This is an area difficult to describe graphically, as to where it starts, finishes, or what people to associate with it. One must assume the school district would include most of the people who claimed to have lived in this community. Some of them called Holland their town, others Treherne. The main activities centered around the school.

The spiritual needs of this community were also divided, as west of the school attend Holland churches, while east and north went to Bethel Church. After Bethel closed in the mid twenties, Sunday School was held in the church.

Around 1931, the community started to have dances in the school which continued until the start of the war. The dances were a source of joy for the community during the depression, when everyone had to make their own fun with little money.

In 1935, the dancing committee installed a hardwood floor in the school which made dancing more enjoyable. Dancers from other districts often journeyed to Centreville on a Friday night for a few hours of fun.

In 1889, Centreville district residents organized to form a board of trustees and gained permission to build a school. By 1890, the school was finished at a cost of $600.00 and was called Centreville No. 606 because it was built between Treherne and Holland. The first teacher at the new school was Thomas Knechtel and was paid a monthly salary of $40.00.

In 1900, the school building was moved 15 feet west and placed on a surface foundation and the interior of the school was refinished. In 1907 the first flag pole was erected and in 1916 a wood shed was built on the west side of the school. Improvements where constantly being made such as a basement and lavatories in 1930 as well as hydro and an oil furnace in 1953.

In 1958 the district was dissolved and half the area went to the Holland School and the other went to Treherne.

Centreville School was purchased by the Agricultural Museum at Austin. It was moved there to be on display as one of the oldest one room schools in Manitoba.

The Boyne Creek school was built in 1891 near the small creek from which it got its name. It opened on June 1, 1891. The records show that the first teacher was Normand Spencer. The teacher rules all grades from one to eight and even took some grade nines by correspondence. Very few went to high school. This was the extent of the schooling for several generations of farm children in this district, as most quit school after grade eight.

In the winter, the old wood stove provided the heat which often went to extremes. Some of the boys would have to get up early to go start the fire and were paid about 10 cents a day for doing so. Teachers were paid $35.00 to $40.00 a month and had to pay their room and board.

The yearly Christmas concerts were appreciated by all for the school would be packed to the door. Recitations, dialogues, songs and finally an adult play brought down the house. Santa Claus would come prancing in to the joy of the young and old.

The school continued until 1958 when consolidation with Treherne took place. About half the district decided to go to Treherne and the other half went to Holland School at the time.

The school building and all supplies were sold by auction and one more of the landmarks disappeared after many years of service.

Local legend says the area was first called Bachelorville because there were only men living there in the early settlement days. It was later renamed Matchettville, after the Matchett family who homesteaded in the area. Matchettville School was established in May 1905, and a concrete block building was constructed in 1906. The blocks were made near Austin by the Thomson family using a machine from Ontario. The school operated until 1951, when it closed due to low enrollment, and students began attending West Treherne School. In 1958, after a community meeting where School Inspector Richard Moore spoke about the benefits of consolidation, a vote was held to officially join the West Treherne district in January 1959. The school building was sold for $1 to a local farmer and used as a granary. In 2003, the south wall was severely damaged in a farm equipment accident, and the building was later demolished in November 2024.  A new cairn was erected by Keith Sparling in 2025.

The Cherry Valley School District was established in March 1902. The one room schoolhouse opened that August.  The school operated until February 1961, when it closed and the area became part of the Rathwell Consolidated School District No. 578. A monument now marks the site where the school once stood.  One of the teachers at Cherry Valley School in the 1940s was Madeline Darling.

The first East Treherne School was one that Mr. Delahunt built when he came to this country. The date is not available but it was sometime before 1888.

On February 1, 1913 the school and all contents were burned. School was then held at a house after it was fixed up for use as a school. The trustees at once decided to rebuild after arrangements could be made to borrow money. But disaster followed as the house school burned down and the children had to take their studies in the unfinished new school for the rest of the year.

The school was closed in August, 1947 because there were not enough students. On May 19, 1956 a sale for the school property was held and the school was later sold again and was moved to Rathwell where it was remodeled as a house.

The Pinkerton School was opened in the fall of 1900. The school and district where named after Mr. Henry Pinkerton, the oldest gentleman of the district who was very interested in education. The school was run by capable, interested teachers and co-operative trustees of the district with half French and English children.

