Hi Irene
I have this info, that was sent to me, any info greatly recieved ......
Dochgarroch Primary School
Thank you for your enquiry concerning Dochgarroch Primary School and one of the school’s former teachers, Duncan Munro.
I have checked the County of Inverness valuation rolls, which list the proprietors and tenants of properties in the County of Inverness. According to the valuation roll for the year 1883-1884 [Ref: CI/4/2/3], the tenant of the Teacher’s House at Dochgarroch was a John Chisholm. In the valuation roll for the following year, 1884-1885, the teacher residing in the Teacher’s House is Duncan Munro. Duncan Munro is then listed as being resident in the Teacher’s House until the valuation roll for the year 1909-1910 [Ref: CI/4/2/20], when the teacher is given as a Mrs Margaret Colville.
I have also checked in the Inverness and Bona School Board Minutes, 1905-1914 [Ref: CI/5/4/2/2]. In the minutes of the School Board meeting held in Inverness, 16th April 1909, I found reference to the board having resumed discussion of Mr Munro’s retiring allowance, stating that he had thirty six years of recorded service. Going further back, I found the following reference, transcribed below, in the minutes of the School Board meeting held on 5th March 1909:
There was submitted letter from Mr Munro, Dochgarroch dated 20th ult. resigning his appointment owing to his health having broken down. The Board accepted the resignation with regret, and at the same time record their high appreciation of Mr Munro faithful services as Teacher of this School for the past twenty six years. The date of Mr Munro’s retirement was left undetermined until it could be ascertained when Mrs Colvill would commence her duties. Consideration of Mr Munro’s retiring allowance was deferred until next meeting.
(I believe ‘ult’ is an abbreviation for the previous month, so in this case, 20th February 1909)
Unfortunately, the School Board minutes for Inverness and Bona only begin in 1892, too late to find further details regarding Mr Munro’s appointment and where he may have been teaching for the ten years prior to his appointment at Dochgarroch School.
I then looked at Dochgarroch School Log Book, 1875-1914 [Ref: CI/5/3/179a]. I found an entry for March 3rd-8th 1884 stating that, ‘There was no school save on Monday this week, owing to the present Master leaving the place on account of infirm health’. The ‘present Master’ referred to was John Chisholm. The next entry states that school resumed under the new master on 14th March 1884, although, unfortunately, the new master is not identified by name at this point.
On 17th October 1884, there is reference to ‘…no sewing this week – Mrs Munro unwell’. It would appear that the new staff are first listed by name in an entry for 27th February 1885 when it was reported that, ‘The condition of this school has very considerably improved under the new Master, and it is believed that the improvement will be progressive…’, Staff Duncan Munro, Mrs Munro, Mary Campbell, Assistant Teacher.
DAizi
