A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



ST. SAVIOUR'S SCHOOL, ARDINGLY 



The lower middle school was opened in 1858 in a house at Shoreham, and at first the terms 

 were only 14 guineas a year. The first head master was the Rev. F. M. D. Mertens, M.A., 

 and the whole teaching staff for some years was formed of men who had grown up in one or other 

 of St. Nicholas Schools. 



It was soon found out that the school was a success, and the numbers increased so rapidly that 

 a site of about 200 acres was bought at Ardingly, near Hayward's Heath, on which buildings were 

 erected, designed to accommodate not less than 1,000 boys when completed. But when the school 

 was removed there in 1870 schoolroom and dormitory accommodation for only 400 was finished. 

 There were then about 300 boys. The terms were raised to 1 5 guineas, and 1 8 guineas in the 

 head master's house. There was a plan of appointing four boys exhibitioners who were in 

 the position of pupil teachers, receiving a small salary till they were sixteen, when they went 

 to the training college at Hurstpierpoint, from which they could pass an examination for the 

 associateship of St. Nicholas College, which enabled them to become assistant masters in the 

 schools of this foundation. There was no qualification for admission at first, but the want of 

 accommodation necessitated a change, and a boy had to be able to read before admission. The 

 lowest forms learnt reading and writing and other elementary subjects, but Latin was taught to 

 about half the school, and the elder boys learnt Euclid and algebra. 



A good cricket field was laid out, and a fine swimming bath formed from a stream running 

 through the grounds. 



The school was self-supporting, the only endowment being a foundation fellowship of 45 

 held by the head master. Canon Lowe, writing in 1878, said : 'If the school should cease to be 

 self-supporting at present charges these would have to be raised.' It was found that the low terms 

 were not sufficient to meet expenses, and they are now from 23 to 27 per annum. 



The curriculum is chiefly commercial, but the boys learn Latin or German, French, Greek or 

 drawing in the ordinary school course, and special opportunities are given to those who wish to 

 take orders. 



There have only been three head masters. Mr. Mertens stayed till 1894, when he was suc- 

 ceeded by the Rev. G. T. Hilton, and he by the present head master, the Rev. H. A. Rhodes, who 

 had been at Shrewsbury School, exhibitioner of Christ Church, Oxford, and assistant master at 

 Christ's Hospital for two years before coming to Ardingly in September, 1904. 



EASTBOURNE COLLEGE 



The college was founded in 1867 by the Duke of Devonshire and others, who are nominally 

 shareholders, as a limited company on the Company's Acts. But it is governed by a council of 

 eight members of which the duke is chairman. No dividend has ever been paid, and all the profits 

 have been used in the improvement of the buildings and for the good of the school. The school 

 was started in a small building close to St. Saviour's church and removed in 1869 to the present 

 site close to the golf links, but it stands in its own grounds of 8 acres and consists of class rooms, 

 chapel, Cavendish library, laboratory, drawing-school, workshop, gymnasium and fives courts. 

 There are five boarding houses, one the head master's, known as the schoolhouse. Unfortunately 

 too little surrounding ground was bought at the first, and houses have since been built, so that half 

 the school has to play on a ground five minutes' walk away. 



The first head master was the Rev. James Russell Wood, who only stayed two years. He was 

 succeeded in 1871 by the Rev. Thompson Podmore, scholar and fellow of St. John's College, 

 Oxford, 1842-51, who had been for 8 years master of Elstree Hill School, Hertfordshire. He 

 began so well that there were soon more than 100 boys, but before he left the numbers had begun 

 to go down. In 1886 the Rev. George Robert Green, scholar of Lincoln College, Oxford, B.A. 

 in 1854, M.A. 1856, was promoted from the second mastership, in which he had been very 

 successful. Unfortunately his health gave way and in two years he had to leave. In 1888 the 

 Rev. Charles Crowden, D.D. was appointed. He was also a scholar of Lincoln, who had been 

 22 years head master of Cranbrook Grammar School, Kent, and brought 40 or 50 boys with him from 

 there. During his reign of 7 years, the numbers reached nearly 200. Ill-health was the cause of his 

 retirement also. His successor in 1895 was the Rev. Matthew Albert Bayfield, scholar of Clare 

 College, Cambridge, who had been head master of Christ's College, Brecon, from 1890 to 1895. 

 On his retirement in 1 900, Mr. Harry Redmond Thomson, the first lay head master, was appointed. 

 He had been scholar of University College, Oxford, B.A. 1883, and was called to the bar at the 

 Inner Temple 1887. He seems to have found his true vocation in school-mastering and his 

 resignation on account of his wife's ill-health in 1 905 was accepted with general regret. 



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