The Weekly News and Visitors' Chronicle for Colwyn Bay Colwyn Llandrillo Conway Deganwy and Neighbourhood

Prize Distribution at Colwyn Bay. THE OXFORD LOCAL EXAMINATIONS TIMELY ADDRESS BY PROFESSOR HUDSON WILLIAMS. COLWYN BAY AS AN EDUCATIONAL CENTRE. COMPLETE LIST OF SUCCESSES. A numerous and representative gathering filled the Public Hall, Colwyn Bay, on Friday afternoon, when Professor Hudson Williams, the young and gifted Professor of Greek at Ban- gor University College, distributed the certifi- cates and prizes gained in connection with the Oxford Local Examinations. County Councillor J. 1M. Pouter presided, and was supported on the platform by Prrofessor Hudson Wlilliam,9, Rev. Meredith J. Hughe's. Rev. John Edwards, Rev. H. T. Cousins, Mr. T. G. Oshorn, J.P., and Mr. W. Jones, N. P. Bank ( one of the Hon. Secretaries). The Chairman, whose introductory speech was enlivened by his characteristic humour, said that the Colwyn; Bay centre had become a most important one. Colwyn Biaiy had 'been some- what sleepy in .matters of education. He re- ferred more particularly to whait might be called the rate-aided part of it, inasmuch as a more enterprising neighbouring village had been so wide awake as to capture: "our'' county school. In opposition to all commoin-semse circumstances the people of Colwyn Bay ere then oomtemt to istandaside and let the county school go else- where. "Since then," Mr. Porter continued, "a consiJderalhle change has taken, place. Our private schools are going ahead and are prosper- ing exceedingly-(hear, hear),—and the same with the other schools, and I hope they may ■continue." Coming to the Oxford Local examinations, the Chairman said that the number entered at the Colwyn Bay centre was 126 boys and girls, of whom a total of 76 passed. The percentage of passes was 82, as against 73 for the whole coun- try. He thought they would consider that fairly satisfactory. (Hear, hear.) He did not know that there were any remarkable features in con- nection with the examinations or the achieve- 1m ents of the, candidiates. That he would leave to their Secretary. But in the Juniors ait was re- markable that while there were many failures there were at the same time many honours, so that those who did win won well. (Hear, hear.) THE SUOCESSFCL CANDIDATES. Mr. William Jones, N. P. Bank, presented the annual report, signed by Miss Osibarn and him- self At the recent examinations held at this centre 75 boys and 51 girls presented themselves fo,r examination 46 boys and 30 girls passed. In 'the Senior Division, out of 14 boys who were examined. 9 passed, giving a percentage of 65 against 73 24 Igirlis were examined and 14 passed, giving a percentage of 58 against 58. In the Junior Division, 41 boys were examined and 20 passed, giving a percentage of 49 against 70; 15 girls were examined and 8 passed, giving a percentage of 53 against 70. In the Preliminary, out of 20 boys examined 17 passed, a percentage of 85 against 80; 12 girls were examined, and 8 passed, a percenitage of 66 against 79. It should be added that the percenitage of passes in the Boys' Senior Division suffers from the entry of over age unattached students. Three such candidates entered, and all failed. Excluding them, the percentage for the centre works out at 82 against 73 for the whole coun- try. (Applause.) The candidates whose names follow have gained certificates: — PRIZE LIST. GIRLS. Higher LocaL-Miss J. Hayes, St. Winifred's. Bangor, passed in arithmetic, obtained second dass in languages. Miss M. E. Lamb, Bryn- (tirion, Rhyl, third class in religious knowledge, second class in logic. Miss G. Milligan, Bryn- fti'rion, Rhyl, second class in logic. SENIORS. H. Croudace, Elwy Hall, Rhyl (Misses Ley and Berl) second honours, brackeited 57, ob- tained gold medal offered by the Rev. Meredith J. Hughes. This is -the fourth time in the last five years that this distinction has been won by a pupil from Elwy Hall. Third honours, J. Hen- shaw and A. M. Tatham, Elwy Hall, Rhyl. Pass: Division I., D. Daly, M. C. Hallman, St. Mary's Convent, Rhyl (Sister Superior). C. M. Jones, K. Langford Jones, K. L. R. L. Mac. Keagh, D. !M. Mole (St. Winifred's Bangor, Miss Doiman). JUNIORS. Pass: Division I., G. Edwards, Higher Grade School, Colwyn Bay, Mr. E. Griffiths. N. E. le 'O'n, Goodwiii E,lwy Hall R,hyl. M. A. J,am' C,o,ed Pe?la, the Mi,ss,??s Brigg. E. M. E. Man- l?ey, H. -Ni. Sanid,vs, (distinction in French), St. Winifred's, ?S. M. Morton, Plais Tirion, C<>Iwyn Bay, Mi?sses? Whitehouse. E. Purcell, St. Mary's Convent, Rhyl. Division II., J. Roddi-ch, Wilton House, iMisses Morris. PRELIMINARIES. Third honours, A. Lambe, St. Mary's Con- vent, Rhyl. Pass: