Road conditions could still prevent both pupils and teachers from getting

to school in extremely adverse conditions, as in March of 1947 when buses

were not running and the school was closed. Although illnesses of epidemic

proportions still could cause the attendence at school to be substantially

affected, as in late 1946 when an epidemic of scarlet fever was severe enough

for Mr. Stobie to ask the school medical officer if there might be a carrier

at Strathkinness School (scarlet fever is not in fact spread by carriers), the

health of most of the children had greatly improved over the years.

There are only a few reports of the school inspectors in Mr. Stobie’s log

book. That of 1933 is a reasonably favourable one, and it stated that offices

(toilets) had been rebuilt and an adequate supply of water introduced. (This

was before Strathkinness had a proper sewage system.) The report of 1936

was slightly more critical and said that ‘clear speech should be fostered’.

The school was reported to be lit by electricity by this time.

The third log book after they were introduced in 1873 ends when Mr.

Stobie died, in 1949. The last thirty-seven years in the history of Strathkinness

School is contained in the current log book, and in the memories of pupils.

Apart from the report of the school inspectors in 1985, the only record to be

made here is of the names of the head teachers who followed Mr. Stobie.

They are all remembered by people still living in the village, and are: Miss

A. Kaye (interim head, July — December, 1949); Mr. William Howie (January,

1950 — August, 1966); Mrs. M. McFarlane (interim head August, 1966 —

February, 1967, then head until July, 1971 when she was appointed head

of Newport School); Mr. George Currie (July, 1971 — March, 1976, when

he became head of Wormit School); Mrs. B. Thomson (head since March,

1976, and teacher at Strathkinness 1966 — 1970, and 1970 — 1976 head of

Radernie School).

Included in the inspectors’ report of 1985 are the comments that

‘Strathkinness School covers the full range of primary school subjects

learning activities are often linked together in ... centres of interest or class

projects... The pupils worked in a friendly atmosphere and their social relations

with one another and with the two teachers were excellent ... the youngest

pupils were already participating fully ... their mature and confident attitudes

were attributable to the influence of their older classmates and to the respect

that all pupils received as individuals’. They reported the school to be very

well equipped and ‘the buildings though old were pleasant and comfortable’

with recent alterations completed in 1984, having improved conditions both for

staff and for pupils.

The inspectors reported also that, ‘the foundation of competence and

nterest were ... being successfully laid in the children’s early years of schooling

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