Budding broadcasters from Castlehill primary school work on local history project
Campbeltown Townscape Heritage initiative (THI), part of the wider CHORD project, has linked up with Castlehill primary school and Argyll FM in a living history project about the regeneration of the Old Schoolhouse, Big Kiln Street. As part of the THI’s community engagement programme a local social enterprise, Inspiralba, is delivering this oral history and digital editing project.
The pupils have linked up with the THI to investigate the history of the building, that was brought back in to use as community bunkhouse in 2012, providing low cost visitor accommodation.
The last survivor of a group of 4 buildings, it was constructed around 1851 as a direct consequence of the Disruption which split the Free Church from the Church of Scotland. The first schoolmaster was Alexander Ross, a key figure in the Disruption, who, having been dismissed by the established church was taken on by the Free Church.
Following the 1872 Education Act the building stopped being used as a school. Until it fell in to a state of disrepair in the 1980s, it had a number of uses, from a vaccination centre to a Sunday school and a nursery.
A key building for the Campbeltown THI, the building was brought back to life in 2012 with all of the work being carried out by local contractors using traditional methods and materials.
Castlehill primary is the second local school to be involved in this project, following on from Dalintober primary school’s work on the town hall.
The project has offered primary 6 pupils the chance to record their interviews with local people using Argyll FM’s professional support and facilities. The interviews are due to be broadcast on Saturday 15th March at 4pm, with a repeat on Tuesday 18th March at 8pm.
Chair of the MAKI Area Committee, Councillor Rory Colville, said of the project: ‘’The level of engagement between the council and the local community has been a cornerstone of the Campbeltown CHORD project and it is great to see another project involving our school children.
‘’I welcome any initiative which helps develop our children’s skills and confidence and helps the people of Campbeltown find out more about their heritage.’’
In preparation for the recording session, where local people share memories of the bunkhouse, pupils had to learn interviewing skills, plan their project questions, practice their interviewing techniques and choose music to accompany the programme.
Pupils learned about the range of work the THI has done in Campbeltown and about the history and significance of local buildings such as the bunkhouse.
The pupils’ work will be stored digitally by the Campbeltown THI.
For more information on the Campbeltown Backpackers Hostel accommodation see http://www.campbeltownbackpackers.co.uk/index.php