Interior:	The interior is being extensively renovated to permit its use as a community centre. (Feb. 84)
Environment:	Located in a residential area in the east end of the town, the site offers the only playground area for children in the town. There are no other historic buildings located immediately adjacent to the school, but the residential buildings in the area date from the 1930's and 1940's.
Condition:	Structure: Fair. Repair: Fair. 1 JUN 1979. The building exhibits 70-90% original fabric. The most evident change has been the installation of a metal roof but because of the extremely low pitch the roof is barely visible. Elevation design is unchanged.
Alterations:	1944 - unknown additions.

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Constructed Addition constructed	1930/01/01 1936/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
School Community Centre East Coulee School Museum	1930/01/01 1984/02/01 1987/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
East Coulee Community Association	1982/01/18

Architect:	A.M. Jeffers (attributed)
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	East Coulee School originally is in Drumheller Front 1/2 is the oldest built in 1930 the rear half was built in 1936. Across the street was the Patric Estate, the owner of the Atlas, which is now a baseball diamond. * * * Historical Significance: East Coulee School was built as an immediate consequence of the creation of the East Coulee community. East Coulee was established in 1928 following the extension of a Canadian Pacific Railway branch line and Atlas Coal Company. The townsite itself was on property owned by the Murray Collieries Ltd. East Coulee was thus an extension of the Drumheller Coal field, the development of which had started in 1910. By 1930 approximately 100 cars of coal were being produced each day at the five mines, giving employment for the winter months to about 500 men. The two biggest producers, the Atlas and the Murray mines were shipping between 30 and 40 cars a day while the Aetna, Maple Leaf and Empire mines were producing from 6 to 12 cars daily. The town thrived during the period from 1928 to 1955 on the strength of the demand for coal. In addition to the coal mines, East Coulee's economy also benefited from its role as a railway terminal. Freight trains bearing coal from the eastern section of the Drumheller Valley were assembled at this location. The facilities located at the depot included a turn-table, coal dock, water tank and pump house. The Canadian Pacific Railway maintained three engine crews and a number of section hands in addition to a staff of ten at the depot. Between 1928 and 1930 the hamlet of East Coulee evolved from a mining camp into an urban community with the addition of two restaurants, a drug store, seven grocery stores, two garages, two meat markets, a poolroom, a barber shop, a $20,000 hotel and a moving picture theatre which was also used as a dance hall. There were also, by 1930, two elevators, two lumber yards, two rooming houses in addition to a Post Office, Telephone Exchange and bank. Institutional development at this time included the creation of a Board of Trade with an initial membership of ten and the East Coulee Village School District No. 4396. East Coulee School District No. 4396 was established on March 4, 1929. Its boundaries at the time of creation consisted of the west half of section 33 and those portions of Sections 28, 29, 31 and 32 lying north and east of the Red Deer River, in Township 27, Range 18 as well as the south half of Section 5 and that portion of the south half of Section 6 lying east of the Red Deer River in Township 28, Range 18, West of the fourth Meridian. This legal description covered the north half of the valley as well as a small portion of land at the top of the hill. In addition to East Coulee the district also encompassed the neighbouring coal mining town of Lehigh. In 1930 and 1939 the size of the district was increased through the addition of land to the south of the Red Deer River. These extensions encompassed the rural area two miles south of East Coulee as well as the mining town of Western Monarch. In 1949 a four room addition was constructed which permitted the school to teach grades one to twelve. The school also had a laboratory for chemistry classes. In 1946 the school district was incorporated into the newly established Red Deer Valley School Division No. 55. This division included the coal mining towns of Midlandvale, Nacmine, Wayne and Rosedale. These school districts were created starting in 1936 by the new Social Credit government of William Aberhart who was concerned with the quality of rural education. These divisions were designed amongst other things to reduce the cost of education and increase efficiency by centralizing the administration. The continued strength of the coal mining industry however ensured that the East Coulee School District would have a sufficient number of students to utilize the eight room school. The boundaries of the district were also extended through the addition of land from the neighbouring school districts of Garden Coulee School District No.4045, Nickle Springs School District No. 4228 and the Millerfield School District No. 3383. The decline of the mining industry beginning in the mid 1950s would, however, lead to the re-organization of the school systems in this portion of the Red Deer River. East Coulee's demise as an educational centre began on March 3, 1958 when all the land south of the Red Deer River was withdrawn from the district. In 1965 the Drumheller School District No. 2472 amalgamated with the Red Deer Valley School District to form the Drumheller Valley School District No. 62. This led to the complete centralization of all the schools in the valley and in 1969 all the hamlet schools were closed and the children bussed into the Drumheller system. East Coulee School is therefore closely linked to the existence of East Coulee as a coal mining town. It was one of the social institutions created as the development of the Drumheller coal field moved west along the Red Deer Valley. Its demise was a direct result of the end of the coal mining industry in this area. Architectural Significance: The East Coulee School is a rectangular flat roofed structure constructed of wood and covered with white stucco. The original portion of the building consisting of four class rooms was constructed in 1930 at a cost of $13,000 while an additional four rooms were added in 1936. No provision was made for an auditorium or for special class rooms which would provide instruction in manual training or home economics which had been well established in other urban school systems since the turn of the century. The entire building is a very utilitarian structure which is only embellished with three pediments on the sides of the 1930 portion of the building and pilasters on the north and west facades. While no specific information is available as to the origin of the design of this building, similarities to other schools such as Canmore and Grande Prairie built in Alberta during the 1920s can be noted. The Canmore Public School was designed by Edmonton architect A.M. Jeffers who established a private practice after serving as Provincial Architect from 1907 to 1912. From 1915 to 1921 he designed fifteen schools. The Canmore School which was his last was a one storey red brick structure. The front facade was divided into four bays by brick pilasters. The roofline of the building is very simple and straight relieved only by the caps of four pilasters, the pediment and a slight rise at the facade ends. The Canmore Public School was essentially a rectangular brick box distinguished by good proportions and minimal detailing. The East Coulee School replicates virtually all of these features but does so in wood and stucco. * * * Draft Press Release Edmonton, Alberta The Honourable Mary J. LeMessurier, Minister of Culture announced today that the East Coulee School has been designated a Registered Historic Resource. East Coulee School was constructed in 1930 and four classrooms were added in 1936. It was designed to meet the educational needs of the new town of East Coulee which accompanied the extension of the CPR branch line from Rosedale and the opening of coal mines by Murray Collieries Ltd. and Atlas Coal Company. East Coulee was thus an extension of the Drumheller coal field which dated back to 1910. By 1930 the first mines located in the east Coulee area were producing on the average 100 cars of coal per day. The town continued to thrive until 1955 on the strength of the demand for coal. The strength of the coal mining industry this period ensured full student enrollment at the eight room school. The school provided instruction in grades 1 to 12 and featured a chemistry laboratory. Architecturally, East Coulee School reflects the provincial government design initiative during the 1920's and 1930's to encourage relatively inexpensive styles of one or two storey schools with hipped or flat roofs. In line with this general trend, East Coulee School is a flat roofed structure divided into four bays by stucco pilasters (wall projections designed to simulate columns). The roof line of the building is very simple and straight, relieved only by the pediment over the entrance and the slight rise at the facade ends. With the decline of the coal mining industry in Drumheller the educational system in the area was centralized. The Drumheller Valley School District No. 62, established in 1965, closed all the hamlet schools in 1969 and bussed the children into the Drumheller system. East Coulee School is, therefore, closely linked to the existence of East Coulee as a coal mining town. It was one of the social institutions created as the development of the Drumheller coal field moved west along the Red Deer Valley.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:

Register:

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-0616