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PHOTOS: Century-old pictures offer glimpse of Abbotsford schools and students

Photos show students and the schools they studied at 100 years ago.
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As kids return to school this week, they’ll be following the footsteps of generations of Abbotsford boys and girls.

Photos at The Reach Gallery Archive give a glimpse at students and the schools they studied at 100 years ago.

To search through The Reach’s archive’s, go to thereach.ca.


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Photo (P1000) and information courtesy The Reach Archives. Musselwhite School class. Original photo is mounted on card backing with a small 1923 calendar.
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Photo (P1094) and information courtesy The Reach Archives; Photo donated by Mary Harvey. Abbotsford Public School classroom circa 1919. Righthand row: Doris Walters and Laura McKinnon, Florence Roberts, Revel Salt, Emma Weweruski, Mary Millard, Alice Rucker, Mina Bailey, Frank Gosling. Second row from right: Beatrice Rucker, Norman Hutchison, unknown, Randal McKinnon, Mary Tebbutt (donor), unknown, Hazel Vanetta, Bill Salt. Third row: unknown, Irene Rolls, Mary McPhee, Emma Moret, Francis Chapman, Jean Hutchison, unknown. Fourth row: Eddie Bedlow, Phyllis Whitchello, Willena McPhee, unknown. Teacher, Miss Smith, at back of the class.
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Photo (P1095) and information courtesy The Reach Archives; Photo donated by Mary Harvey. Abbotsford High School class, 1924-25. Back row, left to right: Howard Benedict, Bert Dunham, Joe McDonald, Lawrence Stewart, Ernest Porter, Eldred Cruthers. Second row: Ronnie Hayes, Hector Ross, Leonard Cruthers, Eddie Cask, Pat O’Neil, Alex McKrae, Eddie Bedlow. Third row: Vera Bailey, Alma Jones, Florence Roberts, Eva Ware, Pearl Sherwood, Margaret Fraser, Ella Marcy, Isabel Brokovski, Mary McPhee. Fourth row: Nellie Pernoski, Mary Millard, Marion Buchanan, Frances McPhail, Marion Campbell, Jessie Coogan, Donalda McPhee, Frances Reid, Naomi Matthews. Front: Mrs. G. Blackie, Mabel Austin, Hazel Vanetta, Willena “Billie” McPhee, Betty West, Gladys York, Enid Winson, Frances Chapman, Ivy Bourke, Mary Tebbutt, teacher Miss Dena Wienberg.
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Photo (P1108) and information courtesy The Reach Archives; Photo donated by Ethel Austin. Sumas School class photo from Whatcom Road in a “Souvenir of our School” booklet circa 2020. Shown: Leslie Bates; Giovanni Bassani; Constance Bolster; Annabel Buchanan; James Buchanan; Marian Buchanan; William Buchanan; Marion Campbell; Jack Graham; Dorothy Hartley; Kathleen Hartley; Bruce Hyde; Chales Lampson (Lamson); Ethel Lampson (Lamson); Rachel Lampson (Lamson); David Marcy; Ella Marcy; Eva Marcy; Agnes McAdam; Helen McAdam; Frances McPhail; Muriel McPhail; Phyillis McPhail; Florence Nelles; Ellis Parberry; Floyd Parberry; Irvin Parberry; Nora Parberry; Ernest Porter; Ethel Serl; Annie Styles; Gwynnyth Styles; Ross Styles; Ruth Styles; Gladys York
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Photo (P1217) and information courtesy The Reach Archives. Donor: Margaret Weir. Abbotsford School photo. Several students identified: Ruth Owen, Muriel McCallum, Jessie Coogan, Lloyd Vanetta, Frank Rucker, Freda Nelson, Charlie Roberts, Fred Taylor, Laurie Coogan, Clarke Trethewey, Albert Moret, Sylvia Murray, Evelyn McMenemy, Dolly Lee, Bill Hutchison.
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Photo (P1621) and information courtesy The Reach Archives. Source: Catherine Mouldey. School photo of class seated and standing outside, circa 1915. Mrs. Mouldey lived in Abbotsford for many years. Mouldstade Avenue is named for she and Mrs. Stady. It is not known if this photo was taken locally or brought to the Abbotsford with the Mouldey family when they settled in Abbotsford.
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Photo (P12322) and information courtesy The Reach Archives. Source Mildred Lundstrom. Ridgedale School class picture, taken the same day as P12321. Teacher Miss Jessie Duncan. Back row, left to right: ?, Del McTaggert, Gordon Hanson, Vera Farr, ? and ?. Second row, left to right: ?, John Sandberg, ?, Mable Fore, Phyllis Anderson, Myrtle Borg, Mildred Mills and Laura Moore. Third row, left to right: Ernie Emans, Olice Smith, Doris Norrish, Myrtle Beharrel, Freda Mundy, Mildred Sandberg and Linnea Sandberg. Front row, left to right: Harry Machell, Genot Machell, Fred Farr, George Borg, Doris Swanson, ? and Harold Smith.
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Photo (P12492) and information courtesy The Reach Archives. Source Mildred Lundstrom. Ridgedale School, Miss Cameron’s class, outside school, circa 1901.
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Photo (P12496) and information courtesy The Reach Archives. Ridgedale School class photo, taken outside under tree, approx. 1915. Date is estimated based on attire.
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Photo (P13003) and information courtesy The Reach Archives. Source: Lytton Museum & Archives. Abbotsford Elementary Grade 1 and 2 class on school steps circa 1927.