The first Hardin School was built in 1890 on the Busk Ranch and named for John I. Hardin, foreman of the Busk Ranch.  This one-room school was the only school between Coleman and the Colorado River.  Around 1900, the school house was moved to the John T. Hardin farm (where Jane Hawkins lives today, 1983) on the Colorado River and is today used as a store house.  A second building was built about 6 miles southwest of Gouldbusk, on the northwest corner of the Winfrey place.  It accomodated as many as 17 students.  In 1904, records show it being District #25.  John Henderson was the teacher in 1908.

In 1909, a three-room school was built about one mile farther east from the first school.  John Throgmorton was the first principal and Jessie and Mattie Ramsey were the first teachers.  The one-room school was moved to the southwest corner of the Sam P. Woodward Ranch and was named Little Hardin; Mary Huddleston was the teacher. The new school kept the name of Hardin.

In 1911, the three-room school was classed as a second class high school, known as District #37.  Some of the early teachers there were: Mary Huddleston (1914), Ada Burns (1915), Eura Alford (1916), Willie McDaniel (1917), Miss Maud Laws (1918, 1925-28), Amelia Hand, Esther Slate, Stena (Standridge) Lohn, Marie (Stovall) Spruiell, and Mrs. Onie Edens.  Carl Copeland and Henry Livingston were principals in the 1920’s.  Some of the students were of the families of: Adcock, Bullard, Baker, Carroll, Copeland, Calder, Carriger, Drake, Flynn, Jackson, Hamilton, Herst, Wardlow, Woodard, Walthall, Wristen, McCabe, Wright, Stephenson, Lane, Baker, Conner, Holt, Myers, Rathjen, Hight, Young, Allen, Davis, Burleson, Tindale, Weddle, Murrell, Crumbley, Humble, Carter, Hardin, Knight, McDaniel, and Milam. 
Each of the three rooms had an outside door and a sliding door between the rooms on the inside of the building.  Each room had a cloak room and a big coal heater.  The water supply was a cistern and was kept filled by members of the community, who hauled water from the nearest creek, in dry times.  Playground equipment consisted of see-saws, swings, and basketball hoops, but one could also play baseball, marbles, and tops at recess and lunch.  There were two outhouses - one for girls and one for boys.

Hardin joined in consolidation with six other schools to form the South Coleman County Rural High School District by an election held in 1934.  This district was later called Mozelle.  The Hardin School building was moved to Gouldbusk about 1960 and is now used as a community center.