The first school in Lumsden opened in 1879 in a loft above the stables at the back of the nearby Elbow Hotel.  A child injured by a fall from the loft wasn’t the only objection that teacher John McPherson had to the school’s location in that many men “the worse for liquor” came into the stables using bad language.  Mr. McPherson lamented that the children were being taught the work of the Devil from below faster than he could teach them the work of the Lord from above.