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Many of the shepherds hired from Scotland belonged to the Free Kirk of Scotland. Those at Darwin, the Falkland Islands Company’s main farm, felt the need for a minister, probably not only for church activities but to educate their children. No provision was being made for the education of shepherd’s children. Education and church activities were closely linked, from as early as 1840 Government’s interest and responsibility was minimal and education, irrespective of religion, was provided solely by the church. This continued until Governor Callaghan in 1870 recommended that travelling teachers be appointed.
In 1871 the Company assisted them to employ a minister for Darwin, the Reverend Yeoman taking up the post of minister and schoolmaster in 1872.
The FIC built and presented Darwin Boarding School to the Government in 1956. It could accommodate forty boarders and also take Darwin and Goosegreen's children as day pupils. In the late 1970's it closed, deemed too expensive to run. The school became a headquarters for the Argentines in 1982 but It burned down during the conflict.
The West posed particular problems for Camp Education and travelling teachers. All problems for or with or for the teacher had to be addressed by Magistrate at Fox Bay who further passed letters and reports back and forth from the Colonial Secretary who in turn might find it necessary to consult the Governor himself. As everything went by mail ships to and from Stanley this inevitably took time.
Parents had to buy books for their children. There is a ‘School Material Return’ for February 1899 listing material sold and materials on hand. These returns were submitted to the Stipendiary Magistrate at Fox Bay and were sent onwards to the authorities in Stanley.
The settlements and camp houses allocated to a travelling teacher were known as his ‘beat’. It was the responsibility of the shepherd at whose camp the teacher was currently at to provide accommodation, food and horses. It was his duty to ride to meet the teacher and guide him to his own camp and also to escort him to meet the shepherd next on his beat. |
