Description of Historic Place

The Morris School is a Municipal Heritage Property located within the Rural Municipality of Viscount No. 341, approximately 11 kilometres east of the Town of Young. The property features a one-storey, wood-frame school constructed in 1918, situated on an old schoolyard surrounded by a hedgerow.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Morris School lies in its status as one representative example of one-room schools in rural Saskatchewan. During the first half of the twentieth century over four thousand small one-room schools were constructed throughout Saskatchewan, including the Morris School in 1918. The school was the primary educational institution in the area and served the community for almost forty years. During the 1950s, declining enrollment led to the amalgamation of many school district. As a result many one-room schools were closed, including Morris, which closed in 1957.

The heritage value of the property also lies in its architecture, which was typical of one-room schools of its era. Characteristically, the school features a hip roof and an east elevation window wall. Its rectangular form allowed the interior space to be configured into a large open schoolroom. Exterior elements that contribute to the historic integrity of the school’s architecture include its wood-frame construction and wood siding.

The heritage value of the property also lies in the its status as a place of social gathering. Prior to 1957, the property hosted a myriad of local activities, including meetings, sports days and fundraisers, which gave the Morris School a prominent role in the social fabric of the community. When the school closed, local residents purchased the property and continued its use for social functions by establishing a community club in the building.

Source:

Rural Municipality of Viscount No. 341 Bylaw No 3-86.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the Morris School resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements that reflect the property’s status as a one-room school, including its front signage, wood-frame construction, wood siding, symmetrical front facade, east window wall, rectangular form and open layout of the interior;
-those elements that speak to the property's status as a place of community gathering, including its location on its original site, and the surrounding open-space and hedgerow.