During the thirties the Pinkerton School became the center of the district's activities. With dances and socials being held every two weeks through the winter months. The ladies were expected to bring cake or sandwiches for lunch and the men paid 25 cents. Music was often supplied by Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Lounsbury by the violin and piano.

Sunday school was also held in the Pinkerton School for quite sometime. But through the changing of the education system the children where taken by bus to surrounding towns. It was unnecessary to keep the Pinkerton School open and they closed it down in 1964. Later the school was purchased by Keith Gorrie and was moved onto his farm.

Rathwell School District The first meeting of the ratepayers was held at the home of Mr. Chas. Wilson, June 4, 1889 with S. Pritchard as chairman of the meeting and C. Wilson as secretary. The first trustees were J. Barron; S. Caswell; and I. Scarrow; with C. Wilson as secretary at a salary of $25.

Rathwell School 1903                                       Rathwell School 1915

During the summer several meetings were held in regard to building a new school. The ratepayers voted on July 10, 1889, to borrow six hundred dollars ($600.) for the purpose of building the school. Mr. A. Forbes’ tender for building for $594. was accepted. This school was built on the north—east corner of Robt. Allan’s farm on the N.W.M; of 13-8—9.

Miss Ranton was engaged as the first teacher, duties commenced April 1, 1890 at a salary of $35 per month for 7 months.

The School District included Sections 12, 13, 14, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, Township 8, Range 9, W% 7, all of 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, Township 8, Range 8.

The first pupils April 1890 were —- Grade 1 — Thos. Cav— anagh; Maggie Pritchard; Mabel Pritchard; George Scarrow; John Pritchard; Aggie Scarrow; James McKay; Lizzie McKay; Mary Mc- Kay; Earnest Moodie. Grade 2 — William Scarrow; George Pritchard. Grade 3 — Georgina Cavanagh; Jessie Ross. Grade 4 — James Cavanagh; Willie Turnbull.

By a vote of the ratepayers December 27, 1893 the school was moved to the N.W. side of the present site. In July 1899 the school was enlarged to two rooms. The first winter only one large stove was used, in one room one week and then moved into the other room the next week. When the new school was built in 1903 this school was sold and moved into town to be used as a house. It is now the present Masonic Hall. On July 11, 1902 the ratepayers voted to build a new four room school. On June 12, 1903 the tender of R. Robson for $4,445 for building was accepted and A. Forbes’ tender for the heating plant for $350 was also accepted. This school was built north of the present school. This school was used until October 1961 when a new and more modern one storey school was built and the old one torn down. The new one was opened October 1961

Rathwell School 1961

In January 1956 the Rathwell Consolidated School District was formed with Rathwell, Gordon Union, McCreery, and part of East Treherne schools joining. The children were conveyed to school by motor driven vans. . 4 W Rathwell School, 1961. In 1960 the Cherry Valley School north-east of town, which had been operating since 1902 came into consolidation. Vernon Henderson was the van driver. In 1962, Lees School District in operation since 1890 was dissolved, part going to Rathwell and the remainder to Notre Dame de Lourdes. Bell S.D. dissolved in 1964 and part consolidated with Rathwell and part with St. Claude.

In September 1963 the Grade eleven class was moved to the Treherne school under the new Divisional system and in 1964 the Grades nine and ten were also moved leaving just grades one to eight still being taught in the Rathwell school. These high school pupils are being transported by two vans driven by Robt. Smart and Les. Watson. Rathwell has seven van routes. The drivers are Route 1 — Walter Allan; Route 2 — Frank Goddard; Route 3 —— M. Mitchell; Route 4 — R. Smart; Route 5 — Len. Adair; Route 6 — Verne Henderson; and Route 7 — Les. Watson.

The following is a list of the Chairmen of the Rathwell School Board from 1899 to 1969.

Adam Forbes 1899-1901                         H, E. Delf 1943-1946

D. B. McKenzie 1901—1910                    A. W. Caswell 1946—1949

A. W. Turnbull 1910-1913                        H. Allan 1949-1954

Ias. Gill 1913-1928                                   H. E. Delf 1954-1958

E. B. Litz 1928-1938                                 Thos. Kitching 1958-1964

J. Wilson 1938-1943                                  Alf. Henderson 1964-