CHAPTER XV 1857-1862 IN 1847 the Rev. Nathaniel Woodard began a boy's school at New Shoreham. He was convinced that no religion worth a rush was taught in our public schools, Eton, Winchester, Westminster and the like, nor in the grammar schools mostly frequented by day boys ; whereas the schools for shopkeepers' and tradesmen's children were in a most deplorable condition of inefficiency. He had accordingly entertained the idea of starting a series of schools for the Upper, Middle and Lower Middle Classes on a definitely religious basis. In 1849 he divided his school into three " Grades," and in 1850 the " Middle Grade " came to Hurstpierpoint, moving into the present buildings in 1853. All the schools were placed under a governing body, the Corporation of S. Nicholas, and this eventually was split up into four divisions. The Southern, or Society of SS. Mary and Nicholas, controls four boys' schools (Lancing, Hurst, Ardingly and Bloxham), and one girls' school at Bognor. The Middle Division has three boys' schools (Denstone, Ellesmere, Worksop), and four girls' schools; the Western Division has one boys' school at Taunton; the Northern Division has two girls' schools; in all, eight boys' schools and seven girls' schools holding i960 boys and 750 girls. But at the time when I joined the society there were but the Upper Grade school at New Shoreham, moved later to the noble collegiate buildings at Lancing, and S. John's College, Hurstpierpoint. The Third Grade school at Ardingly was opened whilst I was at Hurst. S. John's College, Hurstpierpoint, was a dignified structure of split flints with caen-ston^. dressings, designed by Carpenter. At the time that I was there it formed a quadrangle and hall, but the chapel had not as yet been begun. The quadrangle was 274
