Denbighshire Free Press

National Union of Teachers. ———— V ALE OF CLWYD ASSOCIATION. The annual meeting of the above associa- tion was held on Saturday at the Church House, Denbigh. Mr Searell, Llanrhaiadr, the vice-presi- dent, presided in the temporary absence of the president (Mr Rees, Trefnant), who arrived later. The other teachers present wereMr W M Pierce (hon sec), Miss Gittens, Abergele Miss Birtles, Miss Ethel G Jones, Miss Watkins, Mr D Jones, Denbigh Mr Hughes, Prion; Mr W R Owen, Ruthin Mr England, Tremeirchion Mr Jerman, Llanychan; Mr Thomas, Llan- dyrnog and Mr Bedford, Abergele. ELECTION Of OFFICERS. Mr Searell was elected president for the ensuing year, and Mr Pierce, Denbigh, and Miss Gittens, Abergele, vice-presi- dents. The former was elected as vice- president of the county association and the latter as the the vice-president of the local association. Miss E Jones, Denbigh, was re-elected treasurer. The fallowing were elected as a com- mittee :-Miss Davies, Miss Birtles, Mr E J Roberts, Mr Thomas, Llanrwst Mr Hughes, Prion; and Mr Owen, Ruthin. Mr Searell said he wished to thank them most sincerely for the honour they lhad accorded him by electing him as their president. He bad always had the interests of this association at heart and had tried to do what little he could for it. THE EDUCATION ACT CONSIDERED. THE GOOD POINTS OUTWEIGH THE BAD." Mr Searell (the newly elected president) read a paper, from which we extract the following Two years ago the Education Act received the King's consent. Since then the educational controversy has continued. Politicians, theologians, and education- alists have given much time and thought, from various standpoints, to the subject of education, and the interest now shown by the community at large towards it cannot but be beneficial to the future welfare of the country generally but the political and religious animosities that have been aroused, since its passing, have greatly militated against its smooth work- ing the child, in some parts, being sacrificed to sectarian strife and political considerations. Education ought to be outside the arena of political and religious warfare. Moderate men, of all sects and parties, are thoroughly tired of the un- edifying wrangle over educational matters, and are crying aloud for peace," more education" and less "bickerings." As teachers we should like a permanent settle- ment, and then greater time could be devoted to "methods of education" and "eduoational progress than to methods of administration, which are subservient to political policies. No act is perfect, and THE EDUCATION ACT of 1902 is no exception to the rule. Its bad points must be amended by Parliament; that is by constitutional methods. But its good points, in my humble opinion, far outnumber the bad. The Act has removed the small school board, the one man manager, and has placed the secular educa- tion of the county under one authority, who have full control of all money for educational purposes. No longer will i« be necessary for the education of a great part of the country to be dependent upon voluntary contributions, obtained through bazaars, sales of work, concerts, &o., as has been the case in the past. The EDUCATION AUTHORITIES being responsible for the secular instruc- tion in all schools have much scope for work and originality. They will offer facilities for the training of pupil teachers, and the Denbighshire Authority has already adopted an excellent scheme apparently for the training of such teachers, but unless there are prospects for better salaries and better conditions of work than at present for certificated teachers there will certainly be a dearth of candidates for the teaching profession. The present lack of training college accom- modation will be remedied by the establish- ment of colleges available for all irrespective of creed and independent of all private and seotarian efforts The authority must keep all schools efficient, and the efficiency of the past will not be the efficiency of the future, for education has no finality and is progressive. Efficient schools will mean EFFICIENT AND SUFFICIENT STAFFS, suitable apparatus, spacious, well-lighted, well-warmed, and sanitary buildings. No longer will insanitary and unsuitable buildings be allowed. No longer will antiquated apparatus be tolerated, and not much longer, I hope, will the education of a great number of scholars be entrusted to juvenile teachers, and Art. 68's-now! called supplementary teachers (the qualifi- cations of whom are over 18 years and