1950
Amalgamation of St. John’s College School and Ravenscourt School.
The new St. John’s-Ravenscourt School (SJR) was located in Thomson House.
The new St. John’s-Ravenscourt School (SJR) was located in Thomson House.
1950 is a turning point in current day SJR's history. Following the floods in Winnipeg, damaged property, and low funds two schools decided to take action together. St. John’s College School and Ravenscourt School officially amalgamated to SJR.
The era following WWII challenged St. John’s College School and Ravenscourt School to re-assess their individual situations, rendered tenuous by economic distress and competitions for the emergence of excellent public schools.
The era following WWII challenged St. John’s College School and Ravenscourt School to re-assess their individual situations, rendered tenuous by economic distress and competitions for the emergence of excellent public schools.
Ravenscourt School saw the possibilities of amalgamation with St. John’s College School. However the College Board voted and refused to support such a proposal. The decision was made to close St. John’s College School by the end of June 1950. The building, located on Main Street, was demolished in 1951.
This decision was contested by both the St. John’s College School Old Boys’ Association and the Ladies Guild. They recognized that the School could not continue with its record monthly deficits and lack of financial resources. Their determination to save SJCS resulted in the Council reconsidering its previous decision, and reopening negotiations with Ravenscourt. The College developed a list of requirements (i.e. there must be a chapel in the new school for their students), which were agreed to along with a consensus on the school name. Location of the School was to be at the Ft. Garry location (former Ravenscourt School).
Stanley N. Jones, who served as the Ravenscourt Chairman of the Board, continued on for the new school. Also, J. Ogden Turner was appointed as Headmaster and served until 1952.
The two schools were singular in spirit, aim and tradition. They even chose the official school colours to be green and gold.
SJR is proud to be accredited and affiliated with several local, national and international educational organizations.
St. John’s-Ravenscourt School was founded in 1820 principally to serve the children of the Selkirk settlers. By 1834 there were forty students, evenly split between boys and girls. SJR has inevitably grown and changed over the years since, though its success throughout has been unimpeachable. We have graduated 18 Rhodes scholars, for example, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted patronage and established a scholarship in her name in 1981. Today the programs are as strong as our reputation. A strong academic program is paired with an equally strong attention to the values of stewardship, ethical leadership, and excellence in all areas of academic, social and athletic life.