Education in Scotland in the twentieth century
In the 1980s these were replaced by the Standard Grade qualifications and the curriculum was reformed to take account of the whole range of abilities.
In the first half of the twentieth century Scottish universities fell behind those in England and Europe in terms of participation and investment.
The abolition of school fees in 1890 meant there was a state-funded, national system of compulsory, free, basic education with common examinations.
The Scottish Education Department introduced vocational supplementary teaching in the elementary schools, later known as advanced divisions, up until the age of 14, when pupils would leave to find work.
This was controversial because it seemed to be counter the cherished principle that schooling was a potential route to university for the bright "lad o' parts".
Most of the advanced divisions of the primary schools became junior secondaries, where students received a vocationally orientated education until the age of 14.
The old academies and Higher Grade schools became senior secondaries, giving a more academic education, presenting students for the leaving certificate.
Selection between the two types of school was determined at age 12 by an intelligence test, the "qualifying examination", known colloquially as "the qualy".
[6] The Act also replaced the School Boards with 38 specialist local education authorities, which were elected by a form of proportional representation in order to protect the rights of the Catholic minority.
Selection was ended by the Labour government in 1965, which recommended that councils produced one kind of comprehensive secondary school that took all the children in a given neighbourhood.
[5] The reorganisation of local government in 1975, which transferred education to nine mainland and three smaller island authorities, allowed those containing large urban centres, to redistribute resources to poorer areas, making education part of a programme of wider social reform.
It then fell to 25–7 per cent in the 1930s as opportunities in school teaching, virtually the only careers outlet for female graduates in arts and sciences, decreased.
In the first half of the twentieth century Scottish universities fell behind those in England and Europe in terms of participation and investment.
In the same period, while expenditure in English universities rose by 90 per cent, in Scotland the increase was less than a third of that figure.
[8] Before the First World War relationships between male and female students tended to be very formal, but in the inter-war years there was an increase in social activities, such as dance halls, cinemas, cafes and public houses.
Male centred activities included the Students' Union, Rugby Club and Officers' Training Corps.
