Preston LodgeHigh School

(n, .OUth Anniversory

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Foreword

This booklet is produced to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the

opening of Preston Lodge H.S. Mr William Allan, headmaster ofLongniddry P.S. (1944-73) who was among the first pupils to be enrolledinto Preston Lodge in session 7924-25,offetedthis record as a personal

contribution on the occasion of the school's Fiftieth Annlversary. The

school is indebted to Mr. Allan, who passed away in 1983, for hisforesight in recording 'The beginnings of Preston Lodge'.

That in the nineteen eighties the school continues to enjoy thesupport of its pupils, its staff and the community it serves' speaksvolumes for the standards set by all those who have been associated withthe school over these sixty years. The school over this time has beenable to marry worthwhile tradition with a progressive outlook and so itmoves on to take up the challenge of the new technologies of the nextdecade. One cannot divorce the Former Pupils Club established bythe school's second rector, Mr. A. H. Miller, M-A., B.Sc., (1928-43) fromthe school. The two are inextricably linked and the three sections of

badminton, hockey and rugby within the F.P. Club offer a fullprogramme of activities. The schoolls Sixtieth Anniversary coincideswith the Former Pupils Rugby club gaining promotion to the scottishRugby Union's premier league for the firdt time ever and the school,besides extending heartiest congratulations, is happy to share part of the

limelisht associated with this success'

David S. AllanJune l9&5

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PRESTON LODGE HIGH SCHOOL, PRESTONPANS.

THE BEGINNING(compiled f rom the columns of the 'Haddingtonshire courier', the school log book andpersonal recollections by William Allan, B.Sc. - a pioneer pupil - on the occasion of theschool's Jubilee Celebrotions - September 7974.)

The educational scene. The 1979 Education Act saw theformation of East Lothian Education Authority whose task it was toadminister for the educational needs of the county. It was a distinctentity and not under the jurisdiction of the county cou ncil. Its chiefofficial was known as the Executive officer and the first holder of thepost was Mr. R. D. Robertson, M.A., B.Sc.

It found that, of the five larger centres of population in the county -Haddington, North Berwick and Dunbar all had schools with fullsecondary courses while the western end of the county, the mostpopulous, was served by a three years'higher grade course in Tranent.Prestonpans had no provision for secondary education at all except for atwo years' supplementary course for pupils between the ages of twelvean fourteen. Apparently it was felt that pupils in the Tranent andPrestonopans area,wishing to pursue their secondary studies further,could travel to Musselburgh or Edinburgh schools, for which purposesEast Lothian Education Authority paid the necessary government grantto the authorities concerned.

By 1923 the higher grade school at Tranent had eleven hundredpupils, primary and secondary, and accommodation was being taxed.In addition Edinburgh education officials had warned East Lothian thatthey could not continue to accept East Lothian secondary pupils muchlonger. It was decided to erect one secondary schoolfor post-qualifyingpupils convenient for the Tranent, Prestonpans and Cock enzie areas.The school was also to make provision for Technical instruction whichwas being encouraged at that time and also for evening classes in mining.A site of three and a half acres, part of the grounds of Preston Lodgehouse at Preston was obtained which was reasonably central toCockenzie, Prestonpans and Tranent. The ground was part of thewestern end of the site of the Battle of Prestonpans andduringthe earlyexcavations for the school the presence of human bones wasdiscovered.

