History

Education has been made on offer in Edderton for 250 years, although few children are likely to have attended before compulsory education came into force in 1872.

The Statistical Account of Scotland, originally published in 1799 states:

"There is a parochial school. The salary is so small, that none can be got to teach it, who is at all master of any of the learned languages. owever, the cultivation of the English language is increasing."

By 1840 there were three schools in the parish, a parochial, Gaelic and female school. The parochial school had been established for more than a century, though it appears that attendance of pupils and placement of teachers were somewhat erractic.

The 1872 Education (Scotland) Act made elementary education free but compulsory. Our school "up the brae" was opened in October 1874, "... at the usual hour with devotional services."

The school in thre village (on the site of June and Ted Robinson's House) was now too small and too far away for the majority of pupils who lived up the hill. Of course, the reverse is true today, but it keeps them fit cycling or trudging to school! However, within a week attendance was very poor.

Attendance

"It seems that some of the scholars were engaged in taking up the potoatoes."

Poor attendance due to essential work on the farms, such as peat cutting is a continuing feature in School Log books (though of course these days school is a priority!). It is a feature of the changed community that pupils at the turn of the century until the 1950's were largely from crofting or farming families.

Although the School Log books show a preoccupation with attendances, they are an excellent source of social history, noting important events, health epidemics, changes in education and our changing language.

An amusing reason for absence reads,

"36 of the boys and 36 of the girls are absent, but first marked present. The cause is that a large number of the children are of the same name." (May 1, 1889.).