In 1835, a NATIONAL SCHOOL was built on common land by public subscription. This modest establishment consisted of a small room with a gallery at one end intended for infants. By 1845, the room was enlarged at a cost of £200, allowing it to accommodate approximately 100 children. Originally featuring a stone floor, this was replaced in 1887 due to concerns about its detrimental effects on the health of the children.

Further improvements came in 1893 when a classroom, cloakroom, and additional playground were added to the school, with the new classroom specifically designated for infants. By this time, the school could accommodate up to 120 students.

Schoolmasters Through the Years

The school’s leadership saw a succession of dedicated schoolmasters:

• William Birks (1835-1848)

• William Rawson (1848-1853)

• Henry Jones (1853-1864, approximately)

• Henry Aldridge (1864-1865)

• James W. Elliot (1865-1867)

• Thos. J. Foster (1867-1871)

• John R. Matthewman (1872-1875)

• John Mansell (1875-1877)

• Henry P. Battersby (1877-1879)

• Henry J. Wadlow (1879-1894)

• Henry Molineaux (1894)

  • (May 3rd - September 10th, 1894)

• Thomas Shearer (1894-1896)

• Arthur Saunders (1896-1902)

• Thos. E. Cowen (1903 - present time)

A Schoolmaster's Anecdote

An early schoolmaster was known for proclaiming, “I’m the master of Middleton.” When a villager challenged this assertion, asking how it could be true, the schoolmaster replied:

“I’m the master of the children, the children are masters of their mothers, the mothers are masters of their fathers, therefore I’m the master of Middleton.”

Founding Ideals

The ideals of the school’s founders were inscribed on the tablets erected in 1835 and 1845, reflecting a commitment to moral and spiritual education:

• “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

This founding ideal has been amended to form the current vision of the school: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”, nurturing children who are healthy, happy and hungry to learn.

This inscription underscores the values that originally guided and continue to guide the school and its role in the community.