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The early years were turbulent years for lhe school. lhe pu- pils and the headmasters. The records of these years are ··pie- cemeal"· at besl. We do know that it look a lon8 time from 1857 to 1874 to 8ain the confidence of the public that education was important. A lon8 series of Headmasters tried Lheir besl Lo brin8 about a sense of stability. The facl Lhat Lhere were so many early headmasters indicates Lhat hi8her education was nol on a sound footin8.
Many of Lhe early headmasters were associated wilh an es- tablished church. In facl. some of Lhem were ministers who saw the need for Lhs youn8 community Lo establish hi8her education. 1. The firsl headmaster hired Lo lead the newly established Gram- mar & hool in 1857 was Reverend John Lan8try. He was an An- 8lican who fou8ht a8ainst enormous odds Lo establish educational credibility. Paid the sum $100.00 a year and provided with no buildin8 or means Lo raise money for supplies. he did the obvious. & hool students Balhered in his house. al local hotel
front rooms and even in two lar8e rooms al J. Mackie and sons Cabinet Makers. The Grammar ochool Act did nol force com- munities Lo raise money for school purposes. Rev. Lan8Lry also had difficulty 8ellin8 fundin8 fromLhe church. Al one poinl Lhe Bishop had lo intervene on his behalf.
2. A Mr. Frederick T. Gore M.A. and T.C.D. was likely Lhe 2nd headmaster al Lhe school. we know Lhal he ori8inally carne from Dublin. Ireland and had spent some Lime as the first headmaster of the Barrie Grammar ochool which was established in 1843. Jud8e Gowan from Barrie. made Gore the first Barrie Head- master because: "in addition lo his other qualifications was un- sparin8 in his application of Lhe birch" . In 1856 Gore resi8ned his position in Barrie and the records do not indicate his years in Collin8wood .
3. A Mr. Irwin was likely our third headmaster bul Lhe records once a8ain don't provide the dales. Mosl slru88lin8 Grammar & hools durin8 the 1860's utilized Lhe followin8 hours of sludy: