Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser

-ø:M Dr. Williams' School, Dolgellcp. CELEBRATING ITS "COMING OF AGE." INTERESTING PROCEEDINGS. Tuesday, July 23th, was a red-letter day in the annals of Dr. Williajns' Endowed School for Girls, Dolgelley. It was the occasion of its coming of agc," and it is only fitting that the twenty-first anniversaries of institutions, as well as of men, should be celebrated in a worthy fashion. We need not enter into a long introduction here, since full particulars concerning the history of the school will be found in our inside columns suffice it to sav that the whole proceedings went off in a way that must have given satisfaction to all concerned. The presence of several leading Welsh education- alists, and of so many influential local men and women, lent the gathering distinction, whilst the appearance of over 200 old girls who came from every point of the compass, made it one of the most pleasurable reunions imaginable. The in- vitations sent out numbered altogether about 1500, over 1,000 of these being to old girls." Invitations had been sent as follows:—Principals and profes- sional staffs of all colleges in Wales (University and Theological), the Trustees of Dr. Williams' School, all past governors, past members of the staff, former head mistresses—Miss Armstrong, Miss Fewings, Mrs. Grant (nee Thompson), Miss Rutter, Miss Doubleday, Miss Knowles; heads of secondary schools in Wales the County Governing Body, Local Governing Body (Comity School), Members of the School Board, the Heads of the Board Schools of the district, the Welsh Members of Parliament, the Officials of the University of Wales, the Editors of the Welsh Press, Sir Henry and Lady Robertson. Rev. E. T. Watts, the Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Merioneth, Mrs. Griffith Glyn, Mrs. Lansdowne Beale, and Mrs. Darbishire. LIST OF OLD GIRLS" PRESENT. The following were the Old Girls who accepted the invitations to be presentMisses Ruth and Fannie Gretton, Derby Annie Ffoulkes, Tregaron Katie Lewis, Portmadoc; Jennie Griffiths, Mold; Minerva Roberts, Corwen; Mrs. Williams, Police Station, Barmouth; Maud Pritchard, Carnarvon; Eva Hemmings, Backby, Leicester Winnie Edwards, Aberystwyth M. C. Evans, Porkington-terrace, Bar- mouth; M. Jones, Caerffynon, Dolgelley; Jeannie Pritchard, Carnarvon Sarah J. Jones, Colwyn Pay Mrs. Williams, Llanberris; M. E. Davies, Carnarvon; Dolly Richards, Barmouth J. Allcock, Llandudno Ellen Owen, Talsarnau G. Clarke, Cheam, Surrey Tolly Jones, Barmouth; Maggie Mary Jones, Car- narvon M. Thomas, Festiniog; Katie and Pollv Jones, Dolgelley; Lizzie Griffith, Pemnorfa; Verna Davies, Dolgelley Gwennie and Lloydie Williams, Dolgelley; Mary Maud Roberts, Bishop's Stortford Daisy Shaw, Bala; Margaret Owen, Penrhvndcu- draeth; M. E. Jones, Bala; Anna Roberts, Wliarton-street Lily Morgan, Herne Hall Nellie Williams, Laura place, Aberystwyth A. Jones, Hhos, Ruabon; Gwenine Humphreys, Festiniog; E. J. Roberts, Festiniog; M. H. Davies, Corris; W. Williams, Llwyngwril; M. H. Thomas, Carnarvon Miss Williams, Ruthin; May Roberts, Carnarvon: Blodwen Williams, Dolgelley; Ellen Griffith, Barmouth; M. Brodie, Dolgelley; Nellie Williams, Portmadoc; N. Evans, Harlech; May Evans, Harlech; Mrs. Richard Morris, Dolgelley; Laura Morris, Llanystumdwy; Jennie Roberts, Penygroes Bessie Griffiths, Llanbedr Emily Rutter, Herne Bay; C. Rowlands, Bangor; Lizzie Parry, Portmadoc; A. M. Millard, Dolgelley; M. E. Evans, Barmouth; Polly Jones, Ruabon; C. St. Clear, Caerdean, Dolgelley M. E. Jessie Williams, Dolgelley; B. Richards, Pensarn; K. Owen, Dolgelley; Gladys Cross, Dolgelley Nellie Roberts, J. H. Marshall, Dolgolley; Mary Pierce, Glandovey; May Roberts, Dolgelley Gwen Davies, Dolgelley Bessie Ffoulkes, Dolgelley; Olive Punshon, Fairfield; Gay Jones, Criccieth; Evelyn Ffoulkes, Llangollen; Rachel Thomas, Llanarth; Annie Hughes, Dolgelley; Margaret Davies, Trawsfynydd; Ellen Edwards, Llanarmon; Myfanwy Williams, Dolbenmaen, Katie Pritchard, Garthwyl; Mary Pughe, Bontddu Jane Jones, Dolgelley; Annie Evans, Barmouth Mrs. J. Williams, Corwen E. Davies Prys, Llanuwchllyn Mary Jones, Aberdovey; Mrs. Trevor Owen, Carnarvon Kitty Hughes, Barmouth A. Bromley, Flexton, Manchester; Maggie Williams, Abersocli Amy Thomas, Carnarvon Mrs. J. Owen, Dolgelley Claudia Hughes, Dolgelley; Ada Hughes, Dolgelley