Manitoba Women Trustees

Board Table to Broadway

Did you know that 3 woman trustees went on to serve as Manitoba's Minister of Education?

Sharing Their Stories

Some of our historic firsts

Women were able to serve as school trustees in Manitoba from 1890, even though they didn’t gain the vote until 1916. The outcomes of their dedication and commitment remain testament to the power of community voice in school governance. We have collected some of the names and stories of these political pioneers. Watch video of our celebration honouring women trustees held in conjunction with 100th anniversary of women's vote.

Women of Distinction

Marie-Antoinette Lemaire

Early Franco-Manitobaine

Inez Stevenson

First African-Caribbean

Rose Cherniak Alcin

First Jewish

Linda Ballantyne

First First Nations Chair

Mary Dyma

First Ukrainian

Kristjana Thordarson

First Icelandic

Nina Partrick

Executive Secretary, MSTA

Margaret Manns

First Life Member, MSTA

Special Thanks/Acknowledgements

An initiative such as this would not be possible without the support of many individuals and organizations. Please click here for a comprehensive list acknowledging those that have made our celebration possible. In particular, we would like to thank Linda McDowell for collecting, telling and sharing the stories of our women trustees. For several decades, Linda has served the important role as local historian and researcher, documenting the role of women in the public education system whether as trustees, teachers or as champions of human rights. ‎The vast sum of information showcased on this page is a tribute to Linda's interests and enthusiasm as a historian and storyteller. We could not have done this without her.

Roll of Honour

Listing of Manitoba women trustees who served in the early decades of the 20th century.

Poster from the Past

This poster was reproduced by permission of Manitoba Education. Additional notes have been included.

Mystery Trustees?

This photo is from the 1923 MSTA convention. Do you know any of the individuals in this group? If so, please let us know!

Have Something to Share?

River East Transcona S.D. honours women trustees!

River East Transcona S.D. women trustees historical booklet

Are you a past or current serving woman trustee? If so, we'd like to hear from you! Contact us with your name, name of school board, years of service and any interesting stories you might have.