2 Dec 2006 - History of Balgreen Primary School
A HISTORY OF BALGREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL
We thought that the pupils, and parents of pupils, at Balgreen might find it interesting to know a little bit about the school's past, and so we have prepared a brief history, taken from the log book - a diary of school events dating from the year the school opened -1934.
The school was built on the site of Balgreen House which was a large mansion and was a part of the Saughtonhall Estate. The Corporation of Edinburgh bought part of the estate including Balgreen House and Saughton Hall, from its owner Sir William Baird, in 1910. (That's clearly the family who gave their name to Baird Drive.) Saughton Hall and Balgreen House were both used as private Mental Asylums (places where people who were considered to be mad lived and were treated for mental illness).
After the Mental Asylums closed, Balgreen House was used by the Corporation as a Children's Home until 1930 when it was decided that the old house should be knocked down and used as a site for a school for the children of people who lived in the new houses at Whitson.
The formal Opening of the School took place on Friday 5th October 1934, when the school was declared formally open by Baillie Laurence Raithby, Senior Magistrate. The Reverend J. Rossie Brown, Minister of Murrayfield Parish Church, gave the prayer of dedication. The opening was attended by a large gathering of people from the Education Committee, Headmasters of other schools and representatives of other educational bodies. A choir of pupils from the senior classes led the singing of the 23rd Psalm. It seems appropriate that we still sing the 23rd psalm, 'The Lord's My Shepherd' each year at Rose Day.
When the School opened there were 512 pupils - 256 boys and 256 girls. The Head Teacher was a Mr. John Atkinson and there were a further ten class teachers and a sewing teacher. That means there were approximately fifty children in each class!
From the beginning, pupils at Balgreen went to Dalry Baths for Swimming lessons, which is something that we still enjoy doing today. Balgreen School had its first full Inspectors' Visit in 1936 and they wrote that, "The success which has attended the School in the first three years of its history is noted with satisfaction." Well done Balgreen!
As far as we are all concerned the official opening of Balgreen Primary School was THE most important event of 1934 but we thought you might like to know what else was happening in the world at that time.
^Driving Tests were introduced in Britain.
^All schoolchildren in Britain were given half a pint of milk per day.
^The famous gangsters, Bonnie and Clyde were shot and killed.
^Adolf Hitler became the Fuhrer (Leader) of Germany.
^Aberdeen Airport opened.
^The Scottish National Party was founded.
^Italy won the World Cup
^The famous Edinburgh delicatessen Valvona and Crolla opened.
^The first cartoon was made featuring Donald Duck. It was called, 'The Wise Little Hen'.
To Be Continued.
We thought that the pupils, and parents of pupils, at Balgreen might find it interesting to know a little bit about the school's past, and so we have prepared a brief history, taken from the log book - a diary of school events dating from the year the school opened -1934.
The school was built on the site of Balgreen House which was a large mansion and was a part of the Saughtonhall Estate. The Corporation of Edinburgh bought part of the estate including Balgreen House and Saughton Hall, from its owner Sir William Baird, in 1910. (That's clearly the family who gave their name to Baird Drive.) Saughton Hall and Balgreen House were both used as private Mental Asylums (places where people who were considered to be mad lived and were treated for mental illness).
After the Mental Asylums closed, Balgreen House was used by the Corporation as a Children's Home until 1930 when it was decided that the old house should be knocked down and used as a site for a school for the children of people who lived in the new houses at Whitson.
The formal Opening of the School took place on Friday 5th October 1934, when the school was declared formally open by Baillie Laurence Raithby, Senior Magistrate. The Reverend J. Rossie Brown, Minister of Murrayfield Parish Church, gave the prayer of dedication. The opening was attended by a large gathering of people from the Education Committee, Headmasters of other schools and representatives of other educational bodies. A choir of pupils from the senior classes led the singing of the 23rd Psalm. It seems appropriate that we still sing the 23rd psalm, 'The Lord's My Shepherd' each year at Rose Day.
When the School opened there were 512 pupils - 256 boys and 256 girls. The Head Teacher was a Mr. John Atkinson and there were a further ten class teachers and a sewing teacher. That means there were approximately fifty children in each class!
From the beginning, pupils at Balgreen went to Dalry Baths for Swimming lessons, which is something that we still enjoy doing today. Balgreen School had its first full Inspectors' Visit in 1936 and they wrote that, "The success which has attended the School in the first three years of its history is noted with satisfaction." Well done Balgreen!
As far as we are all concerned the official opening of Balgreen Primary School was THE most important event of 1934 but we thought you might like to know what else was happening in the world at that time.
^Driving Tests were introduced in Britain.
^All schoolchildren in Britain were given half a pint of milk per day.
^The famous gangsters, Bonnie and Clyde were shot and killed.
^Adolf Hitler became the Fuhrer (Leader) of Germany.
^Aberdeen Airport opened.
^The Scottish National Party was founded.
^Italy won the World Cup
^The famous Edinburgh delicatessen Valvona and Crolla opened.
^The first cartoon was made featuring Donald Duck. It was called, 'The Wise Little Hen'.
To Be Continued.