vaccinated). In Denbighshire (excluding Wrexham) at the present time only 31 per cent of the teachers are certificated and qualified teachers, whereas 40 per cent cf the teachers are Art. 68's, pupil teachers, monitors, or candidates. In the past, owing to lack of funds, small School Boards, and managers of some voluntary schools employed such teachers for cheapness— under the name of. economy-but really to keep down the rates, but now I can look forward to the day when the schools of the future will be staffed entirely by qualified teachers. The development of a child's mind ni,diflintpiligence should not be entrusted to Unqualified teachers i and children. The oo-ordination of the VARIOUS BRANCHES of our education system has been secured by the Act, the diversity of interests has been abolished, and a complete system can now be evolated. Overlapping of curricula will be greatly minimised, and we can look forward with brighter prospects to the gradual progress of a poor child of marked ability from the elementary school, through the intermediate school, to the university or tohools of technology, the three being in reality one conne3ted whole, one dovetail- ing into the other. One most not, however, fall into the error that the elementary schools are to be worked AS deeding GROUNDS or preparatory schools for intermediate schools, and the intermediate schools as feeding grounds for the university, for it is only a small percentage of the scholars of one class of school who proceed to the next higher school. The education given in each, though partly conneoted, must be complete in itself. A child who will not proceed further than the elementary stage, and they are grtatly in the majority, should reach the seventh standard or highest class of the school at the age of 14 or 15 years, when he ought to be able to continue his education by self-efforts or in evening continuation schools; bit a cbil I who is to proceed to secondary education would do well to proceed to the county school about the age of 13 years or before if exceptionally clever. For my own part I do not recommend any parent to send their children to a county school if they are unable to allow the child to remain there I..r three years A child who attends for only one or two years would be better employed in elementary schools perfecting the knowledge there attained than obtain- ing ItJntbpinat of French, latin, euclid, ,¿,. various other subjects. Such scholars are but a drawback to to the progress of the l school, and on leaving are no oredit to the teachers or school. The education received cannot possibly be of any permanent good, and the amount, about aC13 a year, spent on the child out of public funds is completely wasted. The governors of county schools really ought to obtain a guarantee from the parents of the scholars admitted that they will allow their children to remain there for a full three years' course. This is done now in several science schools in England. Teachers of elementary schools are quite prepared to do all they can for the children under their care, and would be only too pleased if all their elder scholars could proceed to secondary schools. The tran- sition from one school to the other ought to be as easy as from the infant school to the standards. Few children of this district compete for the ENTRANCE SCHOLARSHIPS, but this is through no lack of interest in the schools by the primary teacher. The syllabus in the past being unsuitable, the irregularity of attendance, the poor staffing of Elementary Schools, the fewness of scholarships offered, the small value of the scholarships, and the lack of maintenance grants, are some of the causes of the small I number of candidates. Parents of country children cannot afford to allow their children to remain the school for three years-" Chwarter ysgol i gorphen" Is enough for them. The additional expenses, such as train fare, lodgings in the town, superior dress, being more than they can afford, and moreover small farmers wish to obtain their children's services at the earliest possible time, and so save the expense of a hired servant. To attract these children the value of a scholarship must be greatly increased. The latest syllabus issued for the entrance scholarship examinations is a decided improvement on all previous ones, and this to a great extent has, I believe, been brought about by our worthy ex-president, Mr Rees. The syllabus ought, however, to be published at least twelve months before the examination, so that head teachers can so arrange their