High School of Dundee

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High School of Dundee
Image:High School of Dundee Arms.jpg
Motto: Prestante Domino "Under the leadership of God"
Established	1239
Type	Independent primary and secondary
Affiliation
Rector
Students	1,200 (Approx)
Grades	P1–S6
Location	Dundee, Angus Scotland
Website	www.highschoolofdundee.co.uk
High_School_of_Dundee.jpg

The High School of Dundee, informally Dundee High School (HSD or DHS), is one of Scotland's leading public,or independent schools, and the only public school in Dundee. The headmaster is a member of the Headmasters' Conference.

Contents 1 History 2 Buildings and Playing Grounds 3 Houses 4 Notable alumni

[edit] History

It has its origins in the Grammar School of Dundee founded by the abbot and monks of Lindores Abbey after they were granted a charter by Gilbert, Bishop of Brechin, in the early 1220s to "plant schools wherever they please in the burgh". Their rights were confirmed by a Papal Bull conferred by Pope Gregory IX on 14th February 1239. It is from this Bull that the School's Latin motto "Prestante Domino", translated as "Under the Leadership of God", is taken.

Early scholars included Hector Boece, historian and first Principal of the University of Aberdeen; and James, John and Robert Wedderburn, authors of The Gude and Godlie Ballatis, one of the most important literary works of the Scots Reformation. The School itself was the earliest Reformed school in Scotland, having adopted the new religion in 1554. The current coach of the Scottish rugby side, Frank Hadden Andrew Marr(journalist and TV presenter),KT Tunstall(musician), Andy Nicol and Tom Smith(British lions rugby union players),John Petrie(Scotland Rugby Internationalist) are also a former pupils.

The Grammar School merged with two other schools, the English School, founded by the burgh council in 1702, and the Dundee Academy, founded in 1785 also by the burgh, to form the Dundee Public Seminaries in 1834. This moved into a neo-classical building by the architect George Angus, designed as part of the urban improvements in Dundee. In 1859, a Royal Charter granted by Queen Victoria changed the name of the school to the High School of Dundee. The independent future of the School was threatened by the Education (Scotland) Act 1872, which made education compulsory and took over the running of schools from the Church of Scotland. Burgh as well as parish schools now came under School Boards run by local committees. The situation was worsened by a similar Act in 1878, until an alumnus of the High School, William Harris, offered, in February 1881, to donate £30,000 for the purposes of Higher Education in Dundee on condition that the Board give up all claim to the School. This agreement was incorporated in an Act of Parliament, the William Harris Endowment and Dundee Education Act, 1882. A further act was passed in 1922, and the School's current constitution is enshrined in the High School of Dundee Scheme passed before the Court of Session in 1989.

The school has a total of 1100 pupils in prep-school and senior school. Fees for the 2006/2007 session are £8,490 GBP.

[edit] Buildings and Playing Grounds

The High School of Dundee is split into seven buildings: the Main Building (previously the Boys School), the Margaret Harris Building (previously the Girls School), Robert Fergusson Building, housing the English department, Trinity Meadowside, Bonar House, Baxter House and The Lodge. There are also two main playing grounds, Dalnacraig and Mayfield in which sports such as hockey, tennis, rugby, football, cricket and athletics are played. The school also holds an annual sports day event at the Mayfield playing grounds in June where the four school houses compete against each other throughout the day. The Mayfield playing grounds have just been completed, and the new sports centre opened on the 18th June.

[edit] Houses

The school has four houses to which pupils are assigned randomly, or depending on their family history in the school. The four houses are Airlie and Aystree (named after Benefactors to the School), Lindores, after the Abbey, and Wallace (after William Wallace). The Junior School get the opportunity to gain house points during classtime and the senior school gain housepoints through competitions and through the results collected from sports day. At the end of every session, the points are added together, and the house plate is awarded to the winning house.

[edit] Notable alumni

• The Very Rev Dr Finlay A J Macdonald '63 - Principal Clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
• Henry Gemmell MorganProfessor of Pathological Biochemistry, Glasgow University 1965-88
• Donald MacArthur Ross The Rt Hon Lord Ross PC, FRSE
• William John Tulloch Professor of bacteriology
• Mike Watson (Lord Watson) Politician
• KT Tunstall - Popular Scottish singer/songwriter
• Robert Fergusson Poet
• William Wallace - Scottish Leader