Alaska (P.E.I.) Schoolhouse

Did you know there was a community on Prince Edward Island called Alaska?  It's located in western PEI not far from the Brae, close to Coleman, near O'Leary.  Behind the PEI Potato Museum in O'Leary is a park with four historic buildings which belong to the museum complex.  The Alaska Schoolhouse was moved here a few years ago and is open to the public as a museum.  Here's photos from my visit last Sunday afternoon.

Below: the door into the porch is a 5-board door with latch - probably not the original door.

Below:  as you walk into the porch there's a bell - not sure of the story behind it.

Below:  the view as  you walk in to the 1-room schoolhouse - there's no raised platform for the teachers desk in this school.

 Below:  the chalk board is made of two very wide boards.

 Below:  the chalk shelf detailing.

Below: The back wall of the schoolroom - looking into the porch.

Below: my father, Wilbert C. Jeffery, recalling his school days at Lauretta and Alma schools.  Dad's 81 years old - his teacher in Alma school (c. 1939) is still alive, her name is Vera (Rennie) MacNeill of Elmsdale (formerly of Alma) - she's 97 or 98 and doing well!  Vera taught my youngest brother Kenny in Alberton Elementary in 1979-80.