schemes of lessons as to reduce the extra work for the candidates to a minimum. Practically all schools take Group I, com- position or Welsh translation Group II, arithmetic; and three of the following subjects in Group III, geography, history, grammar, scripture, Welsh, domestic economy, algebra; and Group IV, general knowledge, a wide subject. But I am no great believer in FORMAL EXAMINATIONS of individual children. The examination system, the tabulation of results, and the setting of school against school, class against class, teacher against teacher, no matter how great the difference of con- dition-ifs fatal to ideals, fatal to freedom —fatal to teaching which will lead the child to think for himself. Examinations encourage cramming of facts and formulas —and these can easily be made part of a child's knowledge by coLtinual repetition. The :training of the intelligence, when examinations are the final goal-must be sacrificed to the accumulation of facts, which can bo retailed wholesale in the examination room. I look forward to the time when every school will have scholar- ships attached to it, and that these will be awarded by the head teachers to the most promising pupils, on the result of the terminal examinations, and based on the school work, and held by the master him- self. The success of a school cannot be measured justly by the number of scholar- ships won, for the best work of all can only be seen in and after life of a child. The aim of rural and town schools is not to pro- duce scholars who can write essays on any given subject, know a few geographical and historical facts, and quote scripture for examination purposes, but the school's aim should be to humanise, to deepen the intelligence, and combine with it a sense of self control, obedience, and sinoerity; to create in the child love for school work, a pleasure in seeking knowledge for its own sake, and a healthy desire to interest one- self in his surroundings and the works of nature; ao that he will proceed with intelligence in any work to which he may be called, and so become a worthy citizen of a great Empire. The teachers are pleased to see that the I I REGULARITY OF ATTENDANCE is improving. The percentage of attend- ance during the year has increased about ten per cent. This alone means a year's extra attendance at school, on an average, for each child between the age of five and fourteen. Now that attendance is to be made really compulsory, parents will de- mand the best possible education for their children, and that given by qualified teachers. The country schools must have as qualified and efficient teachers as the town qchools, and this only be brought about when the salaries paid in the country schools are much better than they are now in Denbighshire. The STAFFING must be much better than the minimum scale mentioned in the education code. There are several schools in Denbighshire, though the staff satisfies the code's mini- mum, yet we have one teacher attempting to teach intelligently about 50 children, many of whom are imperfeotly fed, ranging in age from 7 to 14 years, and are divided into six or seven standards. No teacher can make much progress under the circum- stances. Only last week a Government inspector, who specially had to report on a rural school in Cheshire, said "It will be difficult for a master to make material advance as long as he must take six I standards by himself," In Denbighshire we have one certificated teacher to 100 scholars, and taking into consideration every clafs of teacher, including monitors, we have one for every 31 scholars. In the county schools of Wales there are only 17 scholars for every qualified teacher-and county schools are complaining. In the last report of the Board of Education on the intermediate schools of Wales is the follow- ing One of the most striking features of the reports on the schools is the apparent in .officienoy of the number of teachers on the staff. In no less than 24 oases (a fourth of the number of schools) is attention called t" tiie matter." Justice cannot be done to otiild, the parent, nor the country unless the staffing is improved, especially in s hools, and I hope the County Education Authority will soon have a scale of staffing that will be a credit to Wales and a model to England. We know the committee have had much to do since the appointed day we also recognise the great amount of I clerical work, the many inquiries and re- ports that have been done by Mr J C Davies, the organiser of education. We are PLEASED TO ACKNOWLEDGE PUBLICLY