News from schools around South Lakeland has always played a large part in the columns of The Westmorland Gazette. SHAKESPEARE: Pupils from Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, who were due to travel to America for a Shakespearian festival in 1994 In 1994, the newspaper reported that pupils from Queen Elizabeth School at Kirkby Lonsdale were setting off for America to compete in a Shakespearian festival in Washington. It was the school’s third trip to the American Secondary School Festival. The 15 third to sixth formers were taking a special gift to a sister school in the city - Sidwell Friends School. “We will be taking a copy of part of the Quaker Tapestry, which is to be housed in Kendal, to present to the school as a gift from the Friends in Kendal and Sedbergh,” said teacher Katie Doyle.