Sperling School, located at 72 and 240, was opened in 1923-4 with Miss Hilda Jude as its first teacher. She taught grades 1 to 8. Four years later, Mr. R. Mountain, later principal at Langley High School, took his first teaching position at Sperling School where he spent 3 years.
The historic name of the general area was Harmsworth, and the Sperling name did not come into the picture until the BC Electric Railway came through Langley in 1910. Where the interurban line crosses Brown Road (240), the railway erected a station. Needing a name for the crossing, the BC Electric called it “Sperling Station” after R. H. Sperling, General Manager of the BC Electric from 1905 to 1914. The Sperling Station post office opened in 1912 in the local store and closed in 1948, two years before the last interurban travelled the line in 1950. The Sperling Methodist Church was also opened in 1912, but closed in 1969.
The first modernization of the school came in 1934, with the installation of electric lights in place of lanterns, at which time Miss Jude was once more teacher-in-charge. After a series of one-year teachers, Mrs. Doris Alsager became teacher in 1944. She taught at the school for 21 years until 1965.
As the area grew, it was necessary to transport senior pupils to other schools. In 1954 a second room was added. Mr. Motut, first principal of the two-room school, had to close it for a short time while a skunk was persuaded it was not welcome to make its home there. In 1955, it was necessary to transport grade 5 and 6 pupils to Langley Central.
In 1956 a deep well was sunk and water piped into the school, while in 1957 a third class room offices, inside toilet facilities, and central heating were added.
Eventually, Sperling School was closed in the early 1980s. It became a private residence when Earl and Marion Morrision bought the site and building in 1985.