the promptness with which our salaries are paid, the fairness with which our requisi- tion lists, both in provided and non- provided schools have been considered, howevor, I would suggest that when articles are,to be crossed off the requisition list for economy sake, the master of the school should be asked to oross out items which he j least requires, so as to keep, the cost per head at the required figure. Our schools have not been left tireless, as has been the case in some parts of Wales. So far the authority have done well, but every teacher has receiv. (j notice that the present arrangement with regard to salary will terminate at the end of three months, and that the committee will consider themselves lice jo ludaa any alteration thoy think advisable, and in future salaries will be inclusive salaries. We hope the authority inclusive salaries. We hope the authority will meet all fairly, that no teacher will suffer financially when the salaries are reconsidered, and that when the salaries are fixed, teachers, in certain eases, be allowed payment in lieu of house-rent, coal and other extras which they have received hithertofore as part of their salaries. Whatever is due we hope the child will be the first consideration of the authority. A crisis is at hand. It seems as though some dark cloud were lowering over Wales, over- shadowing everything. But behind it is power. A faint streak of light is seen on the horizon, and we shall expect it to burst forth with glorious effect. and then Wales with her characteristic manner will become mighty, her sons and daughters will be proud of her land, and she will be able to take her stand among the nations as she did eight hundred years ago. On the proposition of Mr England, seconded by Miss Gittens, a vote of thanks was accorded Mr Searell for his exoellent paper. THE BENEVOLENT AND ORPHAN FUND. Mr E J Roberts, Denbigh, was elected chairman of the above-named fund, and Mr W M Pierce, Denbigh, re-elected hon secretary. [Wc may mention that the Hon Secretary has the handsome sum of i58 in hand, as this years efforts in the district for this fund.] COMMITTEE OF LOCAL BOARD. The following ladies and gentlemen were elected as officers and committee of the Local Board:—Miss Owen, Miss Watkin, Mr Rees, and Mr Pierce. THE COMING CONFERENCE. The next business was the election of delegates for the above which will take place at Llandudno next year. Mr E J Roberts, Denbigh, wrote stating that he considered that they all ought to be allowed to vote and] attend this con- ference. The Secretary ppinted out that this was impossible according to the rules, for only delegates could vote but they could all attend. They could elect one delegate for every ten members. The following delegates were elected:— Mr Pierce, Mr Rees, and Miss Gittens. TEACHERS AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE. Mr Rees, one of the representatives who met the Education Committee, reported that in future it was most likely that Welsh would be a compulsory subject, and tney had altered the basis of the scholarship sylabus. PUPIL TEACHERS' INSTRUCTION. A circular letter from the N.U.T." was read upon the training of pupil teachers and condemning the demand being made by county authorities that pupil teachers trained in that county should, after their college career, be compelled to return and serve in that county for two years. The Chairman said he considered it an exceedingly good scheme, but he did not think that the county should bind pupil teachers down to serve two years in one of the schools of that county after leaving college. Mr Rees said it was a wonderful advance upon the custom of the early part of the century. It was not fulfilling the laws of supply, and demand, however, by binding them down to serve two years in one of the schools of the county. There ought to be a broader basis. The matter then dropped. NOMINATION FOR VICE PRESIDENT. Mr A R Pickles, Burnley, was nominated for election as vice-president for the Association at the coming conference. The nomination of u vice-president for the executive was left because there was no likely candidate from North Wales in the field. The meeting discussed the notice given by the County Education Committee with regard to the salaries of teachers in the county, and the Hon Secretary was instructed to write to the Secretary of the County Association asking him to call a meeting of all the Denbighshire teachers early in the New Year to consider and receive a notice re the salaries of teachers and also to write to Mr Yoxall, the secre- tary of the "N.U.T." to ask him to advise the Association what further course had better be taken in the matter, and what the policy of the "N.U.T." was on the subject. Other routine business was transacted. -»

