Llangollen Advertiser Denbighshire Merionethshire and North Wales Journal

CORRESPONDENCE. [WB do not holdourselvesresponsible for rbe opinions of our To the Editor of the Llangollen Adveriserti' Sir,-A paragraph has appeared in your paper to the effect that some American Syndicate has taken over the principal slate quarries in this district. As the value'of the output from this company's quarries is greater than that of any other slate quarries in this district, and as the paragraph in question is likely to do us harm, we must request you to contradict the statement so far as we are concerned.—Yaurs faith- fully, FRANK E. ROOPER. Managing Director. The Glyn Slate Company Ld., Glyn, Ruabon, N.W. 13th December, 1901. [The paragraph referred to stated principal quarries in the Llangollen district." Glyn is in the Ruabon district. We regret that there should be any misapprehension on the point.-ED. L.A.] 4

INTERESTING LOCAL MARRIAGE. PARRI—JONES. The Rev. Huw Parri, Congregational minister of the Welsh churches of Rhosymedre and Vroncys- sylltau, was united in matrimony wth Miss S. C. Jones, third daughter of Councillor J. L. Jones, chemist, Llanerchymedd, Anglesea, on Dec. 4th. The ceremony took place at Carmel Congregational Chapel, Amlweb, the officiating minister being the Rev. Thomas Evans, Amlwch. The bridesmaids were Miss A. M. Jones (sister of the bride) aud Miss C. A. Hughes, Station House, Flint (cousin of the bridegroom); Mr. John Williams, Bodffordd House, Bethesda, acting as best man. The bride and her party drove from Llanerchymedd to Amlwch where they were met by the bridegroom and a few friends. She was given away by her father. After a reception at the bride's home the Rev. and Mrs. Parri left for Southport and Liverpool with the best wishes of their numerous friends. The station was crowded with well-wishers giving the happy pair a gooi send off. The presents were numerous and costly. The friends at both churches (Rhosymedre and Vron) are arranging a social gathering to give the Rev. and Mrs. Parri a wel- come home and a presentation. The members of the Congregational church and the Band of Hope at Llanerchymedd, where Mrs. Parri acted as organist, are also arranging to give her a presenta- tion on her departure from their midst.

THE LOCAL BREACH OF PROMISE ACTION. APPLICATION FOR A NEW TRIAL. On Wednesday, in the Court of Appeal, eonsisting of the Master of the Rolls and Justices Stirling and Mathew, there came on for hearing at a late hour the application of the defendant in the case of Gardiner v. Chate for judgement of a new trial of the action which was heard in the London Sheriff's Court. The action was one for breach of promise of marriage, and there being no defence the only question was one of damages, which the jury assessed at £ 3,000. Plaintiff was the daughter of a well-to-do estat., agent, residing just outside Cambridge, while the defendant was described as a gentleman of means, living at Llangollen. The parties met in 1898, when the defendant was an undergraduate at Cambridge, the lady being twenty years of age, and defendant having just attained his majority. They became engaged and as late as August last, while the defendant was at the Isle of Man, the engagement still held good. A few days later, however, defendaat wrote saying their temperaments were different and on account of that and his craze" they had better part. On October 5th last the plaintiff received the following telegram :—" Many thanks for your inquiries mar- ried at 10 to-day.—Chate." This proving correct, proceedings were instituted, and the jury assessed the damages at £ 3,000. The defendant now appealed, contending that the damages were excessive. Mr. Marshall Hall,K.C., and Mr. Neilson appeared for the applicant, and Mr. Rawlinson, K.C., and Mr. Rayner Goddard for the respondent. Mr. Hall had not concluded opening the case when the court rose. +

WREXHAM FREE CHURCHES AND PUBLIC QUESTIONS. On Wednesday afternoon a meeting of the Welsh Nonconformist ministers of Wrexham was held under the presidency of the Rev. E. Humphreys (Wesleyan). The question of teaching the Welsh language in the elementary schools of Wrexham and the district was considered, and it was decided to communicate upon the matter with the secretary of the Welsh Language Society. On the motion of the Rev. R. Peris Williams the following resolution was unanimously passed :—" (1) That no Education Bill can be deemed satisfactory which does not provide in every district for the establishment of one local authority directly elected for the purpose of elementary, secondary, and techical instruc- tion within that district; (2) that no bill will be considered satiafaetory which shall not provide that the said education authority may make pay- ments from the rates or grant loans raised on the security of the rates for establishing, enlarging, or maintaining sectarian schools or colleges (3) that we are strongly of opinion that it should be made the duty of