The book Arran; - Cook Clan

160 THE BOOK OF ARRAN
if they neglect to do so they shall not be entitled to uplift any part
of their Salary.
An ambitious programme truly, but one indicating a
very sound appreciation of what was to be desired.
We may now give some definite details as to the educational
institutions of the island before the Education Act
of 1875. For 1793 information is available only for Kilmorie,
where there were two parochial schools, the ' principal ' of
one drawing a salary of £50 Scots (one-twelfth of sterling
money) and of the other £40 Scots; one half, in each case,
being paid by the Duke, the other half by the tenants of the
districts. No doubt, though this is not specifically said,
such schoolmasters had also a free house ; and there were
fees, too, as a supplement, the scholars paying as ' wages '
Is. a quarter for reading, Is. 6d. for writing, and 2s. 6d. for
arithmetic ; while as session-clerks the schoolmasters had
individually £6 Scots per annum with Is. for every marriage
and 6d. for a baptism, the two latter being of course charges
on the parties concerned. School attendance averaged 50,
but there were in addition ' many petty schools.' Long
distances and wretched roads made such inevitable. But
it is to be hoped that the inhabitants got better schooling
than they paid for.
Things are considerably improved by 1837-40. By that
time, and probably since 1802, the parish of Kilbride had
six schools, four of these dividing the maximum salary
for parochial schools thus : Lamlash £19, Brodick £16,
Corrie £4, and Loch Ranza £6 ; but the last was a joint
school with Kilmorie, from which the teacher had as much
again. All these had free houses from the Duke. In 1823
the Church established what were known as Assembly
Schools, and of these there was one at Whiting Bay, the
head of which was rich on £25 a year ; and Lamlash had
a private school. The children in attendance at all the
schools numbered about 450. Fees were at the same rate