Entertainment by the National Schools1 Infants. In aid of the Benevolent and Orphan Funds of the National Union of Teachers, a very successful entertainment was given at the Memorial Hall, Denbigh, on Saturday and Monday evenings, by the infants attending the Denbigh National Schools. This concert was undoubtedly one of the best that has ever been given in Denbigh by infants, and it reflected great oredit upon Miss Birtles, the headmistress of the Infants School, for the trouble she had undertaken to get this performance up and to train the children so perfectly in their respective parts. The performance on Saturday began at 5.30, and on Monday evening at 7.30. The attendance on Saturday evening was not so large as it ought to have been considering the quality of the performance, but Monday evening the attcudaoee was very much better-docidedly good. This year the National Union of Teachers holds the annual Confcrcnce at Llandudno next Easter, and that, coupled A ith the fact that for the first time there is a Welsh president, was a special reason why the teachers of the Vale of Clwyd desired to make an effort in aid of the charities. Mr W M Pierce, Denbigh, is the hon secretary of this fund, and Miss Birtles took up this concert with a view of augmenting the funds be would be able to send up. It must be extremely gratifying to him to find that he will be able before the end of the year to send up about R60. The programme commenced with a song Welcome," very excellently rendered by the infants, and the musical drill that followed was very good. The infants that took part in these items were:—John Foulkes, W Henry Jones, Kiuhard T Jones, Edward Carfcwright, Willie Jones, W»llie Bartley, Howell Williams, Reggie Roberts, W Morgan, Norman Parry, Vallie Bruton, Haydn Bryan, Allen Walker, Joseph Lloyd, R T Jones, Cyril Hughes, Ernest ^arry, Robert Kitching, Cathleen R°biOjjon, Gladys Williams, Annie Hfcrn»'nan» Hilda Pierce, Edith Pierce, Mary Jones, Louis Williams, Beatrice Hughes, Homan, Phyllis Davies, Ethel Pay»» *'orie Jones, Queenie Grist, Mary Wynne, Vera Lloyd, Annie E Roberts, Emma Buckthought, Hilda Hasvey, Cilia Lewis. The programme was as follows, and each item was admirably rendered. In fact it was a splendid performance throughout, and the audience marvelled how little ohildren so ^tween five and six ysars old. could have been so trained as to render their parts 80 perfectly. The loud applause which greeted the finish of eaoh selection testified to the thorough enjoy- ment of the audience, and their full appreciation of the cleverness of the little ones, and of the pains, patience, and labour expended upon them by Miss Birtles, who was very highly praised for the same. We are sorry that owing to pressure on our space we "8 not able to touch upon each item as we slioul wished, but the pieces were splendidly Songv 'Welcome,' Infants. Musical drill* Infants. Recitation, 'Travelling/ Robert Kitchen. Song, 'Grandmother,' Ge tie r, Evans. Recitation What a little maid "aD do,' Hilda Pierce. Action !ong, I, '1'he farmyard,' Infants. Recitation, 'Flower Angels, Bessie Williams. Song, Willow,' Valentine Bruton. Recitation Bread Crusts,' Vera Lloyd. Action soog ,Swinging," Infants. Reoitation, 'Lad1 Moon. Mary Jones. Duett, "rbe Car penter, Pearl Miller and Cvril Hagbes- Recitation, 4 A funny thing,' Doris Hom»D* Song, Coming of Santa Claus,' Mary L Jones and Chorus. Recitation, I TbO Goldfish,' Emma Buckthought. Songi 'Buttercups and Dasies/ Infants. DnO" logue, 'A Child's Fancies,' Edith Pierce and Ethel Pays. Action Song, 'tb8 Strangers, Ihfants. Action song, 'Tb Blacksmith, Infants. Reoitation,4 A bar of Keys' Phyllis Davies. Action sc Annie's Dolly,' Annie Boyes. ReaitatiOOP 'A grevious Complaint,' Willie Evar;So Action song 'Animated Buttons,' selso boys and chorus. Recitation, Only abaw small,' Annie E Roberts. Duett, 4 WW we are married,' M L Jones and V Brutofl; Recitation, 'Hang up the baby's stookinot Queenie Grist. Action Song, 'Hey, He)" Nonny No,' Infants. Recitation, I Land ot Santa Claus,' Ernest Parry. Song, 'TbOfO ain't another Daddy,' Hadyn Bryan an Infants. Duologue 'TheQuarrej,, Cills Lewis and Howell Williams. Duett, Will you walk with me.' Pearl Miller and Had Bryan. Recitation, I My Nursery Friends* Phyllis A. Evans. Tambourine and r.rrl" angle