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 SCHOOLS received an endowment for a teacher of the Bible and Catechism in 1692. Empingham, as late as 1867, was taught by the vicar and an assistant, and was then in a flourishing state, with 50 boys and 13 girls.^^ Liddington (1721), Glaston (1734), and Hambleton (1760) com- plete the list of elementary schools in existence before 1800. Belton and Ketton were founded very early in the 19th century. On I January 1906 there were 38 elementary schools in the county under the inspection of the Board of Education, all Church of England schools, with about 3,000 children in average attendance. Two council schools have since been established. There were no schools at Pilton or Glaston. Only two had an average roll of over 200 — Oakham National with 447 and Uppingham National with 272. Next in order come Ket- ton with 184, Empingham with 120, and Langham with 112. THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS OF OAKHAM AND UPPINGHAM (i) Their Foundation The two grammar schools in Rutland, situated at no greater distance than 6 miles from each other, owe their existence to one and the same founder, the Ven. Robert Johnson, Archdeacon of Leicester, and their foundation and incor- poration to one and the same document, letters patent of Queen Elizabeth, bearing date 24 October 1587.^ The founder, also, did not limit his generosity to providing means of educa- tion for the youth of Oakham and Uppingham through his schools established there, but at the same time, in imitation of more ambitious schemes,^ built and endowed a hospital in each town for the aged and needy, and connected the schools by scholarships with the universities. The buildings of the schools and hospitals seem to have been erected about the year 1584. The Old School at Oakham was possibly already in existence, having served as a chapel. The common charter of foundation is of the usual length and in the ordinary form. The preamble states that our beloved subject, Robert Johnson, of North Lufienham, in the county of Rutlnnd, clerk, be- cause there is no free grammar school for instructing boys in sound learning in our county of Rutland, has begged us to think fit to erect, found, and establish one grammar school in the town of Okeham and another in the town of Uppingham for the better education, institution and instruction of boys and youths dwelling and residing in the aforesaid places " Schools Inq. Rep. ' Pat. 29 Eliz. pt. 16. ' Eton, for example. Johnson's immediate model was no doubt Wigston's Hospital and the Grammar School at Leicester. His elder brother was confrater of the hospital from 1569. and the neighbourhood ; and also, in order that some sufficient provision may be made for the relief and support of certain poor and indigent people, dwelling and residing in the county, to erect, found and estab- lish one hospital in the town of Okeham for 24 poor people to be chosen from the 3 hundreds of Okeham Soken, of Alstoe and le Easte hundred in the same county, and also another hospital in the town of Uppingham for 24 poor people to be chosen from the 2 hundreds of Martinsley and Wrangdike in the same county ; and also to make some suitable pro- vision for the relief and support of certain poor and indigent scholars proceeding from the same schools to the universities of Cambridge and Oxford. Accordingly the queen, out of the singular solicitude which we have for the support and relief of the poor and needy aforesaid and for the pious and liberal education of the youth of our realm, and out of our very great good-will, because alms and other pious and charitable works of the sort, equally with sound learning and the study of the noblest arts studiously pursued, contribute very considerably to the acceptance and cultivation of virtue and religion, graciously acceding to this pious request, ordains that there shall be one grammar school at Oakham and another at Uppingham, of a master (inagiiter seu pedagogus) and usher [suh- pedagogus seu hipodidascului), to continue for ever, and to be called ' the free grammar schools of Robert Johnson, clerk ; ' that the first master (^primus et modernus ludimagister seu pedagogus) at Oakham shall be Robert Rushbrooke, and the first usher Abel Mellors, and the first master of Uppingham David Blacke, and the first usher Robert Fullarton ; and that there shall be two hospitals also, to be called ' the hospital of Christ of Oakham ' and * the hospital of Christ of Uppingham.' Then follows the appointment of the governing body. It is to consist of 24 ' discreet and up- right men ' [discreti et prohi homines), and to bear the official title of ' The Governors of the goodes possessions and revenewes of the free grammer Scholes of Robert Johnson, clarke, and of the twoe hospitalls of Christe in Okeham and Up- pingham in the Countye of Rutland.' Seven are to serve ex officio, viz. the Bishops of London and Peterborough, the Deans of Westminster and Peterborough, the Archdeacon of Northampton, and the Masters of Trinity and St. John's Col- leges, Cambridge. The remaining seventeen places, to be filled later by co-option, are assigned to the notables of the district, our much beloved Edward Lord Zouche and Henry Lord Cromwell ; our beloved and loyal Thomas Cecill, James Harrington and John Harrington, knights ; our beloved Anthony Mildmay, Kenelm Dighy, Edward Harrington, John Harrington, Andrew Noell, Roger Smyth, Thomas Pagitt, and Edward Heron, esquires ; Robert Sheifeild, John Barton, Bartin Burton and Abraham Johnson, gendemen. 261