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ABERDARE SCHOOL BOARD! ELECTION..

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ABERDARE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION. The triennial election of the Aberdare School Board takes place on Monday next. Last Thursday was the day appointed for nominations, and the office of Mr. Price was fairly besieged with the papers of probable candidates. When the time had expired it was found that 32 persons had been nominated to till the 13 vacant seats upon the Board. The nominations wcre Mrs. Hettie Angus, Constitutional Buildings. William Charles, 67. Harriet-street, grocer. D. Davies, grocer, Canton House. David Morgan Davies,Calvinistic Methodist, Cwm- bach. D. P. Davies, Ynyslwyd. Henry Davies, checkweigher, Al>eram;<n. John Davies, checkweigher, Hirwaiu. Thomas Davies, Baptist minister, Alteraman. William Davies, billiard marker. Beniamin Evans, Baptist minister. David Griffiths, Congregational minister, Cwm- dare. James Griffiths, Baptist minister. William John Heppel, collic-ry manage! Cwm- aman. John Howell, agent, 1, David Priee-strcct. James Henry James, 1, Gadlys-terraje. Thomas James, cattle dealer. William James, Calvinistic Methodist minister. Henry Robert Johnston, St. Michael's College. Mrs. Annie Griffith Jones, Hirwain-road. Thomas Jones, Baptist minister. Thomas Lloyd, grocer. William John Fer. Merriman, 3, Dean-street. David Morgan, 2, Spring-villas. Morgan Powell, 3, Belmont-terrace. Thomas Railton, Mill House. R. Hopkin Rhys, J.P., Plasnewydd. David Richards, solicitor, 15, Clifton-street. David Smith, mining engineer, Monk-street. David Thomas, Baptist minister. Cwmbach. William Thomas, Cwmdare. Thomas Walters, 106, Cemetery-road. R. Ellis Williams, Baptist minister. As has been stated in our columns before, the elec- tion will be fought upon denominational lines, and the contest is becoming somewhat exciting. Mr. F. Railton has addressed several meetings in -It support of his candidature. He advocates healthy school buildings, the engagement of thoroughly competent trained teachers, to be selected on im- partial line", the teaching of the Scripture, technical instruction, and is in full sympathy with the move- ment for the teaching of Welsh. SIR,—I trust you will allow me space in your valu- able paper to bring under the notice of the general public a grievance too long horne with patience by the teachers of Aberdare. I may state at the outset that I am a teacher myself: yet I claim for my state- ments a standpoint of impartiality. Aberdare, at the present moment, is passing through an election crisis, and it would not be out of place to educate the electors in the salary scale of their Board. The electors cannot by any means complain of a want of economy on this head, as the Board is characterised by unrivalled niggardliness. To cite an exariiple, they advertise for a schoolmistress to take charge of Llwydcoed Infants' School, and offer as remuneration for her services the handsome sum of JS55 per annum. Sir, this is unparalleled generosity. I believe the clerk has neglected to add in the advertisement that can- vassing is a disqualiifcation. If the body of intelli- gent men composing the Board were to seek a parallel case in the kingdom, I am certain that, taking everything into consideration, they would fail; they might as well look for a "man" among themselves. It iRseldom considered tbat the teacher has to serve a period of four years' apprenticeship for the magnificent average wage of JB12 or JB15 a year, neither one or two years as assistants, tosay nothing of the two years college training. After all this labour and worry, surely it is an enticing bait to lie offered J655 a year, actually Ll ls. lkd. per week! This is Goldsmith's vicar up-to-date, plus difficulties ad lib. Seriously, sir, I consider this an insult to the profession and a disgrace to the Board, and I trust that to the honour or the profession there will not be a single application for the vacancy. An educated woman is invited to assume the responsibilities of an Infant's School, to train the young and undeveloped mind, to mould a character and to educate and cultivate the faculties. and all for a guinea a week to provide food, clothing, and lodging. Surely Lord Rosebery's guides and captains of the democracy are shamefully treated. There are representatives of Labour on the Board but alas, their definition of a labourer does not include the teacher. There is other work than manual," and it is characteristic of a broad and enlightened mind to recognise and consider such. I claim, sir, that the majority of the teachers of the valley are drawn from the pure working class. It is a curious fact that hardly a member of the Board has a child among the teachers. Why is thisIs it because they consider the prospects beneath their tion I assume so, for taking £ s. d. as a matter of consideration, I think it far better to serve an apprenticeship as an electrical engineer, mechanic, or grocer. The effect of the policy of the Board in keep- ing down salaries with an iron hand deserves the consideration of all parents who have the welfare of their children at heart. Inferior teachers accept vacancies, and the best seek places where they are more appreciated and recognised. The teachers themselves lose energy from the apathy and antipathy of the Board. I hope that in the near future the electors will study the matter and adopt means to get their wishes carried out, so that teacher, parent, and child will work in harmonious concord. Let them draw a comparison with the salaries of tho Board officials generally, and weigh the various duties, considering whether professional or non-professional, and I hay: no hesitation in stating that the result will be satisfactory—I am, A TEACHER.

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¡TREDEGAR.

COUNTY COUNCIL BYE-ELECTIONS.

THE MERTHYR COUNCIL ELECTION.

THE ABERAMAN MELEE.