Talbot showed us around the school, and her passion was contaigious.
In the little town of Clinton stands a testament to a local chapter of history that was almost entirely lost.
The CNR School on Wheels Museum is a monument to the dedication of Clinton locals Fred and Cela Sloman, who dedicated their lives teaching on board the train car in some of the most remote areas of Northern Ontario.
According to curator Anne Talbot, like many locals, she wasn’t aware of the museum, until an opportunity to give tours was advertised,
Pictures of the couple and their journey are hung throughout the train car.
The museum has become her retirement project – following her retirement from teaching in 2017, she says she didn’t last long before she became restless.
Talbot says that Fred and Cela raised a five children while on board the train car, which ran a regular route from Capreol to Foleyet – just outside of Timmins. Originally built in 1914, the car was retrofitted into a mobile classroom and living quarters for the family in 1940.
The school on wheels program, which ran from 1926 – 1967 endured far beyond it’s intended six month experiment. It brought a glimpse into the outside world into some of the most remote communities, and provided children and parents alike with literacy in a time when many could not read or write.
The establishment of Canada is owed to rail, says Talbot,
The car fell off of the map after Fred and Cela retired, and with them, the line retired in 1965 – it was almost lost to history entirely when in the early 1980s, a former student, then working at CN in Edmonton, stumbled upon the car and recognized it from his school days.
Following it’s rediscovery, Clinton purchased the stripped wooden shell of the car for $1500. Since then, a meticulous refurbishment process has taken place preserve this exceptional piece of Canadian history.
The history of the school on wheels is one that many don’t know, says Talbot,
The School on Wheels as it stands today.
Today, the CNR School on Wheels serves as a poignant reminder of the dedication and perseverance of Fred and Cela Sloman. They selflessly devoted their lives to bringing education and a sense of community to the remote corners of Northern Ontario.
You can check out the school on wheels for yourself – it’s open Thursday to Sunday from Victoria Day to the last weekend in September.
Written by: B. Shakyaver