In the 1920's six sections of land on the west brow of Milk River
Ridge was opened for settlement. This brought about twelve
families into that area. Their closest school was Jefferson. In
1930 the people of the area petitioned the Department of
Education, and Ross Lake School District No. 4487 was
established on April 1, 1930, with Mrs. L. Smith, whose address
was Woolford, as senior trustee. The school was named after
Ross Lake which was a few miles away. The district comprised
the following lands: Section 31, and that portion of Section 30
lying north and west of the north branch of the Milk River in
Township 1, Range 22; Sections 25, 26, 33-36, north half of
Section 27, northeast quarter of Section 28, in Township 1,
Range 23; Sections 6, 7, south half of Section 18, in Township
2, Range 22; Sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, south half and
northeast quarter of Section 4, east half of Section 9,
south halves of Section 13, 14, 15, southeast quarter of
Section 16, in Township 2, Range 23, all west of the fourth
meridian.

The school, a sixteen by twenty foot structure, was located on
the N.W. of Section 3, T-2, R-23, W4th. Some of the men who
worked on the building included John Woolford, Harold Westfall,
Cy Westfall, Holgar Stahr, Frank Johnson, Will Taylor, Alvin Vance,
Heber Sheffield, and Hans Stahr. School opened the first part
of September 1930 even though the building wasn't quite finished.
The first teacher was Miss Theodore from Coutts. There were
eleven students, namely Elena (Molly) Smith; Tomene and Priscilla
Woolford; Lawrence and Leland Vance; Mary and Betty Woolford;
Delmar Westfall; Adra, Myron, and Philip Taylor. There was no
fence around the school yard in 1930. The only saddle horse
brought was the one ridden by Miss Theodore and Molly Smith.

The establishment of Ross Lake School made it possible for all the
students except Molly Smith to walk to school. Will Taylor said,
"I've finally lived in this country long enough to see the last of my
family walk to school. " The Johnny Woolfords, who had formerly
moved to Cardston for the school months, were able to stay home
and send their family to school. The building was used for
community activities, such as card games and dances.

The second teacher, Muriel Matkin, taught Ross Lake School
1931-32, Rachel Low 1932-33 and Mary Hegenberg 1933-34.
Some of the later teachers were Greta Carlson, Marvella Duce,
Leila Rice and Jean Keeler.

In 1934 the school was moved to a more central location on
the top of the hill on the S.W. Section 2, T.-2, R-23, W4th,
where it still stands. A basement was dug and the building
was enlarged.

On October 3, 1936 the Ross Lake School District No. 4487
was included in Subdivision No. 3 of the St. Mary's River School
Division No. 2.

In 1941 Ross Lake School was closed and the children were
vanned to Jefferson School .

On October 23, 1941 approval was given to dispose of the
school house located on the school grounds of the district.
Sam West purchased it. Like so many rural schools, it
was used for a granary.

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