108891: The history of Manish School

In the video below, Hamish Taylor talks about the school that used to be located near Manish Free Church in Harris (in Gaelic).

A written transcription and a loose translation into English are provided above the video link.

“Tha fios againn gun robh an sgoil an àiteigin eadar an eaglais agus an taigh a tha air ar cùlaibh. Chan eil sinn cinnteach càit an robh i ach tha a h-uile coltas cuideachd gur dòcha gun robh an sgoil co-cheangailte ri obair na h-eaglais, a chionn tha e air aithris gur i bean a’ mhinisteir a chuir an sgoil air chois agus gur e bràthair dhi a bha na mhaighstir-sgoile ann. Tha e air aithris cuideachd gur e sgoil gu math sìmplidh a bh’ innte ‘s nach robh àirneis sam bith na broinn ach gun robh a’ chlann, gur ann air ceapan air an làr a bha iad nan suidhe agus tha sin gu math eadar-dhealaichte on an seòrsa sgoiltean a th’ againn an-diugh. Tha e cinnteach cuideachd, an-dèidh bàs a’ mhinisteir, gur i bean a’ mhinisteir a thog an taigh … agus an gàrradh-cloiche a tha mu thimcheall. Agus ‘s e iar-ogha dhaibh a th’ anns an taigh chun an latha an-diugh.”

“We know that the school was somewhere between the church and the house behind us. We aren’t sure exactly where but it is likely that the school operated closely with the church. We can assume this because it is said that it was the minister’s wife who started the school and that a brother of hers was the headteacher. It is also said that it was a very simple school without any equipment inside. Children sat on pieces of peat on the floor – very different to the schools of today. It is also known that after the minister’s death, his wife built the house as well as the stone wall surrounding it. It is a great-grandchild of theirs who lives in the house today.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C-qkaCAfGg