A New School for Mangersta

There had evidently been a small school at Mangersta in the 1820s and in the neighbouring village of Carnish in the 1840s, but when both those townships were turned into farms there was no population requiring a school, until 1911.

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There had evidently been a small school at Mangersta in the 1820s and in the neighbouring village of Carnish in the 1840s, but when both those townships were turned into farms there was no population requiring a school, even after the Education Act of 1872 made provision for one.  The children of Mangersta Farm went to the Islivig School.

When Mangersta was broken up and became a village again in 1911, there was again need for a school, and one was built in 1912, opening on 14 November under teacher Alexander MacPhail.

From the school log:

Thursday 14 November 1912

Today the new Mangersta School opened for the first time with an attendance of 14 pupils.

10 March 1913

[From the HMI report of an inspection on 5 April of that year:]

This well-lighted and well-appointed composite school has recently been provided for the new crofter settlement at Mangersta. The roll is now 20 and a certificated teachers has been placed in charge. Progress is as yet only moderate but the pace should presently increase.

5 August 1913

[From the Religious Instruction report:]

This is a new school opened in November last. An excellent beginning has been made. The pupils are well grounded in the portions studied and under examination answered readily and well. A section of the shorter catechism had been gone over and psalms committed to memory, and in both the appearance was distinctly good.

The 14 children attending on the first day were aged between 7 and 14, all of whom had previously attended Islivig School.  In order of the register:

Angus Macaulay, born 1898, son of Donald, 3 Mangersta
Donald Macleod, born 1899, son of Finlay, 10 Mangersta
Norman Macritchie, born 1901, son of Malcolm, 5 Mangersta
Malcolm John Macritchie, born 1900, son of Malcolm, 5 Mangersta
Angus Morrison, born 1901, son of Donald Morrison, 1 Mangersta
Malcolm Macleod, born 1900, son of Finlay Macleod, 10 Mangersta
Norman Buchanan, born 1901, son of John Buchanan, 4 Mangersta
Duncan Macleod, born 1903, son of Finlay Macleod, 10 Mangersta
Donald Macaulay, born 1904, son of Donald Macaulay, 3 Mangersta
Maggie Ann Macaulay, born 1900, daughter of Donald Macaulay, 3 Mangersta
Maryann Buchanan, born 1905, daughter of John Buchanan, 4 Mangersta
Mary Matheson, born 1904, daughter of Donald Matheson, 11 Mangersta
Maryann Matheson, born 1905, daughter of Donald Matheson, 11 Mangersta
Annie Macritchie, born 1907, daughter of Malcolm Macritchie, 5 Mangersta

Thanks to Dougie Beck for the photo.