TWO hundred years of a town s education will be celebrated with an historic procession this weekend. The British Schools Museum in Hitchin will mark the founding of a school for the poor in Queen Street in 1810 with a procession led by the educational pi

TWO hundred years of a town's education will be celebrated with an historic procession this weekend.

The British Schools Museum in Hitchin will mark the founding of a school for the poor in Queen Street in 1810 with a procession led by the educational pioneer Joseph Lancaster in a horse drawn carriage.

Played by a volunteer from the museum, Lancaster, known as the father of elementary education, was instrumental in setting up the school on the site of the current museum. He will be joined by volunteers playing William Wilshere, who gave land and buildings on the site and fellow philanthropist Thomas Brand who set up a school trust.

The carriage will arrive at about 10.45am in Market Place and then carry on to the museum at 11.15am.

Terry Ransome, museum manager, said: "Everyone is invited to follow them to the museum where they can watch a demonstration of the monitorial teaching method, given by Thomas Dimsey, the first master of the school.

"We want to welcome everyone with free admission to they can understand the very special place that the old British schools hold in the history of Hitchin.