|
In mediaeval times there was a variety of possible
sources of a basic education in reading, writing,
spelling and figuring. Among these were the petty
schools for which the teacher had to be licensed by the
Bishop. No documentary evidence has been found for
Steyning before the end of the 16th Century, but in 1584
Leonard Mychell was licensed to teach little boys. He
was succeeded in 1587 by James Pellatt, who was followed
in 1588 by John Myller and, finally in 1609 by John
Geffery.
It seems quite likely that William Holland supported
this petty school, for in 1614 John Geffery became the
first schoolmaster of the free Grammar School which he
endowed. Its ordinances may well have been modelled on
those of the well-established Prebendal school in
Chichester, with which William Holland would have been
familiar, having served three terms as Mayor of
Chichester.
He gave Brotherhood Hall and its grounds as the school
building, play area and land from which the schoolmaster
might help support himself and the school was endowed
with the income from the Manor of Testers. With this,
the eleven trustees had to keep the building in repair
and pay the schoolmaster.
Although both English and Latin were taught, the senior
forms had to talk Latin at all times. High standards of
behaviour were insisted upon and the number of pupils
restricted to 50, with only six, at most, being boarded
in the schoolmaster’s house. Certainly in later years
and probably then, boys were boarded with families in
the town as well.
Between 1614 and 1753 seven schoolmasters held sway. In
the 18th Century Grammar Schools were in decline,
schoolmasters often neglected their duties, and so did
trustees. Repairs to the buildings were not done and the
schoolmaster often left to his own devices. This became
the case in Steyning when in the charge of John Morgan,
who was appointed in 1778. A bitter struggle ensued,
culminating in parishioners bringing a Chancery case
which reinvigorated the trustees. A further battle
followed with Morgan’s nephew, John Evans, who had
stepped into his uncle’s shoes, and who refused workmen
employed by the trustees access to the building. Once
again parishioners complained, driving the trustees to
attack Evans through his pocket. In December 1838 they
told him that since so few scholars now attended the
school, his salary would be cut by 67%, backdated to
Michaelmas! Even then, special permission had to be
sought from the Bishop to force an entry, since Evans
had locked the building and taken the key. By April 1839
a new schoolmaster, George Airey, was appointed.
|
