There reportedly were 190,000 “one room” schools in rural areas of the United States in 1919. With the advent of motorized school buses in the 1920s, schools began to be consolidated in these areas and less than 400 still are used in America, mostly in the western States like Montana and Wyoming.

Great Falls was once not one community but a series of villages, each with one or more schools. These schools also served as centers of community life. The villages of Forestville, Springvale, Colvin Run and Dranesville comprised what we now call Great Falls, and there were several small schools located here. The schools are located on a copy of the GM Hopkins map of 1878 published by the Library of Congress. Each is marked with a star and number.

Glen Sjoblom is president, Carol Miller is a member of Great Falls Historical Society.