This is the first in a series of geocaches that will be placed near where one room schoolhouses used to stand. This one was located just a little further east over the crest of the hill you are standing on (from what we could determine).

Grand Centre (Dieppe) SD #643

1902-? (early 1950’s)

SW-S3-T31-R1-W5 (SW-3-31-1-5)

The land for Grand Centre School was purchased from Noah Hallman for the tidy sum of $5. There was a hill to the west and a coulee to the east. A new school was built in 1928, the old one was sold by auction.

It marked the end of an era when the larger school division took over, parents lost interest, social connections were severed.

A name change (for unclear reasons) occurred in 1953, from Grand Centre to Dieppe. It was later petitioned to return it by former teachers and students at the reunion in 1978. It was changed back in January 1980.

One room schoolhouse Grand Centre (Dieppe) School, circa 1940.

This geocache has been placed with the permission and assistance of the Carstairs Museum.

References used for this series include:

• "Beyond Our Prairie Trails"- Carstairs History Book Committee, 1995
• "Acme Memories"- Acme & District Historical Society, 1979
• "Prairie Sod & Goldenrod: History of Crossfield & District"- Crossfield History Committee, 1977
• "Pioneering with a Piece of Chalk: The One-Room Country Schools of Alberta" by W.P. Baergen
• "Heritage Resources Management Information System (HeRMIS)" https://hermis.alberta.ca/