SCHOOLS and day schools. There was a similar distribu- tion of functions between the managing body and the head master in both schemes, the former deciding such matters as the length of term and vacation, the number of holidays and assistant masters, exercising a general control over the curriculum, and managing the finance ; the latter being responsibile for appointing and dismissing the assistant staff", for determining the details of method, and for the discipline. Both head masters were to be dismissible without cause shown by six months' notice, or more speedily in case of urgency. There was a slight difference in the provisions with regard to religious beliefs and instruction. No master in either school was required to be in holy orders ; but while at Uppingham the head master must be a member of the Church of England, and the religious teaching in accordance with its principles, at Oakham no test was imposed on the head master, and undenominational religious instruction was apparently enjoined, with special church teaching on application from parents. There were differ- ences equally important between the two schools with regard to the age of the scholars (from eight to seventeen, or nineteen in special cases, at Oakham ; from ten to nineteen at Upping- ham), the scale of fees (entrance fee up to ;^i, tuition ^4 to ;^8 — from 1881, £6 to ^^13 lo;., boarding in a master's house ;^50, and in a hostel j^30, at Oakham ; entrance fee up to j^5, tuition ;^20 to ^^30 — in 1879, to ;^40, boarding j^'70 — in 1879 the amount was allowed to be fixed by the head master, with approval of the managing body, at Uppingham), and the curri- culum (semi-classical, Greek being allowed only with special permission of the managing body, at Oakham ; fully classical, at Uppingham). Quite naturally a larger sum was set apart for school exhibitions and university scholarships in the larger school — for the latter purpose j^300 a year was allowed at Uppingham and ^^200 at Oak- ham. A definite attempt to encourage elemen- tary schoolboys by limiting certain exhibitions to them in the first instance is noticeable at the smaller school. The salary of the head master at Oakham was ^^150 fixed, with a capitation fee of from £2 to £^ ; while Thring at Up- pingham was to get ;^200 a year fixed and from one-sixth to one-fourth of the tuition fees — altered in 1888 to a capitation allowance of from £^ to £']. The assistants at each school were to be paid from a sum set apart by the managing body such salaries as the head master recom- mended. The connexion of the Lower School *' with the Upper at Uppingham was recognized, but not made permanent ; it might be deter- mined either by the principal master of that school or by the managing body. At Oakham schoolroom accommodation for 150 boys was to " Established in 1868. See infra, p. 291. be provided on the existing or some fresh site, and a hostel was to be erected ; permission to establish a science department, and to conduct evening classes in connexion with the Depart- ment of Science and Art was also granted : and after a retiring allowance of ;^275 to the Rev. William Spicer Wood, payable out of the annual income of the school, had ceased, an expendi- ture of ;/^200 a year was sanctioned for furthering the education of girls within the county. Power was given to grant retiring allowances to Thring and W. J. Earle, the usher, at Uppingham. (2) Subsequent History of Oakham Grammar School From its foundation until 1880, Oakham Grammar School was carried on in what is known as the 'Old School,' which possibly existed previously to 1584 as the chapel of St. Mary.^ If so, the building must have been restored when it was converted to an educational use, since it is described in 1584, by Commissioners for In- quiry into Concealed Lands, as much decayed.^ The building still exists, but has been consider- ably transformed by successive restorations. Originally it was an oblong structure of stone, with a wooden roof and without chimneys. In 1723 'the roof was removed and the walls re- built probably from the tops of the windows. The timbers of the roof, which had evidently formed part of a diff"erent building, may have been brought there then, or they may have formed part of the original chapel.' ' Of the existing two chimneys that at the east end is earliest in date ; that at the west end was added in 1830. In 1880 the 'Old School' was super- seded by the new class-rooms. In the final restoration five years back the interior was con- siderably improved by the removal of a plaster ' P.R.O. Exch. K.R., Sp. Com. 1867. The dimensions given of its site (66 ft. by 30 ft.) closely correspond to those of the Old School (66 ft. by 26 ft. external measurement).
- Ibid. The Commissioners mention two chapels,
situated on the north side of the parish churchyard, known respectively as the chapel of St. Mary and the chapel of St. Michael, doubtless the chapels of St. Mary's and St. Michael's gilds. The site of St. Michael's chapel is given as 60 ft. by 30 ft. In each, ' within 5 years of the passing of a certain Act of Parliament [i e. the Chantries Act of Edw.-.rd VI] a priest had been maintained, who had regularly chanted and recited masses and other superstitious services, and was called Chauntree preeste or Guild preate. The two chapels are now wasted and in decay . . . they are worth 2 a', a year. Thos. Thickpenny, clerk, late vicar of Okeham, and his predecessors have had pos- session of them for the last 36 years.' ' W. L. Sargant, The Bk. of Oakham Sch. 6, 7. Cuts of the old schoolroon are given on pp. 6 (ex- terior) and 16 (interior). 269
