In 1875 an act was passed allowing separate schools to be publicly funded. If a Roman Catholic or Protestant school wanted to be opened, taxpayers funded the minority schools.

Local schools were used for many different purposes: for teaching the children, as a community center, as a church, for box socials, funerals, Christmas concerts, dances, plays, tie socials, masquerades, wedding dances and hard time dances. To get to school you could walk, go by horse, buggy, or car. Boys would usually quit school at an early age to help their father on the farm; some of these boys opted to continue their studies during the winter months. During the years when the area was being colonized students rarely spoke any English. Teachers would find it frustrating to try to teach the children who didn't understand any English.