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[Editor’s note: The school was closed in June 1966 and subsequently sold, torn down and replaced by two houses in circa 1967-1968.]
“The Dashwood Public School was built in 1897, the same year as the present hotel. Prior to this, the children on the Hay side attended S.S. #8 Hay, one and one quarter miles north and on the Stephen side, they attended the Blackbush School, S.S. #11 or S.S. #4 Sharon. These schools were crowded and a meeting was held in the Dashwood town hall, now the upstairs of the former Dr. Gulen’s building. At first, it was suggested that a branch of the Blackbush school be built at Stade’s corner [Editor’s note: Bronson Line and Huron Street.] but this proposal was changed.
Henry Willert, John Graybiel, and Mike Fenn took a petition to Huron County council, asking for a school in Dashwood. The council appointed three men to listen to the arguments for building a new school. The men decided on a section which drew children from Sharon, Blackbush, Hay and the Babylon schools. There were objections to this and so another board was established. Union S.S. #16 was formed consisting of 900 acres in Hay and 1,850 acres in Stephen.
From January, to the end of June 1897, school was held in the Dashwood Evangelical Association Church for $40 rent. On January 12th, the ratepayers approved of buying one acre of land from George Kellerman for $150. The trustees were: Fred Baker, a farmer; Chris Stade, a farmer and Joe Snell, a banker. Henry Willert received the contract to build the new school.
School opened in the new building in the third week in August. The school had cost $2,500 to build. [Editors note: approximately $67,000 in today’s funds.] Dennis Brintnell of Hensall was the first principal and Maud Mills of Stratford taught in the second room. When they moved into the new school a third teacher, Alice Hodgins of Clandeboye, joined the staff.
For many years the upper rooms of the school were heated by a furnace and the lower room a box stove. A brick chimney on the south side was not satisfactory so it was built higher. This was blown over by the wind and many rafters of the roof were broken. A new chimney was then built through the centre of the school. The box stove was discarded and a second furnace installed.
In 1915 a substantial iron fence was built in front of the school. In 1919, the roof was re-shingled and hydro installed. A water system was installed for a cost of $1,400 in 1932. The first school was held in 1918 and an organ was purchased with the proceeds.
At the time of the school’s closing in June 1966 the school had a piano in every room. The last principal was Donald Finkbeiner of Crediton. The other staff members were Letta Taylor of Dashwood and Lenore Trott of Grand Bend. The school was sold and torn down in 1967. Homes owned by Leeland Restemayer and Gerald Mason were built on the property.
Other members of the teaching staff were: Jarvis Henry, Violet Wood, Almeda Finkbeiner, Mary McDougal, G.S. Howard, Addison Tieman, Miss P. Tieman, Nelson Dahms, Pearl Tieman, Grace Kellerman, Peter Moffat, Nola Gaiser, Alice Hoffman, Grace Pepper, Ada Webb, Doug McCaw and G. Middleton.”
extracted from “The History of Stephen Township”, by Susan Muriel Mack, 1992; pgs. 309-310