e School had assembled in the middle of
August until Christmas, after which they came back for a long term
extending from January till July, with only a short holiday at Easter.
The holidays were now lengthened from eleven or twelve weeks in the year
to fourteen.

In 1876 the numbers had increased to such an extent that it was found
necessary to build new Class-Rooms. Teaching had been still carried on
in what is now known as the Old School, and the accommodation for some
time had been so inadequate that rooms in the Hostel itself had been
utilized. The Governors therefore determined to build rooms sufficient
for one hundred and twenty boys, and to add a Lecture-room to the
Laboratory. A difficulty arose about the site. It was at first proposed
to lessen the expenditure by adding to the Old School, where there was a
sufficient space, but such an addition would have permanently divided
the life of the School, and apart from the question of finance, it was
clearly of the utmost importance that the Class-rooms should be adjacent
to the Hostel. This course was finally decided upon, and six Class-rooms
were built. The total cost of these buildings and of the Hostel
additions reached over L13,000, and the Governors were empowered to sell
certain of their North Cave Estates, and to borrow L6,000 from the
Governors of Sedbergh. This debt was finally paid off in 1881 out of
surplus revenue, which was so great that in 1878 Fives Courts were built
out of it, and three years later L1,100 was spent in alterations and
additions to the Headmaster's House. In spite of this considerable
expenditure the Governors were still able to put aside each year the sum
of L800.

[Illustration: CHEMISTRY LABORATORY.]

[Illustration: THE MUSEUM.]

The numbers continued to increase rapidly, and in 1884 the Charity
Commissioners agreed to the proposal of the Governors to extend the
Class-rooms. Those already standing had been built in such a way that it
was an easy undertaking to add to them. The road up High Rigg alone
stood in their way, but permission was obtained to divert it and make a
better road further South. On the ground-floor two new Class-rooms were
built and connected by a corridor on the West side, while above it Big
School, eighty feet long by thirty feet broad, absorbed one of the
former Class-rooms, and supplied what had previously been a great defect
in the arrangements of the School. It was capable of holding between
three and