Money was not plentiful in the post-war years and the originaldesign was for a semi-permanent timber and block building and harledover. The contract was given to Mr. Richard Baillie, Builder,

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Haddington. At that time the Earlof wemyss had decided to sellfordemolition the family mansion house known as Amisfield House

standing about two miles east of Haddington. This mansion house was

bought by Mr. Baillie who offered to use part of the polished redsandstone ashlar to build the frontage and sides of the new PrestonLodge school. This offer was eagerly accepted by the EducationAuthority and the frontage elevations wete altet ed accordingly. Severalbeautilul and ornate pediment windows were incorporated in the new

design. Amisfield House had been built in 1776 with fine grained red

sandstone obtained from quarries near Garvald now part of LordBalfour's estate. Despite its age the stone was in perfect condition andcould be used almost without dressing. A nearby farmhouse waspurchased for the headmaster and also a field adjacent to the schoolforsports. It was estimated at the time that the schooland its surroundinggrounds would cost in the region of f20,000. A start was made on the

erection of the school in 7923.By mid-7924, because of accommodation problems in

neighbourhood schools, it was decided to start the new schoolfor the

commencement of the 7924-25 session despite the fact that the school

buildings were only partly built. Makeshift accommodation was

obtained at Prestonpans in the Parish and Free Church Halls, and in onearmy hut in Kirk Street. The summer vacation was extended toTuesday, 23rd September, L924, in order to allow arrangements to becompleted. The pupils were transferred from Tranent higher grade

school to form classes two, three and four and the first year wasrecruited from the post-qualifying pupils from the various primary

schools in the area. Feeder schools to the new Preston Lodge Schooiwere as follows Humbie, Saltoun, Pencaitland, Ormiston,Elphinstone, Tranent, Macmerry, Cockenzie, Port Seton andPrestonpans. The first headmaster appointed was John S.W. Boyle,M.A., B.Sc.,Ph.D., a lecturer in University College, Dundee, and a

native of St. Andrews. The salary was 01000 per annum.On the opening morning of the new school in the Parish Church

Hall the platform was occupied by Dr. D'R.'Macdonald, Dunbar,Chairman of the Education Authority; Dr J. Logan Ayre, ParishChurch, Prestonpans, a member of the Education Authority; Mr. R.D.Robertson, M.A., B.Sc., Executive Officer, and Dr. John S.W. Boyle,the new headmaster. The other members of the staff, comprisingfive in

number, were as follows:- Mr. Peter Gray, M.A., Principal English(transferred from Tranent H.G.); I4r. Robert G. Leishman, M.A.,

)

B.sc., Principal Science (transferred from Knox Institute); Miss JessieSmith, I\4.A., Principal Modern Languages (transferred from KnoxInstitute); Mr. William Reid, M.A., Classics Master and assistantEnglish; Miss Margaret A. Mitchell, M.A. B.Sc., Temporary assistantin Mathematics in place of Miss Annie Porteous, M.A., B.Sc., due tostart on 6th October. The number of pupils on the roll on opening daywas 151.

Until the end of January, 1925, the staff and pupils laboured undervery difficult conditions. The school was then transferred to thedomestic and technical block at the rear of the main preston Lodgebuilding. The rollby this time was increased to 250. The staff had alsobeen expanded by the appointment of the following:- Mr. A. prentice(Art and Woodwork - 27.10.24); Mr. John W. Johnston (Janitor -19.1I.24); Miss Elizabeth Guild, M.A., Hons. (French and German -8.72.24); Miss Ann Maver, M.A., (Assistant Teacher English andGeography - 21.7.25); Miss M.A. Mitchell. M.A., B.Sc., (AssistantMathematics and Science - 29.I 25). Occupation of the east wing,Rector's Room, both staff-rooms, gymnasium and dressing rooms wasnot obtained untilSeptember 1925. During the last week of November7925 the whole of the main block was in use with the exception of twolarge rooms in the centre of the ground floor, the library and thelaboratories.

The official opening. Despite the fact that the building was notquite finished it was decided to have an official opening of the newPreston Lodge School on 4th September I92S and the Right Hon. TheEarl of Balfour of Whittingehame, kindly agreed to perform the openingceremony.

