Wildwood School 1914-1961

Wildwood is south and west of Kitscoty. The first building was built on a snug little corner. The building still stands. When it was no longer used as a school, it became the community hall. As community needs changed it just became a building on a corner. In 1948 a new building was erected across the road and up the way.

When the new school closed in 1961, that building was purchased by Bob and Edna Lamport and moved a few miles west, where it was remodeled. The Lamports still live in this house. In “Ernest Minded Men” Allen Ronaghan stated that “…in 1961 the Wildwood School, one of the last country schools in the county, fell to the axe of centralization with the pupils being bussed to Kitscoty”.

August 3, 2007 was the day chosen to install the school site marker at Wildwood. Bob Stone brought his tractor and loader to do the lifting of the sign. July had been very hot and very dry. The auger didn’t seem to want to go very deep. There appeared to be rocks where the digging was going on. To make a long story short, it took a long time to get the holes dug. The crew was small, but mighty. David Jack and Bob Stone, both grandsons of Wildwood pioneers, were there working. David’s grandson, who was also there helping, is one of the fifth generation of Jacks as are Bob’s grandchildren in the Stone family.

Margaret Wolters

Wildwood School
Sign Placement