Mark Cousins was born on January 28, 1894 in Sneighton Heights, Yorkshire, England. In 1905, at the urging of an uncle who was already there, the family moved to Canada. They landed at Halifax before travelling to Elkhorn, MB. Mark's schooling began in England but continued at the school in Elkhorn. Mark farmed with his parents at a few locations before settling in the Mossgiel district. Mark married Pauline "Polly" Wouchuk (1910-?) in 1928 and they continuted farming the home farm until 1964, when they retired and moved to Elkhorn. Together the couple raised four children: Douglas, Mildred, William and Betty. In 1967, Mark was presented with an honorary life membership from the Elkhorn Agricultural Society. He was also an honorary life member of the Progressive Conservative Party. Mark Cousins died on May 25, 1987 in Elkhorn, MB. He is buried at Elkhorn Cemetery.
Custodial History
As part of the Westman Oral History Collection, this collection was accessioned by the McKee Archives in 1998. The original tapes from the Westman Oral History project were deposited in the Brandon Public Library. Copies of these originals were made by Margaret Pollex of the Brandon University Language Lab at the request of Eileen McFadden, University Archivist in the early 1990s. These copies compose the collection held in the McKee Archives.
Scope and Content
Item is an audiocassette tape containing an interview with Mark Cousins about his life. Interviewer is Ron Heritage.
Notes
History/bio information from the records, the Elkhorn local histories "Mossgiel Memories" and "Steel and Grass Roots," and Cousins' obituary. Description by Christy Henry.
Audio Tracks
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Located south of Stanley Park along the 1400 block of Lorne Avenue, Park School was constructed in 1904. Designed by W.A. Elliot and built by the Brandon Construction Company the structure measured 71 x 107 feet and cost approximately $38,000.
The school featured a principal’s office, reception room, staff rooms, an assembly hall for eight hundred, and ten class rooms. The interior walls were lined with mahogany while the floors were made of western pine. The interior of the basement was constructed from Tyndall stone, while Crookston brick trimmed with Bedford stone made up the exterior.
The building was razed in September 1978. Hobbes Manor was built on the location.
Scope and Content
Item is a postcard showing Park School in Brandon, MB.
One small hole, some pencil marks and stains. A couple of the names are illegible.
History / Biographical
The Brandon Normal School was an arm of the provincial Department of Education. Manitoba Normal schools were initiated in the early 1880s (1882 for protestant teachers and 1883 for Roman Catholic ones) to meet the demand for teachers in the province's schools. Normal schools were held in Brandon at various locations until the construction of the Brandon Normal School in 1912 under the Roblin government. The Brandon Normal School operated until 1946.
Custodial History
Photograph was donated to the McKee Archives by Janette Donnelly in 1999.
Scope and Content
Portraits of the students and staff of Brandon Normal School's third class spring term (1921).
