Five-Year nightmare

for

‘dream school’

The story of Marr

● The first five years of the life of Marr College provide a remarkable story ‑ perhaps the finest school building in the land, with an appointed rector and yet the building lay empty, like a ghost, for almost five years.

● The struggle to open Marr College was a hard, but honourable one, particularly for long suffering rector, Dr Alfred Murison and Provost Walter Donald )Pictured right)  - two men who stood out in the protracted dispute.

● Read Stuart Beaton's account of how light was finally found at the end of a long and dark tunnel.

IN the year 1931, a representative of the 'Evening Times' was permitted to join one of the few privileged parties viewing the interior of the almost completed Marr College, and he was amazed by the splendour, the lavish appointments, the magnificent and expensive decor and the countless new ideas with which this new school abounded.

The newspaper issue of July 31, provided a most explicit word picture of something very unique in the world of education.

The Marr College, Troon, situated about a mile inland and overlooking the town, is the most modern and certainly the most ambitious project ever taken in hand by any Scottish Education Committee.

In addition to being an advert for this Ayrshire seaside resort, the College itself is calculated to make every other town in the country much more than somewhat envious. The school now in the last stages of construction was built at great cost through the generosity of a native of this port and is now in the hands of the Marr Trust, Education is to be entirely free, the only stipulation being that the parents of prospective pupils must be residents of even if not actually born in the town of Troon, in order to quality their offspring for entry; and education to meet every need will be available’.

COMPETENT

‘For those of Academic bent, there will be a most comprehensive secondary education which will carry them to the sixth year of the Higher Grade of pre-University standard. In respect of other requirements there will be highly competent teaching skills, facilities, and amenities in technical subjects. Domestic Science, Commercial, Art, Music and Physical Education, commensurate with the talents and abilities of those so inclined, in many respects to meet the urgent needs of industry and craftsmanship, business, Haute Cuisine and personal expression. The Science labs and Art Rooms are beyond compare.

Towering imposingly, high above the main entrance door, a huge dome gives impact and style to the centre of the school, with buildings stretching out symmetrically on either side; an idea of the enormous expense entailed being gathered from the fact that only natural stone has been used throughout.

The interior beggars description and without doubt, suggests the ideal teaching establishment about which most teachers dream but never really expect to encounter. Several skilled gardeners, under the charge of Mr Hugh Murray of the Darley, have been working for the best part of a year to great effect. Close to the main gates is the Janitor’s house and adjacent to the school are four of the most up to date porous tennis courts. To the rear there is a commodious ultra‑modern cottage, to be used for girls’ housewifery. In the playground there is safe and protective accommodation for bicycles within a garage‑type structure.

So much for the exterior. Pupils will enter from the sides, boys and girls being wings apart. Spacious cloakrooms lead off from the fine entrance halls, endowed with numbered pegs on lockers, all relating to a huge keyboard in the Janitor's care. Downstairs is the Domestic Science complex composed of a well-equipped laundry. The nearby Cooker rooms being fitted with electric and gas cookers, a Triplex Grate, and many roomy pantries. On the same level there is to be a Carpentry section and high above the main entrance hall, it was discovered that the dome was not merely ornamental it having been ingeniously fitted out as a library, entrance being gained via a superb oak staircase.

In this palatial school there is also a live theatre, it being placed in the centre of the main building with seating for several hundred, a sloping floor a balcony and a film projecting apparatus in a fire‑proof box. The stage is on the grand scale with almost every form of lighting comparable even with 'Drury Lane'. Marr College has also been provided with an immaculate pipe organ, at a cost of two thousand pounds’.

Nevertheless, the future Music departments were to produce prize‑winning choirs and top class musicians as separate entities, as apart from the value of this superb instrument.

‘Folding doors in the wings of the Theatre lead to the boys Gymnasium on one side with the girls Gym, opposite, both filled with every conceivable type of apparatus and under a balcony at the end of the area are the dressing rooms, complete with six spray baths'.

Ronnie Boon, Miss Milne and those who followed, were to be proud of such facilities.

EXPANSES

‘The main corridors are laid with Rubberoid silent tread and the extraordinary classrooms are three quarters panelled in wood with floors of parquetry; and each room has a telephone. The spacious dining room has a base which would do justice to the exponents of ‘Come Dancing’ and the adjoining kitchen facilities are beyond reproach. As for the extensive playing fields, laid with no less than a spirit level by Hugh Murray jnr., and his team of experts, these are peerless expanses of turf which would do justice to Murrayfield. They are situated beyond Darley Golf Course but a Right of Way has been granted to pupils and staff by the Town Council’.

