| Administrative History | Towie School Board covered the area of Towie civil parish in western Aberdeenshire. The Board found in its initial census in 1873 that the school accommodation in the parish was not adequate for its needs. There were five schools, the Public School (too small, badly sited, in disrepair and lacking a playground); a female school at Glenkindie (partly funded by the SPCK, not convenient for the whole of the parish, and with a proprietor who could not guarantee its continuance); the Free Church Female School (intended by the church for closure as soon as Board accommodation was provided); Cairncoullie School, and Ardler School (both Society schools).
The Board applied for funds to rebuild the Public School to accommodate 130 pupils, to improve its facilities and to make up the deficit in accommodation. In addition, the board joined with Leochel Cushnie School Board to set up a committee for a Combination School to replace Cairncoullie, as it was used by both parishes, but declined to do the same with Strathdon School Board over Ardler School. By 1878 a census showed that there were 121 children of school age in the parish but that 15 did not attend.
In response to legislative changes agricultural, geology and chemistry were taught to boys from 1892, and Towie School was chosen to have a secondary department from 1893. In addition, physical training and history were introduced as part of the curriculum in the late 1890s, and plans were made to provide the children with hot dinners.
The board also administered Cairncoullie joint school, situated in Leochel Cushnie parish, in conjunction with Leochel Cushnie 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. |