The Welsh Coast Pioneer and Review for North Cambria

An instance of a man living for two hours after breaking, his neck is reported by the Tot- tington (near Bury) police. He fell downstairs at his home.

-=> "> "0.- Educational. B A N G 0 R. FRIARS SCHOOL. Headmaster: W. GLYNN WILLIAMS, M.A., Ex-Eoundatiou Scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge, au.i formerly Classical Composi- tion Master at Toubridge School; Assisted by a Staff of Five Masters, including Honoursmen of Oxford, Cambridge, and the University of Wales. "LjlRIARS SCHOOL is the only exclusively BOYS' BOARDING SCHOOL under the Intermediate Education Act in North Wales. Admirable Accommodation, with all modern improvements (electric light, etc.), for .Forty Boarders. Perfect sanitation and salubrity of site, Chemical and Physical Laboratory, and Sloyd Carpentry Workshop. Arrangements are being made for the establishment of a Cadet Rifle Corps, under the auspices of the War Office. Among recent successes are an open Mathe- matical Scholarship at Peterbouse, Cambridge (the 13th Scholarship won at the older Universities under the present Headmaster), and numerous honours (including the "Dean Edwards'" Classical Prize and the R. A. Jones' Mathematical Prize) at the University College of N. Wales. 6033 Special Boarding Terms for North Wales Boya. Particulars on application to the Headmaster. Next Term Begins on Tuesday, January 20th. GIRLS' COUNTY SCHOOL, RUTHIN, VALE VT OF CLWYD, NORTH WALES. Five Quali. fied Mistresses. Thoroughly efficient Training. School examined annually by Central Welsh Board. Delightful situation; extensive grounds; games. NEXT TERM COMMENCES JANUARY 20TH. 1903. Apply for Illustrated Prospectus, &c., to Head Mistress, Miss ANNA ROWLANDS, B.A. (London). 6036 The Newest Books are in circulation at W. JONES' Victoria Lending Library, 36, QUEEN STREET, RHYL. USUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS. PLAIN AND FANCY STATIONERY, Ledgers, Cash and Day Books, Writing Cases, Fancy and Leather Goods, Local Views, Albums, &c. LONDON AND PROVINCIAL NEWSPAPERS, Magazines, &c., supplied to order. 5997 Agent for the Window Glacier Decoration. Also Window Bills in great variety. Good Stock of Welsh Books. E. LLOYD JONES, Agricultural Implement Dealer FURNISHING IRONMONGER, &o., Plumber, Gasfitter, and Hot Water Engineer WATLING STREET, LLANRWST. 3646 Superfluous Hairs Can be removed permanently and safely only by ELECTROLYSIS. The same satisfactory results cannot be obtained oy any other form of treatment or chemical preparation whatever. Mrs. SMITH GIVES CONSULTATION & ADVICE FREE On Electrolysis and Facial Treatment, g having had great experience with the above treatments. Address: cilo LADIES' HAIRDRESSER, Conway Road, Colwyn Bay. 5503 Telephone No. 0172 Colwyn Bay.

