Lac Le Jeune's First School

A request was made to the then School District 24, by Mrs. J. Whitaker, in October 1954, for a school at Lac Le Jeune as it was expected that by the next September there would be sufficient pupils. The area now had 6 children, the School District required 8.

The log school sat on the Lodge's property (north-east) corner near the creek. The school building was rented to the SD 24 by the Whitakers.

Fire destroyed the school facility in November 1959 and the 10 pupils took classes in the lodge's dining room.

SD 24 had to move quickly, as the ski season was coming. Back in those days, it appears SD 24 had to seek approval of expenditures, from the City of Kamloops, the Village of North Kamloops and area ratepayers. What SD 24 needed was $4500 for a trailer. Kamloops City Council were in agreement.

In February 1960, finishing touches were being made at SD 24's maintenance shop of a fully equipped trailer-classroom to move to Lac Le Jeune. This would be the second trailer-classroom of SD 24, as one was supplied to the Deadmans Creek area in the Fall 1959.

What would school be without a Christmas concert and Santa and the hospitality of John and Muriel Whitaker the owners of Lac Le Jeune Lodge (Home of fighting Rainbow Trout and downhill skiing)?

In this photo, of the late Reginald Burton, is shown Miss Beulah Philip, a high school student and lodge employee holding a young one to meet SANTA (Alex Seibel), a townsite propertry owner and Kamloops businessman.

Submitted by Neil Burton

(Source: Kamloops Daily Sentinel - read at facilities of Kamloops Museum & Archives and the Thompson Rivers University)