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History of Cheddon Fitzpaine School |
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CHEDDON SCHOOL’S EARLY DAYS
250 years ago, in 1756, Thomas Perry’s will turned the thoughts of Cheddon parish to the virtues of schooling for the less fortunate. “I give and bequeath the Reverend Francis Warre, Rector of Cheddon and to Emanuel Gadd, gent of Cheddon, the sum of £50 to be laid out in the education of such poor children of the said parish as they shall think most proper and convenient.”
Mr Paul Methuen of Corsham Court, Wiltshire, then Lord of the manor, gave the plot of land at Rowford on which the present school still stands. The Rector managed to collect more money to add to the legacy and after the building was erected, made the total up to £100, the interest on this being available as required. The Clerk of the Parish was appointed as Master, and a number of poor children began their free education. Apparently all went well until about 1818, when numbers declined rapidly owing to complaints of “ the immoral conduct of the present Master and his wife.” Efforts to remove him were strongly resisted. He claimed that the house and garden were the gift of his father-in-law, the Parish Clerk, who had been the first Head. The parish was advised not to pursue the prosecution, as they would probably lose. They had to pay the man £40 to leave, together with legal costs of £25. After paying their own costs, the fund of £100 had completely disappeared.
Nothing daunted, by 1820 a new Master was appointed, “who is now living upon the premises without any other emolument than the privilege of occupying the house, garden and orchard. He undertakes to teach twelve poor scholars free of expense, with the liberty of taking other children for a weekly remuneration.” He must have had to build up a good reputation quickly to earn enough to survive. To prevent further trouble, he was bound under a penalty of £200 “to resign and depart in case of incapacity, misconduct or neglecting to keep the house and premises in repair to the satisfaction of the Rector.”
The school continued, supported be small bequests, and in 1871 came the landmark of a new building for 55 pupils. An Infants’ Classroom was added in 1892 and cloakrooms provided. The stone came from Monkton Quarry, the bricks from Bridgwater, cement and mortar contained Dunball lime and the cost was £66 raised locally. Over the years improvements were made, but the children were never molly-coddled. An Inspector in January 1917 considered the school far too cold. However, the Secretary stated that, in his opinion, much more harm was likely to be brought about by heating above 52 degrees F than by keeping some ratio between outdoor and indoor temperatures. Numbers having dropped to around 30, his ideas “to make our school a little more attractive” included “special prizes, school treats, lantern lectures and a personal interest in the home life of each scholar.”
From “Windows on the Past” by Audrey Mead |
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