A carpenter, Mr. W. H. Head, who built many other school houses, was asked to build one for Hillsboro about 1912. Edith Dempster (Maxwell) taught in those early years. Some of her children were the Joe Maxwell family and the Shaver children who came from the Dakotas in 1910. Mrs. Maxwell told a story of her students’ pranks some years later to Hughie and Joy Cameron. One of the students, Russell, came to school with new bib overalls, so the kids stripped him of his overalls and put them on the front two legs of a quiet old horse that someone road to school. They made a sign and placed on the horse’s ears (“Russell”). They then called her out to see. She recalled she couldn’t help but laugh but had to really get after those kids. In 1922 Miss McNeil and 1923 a Roseland Blackburn taught followed by Frank Austin in 1924. Frank fell off his horse crossing the river on the first day of school and Hughie Cameron said they were awarded a school holiday as the teacher’s clothes were all wet. Other teachers were: Miss Bannerman, Kathleen Collin, Edith Hardy, Miss Dixon, Phyllis Collin, Mr. A. Menagh, Miss M. Kroei, Marjorie Topp, Mrs. Parker, Miss Louise Wade, Miss Florence Hardy, Miss Muriel Lancaster, Miss A. Connelly, Miss Nancy Lancaster, Miss Mary Maloff, Miss Helen Parakin, Miss Barbara Downs, Miss Cummings, Mrs. Rose Wollman, Miss Mary McIntyre, Miss Rose Tewchuk, Miss Annie Connelly and Miss Kitty Boyle.

From 1922 – 1932 some of the students were: the Robinsons, Bill, Art, Jim Grace, Irene and Roy; Manly Robertson; Bert, Alvin, Jim and Agnes Drew; Wesley, Dale and Bob Fayle; Armond Rene, Romeo and Juliette Thibert; Eva and Mae Sorge; Alida and Louis Cabana; Jack Simpson; Frank, Harvey, Yvonne and Roy La Tous; George, Lorne, Hazel, Edna and Ella Bustard; Florence, Leona, Frank and Marjorie Crockett; Kathleen, Lawrence and Tommy Hoffman, Irene Snyder; Julie Hansen, Grace lees; Hazel and Olive Vaile, Muriel and Myrtle Easterbrook, Raymond and Bill Gregory; Hattie Carhm; Bob Maxwell; Julia Oscar; Mabel Hanson; and Katie and Hughie Cameron.

The following names are found at Hillsboro in the early 1940s and thereafter: Ken Copeland; Vernon Thibert; Doreen Dunbar; Jeanette, Jim and Lloyd Johnson; Bill, Ruth and Mary Pollock; Bill, Ken and Jon De Smit; Florence and Fred Bustard; Dorothy and Marie Lillico; Terry, Cathy, Carol and Leonard Murfin; Geraldine and Barbara Shaver; Shirley, Judy, Barbara and Douglas Murfin; Dennis, Ken and Jo Ann Warren; Linda Afdahl; Earl and Wayne Gregory; Ann, Boyd and Bev Robinson; Colin, Priscilla and Detrea Bowen; Bonnie, Conway and Jimmy Cameron; Joy, Roberta and Allen Trodden; and Emma and Lorraine Bustard.

One of the teachers was Mary McIntyre who recalled some vivid memories of her horseback riding days to school. If the distance to school was far, the people with whom the teacher boarded usually supplied a horse. The horse most times was a well ridden one but the riders were not always as well trained! Mary McIntyre took many spills. Once while riding quietly along, the train passed through Brocket, blew its whistle and before she realized what was happening, she was off the horse and fortunately dragged only a short way. Another time she had a corn popper tied to the horse as there was a party that day at school. She got off her horse to open the gate and while getting back on must have struck the popper and over the horse’s head she went, losing her glasses. The third time she spent the night as a guest of the Johnsons’. In the morning, Jeanette and the teacher were riding together when her horse bolted and took off across the field. Fortunately it stopped at the fence. This ended her horseback riding days and from then on she walked.

In 1954 – 56 Rose Johnson taught in Hillsboro and states it was a typical country school at this time serving many rural families within an average distance of three miles. The building was heated with a wood stove which was fired up in the morning by a student-janitor. Water was carried from a spring or hauled in a cream can. The very meager book supply was supplemented by a travelling library – a box of books which would be kept for a month and then returned for use by another classroom. Maps mounted on roller springs and a globe helped students locate place names for “Enterprise”, a many faceted activity which included Social Studies and Geography.

One of the highlights of 1955 was the arrival of teachers from other country schools for an “institute” during which morning classes were observed by all, including the Superintendent McKay. Pupils went home at noon leaving teaches the afternoon for discussion of better ways and methods of teaching.

The social events were Halloween, Valentine and year end parties as well as the Christmas concert performed then in the Summerview Hall. Parents assisted with music and drama which was much appreciated by the teacher. Parental involvement with student needs and activities was outstanding and resulted in fine, basic training for future citizens. Many are now raising children who were fortunate to have such caring and industrious grandparents.

The last teacher was Mary Maloff (Gregory). In spite of all parents did to keep the country school open, the doors were closed and students bussed to bigger schools in Pincher Creek.