Pre-1940s 

The first school in the area was built in 1916, and taught by Mr. Young. There were 14 students in attendance at the time, and it ran for four months January, February, March, and April. The school closed down when two of the families moved out of the area which meant the school lost 8 of its students. During its brief operation, the students studied in a log building with benches instead of desks, and tarred paper serving as the ‘blackboard.’ 

 

On April 22nd, 1926, a log school house was constructed by Tom Tuttle and Joe Jackson and would eventually open its doors to students in the Holly Spring area. The first teacher, Miss Rogers, stayed for only 13 days, much to the annoyance of the chairman Mr. Tom Tuttle who had to go among the ratepayers to collect enough money to pay her salary for those thirteen days. 

 

The standard school term would start on September 1st and would often close at Christmas with the school board being uncertain of the time it would re-open. Teachers would often find work elsewhere during this period, resulting in a frequent turnover of teachers at the school.

 

Holly springs school

After 1940s 

The last teacher to teach in the log building was Mrs Pilkington, in 1940. In ‘Foley Trails,’ she is quoted as recalling the following about the school; “Mud plastered one-half of the outside of the school wall to keep the mice out. Goats looked in the east side of the school, appearing so wise, staring at us while we worked. There were no library books. No one had a sled, so at recess time, the students slid down the hill on cardboard. We had no dustpan all year: in fact it was not needed. When the floor was swept from east to west the dirt went down the cracks in the floor. The school had two stoves, an air-tight heater and an oil drum on its side. When they were both lit they drew against each other and the room would fill with smoke.” 

 

The new frame school was built by Adam Maguire of the Reno District and it opened in 1941 and ran until 1956, when it closed. The schoolhouse was used as a community centre for the district until it was relocated to museum grounds.   

 

 

Holly Springs Teachers 

Mr. Young

Miss Rogers

Mr. McFarland

Mr. Bailey

Ms. Suggett

Miss Paskins

Mr. Hepburn

Ms. Hutchinson

Ms. Parker

Ms. Webb

Ms. Blair

Ms. Drozdiak

Ms. Pilkington

Ms. Smith

Ms. Brenenstuhl