The Finnish school system has through its history strongly leaned on the principle of equality and provided good basic education possibilities also in sparsely populated rural areas. However, the network of small rural schools in Finland has been radically weakened since the global recession of the1990s. Our research focuses on the social role of rural schools and the phenomena of school closures. We aim to hear the local voice that often remains silent in closure processes. Based on the interview data of local residents we examine how rural schools and their closures are experienced by them. We study school’s role as a producer and maintainer of local social capital (Bourdieu 1986; Putnam 1995), as well as the role of local residents as producers of local expertise. In small villages, the role of the school reaches beyond teaching children. Rural schools connect residents of the surrounding areas socially and serve as cultural centers. Global economic trends and national changes in educational policy and politics affect the lives around rural schools. Closing a small rural school changes the dynamics of the surrounding villages. School closures can decrease the supply of other services in the village, and this accelerates migration to urban areas.