Penarth Chronicle and District Advertiser

SCHOOL BOARD o ELECTION. UND ENO iAINATIO,,i..kLISTS TO THE FORE. On Monday evening last, a public meeting in support of the candid iture of Messrs George Carslake Thompson, Jenkin Llewellyn, Samuel Thomas and T. Emlyn Jor-f s, was held in Andrews' large hall. Mr W. B. Shepherd was voted. to the chair. There was a marked contrast, in this meeting and the one beld a week previous, for on Monday, the greatest Unanimity prevailed. Mr Shepherd, in bis opening remarks, said we have ttiet for a very important purpose, for we are living in a very impor ant agp. To-day, not only have we free education, but a style of education which takes hold upon-the young people. The style of education given at the Penartb Board Schools will stand against any school in Cardiff1. I have boys in the school and it, is marvellous how they have got OD. In three of the candidates before you this evening, yon have men who hate devoted their days and nights to promote the interest of the schools and the good Of the young people, and it will be a great pity should they not be allowed to carry on the work they have jbegur. Mr Thompson said the meeting had been caHed in support of himself and his three colleagues, they beidg the four Undenominational candidates. We ask you to secure that the past work of the Board shaH not be npset- The speaker then detailed the particulars of the recent action of the Education Department, in stopping the school grant for a time, and said although we are determined to maintain the efficiency of the schools, we are not to be rushed to erect extra accommodation, unless it is really required. We go in for maintaining the unsectarian character of the Board, but we do not attempt to interfere with the rehgious convictions of the teachers, and I should very much shirk the marking out of a course of action for them. They can make their remarks upon the reading of the word of God, but must not touch the doctrines of any particular church. Mr Jenkin Llewellyn said, we are not confronted With enemies, neither are we at emnity with any, but we are confronted with the five candidates who are left after you have elected us. The sanitation of our schools is all that can be wished, and we do not need any specialist in that direction. Three years ago, a complete system of draining was carried out. All the pipes under the schools were lemoved, with the exception of one which was an iron one, and I think the old Board are as well able to look after the drainage as any of the new candidates. The message has been sent down" Capture the Board Schools," but we object to their being managed by any one sect. Our desire is that they should be managed as the people's schools by the people. (Applause). Experience teaches us that where schools are manriged by persons of a diversity of Opinions, the results are better than when they are managed by those of one sect. We have secured a piece of land at West Cottages whereon to erect another school, but pbould the Church party get a majority on the Board, they would have the power to nullify the action of the Board, and say we won't have a Board School but a Church School. I do not say they would, but it has been done in other places. We desire to keep the schools under the present 1 management- The Rector told us he did not wish for j there lo be a contest, and he wonld even withdraw, if I necessary to avoid a contest; you see, therefore, who j has caused the contest. I Mr 80m Thomas then read letters of apology for absence from Rev J. M. Saundeis, Rev J- Gwilym Jones, Mr Jotham, Mr W. Jones Thomas, &c. lie then proceeded to bay that at the Board Schools at j present there vas no distinctive doctrinal teaching ? but, the children were taught texts of Scripture and little hymns. There were no religious testa applied to the teachers, and he hoped they would 1 never see the time when the representatives of the Rafep y rs of Penaith, who spend the Ratepayers loact e would apply any religious test or force ths hands of the teachers. Years ago our teachers have served seven years apprenticeship, and have perhaps earned scholarships and have gone to college, and have come back and received the munificent salary of X45 a year, but now they were paid very much more, but The Rector tried to block us. Although he has not opposed us so Strongly as he might have done. yet he has always wanted to defer it. Then ktbe pupil teachers in addition to their studies bad to teach nearly all day. They had to be upt early in the morning to study, then teach, have an hour's lesson during the dinner time, then teach during the afternoon and studies again at night. This they had altered, so that teachers devoted about the half to teaching and the other half to studies. The health of many young people was shattered through the overstrain, but the Rector and Mr Snell opposed the change, and doubt- less because,it placed their own teachers in a disad- vantageous position. We are for the efficiency of the schools- We kave a capital master in Mr Fargher, and I am sure be has never set the scholars a bad example. For the last five years both the boys' and girls' departments have obtained the excellent merit grant, and the irfam,ts' for the past ten years, Last year the Inspector eame and said the schools had attained to so high a degrse of proficiency that they would then be excused any examination. Although much of this was due to the teachers, yet he thought a little 'lit of the eradit was also due to the Board- The attendance of the Scholars was very good and during the [whole of last year not one sumnions bad been issued. The Chairman referred to the over-studies of the teachers, and said he had a daughter who had passed through the school, whose health was broken down in consequence of the great strain and she h,ld died at the early age of 26. There ought, he said, to be the greatest sympathy with the teachers. Mr T. Emlyn Jones was the next speaker, He said permit me in the first place to thank the Committee for their kindness in including my nanae in the list of the four Unsectarian Candidates and to exprastbe hope that this meeting will unanimously ratify their action. It may not always be safe to make too many promises, but I venture to say this, that if you return "tpe as one of your representatives with the other three Unsectarian Candidates, it will be my constant pleasure to devote what abilities I imy possess, to the interest of Unsectarian Education- You have listened already to the clear and able addresses of my collea- gues, and it would only be presumption on my part to seek to detain you at any great length- I am in perfect accord with their poticy and endorse heartily all that they have paid. You are, of course, aware that education all over the country is passing through a great crisis, the policy of education which has been in vogue for the past 25 years, is being assailed. The compromise of 1870 has been called in question, and a section of the community is anxious to obtain further help out of the rates for sectarian purposes, and whilst all who work for Christ have my warmest sympathy, yet I deem it to be unwise and unjust to help further out of the rates a class of schools which are not in any sense under the control of the rate- payers. My position is this, I am quite agreeable that any school should be supported out of the rates if they conform, as the Board Schools do, to the Education Act of 1870. There is no need to say any more, and I think our duty now is to work rather than talk. Let us endeavour by earnest effort, and use any honourable power to secure the return of the Four Unsectarian Candidates on Friday next, and thus maintain the character which it has maintained for the past 21 years. The following resolution was then submitted by Mr Hancock That this meeting desires to accord its appreciation of the past services of the retiring un-sectarian members, and heartily approves of the present candidature of Messrs Thompson, Llewellyn, Thomas and Emlyn Jones,and pledges itself to use all legitimate means to secure their triumphant return on Friday next. > The resolution was seconded by the Rev. W. G. Davies, and supported by Mr R. Bevan. It having been put to the vote and carried unanimously, the meeting terminated. J