out aitnougn it would øe ot great advantage to tne community’.

OLD FREE CHURCH SCHOOL

& SCHOOLMASTER’S HOUSE

Accordingly, the two schools remained separate and Mr. David Walker

was appointed schoolmaster of Strathkinness School in 1865, with Mr. Findlay

remaining schoolmaster of the Free Church School. Mr. Walker’s salary was

to consist of the school fees and of rents derived from letting the school lands,

which had amounted to between £24 and £26 during Mr. Peattie’s time. Mr.

Walker was warned that if ‘legislative enactment should cause the two schools

to be amalgamated’ his services and salary would not be continued for more

than one year.

There is no more information about the schools in Strathkinness until

after the Education (Scotland) Act of 1872 which made fundamental changes

in Scottish education. The schools were no longer under the jurisdiction

of the churches (with a few exceptions), and a locally elected School Board

was given control of the schools. The Scotch (sic) Education Department

supervised the School Board, with inspectors appointed to visit all schools.

These inspectors reported to the School Board the requirements of the school,

and through them the Education Department had the ultimate power to reduce

or withhold grants.

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