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Renfrewshire Community Plan 2008 - 2017 David Stow
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David Stow of Paisley is famous for his innovations in education. He was born on 17 May 1793, the son of Fenwick Stow, a prosperous merchant. He was educated at Paisley Grammar School and began work with the Port-Eglinton Spinning Company in 1811. He continued to be involved with the company for most of his working life, but it was as an educationalist that David Stow made his mark.
Stow was a supporter of the Free Church, and began teaching as a Sabbath School teacher in Glasgow. He soon found that the Sabbath School could not cope with the numbers, nor with the behaviour, of the children from the deprived area of the Saltmarket in Glasgow. In response to this problem he opened new schools: the Glasgow Infant School Society in 1826 and the Glasgow Educational Society in Drygate, Glasgow in 1827.
Stow's philosophy was that the school should encourage learning. The Drygate school had a playground or "uncovered school room"; an unheard of feature at that time. Other innovations included the use of visual aids, the co-education of boys and girls, the abolition of corporal punishment, and prize-givings.
This illustration is taken from 'Training system' by David Stow, a publication which is available in the Local Studies Library in Paisley.
In 1828, Stow published his first book: 'Teacher training', which was very well received. This was followed by other titles on education, including his 1834 work: 'Moral training for large cities', in which he expanded on his philosophy on teaching. His methods were put into practice throughout the country, and in 1836, with the help of some like-minded friends, David Stow laid the foundation stone of the first teacher training college in the country, the 'Normal School', at Dundas Vale.
In 1845, a legal ruling decreed that Stow's teacher training college belonged to the Established Church of Scotland. Stow and his followers immediately left Dundas Vale because they were members of the Free Church, and believed in non-denominational education. Very quickly they set up the 'Normal Free School'. Stow continued his work from here until his death on 6 November 1864.
Today there are reminders of this great educationalist in the marble bust of him on display in Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow, and in Stow College, Glasgow. Stow Street in Paisley is close to both the site of the school run for many years by his sister Elizabeth, and to the site of his birthplace.
Renfrewshire Library members can use this link to David Stow's entry in the Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford DNB). Just enter the word “renfrew” and then your library ticket number. Most UK libraries subscribe to DNB. Check if yours is one of them.
For more information on Renfrewshire's famous people, contact the Local Studies Library by
- email: locstuds.els@renfrewshire.gov.uk
- phone: 0141 889 2360
- fax: 0141 887 6468
- write to:
Reference and Local Studies Library
Central Library
68 High Street
Paisley
PA1 2BB
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