The monthly meeting of Blantyre School Board was held in the Parish Council chambers on Tuesday 10th January 1905. After the Chairman had welcomed everybody and commented on his hopes for a modern and successful 1905, matters turned to schools and their associated costs.

The Chairman reported that the changes to Auchentibber School had now been completed and had made a huge difference in the appearance of the classrooms, adding considerably to the comfort of pupils and teachers.

The Clerk then submitted a letter from Mr Paterson, the Architect announcing that the Auchinraith Schoolmasters house had finally been completed and had ended up costing £15 12s under budget.

Mr Paterson, who was actually at the meeting, then stood up to submit his plans for proposed changes to Auchinraith and High Blantyre Schools. Plans were passed around showing two additional classrooms at Auchinraith, providing room for another 124 pupils (at 62 children per class!) The cost of this would be £600.

High Blantyre School was to receive 2 additional classrooms too, but a more extensive change to the front of the school and amendments to the drill hall was going to cost £1,600, a sizeable sum at the time. This would accommodate another 141 pupils, which was desperately needed.

For some in the room, the cost of High Blantyre’s alterations were most unexpected with previous budgets being no more than £300, so a sum over 5 times that was something the Board would have to consider carefully. Mr Devanney voted against the changes saying he did not feel the school would last long if it was exposed to the same subsidence that was affecting other buildings in the vicinity.

Other members had more faith in the school building and strength of foundations and general support followed all round, forcing Mr Devanney’s motion in backwardly movement. The Board instructed Mr Paterson to firm up the plans for submission to the Education Committee.

The High Blantyre school is pictured around this era in this rare picture.