Education in Stradbroke through the Ages

1861– Revd. J.C. Ryle became Vicar of Stradbroke and began to make changes.

When Ryle arrived, the school room building at the back of Town House was in a very poor condition. There were only 15 boys who were being taught by a 77 year old master and their education was described by Ryle as having been “practically useless”

 Revd. Ryle and his wife began a temporary school for poor girls and set about reorganising education in the village.

“Mr Ryle at once invited the co-operation of friends and neighbours to enable him to pension off the old master and establish a new school to be adapted to the requirements of both the farmers and tradesmen, and of the labouring poor”

 1866 The education for the Lower School consisted of basic lessons in Arithmetic, Reading, Writing and Religious Knowledge.The school year was 44 weeks and each week had about 30 hours of lessons.

Within 3 years of opening there were 274 pupils.

MTR