PANEL 96    The Caithness School, 1851

By the 19th century, the dream of John Knox and the reformers had been realised. There was a school in almost every parish in Scotland and one of the consequences was a high level of mass literacy. At between 70 and 77 per cent, it was highest in Britain in the counties of Caithness and Berwickshire. But the picture was patchy. In Lanarkshire, attendance at school was below 50 per cent. But, when school boards came into existence in 1872 and they took over much of education from the church, standards rose. Scotland’s universities, especially Glasgow, pioneered the needs of students drawn from an urban and middle-class background rather than simply providing an education for the gentry. It offered degrees in law, medicine, engineering, science, and divinity. Entrance qualifications were standardised and women were admitted in the 1890s, with St Andrews taking the lead. Education continues to be set at a premium in Scotland – at least in theory. But the brief window that allowed children to progress from school to university with fees paid by the local authority and a maintenance grant from the Scottish Education Department is now closed. This obviously restricts the number of talented young people who can benefit from Scotland’s great educational tradition.

 

Panel stitched by:

Caithness Textile Artists

Valerie Barker

Joan Dancer

Louise Hunt

Dorothy Johnston

Ella Lawrence

Shirley MacLeod

Celia More

Catherine Swanson

Stitched in:

Lybster, Wick, Thurso, Halkirk