Education
In later centuries the levels of literacy in the upper classes
indicate that some schooling or instruction was available and the
1496 Act ensured the education of the eldest sons of the some of
the ruling aristocracy, who were trained as lawyers. Some
records show billing for scholars from elsewhere, but there were
definitely two schools in Ayr - one in the town and one attached to
the Dominican friary.
Other more tenuous links include a possible institution at
Kilwinning Abbey in the 16th c. - this again is implied by
articulacy, and by the fact that many of the fraternity had gone
thence to the University of Glasgow, some to teach there after its
foundation in 1451. Incidentally, many south-westerners came
to prominence through the University; five of its Principals in the
16-17th c. came from Ayrshire, and more recently, Sir John Boyd Orr
(1880-1971) was Chancellor.
One of the earliest schools was in Straiton, Ayrshire, where one
Dominus (an old term for a schoolmaster), Andreas McCormyll, was
vicar and schoolmaster in the grammar school. The earliest
evidence of a school in Kilmarnock is the attendance of Zachary
Boyd of Penkill, a member of one of the main families in the
town. Boyd later presented his entire fortune to Glasgow
University, along with a substantial library.
Perhaps the biggest change in schooling from earliest times to
modern day was the shift in control from the Church to the
State.
Aside from the Abbey schools and others suchlike, educational
establishments were under the complete guidance of religious
institutions. After the Reformation in Scotland, schools
underwent a drastic change. A national system was set in
place and remained more or less unchanged for over three
centuries. The aim was for there to be a school in every
parish and an Act of 1696 subsequently meant that there was a legal
obligation for the parish landowners to contribute a salary for a
schoolmaster and somewhere suitable for him to work.
The Church provided financial assistance where necessary and
controlled the appointment process for teachers and oversaw the
inspection of institutions.
This monopoly began to loosen around the time of the Industrial
Revolution - a time of changing priorities, customs and increasing
population. The 1803 Act incorporated the first changes since
1696, recognising that the education system in place was no longer
sufficient; large numbers of immigrants from Ireland, etc. and a
generally larger native populace meant that only a small proportion
of children had the privilege of tuition. Few could actually
afford to go to school, and many had to cease attendance after the
age of eight, unless they managed to secure a bursary. Also,
the Roman Catholic community was expanding and the Presbyterian-run
system did not address their needs; this aspect of segregation is
still seen in today's schools.
After 1861, the main authority, particularly regarding
examination, passed from the churches to university boards and
government schools inspectors, making the whole structure more
impartial. Churches could still voice objections and submit
reports on problems but they no longer had any real
influence. In 1872 an Act was passed to make education
compulsory from the age of five up to thirteen, and government
money contributed to the cost, whereas before the system was
largely funded by voluntary payments from the wealthy.
Subjects taught in schools also met with substantial change.
Previously, for the most part the purpose of schools were to study
Scripture, and learn Latin (hence the term 'grammar school') but
more variety was introduced. More people were going to work
in practical occupations due to the industrialisation of the
country and this heavily influenced the scope of what was
taught. Robert Burns was sent to the school in Kirkoswald for
instruction in mensuration and surveying. Latin was still a
large component of the curriculum, but some schools provided
additional tuition in Greek and French. Book-keeping and
mathematics featured regularly and coastal towns such as Ardrossan
and Ayr also taught navigation; inland schools leaned towards
subjects like land measurement. Religious themes were
retained in all schools. Until relatively recently, the
school year was arranged to accommodate the demands of the
agricultural year, as many children were still required to work on
the farm, etc. and had to be free at harvest time and other such
stages.
Private schools were well in evidence by the early 19th century
and many children attended these rather than the parish or town
schools. Some of these town schools grew steadily until some
were large, well-funded and respected enough to be given the status
of academy. Ayr Academy came into being in 1798, followed by
Kilmarnock in 1808 and Irvine in 1818.
Ayr and Irvine, being royal burghs had slightly different
circumstances than Kilmarnock, which drew funding from the
town. Salaries for teachers came from the public purse and
consequently the town had more influence in who was
appointed.
In previous years, all that was required of a schoolmaster was
that he hold a degree, but as schools became more structured,
however, specific needs were to be met. For example, an
advert for a teacher in the Ayrshire village of Barr in 1762
stipulated that he must be a Gaelic speaker. This
demonstrates another aspect of Scottish schooling which has
changed; Gaelic is no longer taught as a matter of course
throughout Scotland, surviving in small areas.