On the afternoon in question the pupils at 2.30 p.m. were lined up ina double row from the gate to the east door of the schooland, watchedby parents and visitors, the Executive Officer, Mr. R.D. Robertson, metthe Earl of Balfour at the main gate and conducted him through the ranksof the pupils to the east door. There the Earl, who was accompanied byhis sister, Miss Balfour, and his two married sisters, Mrs. Sidgwick andthe Dowager Lady Rayleigh, was welcomed by the Chairman of theEducation Authority, Dr. D.R. Macdonald of Dunbar. Mr. T.W. Hardy,the Authority's architect and architect of the school, presented him witha gold key to mark the occasion. The key was purely a symbolof theoccasion and did not actually'fit the lock. It was arranged that, as theEarl placed the key in the lock, the door would be pushed open from the

inside. However, the door was pushed open prematurely,before theEarl even got the chance to put the key in the lock and the Earl, amidlaughter, said 'This will not be necessary now but it makes it none theless valuable'.

The official party, staff, parents, visitors and pupils then proceededto the hallwhere Dr. Macdonald presided. Also on the platform werethe Earl of Balfour, the Earl of Wemyss, the Rev. Dr. J. Logan Ayre,Prestonpans (a member of the education authority) and Dr. F.R.Jamieson, H.M. Inspector of Schools. Also present were the Countessof Wemyss, Lord and Lady Plymouth, Lady Desborough, Lord and LadyPolwarth, Sir Patrick Geddes, Sir Everard and Lady Im Thurn(Cockenzie House), Major and Mrs. H.P. Cadelland many other visitorsboth from the county and without. A list of the official guests willbefound at the end of this booklet.

Staff present were Dr. and Mrs. Boyle; Mr. & Mrs. P. Gray,Tranent; Mr. & Mrs. R.G. Leishman, Preston; Mr. & Mrs. A.Prentice, Preston; Miss J. Smith, Linl i thgow; Miss Guild,Cockenzie; Miss Maver, Corstorphine; Miss M. Mclntyre,Haddington; Miss M. Mitchell , Tranent; Miss ,A. Porteous,Leith; Mr. & Mrs. A. Ross, Prestonpans; Mr. A. Mackenzie,Edinburgh; and Mr. Hermon Allat, Haddington.

The proceedings opened with the singing of the 100th psalm andprayer by the Rev. Dr. J. Logan Ayre. In his address the chairman, Dr.Macdonald referred to Lord Balfour as East Lothian's greatest man,beloved and esteemed throughout the British Empire. They wereproviding another means by which the young people of East Lothiancould pass on to the Scottish Universities. There had always been apath from the various parishes to the University but it was always a verysteep path with awkward stiles and many gates to open. The majority ofthe leavers would not be going to University, but nevertheless, theywould receive a sound education on which to build for the future. All,they hoped, who came to this school would gain a refinement ofcharacter, a contentment and brightness in life, that only a wiseeducation could bring. In the name of the Education Authority he hadthe honour of asking the Earl of Balfour to declare the school open.

The Earl of Balfour said, 'The school marked the completion of thescheme of secondary education successfully begun many years ago.Forty-five years ago in 1880 I was requested by Haddington educationauthority to open the Knox Institute. North Berwick and Dunbar soon

followed suit. Now the west end of the county, none too soon, has gotthis admirable institution for carrying on the work of education.

I confess I am one of those who rnourn over the loss of a beautifulspecimen of our domestic architecture; but when I see the use to whichthe stones have been put I have to admit that, at all events, they havefound a final resting place worthy of their history.

It is absurd to say that Haddington, Dunbar.and North Berwickrequired a secondary school but that the most populous part of thecounty, which is not merely agricultural but has a large popurationengaged in mining and fishing - it is absurd to say that the west end ofthe county should be less well served in the matter of education than itsmore easterly neighbours.

The Earl of Balfour continued, that he was delighted to know thatthe Education Authority had been fortunate enough to obtain ground forgames for the school. The grounds were situated where the Battle ofPrestonpans was fought 180 years ago. 'lt gives me great pleasure tothink', he proceeded, 'that upon the spot where the last gleam of theStuart cause, destined only a few months later to be entirely wiped outfrom the field of practical politics, and to be handed over to the tendermercies of romance, that mimic warfare of the most friendly description,either among the pupils of this institution, or between them and rivalsfrom elsewhere, will be fought.'