(Continued from page 4). what had we got in Wales to meet the situa- tion ? We had in the first place a complete educational machi-nery from the University down to the elementary school. But what did they want ? They must have something more than machinery. They wanted some power which would weld all the component parts of our edu- cational system into one living whole. There were three things which he should think they could all agree upon as beingi urgent needs in education. First, he thought they needed to- day a more accurate definition of education: secondly, they wanted a more general and more developed .sense of individual and local re- sponsiib lity with regard to education; and last- ly, they wanted a more vigorous national senti- ment upon the question. There he was entirely at one with the remarks of the Bishop of St. Asaph. (Applause.) Now, in order that they might realise, at all events to some extent, those things that he had referred to, what was beyond everything else necessary was that they must have always clearly before them their ideal in education. Of course, he knew very well that it was impossible for them: to reach the ideal in education or anything else but was it not perfectly obvious that unless they kept their eyes fixed, through the mists of present, of immediate imperfection, upon the goal which lay in the distance, they would not make very much pro- gress. Let him very briefly take them step by step .up our educational ladder, looking upon what they conceived to be, in each case, their ideal. The, foundation upon which the whole building was erected was the elementary school. The Foils; a ion o E Now, what ought an elementary school to be ? It ought, in the first place, to be regarded by every community which it served, as an insti- tution of the first importance. (Applause.) It ought to have its teachers the, best in the coun- try could give in men and women,—the best in experience, the best in character, and the best in edrurcationail qualifications. These scnools should be maintained—but here, he also was coming; upon delicate ground. (Laughter.) He would say nothing about ratios and pro- portions; he would simply say that u' must be maintained by a group of individuals. (Laughter.) The latter ought to have the full confidence of the community, and to have only one aim before them—the welfare of the scholars. He wouiJd make a further remark in this direction. He1 thought they should have a z, y more comprehensive idea about the education which was given in the elementary school it should not be a thing apart. It should rather be a broad, flowing stream, containing the best elements in the national life. They. ought to make it something which would teach every scholar in it the best thing in the life of his country, and would teach him to see, at the same time, the' worst things in the life of the nation. He ventured to strike this note in regard to their ideal in elementary education, a note in the direction of a more comprehensive idea of the functions and place of the elementary sciiool in the life of the country. Coming next to the intermediate: or secondary schools, Mr Roberts said he would here repeat everything he Had said with regard to the elementary schools. In Wales they had an excellent system of secondary education: all they wanted was time. Their schools had already produced a very satisfactory harvest of results, but they must not judge them now; they must give them time. He should like everyone to realise that there would be a time later on when the responsibilities to-be placed upon the shoulderc of the county educa. tion authorities would be greater, and that there would be no more honourable life in the public life of the country than to be a member of these authorities. The third step was, of course, the National Colleges, and all he wished to say with reference to therm was that they must improve matters somewhat by strengthening the connect- ing link or links between these colleges and the several grades of schools in the gradation of ediucation. He. thought also that they must bring these national colleges still more closely into touch with the national sentiment of the country; and they ought also, he thought, in the j third place, to think perhaps more of the build- ings in connection with these national colleges. Finer Buildings Advocated. Aberystwyth bad an admirable building, and J Cardiff was starting to erect buildings, wnich would be in every way worthy of the traditions of that town. Bangor, he believed, was moving in the same direction. Some of them would have been very glad if the authorities could have seen their way to placing the, new Bangor cel- lege in that neighbourhood, but, after all, loca- tion did not matter, at the bottom. What they wanted was that these colleges should be built on places) where they would best serve those who used them. Lastly., they came to the University of Wales. It was now an examining body, as they knew, and he supposed that owing to geo- graphical difficulties, those who were responsi-- ble for the incorporation of the University were perhaps wisest in making it, at all events at the outset, an examining body only. ut he had visions of the future, and he was, a great believer in fine buildings, in handsome buildings, in the valjie of local sentiment, and be hoped that the time would come when these geoigraphical diffi- culties would vanish, when we should all be able to travel about, even more easily and quickly than at present, and that the time would come when they should be able to build, in the centre of Wales, a magnificent University. How