drill, 7 boys and 8 girls. SoDl' Dream of Santa Claus.' • God save thÐ King.' The aocompanists were Miss L Bellamy and Miss Minnie Batten. The recitation" Bread Crusts" was to have been taken by Dorothy JoBes Williams, but she could not be preset owing to indisposition, and her place WO taken by Vera Lloyd, who is to be compH' mented on the excellent way she undertook her part. At Saturday's performance Mr W r4 Pierce explained the object of the perform* ance; to augment the sum to be sent ZiP from the Vale of Clwyd to the Benevolent and Orphan Fund of the Teachers UoioD, of which he was the local hon secretary and before the end of the year they to send up about S60. On the proposition of Mr CottoØJ, seconded by Alderman James Hughes, J.p., a hearty vote of thanks was parsed to blio Birtles and her assistants for the excelteøøø of the performance and the great labOd; Miss Birtles must have expended upon tbl children. Mr W M Pierce, on Monday eveninll proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs Pierce Salisbury Place, for the use of the hall; and to Mbs Birtles and to all who helped in connection with the performance- This was seconded by the Rev J Waltet Lloydjand carried unanimously. Whilst the greater share of the thanJØ is of course due to Miss Birtles, we atØ asked to tender thanks to the folfbwiL4 kind helpers:—Mrs Evan Pierce for tb6 free use of the Memorial Hall for practice8 and concerts; Mrs Frank Wynne tot refreshments to the children during tba interval; Mr Bellamy for use of piano fof a week at a merely nominal charge: Mr W M Pierce who conducted the busines* arrangements; to Misses L Bellamy and 9 Batten who have given much of their oW time in the preparation and also in playiolf the accompaniments; then thanks are dOO to all those who sold tickets; ani especially thanks to the parents of tb6 children who have given every assistance and who sent the little ones urtssed mo:!t charmingly and looking delightfully nices and lastly the little ones themselves a.t' deserving of thanks and praise, most ol them being between the ages of five and six. It was a perfect success throughout' and we can only wish that the room ioa been crowded on each occasion, both fot the sake of the performance and itS benevolent object. Mr Ashford generousll gave each child a orange which was maod appreciated by the little ones, on thetf breaking-up day.

(Vhy are puppy-do^:? like some churches. Because their very existence depends aO dog-mas. Why was the whale that sv.-nllowed Jonah li'^ a milkman who has made his fortune ? Because he got a great profit out of the water. Why is a Yankee paying a visit to another Yankee's cabin situated in the backwooliS of America, like a person tfoing to a pla<e where the British troops gained a brilliao' victory in recent years ? Because he is going to a shanty (AshaU' tee). When does a ship resemble a man undergoing punishment ? When it is in the'stocks.y When is a celebrated British poet named by 0 umpire to the scorer at a game of cricket' When he calls out that it is a bye-ru:> (Byron). Why is a barber looking for his sign, whic has been purloined from over his shop doqr by a practical loker, like Captain Kar when commanding the recent expedition tJ I the Arctic regions ? I Because he is trying to discover the pdt. When does a nursemaid unaon.viouJ; I threaten to bring the child she is in char^ of lo an institution for insane people ? When s!u lci.v-ic-s 'the child and say"' N i will t;|ke you to bed, (Bj.ll.uii). How to discover dis'*v»"> Ride in a Lon<! V! c >. What is the plt'r"' 'Ji i-Mddy Longlegs J The Masters lorthose. | Why are carpets the cheapest articles of a furniture ? ( Becau*- > bey are bought by the yard, aO" only by the loot. When did George the Third sleep five in bed ? When he laid down with his forefather31 Why is the spouter, the Member for Noisf Place, like a pump ? 2 Because he has M.P. at the end of bíf 1 name. fl The reverse of 14, the extremes of i i, United you'll certainly have, The name of a woman six husbands in seve* t Would gladlv see laid in the grave. VIXEN—XI Ven. Why is a dog like a tree ? Because they both produce a bark. Why is a milkman likely to become arbifrarW i V cause he always has his own ww (whey). Why do questions exhibit more wisdom tb.4 answer.. ? Because they show more wise (why'sJ- -,—————-—————

I Fels-Naptha Book If you buy 100 21d batf, of Fels-Naptha a year, yol1 get 100 books a year. Do you wash by it? j If you boil your wash, yo»* destroy Fels-Naptha. | "JI.pdoa JtWU- strett Loadoa & C I iLr