Morrison's Academy

For the international school in Taiwan, see Morrison Academy.

Coordinates: 56°22′30″N 3°50′27″W / 56.37491°N 3.84076°W / 56.37491; -3.84076

Morrison's Academy is a co-educational independent day school in Crieff, Perth and Kinross, in Central Scotland. The school provides nursery, primary and secondary school facilities. It draws many pupils from surrounding Perth and Kinross and Stirling.

Morrison Academy
Location
Crieff , Perth and Kinross Scotland
Information
Type	Independent day school
Motto	Ad Summa Tendendum ("To Strive For The Highest")
Established	1860
Rector	Andrew McGarva
Number of pupils	approx 482

The grave of Thomas Morison, St Cuthberts, Edinburgh

History

Morrison's Academy owes its foundation to Thomas Morison (also spelled Morrison). Born in 1761 in the village of Muthill; his mother belonged to Crieff. Morison trained as a stonemason and, after working some years in Auchterarder, he moved to Edinburgh and set up his own business. He made his fortune as the builder of a substantial part of the city's beautiful Georgian New Town (the sections north of Queen Street).

Morison died age 59 on 30 August 1820 in Edinburgh. He had no children and, rather than letting his entire fortune fall into the hands of relatives, directed his trustees in his will to: "erect and endow an institution or institutions as to them shall appear best calculated to promote the interests of mankind, having a particular regard to the Education of youth and the diffusion of knowledge." And he continues, "although I do not wish to confine this object to a particular place, yet I have regard in my views to the part of the country where I was born, and to the city of Edinburgh, where I long resided and acquired my fortune." He finishes by saying, "I rather incline to point at a new institution which may bear my name and preserve the remembrance of my good intentions for the welfare and happiness of my fellowmen".

After years of searching for a suitable location, his trustees decided on Crieff, near to where Morison was born, rather than Edinburgh which was already well served with schools. They purchased the old market site where the cattle tryst used to be held before it moved south to Falkirk. The school opened for business on 1 October 1860.^[1]

Morison is buried in the north-east corner of the north extension to Edinburgh's St. Cuthbert's Churchyard.^[2]

In 2018 Morrisons said they planned to merge with Beaconhurst School, Bridge of Allan^[3] but Beaconhurst went into administration.^[4]

In 2021 the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry heard accusations from former pupils at Morrisons that they suffered physical abuse when they were at the school.^[5][6] The lawyer representing Morrisons said the most recent case was 30 years ago. He admitted that the school had failed to stop the abuse.^[7]

Houses

There are four school houses:

• Murrays
• Campbells
• Grahams
• Drummonds

Notable alumni

See also: Category:People educated at Morrison's Academy

References

1. . Archived from the original on 10 September 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
2. "Thomas Morison - Find A Grave Index 1300s to Current". Find a Grave. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
3. Staff (26 June 2018). "Two private schools to merge ahead of '˜tax bombshell'". Th Scotsman. Retrieved 25 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
4. Donald, Colin (15 July 2018). "Independent education supports Scottish local economies and state schools". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
5. "Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry told of Perthshire boarding school beatings". BBC News. 13 May 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
6. Ryder, Gemma (13 May 2021). "Boarding school pupil says he is 'still disturbed' by teacher's beatings decades later". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 16 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
7. "Scottish private schools apologise to former pupils abused in their care". BBC News. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2021.

External links

•   Media related to Morrison's Academy at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website