Y - Youths

Education of the young has always been an important part of Stewarton’s history

It is known that as early as 1620 Stewarton had its first school in the Kirktown area of the town, even in the days when education was not compulsory Stewarton parents were keen to give their children the opportunity of an education in reading and writing as a basis for their future lives.

As early as the 1800s it was said that all bonnet makers could write their own names, the only exception being the older men who could still write their initials.The Education acts of 1872 and 1891 formalised education in the Scotland however it was not free but the population of Stewarton paid the relevant taxes to ensure their children's education and future.

In the winter months schools where closed and we're only opening during the summer, however the learning hours we're considerably longer than the present day and it was not unheard of for the children to be in school till over 7 o'clock at night.

In 1876 there were five schools in Stewarton, first one was the Parish School which was associated with St Columba's Church second was the United Prestbyterian School at Bridgend( now Springwell Place ) later to close in 1873 and move to the Free Church (John Knox)Shool on the High Street.The original School building on Bridgend was then sold to the Good Temperance Movement and it is now the Masonic Hall. The third School was the Free Church ( John Knox ) in High Street the fifth School was the Cunningham Institute Hall which was based in the current Institute Hall and at the time was called the Academy.This name was used for the future new school which was built in Netherrobertland in 1985.The old Public School in Dunlop Street was changed to a primary school only and at that point called Lainshaw Primary when the new Academy was built at Nether Robertland.The Old Academy School in Lainshaw was refurbished and the Lainshaw Primary in the Dunlop Street moved into its current location on Kilwinning Road and remained the name, Lainshaw Primary. A new primary school was opened at Netherrobertland which had a different concept for education in that it was open plan teaching.Today Stewarton has three schools Stewarton Academy, Lainshaw Primary and Netherrobertland Primary.