KIRKCUDBRIGHT ACADEMY

The Burgh school

THIS ANCIENT foundation, one of the most noted in Scotland, is older than we can say. It may safely be assumed to be a pre-Reformation foundation, but its precise date cannot be determined. Sir Henry Keith conjectured that it grew out of the School for Latin started by the Grey Friars, after the town was made a Royal Burgh in 1455 by James II. But we cannot be sure, and can only say that Kirkcudbright fits in perfectly with the magnificent schemes for higher instruction laid out by Knox in his First Book of Discipline. There can be little question that the school was ready in 1560 to play its part in any national system of education.

The first actual reference to the school occurs in a Town Council Minute of 1576 engaging the Rev. James Dodds as master. But a certain Ninian McClannochen evidently had preceded him, for an item in the record runs "To pay Mr Ninian McClannochen, sumtyme the schoolmaister, the sowme of ten pounds money restand of his fe".

Mr Dodds' appointment was confirmed after two years in these words:

The guhilk day the Baillie, councell and communitie ratefeis the feing and conduceing of James Dodds, minister, to be their schoolmaister, and binds and oblisses thame to pay hym thairforr teirly sa lang as he sall serwe XX merks, his entres thair to at Mertynmes last was to be payit at Whitsunday and Mertynmes yeirly be equall portiones, and for suir payment thair of during his serwice assignit and be this present assignis to hym the males of the feirie being XX merks yeirly, with power to hym to uplift the samyn fra the takisman thairof.

The minister as schoolmaster may surprise, but it was by no means the last of such dual appointments.

In 1582 a further change of mastership occurred, a Mr William Turner was appointed followed by Mr James Dickson. Dickson continued to be "feit" until 1591. At this time it has to be noted that the school stood on the site of the present Catholic Church, (behind the Sheriff Court House, only approx. 100 yards from The Tolbooth) and only the strict classics were taught at it.

From 1591 to 1620 the "scuilemaster" changed almost annually, mainly because of the poor salary and extra duties imposed on him, such as seeking his meals about the town and, the oddest taskassigned to a member of the scholastic profession, that of "knockkepparis" (clock-keeper).

A more enlightened policy emergedin 1620, when we find James Lamb appointed for three years. The salary paid to him represented a considerable improvement, being 100 merks, with fees extra and 20 merks for "house mail". On the teaching side it was also decreed that the master should take singing, this being its first introduction to the curriculum.

In 1626 George Rutherford, brother of the great Samuel, then at Anwoth, (Covenanter & Martyr), was appointed schoolmaster and reader. He too was a great non-conformist and his "heresies" led to his being summoned before the high commissioners and commanded to resign.

Altogether, in these vexed years, the school fell into a parlous state, reaching its nadir during the "Killing Times". Revival came, however in 1689.

Classroom violence

Probably the most exciting event of this whole century is covered by a minute for 1690, reading, "The scholars and schoolmaster being exposed to hazard in consequence of the state of the school, the council grant the use of the Tolbooth, at the same time advising that when the prisoners shall be in it, it should be more strictly kept. The scholars entering at 7.am and removing at 5.pm"

In 1692 the master was James Bell, made session clerk, the following year. James Bean or Bain appointed in 1697 was master when Elspeth McCowan from Boghra was burned as a witch. (Nor was she the last in Scotland). It was still a barbaric age, cock fighting, for instance, being a sanctioned school sport, with "cock money" actually allowed the usher "conforme to use and wont".

In 1702 we even find the master indicted, with another "for mutual blood and baterie" and fined.

Sack the lot

Following this however, there was no untoward event until 1735 when there occurred probably the most notorious case ever affecting a Kirkcudbright master. John Robertson was appointed rector in 1733. Two years later he was charged with "heresie and blasphemie" and with "keeping no worship of God in his family or school". He was further accused of "loving wine" and of calling the presbytery "an hellish pack" and of having " a wicked design to poison the youth of the place and others with his dangerous and damnable principles". He was deposed from his offices and forbidden to hold them "in any other place in the National Church". The Greater Excommunication was further pronounced upon him.

The school still had problems over discipline, and matters continued to run an unsatisfactory course right up to 1781, when at last they were brought to a head. Mr Gordon, the Rector, was deeply involved, and this time action of the most summary kind was taken against him and his colleagues. In a word it was "Sack the lot".

New buildings

The school itself appears to have been rebuilt in 1766 at a cost of £169.55. It consisted of two rooms below, each 24ft. by 17ft. 6ins., with an upper room reached by a very steep stone stair. The third room was the domain of the commercial class.

In 1815, it was decided to amalgamate the three schools, (Commercial, English and Arithmetic) into a single establishment, The Kirkcudbright Academy, which it has remained ever since.

New buildings were found necessary and appeals made for voluntary subscriptions. The new Academy was finally opened in 1818. It remained but a small place, though the rooms were much more conveniently placed on the ground, and all told, possessed nine large windows.

Reconstructions were carried out in 1893, 1901 and 1926, but every alteration was still on or around these original classrooms, and continuity of stone was preserved, as well as tradition.

The Cochrane Memorial Gymnasium was added in 1930-31. Other large additions were made in 1958.

Fraser Patterson