Observations from an interview

 

This is the archive records at Ardmore – four pupils absent due to relative’s death – and Wilhelmina Campbell is the teacher. It’s all changes – Jessie Corbett, then the Millers – and I think there’s a photograph of that lady to do with something else in the archives. But this one – it’s taken in 1945 and then, you see, December – ‘the children are attending a treat in Achlyness.’ Now, they must have had a joint Christmas party in Ardmore.

 

There was one bit when they were trying to improve the road to Ardmore. And there must have been something in a newspaper because the councillors were there and a photographer was there to take the photograph of this one boy and the schoolteacher. And I think – I’m not sure I remember whether it would be – I know that Kenny MacLeod, who lived in Oldshoremore – his brother had the Rhiconich Hotel – Johnnie MacLeod had the Rhiconich Hotel – now Kenny was, he was a local councillor. So he may have been the councillor who was there? There was a poem written, and it said something about, ‘At last we’ll see a road to Ardmore’. This poem, about the road to Ardmore, and it’s about the Councillor and the work that he had done to try and get this road out to Ardmore.
(Source: AVMC ED12 2051)

 

Ardmore School Log Book – extracts

 

8th September 1938

Mr Brannen, Architect, called at the school after hours yesterday evening and looked at the spot where they propose the new school to be erected.

 

31st October 1938

The work on the new school has commenced today.

 

2nd December 1938

The attendance is 80% this week. We are now in the new building but it has not been quite finished yet.

 

5th January 1939

School roll is 8.

 

5th September 1939

Owing to the international situation all schools have orders to close for a week.

Note from researcher – when it reopened a week later the attendance was down to 33.3% compared to 85% as normal. It went back up by end of month.

 

17th October 1939

Finished duty in this school today. J. Corbett.

Note from researcher – Replaced by A. Millar who then gets leave to get married and is replaced for 3 days by his sister Edina Millar. A. Millar was replaced by Margaret.MacLeod 11th March 1940. She was replaced by Minnie MacDonald 9th Jan 1941.

 

17th January 1941

I have been absent three days this week on account of a severe snow storm. I set off for school everyday but was forced to give up the attempt on each occasion.

 

25th April 1941

On 23rd last I killed an adder or serpent on my way home from school. The next day I learned that none had been seen in the district for many years, and none of the pupils had ever seen one. Consequently I brought it into school to preserve it in methylated spirits.

 

15th September 1941

School closes tomorrow on account of the annual sale. Miss MacKenzie (Winnie) attends school daily to learn the routine of the work with a view to carrying on after Oct 15th as teacher.