▁intended ▁that ▁the ▁school ▁should ▁also ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁mem orial ▁to ▁himself , ▁and ▁decided ▁to ▁site ▁it ▁in ▁the ▁parish ▁of ▁Be ith . ▁However , ▁this ▁led ▁to ▁disput es ▁and ▁del ays , ▁and ▁an ▁investigation ▁by ▁a ▁Royal ▁Commission , ▁and ▁a ▁final ▁plan ▁emer ged ▁from ▁that ▁for ▁a ▁co - ed uc ational ▁day ▁school ▁at ▁Be ith ▁which ▁would ▁be ▁equ ipped ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁board ers . ▁B . ▁W . ▁C och ran - P atr ick ▁of ▁Lady land ▁& ▁Wood side ▁delivered ▁his ▁" D edic ation ▁Spe ech ▁of ▁the ▁Sp ier ▁School " ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁April ▁ 1 8 8 7 , ▁and ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 8 8 7 ▁the ▁school ' s ▁foundation ▁stone ▁was ▁laid ▁on ▁site , ▁in ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁thousand ▁guests . ▁ ▁School ▁history ▁ ▁The ▁school ▁opened ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁September ▁ 1 8 8 8 , ▁with ▁ 1 4 0 ▁pup ils , ▁mostly ▁from ▁North ▁A yr shire , ▁and ▁with ▁Robert ▁Bruce ▁Lock hart , ▁previously ▁head ▁of ▁Wa id ▁Academy , ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁head master . ▁Fe es ▁were ▁charged , ▁but ▁free ▁education ▁was ▁available ▁to ▁local ▁children ▁who ▁passed ▁a ▁qual ifying ▁exam ination ▁and ▁were ▁recommended ▁by ▁their ▁school te ach ers . ▁ ▁The ▁school ▁administration ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁Lord ▁Lieutenant ▁of ▁the ▁County , ▁seven ▁represent atives ▁of