Our First Headmaster
The school's first headmaster in King William Street was Arthur Stote. He took up his appointment on 1st May 1871, shortly before the school moved to its new premises. He was a certificated teacher, but it is not known whether he attended a training college or gained his certificate under the 1852 regulations that granted certification to those who had been assistant teachers for three years and were successful in the final examination. Mr Stote had previously taught at Beverley near Hull, and had been teaching at the National School, Skelton in Cleveland N. Yorks. before he came to Swindon.
Most teachers began their careers at the age of thirteen or fourteen as pupil teachers. In addition to a full day's teaching in school, they received 1 1/2 hours of instruction a day from the Headmaster, either before morning school, at lunchtime, or in the evening. From 1884, teaching was restricted to half the day, with attendance at local Pupil Teacher Centres for the rest of the day. Pupil Teachers were examined annually at the school inspection by H.M. Inspector. After five years (reduced to four from 1877), and subject to satisfying the Inspector, they qualified as Assistant Masters. Pupil Teachers could sit the Queen's Scholarship examination at the end of their apprenticeship, and successful candidates were awarded places at Training College. After two years at College, and another two years as a probationer in school, they qualified as Certificated Teachers.
When Mr Stote arrived in Swindon there were no assistant masters, but he did have three pupil teachers and occasional monitors to help him. During his first year at the school the average daily attendance was 172 boys. Pupil Teachers were essential for staffing the school and Mr Stote always had at least one, and often as many as five pupil teachers to supervise during his time as Headmaster. His four sons all became pupil teachers at the school, two of them going on to Winchester Training College, and subsequently returning as Assistant Masters. However, one son did not find the profession to his liking, and left after three years as a Pupil Teacher. Mr. Stote was generally very satisfied with the work of his Pupil Teachers, but things did not always run smoothly: in 1876, one pupil teacher was dismissed for helping the children with their spelling during the annual inspection and examination, and another was summoned to appear before the bench for giving two stripes to a truant.
By 1888 Mr Stote had two certificated Teachers, five assistant Teachers and three pupil teachers to assist him. The school was particularly well attended at this time with 941 pupils on its books (549 boys and 392 girls aged from 3 to 15). It was fortunate that not all the pupils were regular attenders because the school officially had room for only 874 scholars!
Mr Stote retired at the age of sixty-five, on 31st December 1899, and was succeeded by his son Cuthbert, who had returned to the school as an Assistant Teacher in 1887.
