SHELLMOUTH LADIES AID AT THE PATTERSON RANCH - 1912
Top Row; Mr. L. J. Carr, Mrs. Tingley, Mrs. Bond. Second Row; Robt. Patterson, Mrs. Carr, Mrs. Patterson, Mrs. Roberts, Miss Landon, Mrs. Tuelon, Mrs. Neil Morrison, Mrs. Clarke, Mrs. Langford, Mrs. B. Barry, Minnie Tuelon, Effie Langford, Rev. Hall, Blake Patterson, Mr. Tingley. Third Row; Mrs. Wise, Mrs. Pittaway, Mrs. Stobbs, Mr. Wise, Lizzie Patterson, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Jones, Maud Roberts. Seated; Mrs. Burroughs, Mrs. W. Patterson, Mrs. Carr, Miss Laidlaw, Mrs. Feir, Mrs. Smellie, Sally Jones, Flora Stobbs, Freda Carr. Children lower; Millie Patterson, seated on stone, John Stobbs.

HISTORY OF SHELLMOUTH by Mrs. B. L. Morrison

As early as 1793, Mr. Kavanagh tells us in his book "The Assiniboine Basin" that where the Shell River enters the Assiniboine on its left bank rival forts were erected.

Peter Grant, an Independent, built a house at Riviere Coquille or Shell River . Cuthbert Grant was also quick to build. Both forts, according to Peter Fidler, were on the left bank of the Assiniboine one mile below the Shellmouth. Soon John Sutherland of the Hudson Company arrived and in the fall of 1793 built a fort on the right bank o~ the Assiniboine.

In those early days when all traffic was by water, many travelers found their way up and down the rivers in search of fur, or adventure. It was not until 1880, however, that the settlers came to make their homes in the valleys coming with ox-carts, their courage and their faith in the future of our land. As they settled in, building their homes often of logs and river mud, they decide to call their village Shellmouth. It's a beautiful village settled snugly in the valley.

In July 18$1, the Free Press gave an account of the steamer, Marquette, making a voyage up the Assiniboine as far as Fort Pelly. On July 12 on their return trip their log-book records "stopped between 6 and 8 a.m. to repair wheel. Passed mouth of the Shell River at 10 a.m "

Ferries were used to cross the river until 1886 when our first bridge was built, a swinging bridge, made to allow the small steamers to go up and down the river. Log jams were a common sight in the spring and loggers worked hard to keep the logs moving down to the saw mills. They were always followed by the Wanagan where meals were cooked for the loggers.

The history of Shellmouth School District is a very colourful one and has the distinction of being one of the earliest in the province as the No. 292 will testify

In the very early first days school classes were held in the homes of the pioneers. The first teacher was Mr. Hardy. Many descendants of those pioneers still live in our district. In 1884 the first school was built by a Mr. John Simpson, a carpenter of that day. This old school still stands today and is used occasionally as a village hall. In 1910 a two-storey brick school was built on a site farther south. The bricks were handmade by a press from local material. One morning during the Christmas vacation in 1919 the building was destroyed by fire. Only a few books and some equipment were saved. School was delayed while partitions were erected in the old red school house, so that the two teachers could carry on.

In 1921 our present three-room school was built, though only two teachers are presently employed. It is of interest to note than in 1906 expenditures for the year were $666.00, while in 1960 expenditure amounted to $10,511.00.

It is always difficult to single out people who have distinguished themselves in the life of a community, but I feel some must be mentioned. Of those early pioneers the names Jackson-Whalley, Paskets, Roberts, Hill, Denmark, Simpson, Yeates, Boulton, Stewart, Patterson, Teulon, Wallace, McFayden and Gerrard. Later the MacDougall's, Langfords, Morrisons, Albright's, Busch' and Bryant's.

The story of our teachers through the years varies according to the teller of the story. Most are remembered with great affection. We have followed some of their future with interest. The earliest, Mr. Gus Bonnycastle, later became a judge. There was Miss B. McTavish, who, we well remember, fainted at the sight of a bleeding nose, and later be came a medical missionary to China, and also head of the McTavish clan. Mr. Jim Cameron of the department was one of our teachers, as was Miss Margaret Busch. They all played a large part in the development of the school and inspired many pupils to take their place in the world of medicine, engineering, industry, commerce, flying, nursing etc. Our Rolls of Honour in two wars tell of many who lost their lives in service to their country.

Time and taxes have changed much. No longer can we employ a child to sweep the floor of the school for five cents a day or a boy to go early to light the wood stove for a five cent wage. No longer must the children be sent off either on shanks' pony or real pony we find now new divisions and a new system. Now they must leave their homes, often as early as 7:30 a.m. taking long rides by buses to get to centralized schools, such as the beautiful Inglis Collegiate. Time marches on the old must give way to the new. It has always been so.

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