Big Springs School was located on the northwest corner of Wilson Street and 24^th Avenue.  A traditional one-room school house, it served grades kindergarten – 8^th.   The school house and a portion of it’s district was located in Chester Township.  The remainder of it’s district was located in Wright Township.  This school closed in 1968.  It was the last one-room school to operate in Ottawa County.  “A picture of George Washington, one of many to be found in every rural school, and which had hung in Big Springs for many years, was given to the office of the Ottawa Intermediate School District.  They attached a plate stating where the picture came from and recognizing Big Springs as the last [one-room] school to operate.”*  Although Edward Kelly, Jr was the last teacher assigned to Big Springs School, because of a heart attack, he was on sick leave and Mildred Weis, his substitute,  was the last teacher to teach there when the school closed.  The school building was converted into a residence.

*Top of the County 1776-1976, Bicentennial Heritage Committee, A & A Affiliates, Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 1976.