was it to be paid for-a practical question. Many of them would remember that the Hebrew Psalmists and Prophets used to be constantly dreaming that the Kings of Tarshish would bring their presents and offerings to the new Jerusalem. Was it not possible for us sometimes to dream that those Welshmen who had been fortunate at home and abroad would bring some of their fortune, and lay it down in the new educational Jerusalem of the,;[" nation? Let them hope that this dream would some day be fulfilled, and that it would be. built from the generosity of the fortu- nate sons of our country, and that it would be enriched with all that was best in the art and the literature of our country. The Bishop had told them something about America. He was not quite sure that he could altogether agree with what the Bishop had said as to the position achieved in America with regard to education. He had been reading, the other day, a list of benefactions given by private individuals in America during the last eleven years to ^uer education. And what did they think the sum came to? -Twenty-three million pounds sterling, a rate of over two mdlion pounds a year, and that sum was subscribed by private individuals to higher education in America! If they took the test of population it would work out in Wales at something between ^4.0,000 and £ 50,000 a year. They would say that we were not so rich in Wales as they were in America. That was true. And there was another reason which we had not yet realised as Americanathad, and that was the supreme value of education in the life of the nation. America was, as they knew, one of the most wonderful countries in the world, one of the most worfderful countries for working any scheme of education, and yet he did not suppose there was any sphere of pub- lic life in which success had been more clearly achieved in America than it had been upon the field of education. How had it been done? The American Problem. He would mention just four points wnich had regulated the solution of the American educa- tional problems. The first was tha-t in America politics had nothing to do w th education—(hear, k ar, hear);—in the second place there was no meet- ing in America which had a Board of Education, a central department, regulat.ng and controlling to a large extent the whole system. Of course, he was not standing there that afternoon to say that it would be desirable for us to do without the Board of Education in London far from it. All he wished to plead for was greater elasticity and greater freedom of local action with regard to education. Thirdly, there was in America a universal belief in the value of education, and lastly, there was no rigid uniformity in the methods 01; mach nery, and the pride felt in Ameroa in the schools, more than counter- balanced, in his opinion, any loss of central control. He admitted that the case in this country was very different from the case in America. 'Inere were certa n traditions deeply embedded iii the history of this country which made our problem a very different one. But what he desired to say was that there was- no idiosyncracy so deeply em- bedded in the history of this country which ought to make it imposs ble to fulfil every one of the four conditions which he had laid before them. In conclusion, he only desired once more to press home the constantly increasing importance of education in the h:story of this country. They all knew how the environment of our land was changing. New thoughts, new ideas, new forces were coming into play, and the mental condition of the coun- try to-day was very different to what it was even a quarter of a century ago. Public opinion— and what after all was public opiii. on in any democratic countiy, but self-government—public opinion had become year by year a greater power in the life of the nation. The great American President, Washington, used to say, in propor- tion as the structure of Government gives ex- pression to public opinion, that public opinion ought to be enlightened. To put it in another way, a well-instructed people, and a well- instructed people alone, could be per- manently free. If they grasped the true meaning of education, if they could get its spirit from top to bottom in our educational system, they need not fear any shadow or the permanent fetter of any wrong. Liberation had a great place in educa- tion, and he rejoiced that a free library was soon to become a fact in their life at Colwyn Bay. (Applause.) He congratulated them upon the auspicious way in which the movement had been started, and when it was effected, he be- lieved it would bring with it a rich harvest of benefit to the life of the community. Books— after all, what a power tney were. Thomas Cariyle had a famous passage in one of his books about the value of books. And how true it was after all. He now desired again to con- gratulate them on their magnificent building, and in the opening of the door that afternoon, he hoped that they had opened it to many hundreds and thousands of boys and girls to a new life of thought and a new life of service. (Loud applause.) Air Edward Roberts, H.M.I., was the next speaker. Their minds, he said, had been satu- rated with the question of education, both as to details and with principles, and therefore he would avoid that subject, and couch his remarks in lighter velli. (Laughter, and hear, ..ear.) He proposed to give them's history of education in Colwyn Bay during the last thirty years. He commenced his official career in that very parish. On the 8th of May, 1871, he held ,.xs first examinat.on, which took place in what was then the