The 1872 Education Act took control of schools from the churches and set up new School Boards. On Tiree there were two Parish schools, in Heylipol and Kirkapol, and six others scattered around the island.

In 1873, the headmaster of Heylipol School reported that the new Board was at loggerheads:
“Very unfortunately for those who have children at school age, our School Board is not a harmonious body, and therefore instead of providing efficient schools with the utmost speed, they are wrangling, disputing, reporting, and protesting amongst themselves as to the sites of the new schools. The east end of the island is the part on which they differ. The majority wants only two schools, one about 1 ½ miles further east and another 1 ½ miles further west than the present Public schools.
The minority wants 3 schools, the present Public School and one in each end of the district, but they allege that the side or end schools may be of a lower class or less expensive while they would maintain the Public School in the centre as it is – a better class school to which the older scholars in both ends could go when they got beyond the qualifications of their own master.
The inhabitants of both ends object to being only supplied with an inferior school and master, maintaining they have a right to an efficient school seeing they pay the same rates with the rest of the island. The whole affair has been referred to the Education Board Edinburgh.
The division which this question has made of the Board is ominous. The minority (the minister, the factor and doctor) being those who under the former laws had the management of such affairs. The majority are Messrs Campbell, Hough; McQuarrie; and two natives being those called into management for the first time by the new Act.
The minority are all men of cultivated intellect who can always give a reason for their actions which will be intelligible to others. For the majority Mr Campbell, Hough is an intelligent and active minded gentleman who can maintain his own opinion against anyone, while Mr McQuarrie is a man of far-seeing and well-digested plans who generally thinks twice before he commits himself.
The two native members are simple minded honest men who I believe are quite conscientious that their votes are for the public good. They all agree that Cornaig or Kilmoluaig ought to be the site for the north end and the 120 or 130 scholars in the district calls aloud to the School Board to get up a school without delay. They propose to add a classroom to my school of which I stand in great need.” John MacFarlane, Schoolmaster.

Chomhaid mi timchioll

Chomhaid mi timchioll air eilean mo ruin N’uair bha a ghrian na h-airde Air latha samhriadh ciuin;
Bha m’agane sona le spiriod dusgaidh Gam leannachd san am sin Is e mo bheachd gu’n robh flaithneas Gu cinnteach faisg ri lamh

Bha’n t’shobhraig flur an aogais maiseach Ga’m thraghadh buileach bho thuighse saoghail ‘S no heoin gam lagachach ien rifid gleuste;
Gach fod buileach fo bhuaidh a ghrein A derrsadh le gloir na madainn:
O’s tric bhios fear siubhail nan crioch Fo buaidh an t-sealladh na chridh

Bi clann beaga na firichean a ruith sa leum Iad pailt don oige is gann do trioblaidean Tha ri aireamh feadh ar saoghal;
Nach buide do gach paisde tha fo Bhuaidh riaghladh na goraiche faoin;
Tha fios g’eil pairt aca anns an tsuimhneas Bu mhiann lean bhith dhomh dluth.

Bristidh tuinn air cladach ‘s gu fior Is e’n sgeul bi buan ‘S an uiseag ni a h-al a chuir air doigh Air reir an staid san am;
Ach tha mise an dith dhan t-sealladh suil:
Is gann don tuigisinn no toinisg seo, S nach nach bi mi buan.