'l think I ought to ask you to join me, when I conclude, in expressingour best wishes to the headmaster and his staff and the pupils whobenefit by their labours.'

Dr. Boyle, on behalf of the teachers and pupils, thanked thecompany for the way in which they had responded to Lord Balfour's callfor good wishes for the school. The scholars then sang the'Gaudeamus'.

Dr. F.R. Jamieson, H.M. Chief Inspector of Schools, offered hiscongratulations on the opening of the school.

The Earl of Wemyss then addressed the gathering and said thatwhen he gladly accepted an invitation to be present he had no idea thathe should have anything more to do than enjoy the eloquence of LordBalfour. However, he, Lord Wemyss, had been asked bythe Chairmanto give a blessing on the proceedings. He wished, from the bottom of hisheart, success to Preston Lodge schoolwith the utmost sincerity. Headmitted that when he arrived that afternoon he had seen the outside ofthe building with mingled emotions. one did not like to seethehomeof

one's ancestors and the place in which many happy days of one'schildhood had been spent, being pulled down stone uv.L"", u"t if it hadto be pulled down because of the action of the rating authorities - ofwhich the Education Authority was one - one could not imagine agreater consolation than to know that the stones from one's old homewere not going to waste, that, instead, they were going to form part of asplendid educational institution like this. He hoped d,.,i trrrt"a that thisschool of which the beautiful, ord Amisfield stone formed purt woula bethe training ground of many a boy and girl who would uaa -"r" names tothe splendid roll of great men and great women who had made EastLothian pre-eminent in scotrand and pre-eminent in the Empire. Theyhad to remember that in this school and other schools ttrey hadadvantages their ancestors did not have. He was sure they *ould makefull use of these advantages and that even he might live to-hear of greatmen and great women who had obtained theii secondary educationwithin these walls.

Major H.F. cadetl proposed a vote of thanks to the Earlof Balfourfor his presence, and for the service he performed. He was sure that thescholars realised that it was a great privilege to have at the opening oftheir school, not only a great East Lothian man, but a great statesmanand a great gentleman.

Mr' R.D. Robertson, Executive officer proposed a vote of thanks toDr. Jamieson, H.M. chief Inspector of schoors. Dr. Jamieson had 3000schools under his charge and was honouring them by being present thatday. He also refened to the benefits given to the schooluv tn" SchawBequest and Stiell's Trust.

Tea was later served to the company in the domestic block.Thereafter they had an opportunity of inspecting the schoor and thegrounds.

Thus was Preston Lodge officiaily raunched on its educationalmission.

List of officials and Guests present at the official opening ofPreston Lodge School - 4th September,1925

Dr. D.R. Macdonald, Dunbar, Chairman of the Education Authority;

The Risht Hon. The Earl of Balfour;

Miss Balfour, Mrs. Sidswick (sister); Dowager Lady Rayleigh (sister);

The Right Hon. The Earl of Wemyss and Countess of Wemyss;

Lord and Lady Plymouth;

Sir Everard and Lady Im Thurn (Cockenzie House);

Major and Mrs. Hew Francis Cadell;

Mr. R.D. Robertson (Executive Officer);

Rev. Dr. J. Logan Ayre, Prestonpans (Member of the EducationAuthority);

Mr. F.W. Hardy (Authority Architect);

Dr. F.R. Jamieson (H.M. Inspector of Schools);

Staff - Dr. and Mrs. Boyle, Preston; Mr. & Mrs. P. Gray, Tranent;

Mr. & Mrs. R.G. Leishman, Preston; Mr. & Mrs' A. Prentice, Preston;

Miss J. Smith, Linlithgow; Miss Guild, Qockenzie;

Miss Maver, Corstorphine; Miss M. Mclntyre, Haddington;

Miss M. Mitchell, Tranent; Miss A. Porteous, Leith;

Mr. & Mrs. A. Ross, Prestonpans; Mr. A. Mackenzie, Edinburgh;

and Mr. G. Hermon Allat, Haddington.

