Archbishop Markham agreed to the alteration of the Statutes with regard to the Governors themselves, and thenceforward a newly elected Governor was to protest and swear to be faithful etc., in the presence of any two Governors, instead of before the Vicar as formerly; and the privilege of summoning meetings was taken away from the Vicar and given to any two Governors. Further, any five, duly assembled, had the power to act and proceed with business, and "the determination of the major part of them shall be final and conclusive."
The Scholars moreover were at liberty to receive annual rewards and gratuities, in such manner as the Governors may deem "best calculated to excite a laudable emulation." Thus in 1798 three guineas were distributed among them in the presence of the Masters and Governors:
£ s. d. Jno. Carr 1 1 0 Jno. Bayley 0 10 6 Enoch Clementson 0 7 0 Wm. Bradley 0 7 0 Jno. Howson 0 7 0 Richd. Paley 0 3 6 Richd. Preston 0 3 6 Jams. Foster 0 3 6
Any Scholar who had attended at the School for the last three years of his education could receive an Exhibition with which to attend any English University, provided that the Governors always reserved in their hands a sufficient sum for the necessary Repairs of the School, and also of a House for the habitation of the Master, if and when such a House should be built.
Mr. Smith, who had been acting as Usher but without a license from the Archbishop, resigned in 1792 and Nicholas Wood succeeded him. Possibly he had been educated at the School, for in 1796 a letter was sent to the Archbishop from the Governors saying that they had appointed Nicholas Wood, of Giggleswick, Clerk, to be Usher, and praying the Archbishop to give him a license "subject to the said Statutes and Ordinances," which had been agreed upon.
The new power to grant an increase of salary was soon exercised and in 1797 the Headmaster received £250, the Usher £100, "in case of Diligence and good Conduct" and the Assistant £60 provided that he assisted the Governors when necessary in "transacting the business of their Trust" and taught Writing and Arithmetic to the free School Scholars, "every boy who has been at the free School one month to be entitled." In the following year Robert Kidd was allowed £70 on condition that he "gives due attention on every day in the year, Saturdays, Sundays and one month at Christmas only excepted and that, when any boy is initiated into the ffree School he will not take any pay in case such Boy or Boys should attend his School, altho' they may not have been a month at the ffree School."