the education authorities, singly or in combination, to establish training colleges, under public management and free from seetarian tests, in number adequate to the educational needs of the country that copies of the resolution be sent to the Duke of Devonshire, Sir John Gorst, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, M.P., Mr. S. Moss, M.P., and the Hon. G. T. Kenyon, M.P." The Rev. R. E. Morris proposed the following resolutiod, which was unanimously passed That this meeting is of opinion that the time has come when a bill for the suppression of drinking clubs should be intro- duced to the House of Commons and passed into law, and urges the Welsh members of Parliament to do their utmost to bring this about; and, further, it calls upon the various temperence organisations in the kingdom to take in hand this subject of drinking clubs." Special Bargains in Gent.'s and Ladies' Second

hand Bicycles. JOHN DAVIES, Ironmonger, Ty Cooh Llangollen. J. ROBERTS & SONS, COMPLETE FUNERAL FURNISHERS AND UNDERTAKERS. HEARSES A COACHES SUPPLIED. OMOXQX STREET + MAEIBT 9TMEET, ZLAWeOLLMir.

LLANGOLLEN COUNTY SCHOOL. ANNUAL DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES. The annual distribution of prizes and entertain- ment took place at the County Schools, Llangollen, en Monday afternoon. Rev. J. S. Jones, rector of Llantysilio and Chairman of the Board of Governors, presided, and was supported by Mr. J. Parry-Jones (Mayor of Oswestry), Miss S. A. Burstall, M.A. (Headmistress of Manchester High School for Girls), Mrs. Barnes, Rev. John Edwards, Rev. E. Roberts, Rev. W. Foulkes, Rev. J. L. Jones, Mr. John Rowlands, Mr. Foulkes-Jones, Mr. W. G. Dodd, and most of the governors of the schools, with a large gathering of pupils and friends of the institution including, of course, Mr. H. R. Olley, B.A. (headmaster), and his staff of assistants. The interior of the large schoolroom had been tastefully decorated with ferns and plants, the walls bearing appropriate devices. The proceedings opened with a pianoforte solo, Tarantella" (Leo Sarti), by Howel O. Cook, after which the Chairman addressed the gathering. They all, he said he was sure, felt a great interest in the subject which had brought them together that day. It was a very important subject, and it was a very interesting one. They all had their own ideas-perhaps they did not always coincide-in regard to education, but he was sure they all agreed in one thing, viz.. that education was a good thing in itself. They were told that knowledge is power, and he thought they should all do what they could to make knowledge a power for good which it ought to be in the country. This appeared to be the aim of those who were taking part in educational work in the country at the present time. There were many features in the the working of the act of 1889 which were very hopeful. They found people of all creeds uniting together very harmoniously in making education a real good to the people. Tn Wales they had succeeded in passing a fairly satisfactory scheme, which was fairly satisfactorily carried out, and this, from all indications he could see, was the model upon which the future education bill of the Government would be framed. It was a great honour to Wales—(hear, hear)—that they were the pioneers in the subject of secondary education. But there were difficulties in the way of carrying it out. The difficulty at present was the difficulty of keeping children in school lomg enough to benefit by the education the school is fitted to give them. Two years was too short a time to remain in the school and do any real good and it was their duty, as governors of the school, to impress upon those who had children to consider whether they could not keep them longer in school and thereby enable them to derive greater benefit. -(Hear, hear.)—Another diffisulty was the financial difficulty. They found with the small grant of td. in the £ that it was almost impossible to make both ends meet. He had been connected with voluntary school managers for many years, and the difficulty appeared to be greater and greater every year, and the same might be said in regard to secondary schools all through Wales. The financial diffieulty met them at every point; and he was surprised to find that it was not confined to voluntary and secondary schools, but that it also affected Board Schools. The governors had had an interview with the School Board authorities on the question of the education of elementary teachers. He thought surely they could give them some substantial help, but they, also, indicated they felt the financial pinch. So the question arose What are we to do to get over the financial difficulty?" They were looking with hopps to the new scheme which the Govern- ment is to bring forward, and he hoped a certain amount of relief would be brought to them all by bhe wisdom of their statesmen, and that a reallv effective scheme might be devised. Otherwise he did not know what they could do—the only plan that he could suggest was that they should send a deputation to Mr. Carnegie asking him to help them with American capital.