In 1933 - 1934 Dr. Plenderleith was inspector of schools for the Peace River District and, in subsequent years, organized the Peace area into single consolidated districts.

Plenderleith, in a document prepared for the Department, explained what he found in the Peace River area. He wrote that when he was appointed to the Peace River inspectorate in 1933 the area had 63 schools for 1,200 pupils.

"The schools themselves were of the crudest possible structure - usually built of logs consisting of four bare walls . . . no ventilation except doors and windows, and no heating arrangements except an unjacketed stove." He went on to describe crude outdoor lavatory facilities, scarcity of equipment -- especially library books -- and lack of playground equipment.

On the basis of Plenderleith’s recommendations, the first four larger units of schools were put into operation in 1934.