Looking Back – news from the John O'Groat Journal of yesteryear
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Calder statue 'seriously damaged'
From the Groat of October 5, 1923
Members of the Wick Riverside Committee had expressed "intense indignation" at the "acts of mischief and wanton destruction" which were reported to them by senior secretary James Sutherland.
He stated that "seats had been smashed, displaced and thrown in among the trees; grass and twigs set alight, often at the base of young saplings; fences, hedges, barriers and borders broken down; and trees broken and torn up in such a way as to suggest organised destruction".
Even worse, he reported, was the damage done to the Calder statue, which had been "subjected to a perfect fusillade of stones, causing chips and breakages in the surface of the marble and giving the statue a pockmarked appearance".
At two or three points the chips were of "considerable extent" and "even the quill held in the hand of the historian, the symbol of his labours in the annals of his native county, had been broken off".
It was reported that "these facts will give pain and cause indignation not only among all decent townspeople but among Caithness folk everywhere".
Complaints had been made that the police were not sufficiently active "in guarding public property against such malicious damage".
However, the committee considered that even when miscreants had been apprehended, "the magistrates had usually allowed them off with a soft 'admonition' or paltry fine instead of a well-deserved and vigorous application of the birch rod".
Teacher shortage in schools
From the Groat of October 5, 1973
Shortages of teachers in both Wick and Thurso high schools were described as "critical" at a meeting of Caithness Education Committee.
To try and meet the challenge, councillors adopted a threefold plan which they hoped "would take care of the long-term position".
They agreed that housing was a main incentive in attracting teachers to the county and proposed to ask the local authorities for help, get the Scottish Education Department to consider a "crash-building programme" and seek permission to buy private houses.
George Bruce, Thurso, pointed out that many of the vacancies were for promoted posts and he said if they could not fill these jobs, where the salaries were higher, "how did they expect to get the ordinary posts filled?".
"There is no doubt that the raising of the school leaving age has caused this," he said. "This is a national problem – we are not alone in this."
He suggested that retired teachers and those who had left to be married be encouraged to "come back" and that the rectors of the two schools go to colleges to meet students about to start their teaching careers.
"I think the situation is desperate," he said. "I don't see how a school can function with a 25 per cent staff shortage."
Boundary plan 'unacceptable'
From the Groat of October 9, 1998
Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar was being urged to throw out a controversial plan to transfer Reay from Caithness to Sutherland – and campaigners pledged to take court action to challenge the move should the minister fail to act.
The Boundary Commission recommendation had caused "outrage and condemnation in the village", and the proposal had been described as "stupid beyond belief" by Bill Brown, chairman of Caithness West Community Council, whose area included Reay.
Mr Brown stressed that the entire parish of Reay had opposed the idea and made that clear at a public meeting and in its representation to the commission.
"Their views have been totally ignored and I am sure they will feel disgusted by this proposal," he said.
Mr Brown pointed out that should the plan be approved then those village services that were operated by the Highland Council would be run from Dornoch.
Councillor John Mowat, West Caithness, said the proposal was "totally unacceptable". He was "grossly disappointed" by the plan which would result in "local people having to contact offices in Sutherland with queries or complaints about services".
Under the Boundary Commission recommendations, Caithness would have 10 councillors instead of eight, with an additional ward being created in both Wick and Thurso.