—(Laughter and cheers.) The School Choir baring: rendered the glee, Disdainful of danger" with marked success, Mr. H. R. Olley, headmaster, submitted his annual report, in the coarse of which he stated that the favourite age for entering the school was thirteen. Twenty-five new pupils had entered, the average age been 13-4, as against 12*9 last year, a step in the wrong direction. The average stay of boys who left was eight terms, that of girls being 5,6 terms, and of both together 0 8 terms. He emphasised the necessity of pupils making as long a stay as possible at the school, as they could not possibly gain the full benefit of the curriculum given, unless they stayed at least four years." In regard to the scheme of pupil teacher's instruction at County Schools, Mr. Olley says that the proposal has been discussed and it has proved highly successful in other places, notably at Blaanau Festiniog and a con- ference at Llangollen had considered the matter. So far as results secured were concerned they had reached the highest educational mark they had yet touched. Miss S. A. Burstall then distributed the prizes as follows Form V., Howel P. Roberts; form IV. (1), R. Bruce Wilson (2), Emily M. Harvey form III. (1), Norman D. Roberts (2), Cyril F. Entwistle; form II. (1), Ewart Davies (2), John L. Edwards; form I. (1), Percy Allard (2), Richard Jones. Conduct, Cordelia Rowlands and R. Bruce Wilson. Punctuality (neither absent nor late), Norman D. Roberts, Trevor Roberts and Cordelia Rowlands. Popularity (voted by School), Emily M. Harvey. Certificates (Central Welsh Board, July, 1901), "Honours," Howel P. Roberts, 1 distinction. Senior," Emily M. Harvey, 3 distinctions; R. Bruce Wilson, 3 distinctions; Enoch C. Jones, 1 distinction. "Junior," Norman D. Roberts, 3 distinctions; Cyril F. Entwistle, 2 dis- tinctions; Eric H. Olley, 2 distinctions; R. Sydney Entwistle, 1 distinction; Gertrude E. Evans, 1 dis- tinction Alex. R. D. Wetherall, 1 distinction, James Roy Williams, 1 distinction; W. Pritchard Dodd, Charles Edwards and Gladys Edwards. Mr. J. Parry Jones, Mayor of Oswestry, said that between Oswestry and Llangollen there had always been a living and close connection. Abont five hundred years ago, when the domestic bard of Valle Crucis wrote a poem in Welsh upon the beauties of Oswestry, the burgesses of Oswestry met and conferred upon him the title of Chief Bard; and he (the speaker) as chief burgess of Oswestry congratulated them upon their high attainments and wished them much happiness and prosperity in future. For a great number of years he had been a member of the Technical Education Committee of the County of Salop. Their difficulties arose out of the fact that they had too much money.—(Laughter.)—It was a very difficult task set before them when the Government of the day pitched at the heads of the County Councils a sum of between £ 8.000 and £ 9,000 a year to promote education in Shropshire, and they had had considerable difficulty in getting rid of the money. Things appeared to be different in Denbighshire. Attention had been called to the fact that technical education is the need of the present day. He had reeently had a conversation with Mr. John Bayley, of Wellington College, who told him that he was going to Oswestry to assist at a distribution of prizes by Mrs. Barnes and asked him what he should say. In return he asked Mr. Bayley what he should say to them at Llangollen and he said that he should impress parents with that necessity for regular attendance and show them the import- ance of keeping children at school as long as possible. (Hear, hear.) He also recently had a conversation with Mr. Humphreys Owen, the Chairman of the Central Welsh Board, who also dwelt upon the importance of keeping children at school hs long as possible, and of making the schools nts imping stones to the Welsh University. In 1899 out of 99. students who went to the University of Bangor 23 clune out of secondary acheols, or about one-fourth. In 1900 out of 88 who went to Banger University 32 were from secondary schools; whilst for the present year no less the 70 out of 138 came from secondary schools, or more than one-half. (Cheers.) These figures he did not think had been published previously, and he emphasised their importance. They spoke well of the progress made by secondary schools that were becoming the great feeders of the Universities. (Hear, hear.) He had continually, in various departments, to consult young men and women who were candi- dates for different occupations, and from experience he knew that if parents were to make anything out of their children they must give them the best education they possibly could. It was not enough to send them merely to be ''polished off"; what they should do was to send children to the school for at least four years, for only in that way oould they expect