Colwyn British School. In those days, School Boards were in active process of forma- but there were no schools! there for the uuanl to control, and no voluntary school had as yet been transferred to the Board. what was now Colwyn Bay was then a semi-circular stretch of green fields, dominated by that beau- tifully-situated mansion, the home of the Erskine family. From Pwllycrochan, with its lovely sylvan surroundings, was obtainable an uninter- rupted view of the green fields below and the green sea beyond. It was also a place of pastoral calm and Arcadian quietness, and such were its soothing charms, that clergymen fre- quently came there for rest and meditation away from the more exciting surroundings of the Vale of Clwyd. (Loud laughter.) The next school to that of Old Colwyn was the one at Glan Conway. There was really .a small school wh ch he examined. It was a very small school, but very well taught, and was attended by the children of Miociidre and from the few s'cattered farm houses around. Such was Colwyn Bay at that time. But RhoSi School had disappeared, and he really did not know where it had stood, so effectively had it disappeared. But not far from its site stood an older foundation near the sea. There were round the chapel of St. Trillo numerous reminiscences of mediaeval times. There were now only the ruins to be seen, but no doubt in its day the little institution s'erved a very good purpose, and even now we owed very much for ideas-are,hi,fecture, and for art, and for keeping the lamp of learning alight. And it seemed to him, if such a fanci- ful idea might be permitted, that the spirit of that time had not left the parish. (Hear, near.) He inferred that-from the success of the splendid institutions of public schools which were found at Colwyn Bay, to say nothing of the success of primary education in the district. But to return to the history of Colwyn Bay. The Colonists' Opportunity. The Erskine family decided to leave Colwyn Jiav. and to reside elsewhere. That gave enterprise an opportunity of which it was not slow in taking advantage, and colonists from across the border came, and settled there in great numbers. 0 (Laughter). A few houses, some half-dozen, in number, were I)ii.ilt near the station, and at one end was a s shop. In that shop he examined, surrounded by shavings—(laughter)— some dozen or fifteen children, taught by a worthy gentleman of the name of Williams. That was the first school at Colwyn Bay, held in a joiner's shop. It showed that even then the people of Colwyn Bay had an innate desire for and love of education. (Hear, hear.) Streets and handsome terraces began to appear, and the necessity arose for proper schools. But --ere was no authority for providing the school, and the Llandrillo and Eirias School Board was therefore called into existence. Then, as now, the school boards were always discreet and long- headed-(laughter and applause)--and rather thar build two or three schools they looked around for the exact spot in which to place one school to contain all the children of Colwyn Bay and Rhos and Mochdre. That was opposite the rail- way bridge. It was excellent economy, and the school lasted for a long: time. Eventually, owing to the continual development of the town, the school had to be enlarged, and then an in- fants' school was erected in the centre of the town. Then, even that school was becoming over-crowded, between two hundred and three hundred infants being taught there.ext came intermediate education, sweeping like a wave over the country.- In the rivalry between Col- wyn Bay and Abergele for an. intermediate school the latter place was successful, and we Colwyn Bay people fell in good-humouredly with the ar- rangement. But very shortly afterwards he was invited to meet the Colwyn Bay School Board, and when he arrived he found it was to consider the advisability of establishing! a Higher Grade School in Colwyn Bay. No doubt the School Board felt it was unfair on their part to unduly embarrass the Governing Body of tne Abergele County School witii a multitude of their pupils —(laughter)—and so, to relieve the pressure, they generously decided to establisu a Higher Grade School. (Renewed laughter.) Sympathising with them, he recommended the Board of Educa- tion to sanction the proposal, and the Higher Grade School was established. It was placed, first of all, in the enlarged portion of tne old premises, and was so successful that as long as thr,ee years ago the old enemy of overcrowding came round once more, and then the Board very wisely erected a separate building on that spot. The site of the new school was in the very centre of the area of the Board's jurisdiction. He was sure that they would agree with him that no- where within twenty miles of it could be found a finer set of buildings or a better equipped school—(hear, hear)—and it wa's to be hoped that it would serve a useful purpose, and that every child taught in it would be well equipped for the battle of life. (Applause.) In the course of his duties he came into contact wi- many School Boards, but in his district there was not one Board comparable to that of Colwyn Day for being enlightened, unprejudiced, free from petty thought, liberal-minded, generous in all its projects, looking upon education as it should be regarded. The Board had been well led by the Rev. John Edwards and Mr D. O. Williams, and their chief characteristic was that they always kept their eyes on the main chance—solid economy. But, unfortunately, it was a mori- bund body. The date of its legal death was at hand. (Laughter). But there was some com- fort