| Administrative History | Leochel Cushnie School Board covered the area of Leochel Cushnie civil parish in western Aberdeenshire. There were six schools already in the parish when the school board was set up: Lynturk Endowed School; Old Manse (of Leochel) Endowed School; Cairncoullie School; Cushnie Parochial School; Leochel Parochial School; and Braehead School. However, it was felt that the south-west corner of the parish was badly served and the Board set about trying to find land for a new school there. It acquired suitable land from J.O. Forbes of Corse in 1873.
In 1874 the Old Manse School closed, but the premises were taken over by the Board until the new school should be ready. It was opened in March 1877. The Board had at their disposal the income from several trusts, bequests and mortifications for the education of the poor of the parish, including the Peter McCombie Trust relating to Lynturk School, the Peter Ritchie Mortification, Craigievar, and the mortification of George Strachan, Aultdargue of Corse.
Leochel Cushnie administered Craigievar joint school in conjunction with Tough and Lumphanan school boards (see AS/ASsmc/9-13). The board also administered Cairncoullie joint school, situated in Leochel Cushnie parish inconjunction with Towie school board (see AS/ASsmc/4-8).
The Education (Scotland) Act 1872 (35 & 36 Vict., c.62) created school boards in Scotland with a statutory duty to provide education for all children between the ages of 5 and 13. The boards had an elected membership made up of owners and occupiers of property of the value of £4 or over. They were responsible for the building and maintenance of schools, staffing and attendance of pupils. They were overseen by the Scotch Board of Education.
The Education (Scotland) Act 1901 (64 Vict. and 1 Edw. VII, c.9) raised the school leaving age to 14. School boards were abolished by the Education (Scotland) Act 1918 (8 & 9 Geo. V, c.48) and replaced by education authorities and school management committees. |