them to receive a thorough education. And they should remember that education did not end when they left Ischool. As President Roosevelt says, the rising generation to-day have better chances than ever they had before but it is necessary that they should be educated so that they may appreciate them when they presented them- selves. In conclusion he said that he would be pleased to offer prizes to the extent of e5 to boys and girls who had been in the school for three years as an inducement to parents to let them remain there as long as possible. The glee, Merrily over the Ocean Wave," was capitally rendered by the School Choir, and Miss S.A.Burstall, M.A.,Headmistress of the Man- chesterHighSchool for Girls, then spoke. She said at the outset of the remarks she had to make to them, she would ask" what place does this school take in the Educational system ?" Clearly, it stood between the public elementry school and the University. (Hear, hear.) It had a separate work to do in giving a more advanced kind of education than the elementary sohool. If they looked at America, their serious rival, they saw the high place given to education in that country, and in most towns they would find the high school the chief building in the place and she saw a good deal of resemblance between the Welsh and the American systems. A school like the great one over which she had the honour to preside made for unity. She knew of nothing which was quite such an effective unifying agency as a good secondary school or university. (Hear, hear.) It provided common ground on which they all met, and no private school could ever be to a district or to its pupils what a school like that was. Secondly, a private school system lacked continuity or the power to be a school,as such, always. Their school, however, was one that would go on for generations, forming a bridge between elementary and higher education aud becoming, in time, a grand centre for the diffusion of intellectual thought. In the future she hoped they might receive endowments and prizes, and might have, as in Manchester, a school memorial scholarship. They at Manchester High School had their own memorial scholarships-but then they were twenty-seven years old, whilst the County School was only five or six. She trusted, however, that they might gradually accumulate endowments and prizes, because the place belonged to them, and was a centre of instruction. Again, the value of a public elementary school must be limited, owing to the fact that the majority who attended had to leave and go to work early. Such a school could not give the kind of education that might be given in a school of the type of their County Schools, because these schools were in organic relation with the University. She was pleased the see over their door the seal of the University of Wales and a record of what it is. They in Manchester looked to the Victoria Univer- sity as the spring from whence they received new ideas, and they were in close relationship with Victoria. She did not know if they had anything to do with the University of Birmingham but some of the boys might, some day, go to that great technical centre, and in this connection she would emphasise the fact that the subject of study at secondary schools mast receive its inspiration from the University. (Hear, hear.) In secondary schools they were training those who, in the future, would seek positions corresponding some- what to those of officers in the army. The new Prince of Wales bad said that Englund must wake up. (Laughter and cheers.) If the young people who went out into the world and upon whom the responsibility of carrying on this great country must rest were to adequately dis- charge their duties they must be well educated. She was told by industrial friends in great eentres that it takes twice as much work to make the same money to-day as it did fifty years age, and parents if they desired their children to take their places in life as it is going to be lived in this twentieth century must be prepared to give them more than two or three years at school. The young men who beat them in tendering for electrical contracts in Manchester had more training than that.-(Laughter and applause.)-Then woman in the home must, whilst discharging the holiest and noblest duties of womankind, uphold the standard of culture, teaching her children to cultivate all that is highest and best, and to despise all low, frivolous and trivial pleasures. Then if dark days come to the country as it was predicted they would, days when life would be much harder than in the rioh and prosperous nineteenth century, days in which the question might be how to make sixpenee do the work of a shilling, a knowledge of domestic economy and thrift would be invaluable to a girl. She would say to parents see that your girls have as thorough a knowledge of the affairs of the household as it is possible to give them."—(Hear, hear.)