in the reflection that there would remain honourable memorials of the Board's life— (laughter)—and in fact he was, sure mat in the case of these representatives of a dying order there would be a speedy resurrection, and that they would be transferred to wider scenes of activ ty and usefulness. (Renewed laughter and applause.) The Rev. Thomas. Parry, J.P., speaking as a member of the Local Governing Body, congratu- lated the School Board and the district upon that handsome school. He was proud to see Colwyn Bay moving on so rapidly, and to see that the headmaster of the old school at Llandrillo, and afterwards of the Board's elementary school, after serving them for 27 years, was now the headmaster of that splendid school. (Applause.) He (Mr Parry) had something to do with the first school, and for some years had the honour of being its chair- man. The town was in its infancy then, but now was a large and important place, and only recently appeared as a formidable foe in the battle of the Bangor University site. It was when Colwyn Bay put forth its claims that the people of Bangor woke up. (Laughter and applause.) The Rev. John Edwards had great pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to the principal speakers on that auspicious occasion in the history of Colwyn Bay. That was one of the greatest events in the history of the progress of the distr.ct. They felt greatly indebted to Mrs Herbert Roberts for her presence and for the function she performed so successfully. Also, they were thankful to the Lord Bisnop for his presence, as well as for his admirable address, the former, he was ailmost going to say,being even better than the lauer. (Laughter and hear, hear.) There was, something about the atmosphere of Colwyn Bay which was different to that of most other places, because here they heard nothing of those disputes and contentions which seemed to occur so frequently elsewhere. (Hear, hear.) He had been a member of the School Board for nearly ten years, and during part of that time its chairman, and he might say that even if he were the Bishop of the diocese, the three clergy- men on the Board could not have been more obedient to his ruling. (Laughter, and hear, hear.) They had all worked harmoniously, and when the final decision on the site question came to be made, it was to a clergyman's vote that he was indebted for being able to carry the motion in favour of acquiring: that beautiful site. The Bishop had struck the key-note of that which they had in their minds, and that was-they- were not going to rest where they were. And who were they? (Laughter.) They were the community who paid the highest rates, with one exception, in the county of Denbigh, and they y 11 were not going to rest until that school took rank with the bestintermecLate schools irt Denbigh shire; and he was glad they had the B shop of St. Asaph with them. (Hear, hear.) In regard to Mir Herbert Roberts, they found him at all times ready and willing to serve them.—and in regard to that school they had troubled him very often-and particularly in seeing the central authorities in London, although he must say that on the whole the Education Department had treated Colwyn Bay very well indeed. They were thankful, too, to Mr Edward Roberts for his, unexpectedly humorous speech. He had also to thank the Rev. Thomas Parry, who had served them so well on the County Governing Body. Before concluding, he might say that the site of two acres,. the buildings, and the furniture cost altogether about ^'8,000. Yet, al- though a portion of this sum would be cleared this year, the rate was a half-penny less than that of last year, and there was no prospect that the school site would ever rise beyond that of two years ago. (Hear, hear.) The Rev. J. H. Hope, M.A., seconded the motion. Mr George Bevan, J.P., in supporting, said the constantly-recurring visits of tne Bishop to their midst showed the great interest his lord- ship took in Colwyn Bay and its progress; and they had great reason to be thankful to him. As to their worthy Member, Mr Herbert Roberts, his long list of good deeds done was sufficient to evoke their gratitude to him. During the struggles in Parliament and in all their local difficulties they had found Mr Roberts ready to show them the way and to help them to victory. Mr Edward Roberts, he was glad to observe, had bad .an influence for good upon the SchoolBoard. In regard to Mr Parry, they all owed him a very great debt. He was one of those who laid the foundations of Colwyn Bay, and through all its history the town had known no greater friend than Thomas Parry. (Hear, hear.) The vote was carried with acclamation. The Bishop, humorously alluding to a re- mark by the Rev. John Edwards, said that next time he was invited to Colwyn Bay he would send his address per gramaphone, because ap- parently his speech was preferred to his presence. (Laughter.) Referring to other remarks made, he did not desire it to be understood that he backed the claims of Colwyn Bay as against those .of Abergele, because it might not be a safe policy. (Renewed laughter.) Mrs Herbert Roberts, who was again most warmly received, said she thanked them for giving her the privilege of opening the school, and for the beautiful key they had given her as a memento of the occasion. She wished the school the utmost prosperity and success. (Ap- plause.) On the proposition of Mr J. Herbert Roberts, M.P., seconded by Mr T. G. Osborn, M.A., J.P., cordial thanks were extended to the chairman, and Mr D. O. Williams briefly responded. Before separating the company joined in sing- ing "God Save the King."