Division I., C. W. Hignett, E. B. Horton, Plas Tirion. H. Booth, D. E. Jones Higher Grade School. F. Booth, Wilton House. L. Purcell, St. Mary's Convent, Rhyl. Division II., iM. O'Ryan, St. Mary's Convent, Rhyl. BOYS. SENIORS. Third class honours, J. O. Rowsttorm, Tany. bryn, Llandudno, Mr. L. W. Edmondson. Pas,s list 'division I., T. K. Barnsley, D. D. Bean, A. Cole, W. G. Eden, J. G. Harrison, E. E. Marriette, C. G. Williams, Rydal Mount, Col- wyn Biay, (Mr. T. G. Osborn), T. W. Owen, Llanberis (unattached). JUNIORS. Second class honours, F. G. Wood,. Rydal Mount. Third Class honours, A. E. W. Dean, F. C. Happold, W. O. Lancaster, A. H. Smith, D. Witty, Rydal Mount. Pass list division I., R. Barlow, A. E. Bestall, J. H. C. Eglinton, E. A. Wilson, Rydal Mount. P. J. M. Lerrange, W. G. Massey, J. P. Starrs, Dinglewood, Messrs J. and S. Wood, R. Booth, E. C. Srnifth, Higher Grade School. F. K. Greene, Tany- ihryn, Llandudno. Division II., C. J. Bonte and M. Booth, Tany- bry-n, Llandudno. D. F. Johnston, Rydal .Mount, Colwyn Bay. E. Lloyd, Llanrwst (un- attached). P. M. G. Larr.an.ge, Dinglewood (first in the Kingdom, in Spanish). PRELIMINARIES. Third class honours, G. Jamieson, Dingle- wood. G. H. Porter, Rydal Mount, Pass list division I., H. D. Crompton and C. R. Phillips, Arvon House, Colwyn Bay, Mr. R. R. Phillips. V. M. Drummond Eraser, F. D. Kendrick, R. J. L. Roberts, Tanybryn, Llandudno. A. Hulme and A. O. Roberts, Higher Grade, Colwyn Bay. W. A. Macfadyen, R. A. Swine, J. W. Wintring- ham, Rydal Mount, Colwyn. Bay. T. E. Storrs, Dinglewood. A. C. Jones, Arvon House. M. O. Parry, H. W. Williams, Higher Grade, Col- wyn Bay. R. S. Redfem, Rydal Mount. The rprizesand certificates were distributed by Professor Hudson Williams, who gave each re- cipient a word of congratulation and encourage- ment. WHY GO TO SCHOOL? Professor Hudson Williams, who was. cordially received, addressed his speech to the boys and girls, and gave reasons why he was glad to ob- serve how the boys of eiach school cheered their I fellows who had won prizes .and had thus brought honour to their own school. Every .single boy or girl, even the unsuccessful, had done something to win the prizes and 'therefore had arilght to rejoice over the victories achieved. The smallest boy in the whole school. ,he weakest little girl, the dullest child amongst Jtihem had done .something or other to make it harder or easier to win <t!hose distinctions. Each school was what its pupils mélJde it; the future of each individual school rested more with the L boys than with ithe teacher. These .schools, said the P, [ o.iesso,r, ;generally have a school cap. I wish you to be ptouid of your school cap make it that wherever that cap is;scen people will say "There goes a gentleman." (Hear, hear.) Each boy could do something to win a good name for his school, not merely by securing good results at examinations, but by aiming at a code of con- duct which was honourable, straightforward, true, and honest. What they thought about right and wrong was a matter of the most ter- rible importance and would most profoundly affect the thoughts and actions of the pupils in their schools many years after they themselves had left them. (Hear, hear.) LOCAL HISTORY. Now, Mr. Williams continued, why do you came Jo school? The reply, no doubt, would be "To learn." But to learn what? Do you think that you are better than .the boy or girl who doesn't go to school, just because you can rattle off ,the inameis of the capes on, the East Coast or conjugate a verb? You go to school, Inotmerely (to know, but to make .something out of your knowledge. It iis not what you know that matters, but what you are. If you merely got information, if you simply learnt a huge mass of facts to be kept at your .side always ready for refererence, then your knowledge would be of very little us,e. It will prove to be lumber, ,a .dead weight like a mill stone around your I tg; -Li nec.?. dr-- -ing y?o, -down, and kie,Qpin. you back in the race for life. You come to school to learn, how to. use the: tools you have acquired .and unless you have learnt how to handle the tools you will only succeed in cutting your own fingers. That .great period called the Renais- sance, or the Revival of Learning, has been de- scribed as the era at which men once more opened their eyes and saw. That is why you come to school to open your eyes and see, to. look around you for the very first time and see what has always been there but what you your- selves have never before noticed. There are many things in regard to which I think we should keep our eyes open. One is local his- tory. As an illustration of ,the value of local