FIFTY YEARS AGO Thursday October 9, 1969
Day of joy for the Grammar
Campbeltown’s new Grammar School was officially opened on Monday – a day of brilliant sunshine – by the Joint Under Secretary of State, Mr Bruce Millan, who has education as one of his responsibilities.
In his speech, Mr Millan said that there had been more rapid developments in education in recent years than ever before. This was the result of the decision to raise school leaving age in 1972-73 and the move towards comprehensive education in Scottish schools.
Both these moves, he said, sprang from the same desire and purpose – to give the individual the maximum opportunity to develop his or her talents.
‘There is still a long way to go but we are moving a good way towards achieving these aims.
‘It is interesting, when people outside the educational system are criticising what is happening in our schools, to take a look at the presentations for the Scottish Certificate of Education examinations over recent years.’
Mr Millan pointed out that in 1964 some 38,000 pupils were presented for ‘O’ grade examinations, while in 1968, the figure was more than 48,000. For the ‘H’ grade the number presented in 1964 was 26,000 and in 1968 it was more than 38,000.
These figures represented tremendous changes, he went on, and they were particularly important in view of the number and variety of jobs now available in commerce and industry.
On educational policy in the country areas he said there was a need for bigger schools to provide better facilities and this meant a degree of centralisation, with many pupils living away from home.
In Argyll the six-year and four-year course schools went some way to minimise the problem of staying away from home and the building of hostels, including one in Campbeltown, would provide a more domestic atmosphere and reassure parents that their children were being well looked after while at school.
He thought the new school was an excellent example of modern educational architecture and he congratulated all who had planned, designed and built it.
The chairman of the opening, Mr J. G. Mathieson, the county convener, said: ‘I am very proud to be here for I am a freeman of the Royal Burgh of Campbeltown and proud to have such a school in Campbeltown, costing more than £700,000.
‘I hope the ratepayers will appreciate what the County Council has done for them.’
The chairman of Argyll Committee, Mr James Marshall, paid tribute to Mr Millan’s understanding of the educational problems in Argyll. He was glad to know that someone in authority had this kind of understanding.
But he pointed out that the allocation expenditure in 1971-72 allowed only for one new school being built – at Oban – and he said that there was need for more then this, especially in Islay and Tiree.