Harmony School was established on February 11, 1908.  It was located on the NE quarter of 33-15-22-W4. Directions from Champion – East 9 miles on Highway 529, turn north onto Range Road 223 (Matlock Road) for 3 1/4 miles. Latitude 50.29955, Longitude -112.96011

Harmony School, taken in 1941

Dollarhide and sons, Tony and Harry, homesteaded here. The first entry in the minute book was made on August 19, 1907 by T. A. Dollarhide, when a vote was taken at a meeting for the formation of this school district. Early in 1909 the school was to be built, similar to the Blusson school, and J. Jones was to make out the plans and specifications. Dollarhide’s bid was accepted at $1,450.00. Tax on land, consisting of 9,920 acres, was levied at ten cents per acre. Secretary-Treasurer’s salary was $50.00 per year, and janitors – at that time – the Jim Matlock boys – were paid twenty-five cents per school day. John W. Matlock was paid $100.00 for the lot on which the school was built, donated in the first place by Dollarhide. Mr. Healy was the first teacher.

In 1914 E. Carlson hauled coal to the school for $6.50 per ton, but by the 1930′s it was being hauled for $1.35 per ton. In 1918 the teacher’s wage was $75.00 per month, 1922 – $1,200.00 per year, 1923 – $900.00, 1932 – $850 per year.

In the early years, school was sometimes opened in March or a month in the spring to run until the end of the year. Often at Board Meetings they discussed the number of months the school would be open. Also, it was evidently a task to have the taxes paid, and mention is often made in the minutes of collecting the taxes by force. For many years, money had to be borrowed to run the school – from $500.00 to as much as $1,500.00. Some years the teacher either had to do her own janitor work or hire someone to do this work and pay for this herself.

In early years, at the time of World War I, Literary evenings would be held in Harmony school, when in winter months programs were arranged from local talent singing, dialogues, music, comic skits and dancing. Also permission would be obtained to hold dances there and usually local musicians made up the “orchestra”. In the early days, George Matlock played the violin and Mrs. Adam Ferguson would chord on the piano. Later Manley Matlock did the chording. Then as the years rolled by the Ferguson family played for dances for several years. Esther played the piano (most of the time they loaded their own piano at home and brought it to the school in a bobsleigh for the evening). Marjorie and Victor played violins.

Concerts were held in the school – at Christmas time there was a concert put on by the school children – a big evergreen tree was decorated complete with burning candles (until they were declared a danger). Santa Claus always came to distribute the gifts and usually left as dramatically as he had come.

Box socials usually were held in the fall of the year – ladies would bring lunches in boxes elaborately decorated – some as schools, barns, or covered with crepe paper flowers, etc. – and these were auctioned at suppertime to raise money for the Christmas tree and gifts. Some paid high prices for these boxes – $30.00.

In the ’30′s Harmony school was very active in School Fair work. These fairs were held at the Reid Hill Hall, and various schools competed. A shield with the school’s name engraved on a plate was awarded to the winning school each year, and was passed on to the top winner the next year. Harmony school had the distinguished honor of winning this shield three years in a row and then having the shield displayed permanently in the school. This final honor was achieved while Agnes Ferguson (Patterson) was teaching there. Also several students from Harmony school won two week scholarships at Agricultural schools, awarded for most points won at the school fair. Students winning scholarships were Wilbur Matlock, Marie Matlock and Mabel Lawrence.

For three years in the ’30′s the community enjoyed badminton as a winter recreation in the school. People came by team and sleigh or stone boat, horseback or walking, to spend these enjoyable evenings.

In 1940 Harmony school had a second room added and became an Elementary and Intermediate school with children being brought in by school bus. It was then taken over by the larger Lethbridge School Division. Bernard Jordan and Mabel Vaage taught there that year. The teacherage was the old original Sanderson school which had been moved up to Harmony school and was made over into a residence for the principal.

Adam Ferguson worked unceasingly and untiringly from the school’s inception until he retired from the board in 1935 and it is noted that after that, he was still active at the school meetings. He served as Secretary-Treasurer the greater part of this time, Two others who served in this capacity were Chal Matlock and Harold Matlock. Joe Hubbard was a board member while in the district.

Pioneers who helped a great deal in the early history of the school were J. Hubbard, Jim Matlock, Sam Ward, John Carlson, N. Frosteson, J. Furtaw, N. Burdan, J. Dollarhide, T. Dollarhide, Bill Matlock, A. Ferguson, Walt Sloan and various others.

The school operated this way until the spring of 1947, when children were taken into Champion for all grades from one to twelve. The school building was eventually moved to the Vulcan County yard to be used for a storage shed.

More information about Harmony School may be found in “Cleverville Champion 1905 to 1970”  and “Champion and District School Reunion 1906-1961” at the Vulcan and District Archives and from school directories (maps and driving directions) which are available at the Village of Champion Office, the Champion Pioneer Club and the Vulcan & District Museum.