Possible Clues:

• Distress greatly - public school
• A school; agricultural implement
• School headmaster's first to get the point
• Distress greatly with agricultural soil-breaker?
• Agricultural frame for breaking up soil
• Starting from scratch, one might get taught there to get fired at last
• Torment in school
• Equipment provided for ground-breaking school
• Distress caused in school?
• Break up (ground) - distress (feelings)