The Tanner School was built in 1914. In the year 1902, Sam Tanner and his brother-in-law Fletcher trailed cattle from Utah and arrived in the Porcupine Hills, settling on a ranch which later was known as the Ralph Veitch place. There were a lot of kids that would soon need to go to school so Sam Tanner drew up plans for the school. It was built and still stands on its original site. It was Jack Rhodes, another early settler, who named the school Tanner, as a tribute to Mr. Tanner.

After the school had been built, it was local people who painted the exterior of the schools. The names were A. Dumont, Lemuel Smyth, J. Bougerolle and Billy O’Brien.

Some of the early local School Board members were: Jacques Bougerolle, Jack Rhodes, Marcel Dumont, G. Legarde, Lemuel Smyth, Thomas Wright, Billy O’Brien, A. Cleland and A. Maufort.

The names of children who attended school around 1917 were: Wright, Dumont, Bougerolle, Londeau, Planger, Hannon, Rhodes, Vallet, Petrie, Gabriel, Labonne, Legarde, Rumaker, Verguin, Bonnier and Roper.

Marjorie Haugen came in September 1948 and had many memorable experiences she will never forget, such as a rusty old stove, and sparse teacherage furnishings, no pay cheque for August so to British Columbia to pick raspberries and cherries for the summer holidays in order to make a few dollars. The local well did not produce clear running water either as it was infected with typhoid bacillus. Other memories are calcimine walls, coal oil lamps, and no telephone, all night dances at the school and carrying coal in buckets from the shed a long way away. Winters were the worst with indoor temperatures of 40 F, frozen water and impassible roads due to heavy snowfalls. One such day she recalls seeing a former student George Dingerville riding into town from the hills. When questioned why he was out in this weather, he replied the film Joan Of Arc was in Pincher Creek and he wanted to see it, since she had told them the story. She felt some pride in that it had inspired this young lad to ride horseback all the way from the hills to Pincher Creek.

There were about twenty children going to school at that time.

Later those attending school were: Ritz, Stoutenburg, Nelson, Dingerville, Betts, Dumont, Petiot, Bourdier, Dionne, Cleland, Simpson, Wright, Campbell and Maufort.

Some of the early teachers of 1917 were: Ethel Terrill, Geraldine Fry, Miss Proctor, Mr. Little, Mrs. Sorge, Miss Petersen, Walter Wilson, Grace Allen and Miss Lancaster. Later were: Jessie Fraser, Phyllis Porter, Dorothy Day, Harvey Louey, Alice Geitz, Lorna Thomas, Peggy Demoskey, Norma Cleland, Betty Staunton, Violet Dewart, Marjorie Wilkin, Mae Poulsen, Kettles Smith, Fred Palmer, Marjorie Hammond, John McGilp and G. Platchett.

Tanner had many social events. The annual Christmas concert was always well attended.

When the time came for the Divisional Board to dispose of the rural schools, the Tanner people bought the school. It was then known as the Tanner Recreation Club. Many card parties were held with good attendance. At present, there are no activities at the school.