Mrs. A. Jones, Dolgelley; Maggie A. Williams, Blaenau Ffestiniog; May Evans, Aberystwyth Mrs. Llewellyn Jones, Carnarvon; J. Williams, Carnarvon Maud JonES, Llangollen; Dora Griffiths, Aberystwyth Jennie Parry, Dolgelley; Maggie Edwards, Barmouth Annie Jones, Carnarvon; Bertha Jones, Wrexham Maggie Owen, Pwllheli; Jane Ethel Davies, Barmouth; Kate" Jones, Dolgelley, and sister, Lillie Rowlands, Llangollen; Florrie Rowlands, Llangollen; Mary Jones, Ruabon; Nellie Pughe, Dolgelley; Jennie Jones, Portmadoc; Gertrude Rowlands, Llangollen F. A. Jones, Port Dinorwic Mary J. Williams, and A. Williams, Valley; Mrs. J. M. Owen, Carnarvon; L. Griffith, Dolgelley; Mrs. Roberts, Dolgelley Alice Evans, Dowlais; Florrie Theodore, Welshpool; the Misses Jones, Brynmelin, Corwen; Misses Vaughan, Caerbeillan; H. Ffoulkes, Holyhead Katie Jones, Holyhead Lilian Joseland, Worcester; Ethel Webb, Birkenhead; Maggie Rowlands, Llan- uwchllyn Lizzie Thomas, Carnarvon Bertha Jones, Dolgelley; Miss Doubleday, Coggeshall; Miss Rutter, Clapham Menai Rowlands, Bangor; M. A. Williams and Maggie Williams, Blanydref; Winnie Williams, Talybont; K. Knowles, Brabryn House; J. Bowen, Criccieth; Florence Roberts, Penygroes; Nan Williams, Criccieth; Laura Charles, Bangor; Kitty Jones, Bangor; Edith Armfield, Dolgelley; Mrs. Morgan, Dolgelley; Mrs. Pryce, Dolgelley; Mr. T. Williams, Mount Pleasant, Barmouth; Maggie Williams, Duffryn M. Lorton Williams, Abersoch A Morgan, Carno L. Lloyd, Machynlleth; A. G. Williams, Borth; M. Williams, Carnarvon Lily Jones, Nantlle Vale; C. Foulkes, Birkenhead; M. C. Roberts, Llaneiidan; A. Evans, Harlech; Mabel Pugh, Brithdir; Eunice Griffith, Llwyngwril; A. Griffith, Llwyngwril; Jennie Davies, Llanbedr Pollie Morgan, London; E. Powell, Aberystwyth; Annie Davies, Aberdare; M. J. Jones, Bala; C. Thomas, Talsarnau P. Parry, Dolgelley Elsie Davies, Trefeglwys Nellie Williams, Corris; Mary Jones, Gorn, Dolbenmaen; E. Griffith, Barmouth Mrs. A. Eyton Jones, Chester; Blanche Stealey, Towyn; Gwen A. Williams, Barmouth. AT THE SCHOOL. At noon the visitors had the opportunity of inspecting the school premises, after which they were entertained to luncheon. The weather, so far, had been favourable, but the sky remained overcast, and about two o'clock rain began to de- scend. Fortunately, however, it could not have had a harmful effect upon the celebration, as all those who intended taking part had by this time reached Dolgelley, and the proceedings in the afternoon and evening were to be conducted indoors. Nevertheless, this unkind treatment on the part of the unmerciful clerk of the weather must have cast a little gloom into the hearts of those athletic young ladies who were looking forward to showing their prowess at tennis on the following day. We must not forget to mention that the arrangements made were in every way admirable, and a word of praise is due to Mr. W. R. Davies (Clerk to the Governors), and the whole staff of the school, who left no stone unturned to ensure the complete success of the re-union." Miss M. Roberts and Miss May Jones, who acted as secretaries, did their work splendidly. The Governors and Staff of the School are as follows-Governors: Chairman—Mrs. Holland, Caerdeon, Dolgelley; Deputy-Chairman—Edward Jones, Esq., M.D., Caerffynon, Dolgelley; The Honourable C. H. Wynn, Rhug, Corwen; A. C. Humphreys-Owen, Esq., M.P., Berriew, Montgomery i Rev. Francis H. Jones, Dr. Williams' Library, Gordon Square, London; Edward Griffith, Esq., Springfield, Dolgelley; Thomas Edwards, Esq., of Blaenau, Rhydymaen, Dolgelley; Miss Lloyd Roberts, Bod Donwen, Rhyl; Mrs. Beale, Maple Bank, Edgbas- ton, Birmingham; Mrs. Burton, Eryl Aran, Bala; JVIrs. R. Wynne Williams, Queen's Square, Dol- gelley; Miss Parry, Trem Aran, Bala. Clerk to the Governors-Mr, W. R. Davies, Queen's Square, Dolgelley, Staff: Head Mistress—Miss Diana Thomas, B.A. Miss Anstey, Miws Jones, Miss Titley, Miss Wagstaffe. House Mistress—Miss Tootal. Cookery and Butter Making—Miss Hughes. Music-Miss Walters, L.R.A.M., Mr. M. W. Griffith, M u. Bac. THE PUBLIC MEETING. At three o'clock a public meeting was held in the Public Rooms. The spacious hall, which was well filled by an audience that followed the proceedings from beginning to end with marked interest, had been very tastefully decorated for the occasion, great care having been bestowed upon the platform, which had been very