Anderson High School
| School Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Address: | Lovers Loan, Lerwick. ZE1 0JH |
| Head Teacher: | Ms V. Nicolson |
| Telephone: | 01595 692306 |
| Fax | |
| e-mail: | ahs@shetland.gov.uk |
| Pupils: | 794 (Sept. 2008) |
Description
The Anderson High School, (formerly the Anderson Educational Institute), in Lerwick, is the largest school in Shetland. The school provides, from secondary 1 to secondary 6 for pupils from the Bell's Brae, Sound, Bressay, Fetlar, Fair Isle, and Foula primary schools catchment areas. It also provides secondary 5 and secondary 6 education for pupils from the catchment areas of the Junior High Schools at Aith, Scalloway, Mid Yell, Baltasound, Whalsay, Skerries, and Sandwick.Students from the islands of Unst, Yell, Whalsay, Out Skerries, and Fetlar, stay in the attached Janet Courtney Hostel during the week, going home for the weekends.
New AHS?
Since at least 1991, there have been discussions regarding the building of a new Anderson High School, with proposed sites being near Clickimin and on the existing site. Currently, there have been architectural designs drawn for the building on existing site, which was deemed more feasible.
History
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.
Anderson Educational Institute, which provided both primary and secondary education, was founded by Lerwick born Arthur Anderson, and officially opened in 1862.
The "Higher school at the Anderson Educational Institute", was opened on August 4th, and on November 28th the "Lower school at the Anderson Educational Institute" was opened.
When Lerwick Central School opened in 1902 the elementary pupils were transferred there and A.E.I. became purely a secondary school. In 1924 the headmaster's house was replaced by a hall extending to the rear, and the double-mullioned windows seen in the photo fom the 1880's being replaced by single ones. In 1964 a large extension was built to the back. In 1970 the school became a secondary comprehensive, was renamed Anderson High School, and further massive extensions were erected.
Bruce Hostel
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.
The hostel was built as a gift to the people of Shetland by Robert H. Bruce, the twelvth Bruce of Sumburgh laird. It was designed by W. Laidlaw McDougall, (Robert Bruce's factor), and W. W. Reid, with help of the contractor, John M. Aitken.
The work started in 1914. The project was delayed by World War I, but with the able assistance of his factor W. Laidlaw McDougall it was completed and opened to its first residents in 1923.
The hostel provided accomodation for girls attending the Anderson High School who's homes were too far away for the use of daily, and in the case of some of the smaller outer isles, weekly transport to be practical.
A significant, but unsympathetic extension was added to the north side of the hostel in the 1970's, at the same time as significant extensions in the same style were added to both the Anderson High School and Janet Courtney Hostel.
The hostel ceased to be used for pupil accomodation in 19??, as a result of improved transport facilities making the daily commuting longer distances more practical.
Janet Courtney Hostel
Click to read the names.
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.
The Janet Courtney Hostel was built in the 1930's, finished in 1939, for the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust. The architect was James Shearer of Dunfermline.
It was first occupied after World War II by boys attending Anderson High School. Now the hostel is used by both boys and girls.
