The Prospectus of the Misses Pink's Academy
THE MISSES PINK'S ESTABLISHMENT
FOR YOUNG LADIES
MERMAID STREET, RYE.

Terms per Annum.

Board, and Instruction in English Grammar,
Geography, Ancient & Modem History, Plain &
Ornamental Needlework, Writing, and
Arithmetic, TWENTY GUINEAS

Weekly Boarder, SEVENTEEN GUINEAS

Washing, TWO GUINEAS

Each lady shall bring a silver dessert spoon, knife and fork, and six towels.

A quarters notice or payment is required previous to the removal of a pupil.

Terms per Quarter

Day Pupils, ONE GUINEA AND A HALF.
French, TEN SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE.
Music and drawing, FIFTEEN SHILLINGS EACH.

Wax Flowers, TWO SHILLINGS AND SIX-
PENCE PER LESSON.

Day pupils and Instruction in English Grammar, Geography, Ancient and Modern History, Plain and Ornamental Needlework, TEN SHILLINGS
AND SIXPENCE

Writing and Arithmetic, SEVEN SHILLINGS AND SIXPENCE.

What is now 44, Church Square - then in Watchbell Street, next door to the pawn shop, was a Dame School for many years.

In about 1884, another, very small Dame School was held by Mrs Horner, grandmother of Councillor Horner. An 'Old boy' has told me that
the children sat on low forms and repeated the alphabet and the mathematical table by the hour, and he has never forgotten his 2 to 12 times table.

The chief point of interest about this little school is that it was situated in a 'hidden' part of Rye, -a part that many never see. The school was reached through a narrow passage from Lion Street, (then Red Lion Street), which led to the back premises of Dennis's Ironmonger's Shop, whose front entrance is in the High Street. However, behind the Ironmongers, there still stand two little houses - two rooms up and two rooms down (now the store-rooms) - with a narrow cobbled passage between them not more than 3' 6" wide - the two front doors being exactly opposite each other.

A few feet further on are two more little houses which once faced Lion Street with a passage between them, but now they and the passage have been incorporated into Mr Herbert Gasson's Antique Galleries. Just above the Galleries on Lion Street there is a doorway, but it no longer gives public entry to what was, in the 1880's, Mrs Horner's Dame School.

However, education in Rye was progressing rapidly by that time. In the 1870's Public Elementary Schools were built. Organised teaching was the order of
the day - with some rewards for hard work and there was a report that: "about 50 of the most deserving boys attending Rye Board School visited the Indian and Colonial Exhibition in charge of Mr J.M.Jenkins, head-master, expenses being defrayed by public subscription." That was on August 20th 1886.

The following year, Jubilee Year - the Mayor (Mr C. S. Vidler) gave a treat and a day's outing to ten Grammar School boys and forty Board School boys at Lydd and Dungeness as a "Jubilee Holiday".

Not only the pupils but also the teachers were on a firmer footing. In November 1886, it was decided at a meeting of Rye and District teachers to form a branch of the National Union of Teachers. In July the following year they had their first summer outing to Bodiam.

One discordant note of the 1880's occurred when, in March 1882, on Mr Chapman's resignation as master of the Workhouse, the Guardians decided to send the children to public elementary schools.It is on record that for many years the youngsters trudged to and from Playden School as Rye did not receive them.

Some children went to Cadborough House School ( the old Cadborough Farm
House, since destroyed by a flying bomb.) The Principals were Misses Sophie and Annie Greenaway. Miss Sophie was tall and gaunt and had a glass eye, which gave her a sinister look. Miss Annie was small and pretty with fluffy brown hair and eyes as bright as a robin's. Their father was a typical old sea captain with a frill of white beard from ear to ear, piercing blue eyes, and a happy smile, but few teeth. He carved little
models of coasting barges for the boys. ( taken from the memories of Tom Longley )

Other stories of these Rye Schools are recorded in the Rye Memories 'Schools in Rye' volume produced by the Local History Group of Thomas Peacocke Community College in 1989.