artistically adorned with heather, palms, evergreens, &c. Mrs Holland presided, being supported on her right by the Bishop of Bangor, and on her left by Mr. H. E. Hobhouse, M.P. There were also on the platform, Lady Verney, Professor and Mrs. Reichel, Mrs. kirant, Capt. Griffith Boscawen, Miss Armstrong, Dr. Edward Jones, Dr. R. D. Roberts and Mrs. Roberts, Mr. Humphreys-Owen, M.P., and Mrs. Humphreys-Owen, Mrs. Edwards,Miss Thomas, Mrs. Wynne Williams, Rev. C. Grant, Mr. Wynne, Mrs. Griffith-Boscawen, Mrs. Williams, Mr. Watts, Mr. J. H. Jones. Mrs. Darbishere, Mrs Burton, Miss Parry, and Mr. E. Griffith. After the singing of the school hymn by the pupils, The Chairman rose to open the proceedings being received with applause. She said she wished in her official capacity to offer in the name of the Governors and Head-Mistress a most hearty welcome to their honoured guests, the old governors, the old teachers and the old girls of Dr. Williams' school. She had received letters from Mrs. Beale and Mr. Davies, expressing their regret at not being able to attend. There was one absent governor through illness who longed to be with them, who had always taken the deepest interest in the welfare of the school and would do so to the end of her life. They could not over estimate Miss Lloyd Roberts' devotion to the welfare of the school. This was a day that would be long remembered by them all- the coming of age of a school which had done a great work for the Principality and many other parts of the world. About 1,000 girls had passed through the school since it was opened in 1898, and the connection with the school had been so closely maintained that they still knew where most of the girls were and what they were doing. Many of them were scattered now about the world. Some were carrying on the work of education in its many and various branches. Some were nursing and some they hoped would one day be amongst our beloved Queen's nurses; many were good and use- ful sisters and daughters at home which after all was perhaps the best work they could do; some were happy wives and mothers with homes of their own whose daughters they hoped to see in their turn in the old school. She had just heard of one j or more who intended coming to the school. One heard it said some times that girls were being too highly educated. They might venture to assert that the education given to them was such as to make them better fitted after- wards to take their place in the world—to be faith- ful in its duties, to bear its sorrows, to resist its temptations. It should be remembered that every- thing that girls could learn in literature, art and science, enlarged their minds and added to their life, and was good for them provided they had at the same time a sound practical education, careful religious teaching, such as they always had had and they hoped always would have in Dr. Williams' School. She was always much struck, when she visited the school, with the bright, happy faces of all the girls whether at lessons or at play, which reflected great credit on the staff. She should like to give a special welcome to the Lord Bishop of the Diocese; and secondly ,to their first headmistress, who came there when there were great difficulties and some actual opposition to overcome, and who they were delighted to see with them "that day (ap- plause), There was an old saying, A thing well begun is half done," ane it was to her energy and ability at the beginning that the school owed its prosperity. It was built for twenty-three girls, now they had about a hundred. This day was of deep interest to her (the speaker) as it was due to her dear husband's exertions that the school was founded in Dolgelley. He never did a thing in a hurry, but only after due thought and considera- tion if he felt a thing was right and for the good of the people, he made up his mind to do it, and his calm determination carried all before it, what- ever opposition and difficulties stood in the way. After expressing the hope that the concert and the tennis tournament would be successful, Mrs. Hol- land said they all hoped the girls, both old and new, would thoroughly enjoy their re-union, and carry away happy recollections of the gathering in their old school (loud applause). THE HEAD MISTRESS. Miss Diana Thomas, the Head Mistress, who was accorded a hearty reception, intimated that she had received