Such was the poetical achievement of three boys in 1851.
The School might reasonably be expected to go forward quickly, with new buildings, a new Headmaster and strenuous Governors, and in 1850 they received a just recognition of the quality of the teaching. The Provost and Fellows of of Queen's College, Oxford, had a very large sum of money at their disposal, which was devised to them by Lady Elizabeth Hastings. She had intended the money to be divided annually among boys from schools in the North of England. The privilege of being one of the schools able to send boys in for the Exhibitions—which were very valuable—was offered to Giggleswick and gratefully accepted. The Exhibitions have frequently been won.
The first Examination under the new scheme was held in December, 1862. The Bishop of Ripon appointed the Rev. William Boyd, M.A., Examiner. He found the School in "an efficient working condition," in both the higher and lower departments. The first class, which in those days consisted of the senior boys, passed a good Examination in Greek Testament, a play of Aeschylus, Homer, Thucydides, Horace, and Vergil, Geography and Ancient History. The Latin Prose Composition of two or three was very good.
The Second Class were examined in Homer, Xenophon, Ovid, and Cæsar. Books were given as prizes to the value of £13 4s. Both in this Examination and in the two succeeding years the proficiency of the first form was very marked, and the general efficiency of the teaching was commented on. The most general excellence lay in Divinity, but as the subject was a limited one e.g. Life of Abraham, and the work for it began six months before, perhaps too much stress should not be laid on it. There were seven classes, all of them doing Latin, with the fourth class doing Eutropius, and they were also examined in Modern Geography, the History of England, and the Catechism.
In 1844, four old boys, William Garforth, John Saul Howson, John Birkbeck, and William Robinson agreed together to contribute to a fund for the provision of two prizes each half year. They were to be called, "The Giggleswick Pupils' Prizes," and were to consist of Books, stamped with the School Seal. One was to be given to the boys of the Upper part of the School for the best English or Latin Essay, and the other to the Lower boys for General Merit.
In 1853, the Howson Prizes were given by the Fellows of Christ's College, Cambridge, and other friends, in memory of George Howson, a son of the Usher, and himself a Fellow of his College. It was a striking testimony to the character of the man that his associates should thus wish to "perpetuate the name of our highly gifted and lamented friend." They wished in some small degree to advance "the interests of an institution, which was, we know, most dear to him, from early associations, and also from his worthy father's long and honourable association with it." They asked that two prizes should be given annually to the boys of the Lower School, one for General Proficiency, regard being had to conduct, and one for the best examination in a defined portion of Scripture History; the subject was to be announced at least six months before.
The School had been re-built chiefly in order to provide room for a Teacher of Modern Languages, and in 1855 the Governors proposed to appoint such an one. They laid down the following regulations: He should attend five days a week—all classes except the highest and lowest should learn French, and the highest might, if they wished. Italian, German and Hebrew were to be optional with all. Lastly, all classes except the highest must attend the English Master. The salary of the Modern Language Master was to be £130 a year.
The Masters were requested to draw up a scheme of work. The hours of School had been altered in 1844 and were now from 8-0 a.m. till noon, and from 2-0 p.m. till 5-0 p.m. (in the Winter till 4-30 p.m.). All the Masters and Assistants were compelled to teach every hour of every school day. The scheme is as follows:
THE HIGHER DIVISION.
| Monday. | Tuesday. | Wednesday. | Thursday. | Friday. | |
| Morning | 1. Classics & Mathematics.2 & 3. French. | 1, 2, 3. Classics. | 1, 2, 3. Classics. | 1. Classics & Mathematics.2, 3. French. | 1, 2, 3. Classics. |
| Afternoon | 1. Classics & Mathematics.2, 3. Classics & Arithmetic. | 1. Classics & Mathematics.2, 3. Arithmetic. | 1. Mathematics.2, 3. Arithmetic. | 1. Classics & Mathematics.2, 3. Classics & Arithmetic. | 1. Mathematics.2, 3. Arithmetic. |