-Some told them there was a time for everything, and so there was. She would remind them that in planting their gardens they never looked to secure immediately the benefit of what they put in and what teachers gave to children at school was to bear fruit all through their lives.- (Hear. hear.)-Do not let them judge by examination results only. Her own University of Cambridge had erred too often in making people think only of examinations and of nothing else, and undoubtedly there was a danger in attaching undue importance to these tests. Germany and America smiled at our errors in this direction, realising that it is the great force behind education, and not the mere ability of certain students to meet certain require- ments, that constitutes its power for good. In conclusion she asked the boys and girls to carry away with them as watchwords !i earnestness and sincerity." Earnestness to characterise all their efforts in the school and world; sincerity that would at all times and in all places bring forth all that was best in them. In Shakespeare's words This above all, to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day Thou can'st not then be false to any man. -(Loud cheers.) On the proposition of the Rev. W. Foulkes, seconded by Mrs. Barnes, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded te the speakers and, after a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the proceedings closed with the glee, Comrades' Song of Hope," by the Chair, and the singing of the National Anthem. A conversazione was held in the evening pre- paratory to which visitors were privileged to witness various technieal classes in operation— Practical Chemistry, in Laboratory Cookery, in Kitchen Woodwork, in Workshop Musical Drill, in Large Hall Sewing, in Lecture Room. Mr. John Rowlands presided at a. musical and dramatic entertainment subsequently held, at which the following programme was gone through with great credit to the performers and those who had trained them:—Pianoforte solo, Marche Heroxque" (Miohael Watson), Theedosia Riehards. Glee, Pretty Gitana (Balfe), The School. Song, "The Royal Welsh Fusiliers (J. Edwards), Mr. R. S. Williams. Pianoforte solo, Appassionata in F Sharp (Greig), Miss Williams (Trinity College of Music). Scene, Browne with an --e," Amily M. Harvey, Gladys Edwards, Mabel Brana, Cyril F. Entwistle, R. Bruce Wilson. Enoch C. Jenes. Mandoline solo, The Song that reached my Heart" (Julian Jordan), Sydney Entwistle. Piano- forte solo. "The Sailor's Return (Pridham), Mabe Evans. ♦

WAGGONER'S FATAL FALL. VERDICT OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH. Dr. Davies, Deputy Coroner for East Denbigh- shire, held an inquest at the Sun Inn, Trevor, on Friday afternoon, on the body of Ellis Maddoeks, waggoner, in the employ of John Edwards, Sun Inn, Upper Trevor, who, on returning home from Llangollen fair, fell from a trap and expired a few minutes afterwards.—Mr. Jackson was foreman of the jury.—William Ellis Maddocks. a son, indenti- fied the body. His father, he said, was a gardener by trade.-Thomas John Edwards, Sun Inn, said he employed Maddoeks as a useful man and a carter. He was careful and sober. On Tuesday Maddoeks borrowed a horse and cart to take his pigs to the:fair. He was quite sober when he left the house. The cart was a spring cart, Maddocke started about 8 30 a.m., and be did not see him again.-Charles Chew, canal boatman, said his boat was moored near the Sun Inn on the previous Tuesday. He saw Maddocks in the trap on the road about four in the afternoon. He did not see Maddoeks fall, but heard the bump. He ran to him, picked him up, and carried him in. Maddoeks, who did not speak, breath twice and expired. His idea was that Maddocks climbed over the spindles. fixed on the trap to keep the pigs in, and fell into the road.-Dr. Drinkwater said he was called to see Maddocks and found him dead. He examined the body externally and found a slight wound and fracture of the skull. The injuries were probably caused by a fall over the ripples" of a cart. Death must have been instantaneous.—The Coroner summed up, and the jury, without retiring, returned a verdict of accidental death.-P.S. Wyse was in charge of the case. ♦

VOLUNTEER NEWS. H COMPANY 1ST V.B.R.W. FUSILIERS. COMPANY OTtTW,T!S Saturday, Dec. 21st, Sergt.-Inatr. Kelly will attend at the Armoury from 7 to 8 p.m. Any recruit desirous of joining the above Company will please to attend at the time mentioned. The Company requires 12 eligible young men to complete its strength. Any young man who joins can elect to be posted to any of the follow- ing sections, the commanders' names being as follows :—No. 1 section, Sergt. D. O. Jones No. 2, Sergt. Longhin No. 3, Sergt. H. R. Jones No. 4, Sergt. J. D. Evans. Monday, 23rd, Signalling Class, from 7 30 to 8 30 p.m. Tuesday, 24th, no drill for non. com. officers. All rifles and bayonets in possession of non. com. officers and men to be returned at once. By order, (Signed) J. E. GRIFFITHS, capt., Commanding H Compur. Llangollen, Dec. 19tli, 1901.

