So what do today's "pampered" young think of their island life and school? With the cooperation of Mrs Annabella Perrie, teacher at Arinagour School, I had a little compatition to find out. Here are the two winning entries (as they were written) (i) for the up to eight years; (ii) for the nine to eleven year olds.

My Story About Coll

My name is Stewart Kennedy and I live at 8 carnan road, Isle of Coll. My dad was born on Coll in the old School house which is now the church of Scotland manse. And my grampa was born on Coll at old Benmeanach, the year was 1905.

When my grampa was a boy there were four schools on the Island they were Arinagour, Acha, Gresipol and Cornaig. My grampa went to Acha school, He started school on the 12th day of September 1911 with his twin brother Roanald, they had to walk about 4 miles over Ben Hough every day to get to school. Every day they put 2 stones on a cairn and on the last day they ettended school which was the last of november 1919 they placed their last stone on the cairn. This cairn is still standing on the old Path between old Benmeanach and Acha.

My brother and I will never build a cairn on the road to school which is Arinagour, because we have olny to walk about 200 metres to school. also our road is used for traffic, for example, cars, lorries, vans, tractors and land rovers.

My Grampa left school at the age of 14, he went to work on a farm called Totronald. when the war was on he went to be a solder. He was with General montgomery's men. He earned 5 medles for his bravery. these medles are still hanging on the wall in his old house Burnside.

My dad left school at the age of 15. he also went to work on a farm but today he is one of the road men on this Island.

I will not leave school at 14 or 15 I will leave Arinagour school at 11 and go to oban High School. then I hope to go first to college then I will get a good job. I do not want to leave this lovely Island, to go to work but I may have to.

When I get the chance I will be glad to come home to see the Island again.

Stewart age 8