It is not until relatively late in the story of Scottish education
that women feature; most boys went to school for a period and while
some girls attended parish schools, they were only taught literacy
and numeracy. Private schools provided instruction in crafts
and women were teachers here; there were also specific Sewing
Schools.
A short-lived feature was the school for workers; the first was
the school associated with the Catrine spinning mill in the late
18th c. There were also a few colliery schools. The
children who attended these schools were particularly difficult to
cater for; they had minimal contact with the rest of their
community, which in the end caused problems in the social
structure. Pupils attended mill and colliery schools in the
evening after work, but the combination of labour and education was
probably too much, and they quietly closed. There was a
Working Men's College in Ayr, started in 1860, which provided
classes in subjects such as arithmetic, grammar, logic, and
languages (classical and modern). Teachers provided the
tuition without asking for fees, and Prestwick had a similar
arrangement, but these also ceased after not too long.
Schools were given a more formal configuration, with inspectors
checking regularly and teachers requiring specific training and
certification. Grants for education were given on the proviso
that all aspects of the institution, including the pupils'
performance, met the standards set by the governing
authority. A national leaving certificate was administered,
which was the beginning of the Higher Grade system. Pupils
were sometimes recognised for their achievements, occasionally
being awarded small
prizes such as books, or an acknowledgement of their good
attendance. New types of school emerged, such as nursery
classes and special schools for pupils with learning
difficulties.
The curricula of the newer schools were widened further to include
art, classical studies and domestic activities; for instance, the
stitching of samplers encouraged discipline and concentration, and
provided good practice for adult life in their own household.
A notable figure in the development of the sciences was Thomas Lee
(mathematics master 1843-1875), who took the pupils of Kilmarnock
Academy out to the country at weekends to demonstrate natural
phenomena and work on their maths. As a result of this
commitment and innovative attitude, Kilmarnock's reputation in this
area grew rapidly.
However, although pupils had a new spectrum of activities, and
success was rewarded, there was no allowance for indolence or
misbehaviour. Corporal punishment was prescribed for those
who did not apply themselves fully or disobeyed. This is now
illegal in the UK education system.
Other institutions to advance learning included libraries. A
good indicator of literacy is the number of libraries and their
members. Subscription libraries existed in places such as
Girvan and Maybole. A juvenile library was in operation in
Ardrossan, Fenwick had a library list of some two hundred people at
the beginning of the 19th c., and one of the most important groups,
Ayr Library Society, formed in 1762. It may have been affiliated
with the local academy. Readers had to be approved by the Board,
and paid an annual subscription fee of 7s for membership, which
could be inherited or passed on. Initially, the library stock
was held in various Ayr taverns and librarians' homes, but
eventually the total of 2800 volumes was given to the Public
Library. The library in Kilmarnock was established in 1797
and quickly flourished, perhaps aided by the quality of scholars in
the area. These libraries all continued to prosper until one
of the biggest milestones in the south-west's educational history
occurred.
In 1893, the Carnegie Library in Ayr opened its doors, the result
of an offer from businessman and philanthropist Andrew
Carnegie. Ten thousand pounds would be donated for the
purpose of building a public library, on the condition that the
Free Libraries Act was adopted. The multi-purpose building
held, as well as the library, a museum, reading room and art
gallery. The Dick
Institute in Kilmarnock (opened 1901) is a similar
establishment, having been funded by James Dick. Natural
history collections were shown here and at various places,
including in the High Street in Ayr - housed in what is now a pub -
and Belleisle House, also Ayr.
Around this time, there was an appetite for public lectures and
interest in all the sciences, particularly astronomy.
Morton's Observatory, which was situated in Morton Place in
Kilmarnock, encouraged the public's fascination with the stars, and
was the site of many lectures and demonstrations. Thomas Lee
was related by marriage to the observatory's founder, and utilised
it for many of his classes. One of the first visitors to
Morton's Observatory was the writer Thomas
Carlyle. Dumfries also had an observatory, housed in an
old windmill, established in 1836.
Many of these institutions are still in existence today, and are
well frequented and held in esteem by locals.
The 20th century saw the growth of many further and higher
education colleges, such as those at Kilmarnock, Ayr, and the
Scottish Agricultural College at Auchincruive. Some of higher
education establishments expanded into the south west with
satellite campuses; for example, the University of Glasgow
(Crichton Campus, Dumfries) and the University of Paisley (Ayr
Campus).