The entrance to the College is preceded by eleven whinstone steps, thence to the octagonal pillared Rotunda, an invitation to all to enter, with the centrally placed bust of Charles Kerr Marr being visible to every visitor. Three further steps to ascend and the Rector’s salubrious Sanctum is on the right. He was to have two rooms in addition to a waiting room for visitors. Nearby were the Doctors quarters plus an adjacent Medical room.

The Office area was to the left not far removed from the well furnished Assembly Hall.

Above the Central Entrance to the school are the Ensigns Armorial, designed by George Sitwell Campbell, Lord Lyon King of Arms, dating from March 27, 1929. The Shield is of Azure background, a very positive purple, the Royal colours of the ancient Phoenicians, and later of Rome; with a band of gold between an open book, proper-leaved, gold‑in chief and a lamp of learning in base Argent. Above the Shield is placed a helmet befitting their degree with a mantling enclosed by a wreath of their liveries. The escroll is immediately above: ‘Hic patet Ingeniis Campus’ (Here the way lies open for Talent).

Time passed with press notices intimating the trend of events ‑ 30/10/1932 – ‘Over two years ago the College would have opened, it is said, but for the intervention of the Scottish Educational Endowment Commissioners, under the Chairmanship of Lord Elgin. (Although the building work had not in fact been completed). Even now, no one can say when this handsome seat of learning is likely to receive its first pupils as there is a legal war separating the youth of Troon from the finest academy in the land.’

Considering that the following was the new scheme, it was most fortunate that Walter M. Donald was soon to be elected Provost, at a time when the whole matter had become a maelstrom. By virtue of the new arrangements the Commissioners proposed that the governing body. to be known as the Governors of the Marr Trust, should consist of - ­The Lord Lieutenant of the County ex officio or a person to be nominated by him; the Sheriff of Ayr. ex officio or a person to be nominated by him; Sir Alexander Walker K. B. E., Mr Thomas Frank Neighbour (one of the original trustees); Four members of the Education Committee of the County Council; A representative of the Technical College, Glasgow; A representative of the Royal Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow; A representative of the West of Scotland Joint Committee on Adult Education and a representative of the Scottish Council for Research in Education. It would seem that Sir Alexander Walker. K. B. E. was undoubtedly to be outvoted by a surfeit of a non-related cluster. Even though he was supported by Thomas Frank Neighbour, the odds were very strongly against them.

But this was not all, the Endowments Commission also proposed that a Research Trust was to be constituted under the name of the Marr Trustees for Research in Education and this Trust was to consist of two representatives of the County Education Committee, two members of the new Governing Body of the Marr Trust and three representatives elected by the Scottish Council for Research in Education.

Provision was also made for the transfer to the County Council of the land buildings and equipment of the Marr College and the vesting in the County Council of the property rights and interests of the former Governors of the College (the latter in their ignorance, as there were no legal Governors until 1937, only Trustees). They also ruled that the Marr College was to be opened as a public school.

At a court hearing in 1934 it was said by a Mr Clyde that a rector had been appointed with effect from 1930. He had no pupils, no teachers and would possibly reach his retirement and receive his pensions without ever having seen a pupil; all of this as stated in the press. Dr Murison may have been alone but he was most certainly not ‘palely loitering’. It was probably one of the most inendurable periods of his lifetime but he played his part against seemingly overwhelming odds to emerge with great credit and     ultimate success.

IT was clear that the county authorities had meant business and the campaign was a long and protracted one but light was soon to appear in the darkness. In a printed Parliamentary answer Sir Godfrey Stevens informed Lieut. Colonel Moore (Ayr Burghs U) that nothing now stood in the way of the opening of Marr College, Troon, the date being June 6, 1934. After this there were few hitches.

On that historic day Monday, September 2, 1935, after Marr College had been formally opened by the Most Honourable the Marquess of Lothian, C. H . Sir Alexander Walker K. B. E. had a few additional words of advice to the pupils seated before him. Throughout your life always do a little more than you are paid to do and one day you will be paid a little more for what you actually do.

Marr College has never looked back.

Next Week: The Life of Charles Kerr Marr, founder of Marr College

* Two names omitted from the list of original teachers at Marr in the article two weeks ago were: Mr J. B. Baxter (English, History and Geography) and Mr R.W. Boon (P.E.)