LIBERAL MEETINGS AT WREXHAM. THE WELSH LIBERAL COUNCIL. The annual meeting of the Welsh National Liberal Council' were held at Wrexham on Thnraday. The Council meeting in the afternoon was attended by delegates from all parts of the Principality. Mr. Albert Spicer was elected president for the ensuing year. A resolution was adepted declaring that the Council adhered to its previous resolutions opposed to the policy which led to the present war and strongly condemning the Government's poliey of farm-burning and concentration camps as being causes of unnecessary suffering and leading to the prolongation of the war. The resolution farther declared that a Special Commissioner should be sent to South Africa with a view to securing a safe, honourable, and lasting peace upon the basis of concession at the earliest possible moment of full rights of citizenship and self-government such as are enjoyed in Canada and Australia. The Council also adopted a resolution condemning the reaction- ary and sectarian policy of the Government with regard to education. There was a largely-attended meeting in the Pub- lic Hall in the evening, when the principal speaker was Lord Tweedmouth. who dealt with the situa- tion which the war in South Africa has created, and with the best means of dealing with it. —0

THE ENGLISH LITERARY SOCIETY. MR. W. EDWARDS LECTURES ON THE BRONZE AGE." Owing to the unpropitious character of the weather on Wednesday evening there was not a large attendance of members at the weekly meeting of the Llangollen Literary Society, when Mr. W. Edwards, University College, Aberystwyth, read a most interesting paper on The Bronze Age." Those who braved the elements, however, were abundantly rewarded for their temerity. The talented young leeturer led his bearers a Btep further up the ladder of progress than that which Mr. Ried and Mr. Opper have occupied to caricature modern weaknesses in the stage trappings of the stone age. The bronze age, he said, was the tbreshhold of sivilization, and he threw floods of informative light into the dim dark days before the Christian ;ra when prehistoric man first discovered the possibilities and potentialities of metals. In his opinion the bronze age immediately pre- ceded the invasion and subsequent civilization of Britain the Celtic wing of the great Aryan army repeating in this country their achievements in Graul, with the aid of superior weapons of metal, md ringing in an era of wars and discords. Mr. Edwards gave a graphic and most interesting description, based on latest discoveries, of the lake dwellings of the people of the bronze age and paid an eloquent tribute to the work done by the axe in advancing civilization. The first sound of the woodman's axe heard in the forests of the Nortk was a signal that man's supremacy over his environ- ment was assured. Illustrated as these peeps at prehistoric peoples were by carefully prepared drawings of some of the little things they have left behind them, they proved wonderfully interesting and informative. Mr. Edwards left his hearers in what someone has termed the Gothie twilight of things that environs the first reformer who, springing ashore on the storm beat coasts of Anglia, proceeded to carve out with his bronze axe a niche for himself in the world's walhalla. At the close of the lecture Mr. C. Everitt, who presided, said he was snre that one and all who had hitherto shuddered at the thoughtj that their primaeval ancestors were monkeys would feel grate ful to Mr. Edwards that he had dispelled the tail theory terror hitherto hanging ever them. Mr. G. Griffiths proposed a vote of thanks to the lecturer; and Mr. Marwood, in seconding it alludod to remarks of Mr. Edwards to the effdfe'fc that there are no signs that the bye-gone peoples who set up the atones at Stonehenge were saiv- worshippers, and said he would like to be informed whether the fact that on Midsommor day the sun strikes fair upon the broad holy stone in the midst of Stonehenge was not some proof that these were temples of the sua. It was one of the cherished traditions of Wiltshire that they were and thou- sands made pilgrimages to Stoaehenge on Mid- summer day to witness the spectacle. Mr. Edwards thought the tradition might be a local one, as he had not heard of it. He suitably acknowledged the vote of thanks.