history the Professor referred to the history of Deganwy and Conway Castles, the Cistlercian Abbey at Conway, the local battles between English and Welsh, the career of Archbishop John Williams, a native of Conway, and .the work of Bishop Morgan, soln of ,a tenant on the Gwydyr Estate, who translated the Bible into. Welsh. THE VOTERS OF TO-MORROW. Now, the- speaker proceeded, whatever our political opinions may be, there is one point on which we must agree with one another. The present age is an age of democracy. It is an age in which the people must take a part in the affairs of the nation.. The school children of to-day will be the voters of 'to-morrow. They will have a vote for Parliament—possibly the girls as well as the iboys—(laughter),—for Town Councils and Parish Councils and County Councils. And I think you will agree with me that they can never fulfill their dutie.s adequate- ly in. these respects, unless they know .something ,about the repent history of their own country and the working of these institutions. I am afraid we have always fought shy of what may be called recent or modern history. I was very glad to .see that the Oxford Local authorities allow of the teaching of our history from 1815 to 1880, with special 'reference to 1859. Unfor- tunately it is too, true that the "dark ages'' begin for most of us with the Battle of Waterloo. (Laughter.) Taking the average, I don't think you can deny that statement. I am certain that this applies to the average person. He can tell you all about the Wars of the Roses, but knows nothing of the Crimean War. He knows more about the first English Parliament than he does about the qualifications of a voter at the next Parliamentary election. I think we should know as much about our own time as we do about battles that were fought centuries ago. I wasi taught as. a boy at school, that we lost America because a tax was imposed on tea I never heard about a tax on .corn. I knew no- thing about the 'difference ibelhvena Board of Guardians and a Town Council. We should know something about modern institutions. It may be said, "Oh, we will learn it from the newspapers when w,e grow up." My experience is that unless we learn iit at school we shall never praipeirly learn it except in a very few cases indeed. We should really know more about the political institutions of our .own day. They can be made most interesting and fascinat- ing for the life of the whole school. (Hear, hear.) The Rev. John Edwards proposed a vote of ,thanks to Professor Hudson Williams for his presence and address. This was seconded by the Rev. H. T. Cousinis, and the Professor responded. COLWYN BAY AS AN EDUCATIONAL CENTRE. The Rev. Meredith J. Hugbes proposed a vote of thanks to the Secretaries (Miss Osborn and Mr. W. Jones), which was seconded by the Chairman, anid in responding Mil". W. Jones gave all the credit to Miss Osborn. Mr. T. G. Osborn, IM.A., J.P., moved .a vote of thanks to the Chairman, and the Rev. John Edwards .seconded, bioith speakers extolling the Porter family for their splendid work on behalf of Colwyn Bay. The Chairman, in 'responding, said he was much struck by the Professor's opening remarks, and, alluding to another recent prize distribu- tion (at Rydal Mount), .said he agreed that the great ideal of a school was the education of Chrisltilan gentlemen. Colwyn Bay as an edu- cational oentre should become as important as Southport in Engliand and St. Andrew's in Scot- land. both other coast holiday .resorts. He thought that Colwyn Bay was at present going strong in that direction. Both private and pub- lic schools were doing well and were increasing in number. He looked upon a school as a most valuable [addition to a town in every way. School not only taught, the children,, but also the children's 'children, and that was already taking place at Colwyn Bay. Private schools deserved every consideration from ,the town's point of view, and this should be borne in mind by those who had charge of the administration of local .affairs. As regards the work of the Co-unity Council in education, he was a member of the County Council, but not of the Educlaltion Committee. That Committee was doing good work under the guidance of their Chairman, an acknowledged authority in educational matters, in Mr. Doidd, of Llangollen, a man for whom he had the greatest respeot. (Hear, hear.) There were ,certailn differences upon which he would not touch then. He only hoped that they would be smoothed away very shortly. He be- lieved that ,tihey would be so, and then the Com- mittee would be laJble to carry forward the most important and most responsible work with which they had been entrusted. (Applause.)