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Inside Howard School
1919
3 Miles West of Mather Manitoba

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The nearest school was the Howard school, then a mile and a half west of Mather. The teacher was Miss Isabel McDonald of Morden until 1902, when she married Wm. McCullough of the Bank of Toronto in Cartwright and moved there. Pupils attending then came from the homes of Tom Howard, George and Dowd Fulford, Chris Irwin, Matt and Jerry Jordan, J. Daly and others. Rock Lake school opened as a summer school in 1901. Mount Prospect (east), Graham (south), and Mylor (west) were other schools.

Crops on the whole were good and business satisfactory though prices compared to those of today were a mere pittance. An amusing story is told of a farmer from across the line who, when asked how much grain he had harvested, replied "Wal, I thrashed a pile and sold a heap and I have a right smart bit left yet." What he had left is still a dark secret.

The little red-brick church, which now stands with tightly boarded windows, was built by the Methodist Congregation in 1901, the first church building in Mather. George Ullyott of Manitou was the contractor. Prior to its opening services had been held regularly in the Howard School by Rev. Mr. Dyer. Rev. Chas. Cross was minister when this new church was opened. Rev. G. F. McCullough was guest speaker for the occasion.

Space will not permit a recital of many interesting happenings which occurred during a four year period, nor of the many enduring friendships made, but an old timer aptly expressed it when he said "Them were the Good Old Days". Looking backward we can see that they formed an integral part of our lives and our sole regret lies in the fact that never again can we relive them.