Prestonpans - Mrs. Logan Ayre; Mr. & Mrs. Charles Mcleod;

Provost Wilson; Mr. J. Hunter; Mr. R.A. Grieg; Mr' J. Fewell;

Mr. Archibald; Mr. R.H. Hunter; Mr. T.G. Young; Mr. R. Ritchie;

Rev. A. & Mrs. Westwater; Miss A. Meek; and Mr. J. McAra.

Tranent - Rev. R. Delaney; ex-Provost J. Ormiston;

Provost J. Harkess; Mr. J. Courtenay; Mr. J.F' Pierce;

Mr. T. Ross; Mr. H. Regan; Mr. J. Young; Rev. A.M. Hewatt;

Mr. T. Hood,sen.

Ormiston - Mr. & Mrs. J. Hyde; Mr. A. Montgomerie;and Mr. J.P. Chalmers.

Pencaitland - Rev. T. C. & Mrs. Still; Mr. D. Christie;Mr. W. Grossert; Mr. J .H. Cossar; Mr. Richard Baillie.Macmerry - Mr. & Mrs. T. Blair (Hoprig Mains); Mr. J. Hogg;Mr. A. Sibbald.

Cockenzie - Provost Inglis; Mr. A. Johnstone; Mr. G. Guild:Rev. A. & Mrs. Howie; Rev. E.M. and Miss Bland.Haddington - Rev. M. Whelahan; Mr. G.H. Stevenson;ex-Baillie Husband; Mr. R. Comline; Mr. D. Baillie:Mr. A. and Miss Burnett.

North Berwick - Mr. T.S. Glover; Mr.& Mrs. R. Milar (Ferrygate).Aberlady - Mr. A.M. Jamieson; Mr. & Mrs. G.H. connor (craigieraw).Dunbar - Rev. J.A. Mclntyre; Mr. A. Comrie;ex-Provost & Mrs. Low; Mrs. D.R. Macdonald.Others - Mrs. McGuire; Capt. De Salis;Maj. Gen. & Mrs. Hunter-Blair (lnglesfield);

Mr. & Mrs. T. Elder (stevenson); Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Mackenzie(Stenton);

Mr. & Mrs. J. Robertson (Beanston Mains); Mrs. D. Robertson(Edinbursh).

Mr. J.w. williamson (Treasurer of the Education Authority) & Mrs.Williamson;

Dr. G.Y. Richardson (Medical Officer) & Mrs. Richardson;Mr' M.w. skene-Tvtler (Keith Marischar); Mr. R. waddeil(Elphinstone);

Mr. R. Riddelt (Crossroads);

Dr. Insch (chairman of Midlothian Education Authority) Gorebridge;Mr. A. Nimmo, wallyford; Messrs. Morham & Brotchie, Edinburgh;Mr. William Baillie, Longniddry; Miss Fraser, Stenton.

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RECTORS OF PRESTON LODGE H.S.

7924 - 7928

7928 - 7943

7943 - 7957

L957 - 7970

1970 -

Dr. J.S.W. Boyle, M.A., B.Sc.Mr. A.H. Millar, M.A., B. Sc.

Mr. G.M. Mackenzie, M.C., M.A., B.A.Mr. J. Sykes, M.A.

Mr. D.S. Allan, B.Sc., Dip. Ed.

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' The writer is indebted to the Editor of the'East Lothian Courier'for

kindly granting permission to quote from the files of 'The Haddington

Co.rri"I' and io Mr. D.S. Allan, B.Sc., Rector of Preston Lod'e High

s.noor, for kindly granting access to the school log book of the period'

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Printed bv MICROPRINT, sefon workg Hinburgh Road cockenzie, East Lothian.Telephone : (0875) 813399