James Conway Walter

“ Smith's mental calibre, their effect was the rearing of a generation of manly youths, capable of much intellectual, as well as physical, activity and endurance.
The Head Master was himself a remarkable instance of this. Punctually at 7.30, without fail, he was every morning in his desk at the school, to open proceedings with prayer, it being frequently a race between himself and his boarder pupils, as to who should arrive first, his residence being some quarter mile from the school. ”

“ AVING dealt with the places of worship in the town, we now proceed to give an account of its schools; and among these the Grammar School, from its antiquity, as well as for other reasons, claims precedence.
This Institution, on its present foundation, dates from the reign of Elizabeth, [1] one of whose special characteristics was her warm interest in education, which led her to encourage her nobles, and more wealthy subjects, to promote the cause. ”

“ It may here be mentioned that the present writer once swam from the junction of the two branches of the canal (close to the present bathing place) to the first lock, then passed on and swam to the second, and so continuing, swam to the third lock, his clothes being carried by a school fellow who accompanied him; this being a distance of some two miles, for this the Doctor rewarded him with 10/- and a whole holiday. He also, it may be added, as a reckless feat, when bathing, leapt stark naked across the first lock; a performance which the slightest slip might have made fatal. ”

“ In late years boys from the school have filled posts in various parts of the world with credit. A considerable number have obtained clerkships in banks, or in the Civil Service; one boy, Richard Gordon Healey, passed 7th among more than a hundred candidates for the General Post Office service, London, and is now in the excise service. ”

“ They were constituted "a body corporate," having a "common seal, to hold, to manage the revenues of the school, and empowered to spend, and invest, the income at their discretion," to appoint the teachers, and successors in the governing body, as vacancies should, by death, occur. ”

“ Smith, in 1854, a new scheme of education, more suited to the requirements of the time, was drawn up by a committee appointed for that purpose, which received the sanction of the Charity Commissioners, and was approved by the Master of the Rolls in the same year.
The attendance at the school, however, gradually fell off, until, in the year 1886, there were only 16 scholars; and further reforms were needed. Since then changes in the system have, from time to time, been introduced, to render the school more generally useful ”

“ Coming to the post as an entirely unknown man, of comparatively humble origin, but of great energy, he soon acquired a leading position in the town and neighbourhood; becoming Rector of Martin, Rector of Sotby, and Vicar of Baumber. He was the author of several standard works on Divinity. Under him the school achieved such a reputation that, besides the day scholars, he had a large number of boarders coming from Scotland, Ireland, Devonshire, London, and even Jersey and France. ”

“ A recent change has been the admission of pupil teachers to classes specially adapted to their requirements, and with this accession to the numbers receiving instruction, there are now more pupils in the school, male and female together, than at any period within the last 30 years. ”

“ Of the modern school we may here say that it is now doing useful work, although with a different class of pupils to those above referred to; and in the near future, it is hoped, that further changes will give it a still higher position in educational work. Under Dr. A. G. Madge, who retired and accepted church preferment in 1907, the school was made to meet the requirements of the Oxford and Cambridge local examinations, the London University Matriculation, and the South Kensington Science and Art Departments. ”

“ From the Doctor's energy of character it would be expected that he would encourage active healthy recreations. The days of cricket were not yet, [14] although "single wicket" was sometimes practiced. Nor was football popular, as it is now. The game was indeed played, but we had, in those days, no Rugby rules, and the ball was composed of a common bladder, with a leather cover made by the shoemaker. In the school yard the chief game was "Prisoner's Base," generally played by boarders against day boys ”

“ The Duke of Newcastle, who owned property in Baumber (where, as we have said. Dr. Smith was Incumbent) , appointed him his private chaplain; and the Doctor's youngest daughter, Sarah Katherine, married the Rev. Henry Fiennes Clinton, a near relative of the Duke, and a descendant of the founder of the school. Lord Clinton and Saye.
The school building has not always occupied the site on which it now stands. As shewn in Stukeley's plan of the town, printed in 1722, it stood in the north-east corner of the school yard. ”

“ On the appointment of the Rev. Samuel Lodge, to the Head Mastership in 1854, Thomas White, a graduate of St. John's College, Cambridge, became Under Master. He had taken classical honours, and was an efficient teacher, and rather strict disciplinarian. He was the first Under Master allowed to take private pupils as boarders. He continued at his post six years, taking Holy Orders, and in 1860 was presented by the Bishop of Lincoln to the Vicarage of Scamblesby, which he held until his death in 1891. ”

“ In these days, when bird-nesting is forbidden as being "cruelty to animals," it may horrify some of our readers to learn that the Doctor encouraged his pupils to collect eggs. On our excursions in early summer every hedge was carefully examined for many miles round, the tallest trees were climbed, or, as it was then called "swarmed," in search of the eggs of hawk, carrion crow, woodpecker, &c. ”

“ Small Scholarships also, not exceeding six in number, were established for needy pupils; and application was made to the Lindsey County Council, for a grant of £80, in aid of scientific lectures, [7] under the Technical Instruction Act of Parliament; so that a general middle-class English education was provided, along with Latin, French, book-keeping, and other technical subjects; an examination being held annually by some one unconnected with the school, who should be approved of by the Charity Commissioners. The school has thus, under the tenure of the Head Mastership by Dr. ”

“ It will have been observed that we have so far adopted the prevalent nomenclature, and spoken of this school as an Elizabethan institution, founded in 1571. It must now be added that, venerable as that date of origin would make it, it has a higher claim to our veneration still. Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona. There were grammar schools before that date. Edward VI. is said to have established several, in various parts of the country, and we have already named two such in our own neighbourhood, viz., those of Spilsby and Louth ”

“ This was to be called "The Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth, in the Town and Soke of Horncastle of the foundation of (the said) Edward, Lord Clynton," &c., [3] "to continue for ever." It was to consist of "a Master and Sub-Master, or Usher," and the "lands, tenements, revenues, reversions, and other hereditaments, for the support of the school, were granted, assigned, and appointed," for their better mangement, "to 10 discreet and honest men, who (should) be styled Governors."
The first Governors appointed were Clement Monk, clerk; John Smith, clerk ”

“ On the occasion of his ordination he begged a whole holiday of Dr. Smith, and treated the whole school to a day at Tattershall Castle; hiring carriages to take them all, there being yet no railway; and he gave them a substantial meal at the "Fortescue Arms" Hotel. He was naturally very popular with the boys of the school, although he was rather a strict disciplinarian, and made them work hard. He was commemorated in the "Breaking up Song" of the school in the following lines:—
Mr. ”