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“S.S. # 12 was formed from the S.S. #4 section in 1872. A log school was built on the southeast corner of Lot 18, Con. 15, on land donated by Christian Schoch. Miss McDougall taught here in 1873 for a salary of $285, followed by Miss Hyslop in 1874, who was only paid $270 for the year. Ralph Brown, the first secretary-treasurer, was paid $4 annually. By 1967, the secretary-treasurer’s salary for the Hay Township School Area had increased to $1500. Business transactions at the annual meetings in late December included selecting one trustee to act for three years, contracting for the delivery of wood to the school, and contracting for a janitor. When John Gallman lit the fires, his salary was deducted from the teachers wages because, in those days, the teacher was expected to light the fire. The price of wood delivered to the log school varied greatly, depending on whether it was green or dry – 75 cents to $6.25 a cord. Oscar Klopp delivered coal to the brick school in 1916 for $1.25 a ton. For many years Roy Merner cleaned the outdoor closets for $1 a cleaning, four times a year.

The school well was dug in 1875 for $18. For several decades, the well was cleaned regularly, but by the 1940’s, the water was declared unsafe to drink. Water was carried daily in a pail from Horners and then from Clarence Schades. By the 1950’s, it was piped to the school from Leonard Merner’s place. Indoor toilets were also installed at that time. In 1889-90, two teachers were hired at the school. A new brick school was built on the site in 1897 for $700 by the Hoffman brothers. The white brick probably came from Jeffery’s brickyards. George Howard was the first teacher in the new school.

The school bell was installed in 1902; the flag pole in 1907. Many rural schools had small libraries and S.S. #12 was no exception. H.W. Brokenshire delivered books from the Huron County Library to every school in the township in the 1940’s on a monthly basis. He also showed nature films from the National Film Board of Canada in the township hall. By 1947, he was delivering the projector and the films to the individual schools, so teachers could show the films at their own convenience.

All was not reading and writing, and arithmetic at S.S. # 12. There were annual picnics at Grand Bend and the students had school gardens, school fairs, and of course, the annual Christmas concert, anticipated for weeks. S.S. # 12 was closed in 1960 and teacher Don O’Brien and the students were transferred to Zurich Public School. The school and property were sold to Rosaire Bedard in 1964. Today, the school and its belfry are used as a summer home.”

extracted from “Hay Township Highlights: 150 years of Diversified Progress, 1846 – 1996”, published by the Hay Township Book Committee under the auspices of Hay Township Council, Alice Gibb ed.; pgs. 206-208 ISBN : 0-919939-43-0