many letters expressing regret at inability to attend. She need hardly say how warm were the wishes which Miss Fewings sent. She had also to convey the regret of Sir John Gorst, Mr. Bryce, Sir Joshua Fitch, Principal Roberts, Aberystwyth, Mr. Owen M. Edwards, M.P. Principal Viriamu Jones, Cardiff, Dr. Isambard Owen, Hon. W. Bruce, Principal of Bala College, Hon. G. T. Kenyon, and the Principal of Lampeter College, besides a great number of men and women connected with education. Proceeding, she said that being a comparatively new comer she would leave the work done in the School to other speak- ers who knew much more about it. She would content herself by mentioning two things which specially struck her when she came there. The first was the remarkable way in which the School bad anticipated technical education by building, 21 years ago, a technical kitchen, which was scarcely surpassed even now by any of the most modern schools in Wales. Large as the school buildings were, they were not nearly adequate for the present numbers they could do comfortably with a school almost as big again (applause). The other feature which struck her was the devotion and loyalty of the old girls, which to her was un- exampled, and she would like to remind them that now was the time for them to set to work and to form themselves into an Old Girls' Organisation they could then relieve the staff of heavy, if pleas- urable, work, and make preparations for the annual reunions, which she thought could easily be done. Miss Thomas added that she had been asked by the Governors to announce that the school exhibi- tions this year of E25 each, which the Governors awarded according to the result of school work, and which were tenable at University Colleges, had been awarded to Annie Jones, of Bala, and Mary Ellis, of Dolgelley, both of whom had decided to hold them at Aberystwyth College (applause). REV. CECIL GRANT. Rev. Cecil Grant, M.A., who spoke next, humorously remarked that he must introduce him- self as the husband of Mrs. Grant. There were erroneous impressions concerning himself. The Bishop of Hereford recently described him as a distinguished Welshman. He should have no objection either to being distinguished or a Welsh- man, but unfortunately it was much too early yet to think of being distinguished, and it was too late to make any arrangement with his ancestors to be a Welshman (laughter). He was there as a substitute-as the husband of Mrs. Grant—and to say how exceedingly pleased she was to have this opportunity of coming to a place where she spent so many of the happiest and most important years of her life, and of so seeing so many of those faces that she learnt so much how to love, of feeling how great was the loyalty of the old girls towards their old sohool, of hearing how splendidly they were doing in different parts of the world, and how they were carrying with them the credit and the honour of the school which they so much loved. She was exceedingly pleased to see present some of the girls who were there in her time; it showed that the traditious of the school were not being forgotten, but were being carried on, so that a period of fresh, and, they all trusted and felt confident, of even greater prosperity was before the school now. He would deal with a subject in which he was most interested-viz., co-education- the co-education of boys and girls together. It was hard to ask a mere Englishman to come to Wales and talk about co-education, it was like ask- ing one to carry coals to Newcastle. England lacked far behind Wales in co-education, but he hoped now that they in England had made a start, they would do something to retrieve their character as a people interested in the march of education. He had not come to force co-education on them in Wales; although he believed very strongly in it, he was not one of those who would wish to force it upon old institutions. He did not believe in the assault by women upon the Universi- ties of Oxford and Cambridge. It seemed to him too much like a leap year proposal (laughter.) He thought they should all believe in co-education and it was their duty to prove and test their belief by starting great Universities of their own, which should go on, side by side with older ones, and if they were the better they would win. And so he would not on any account advise that the men should make an assault upon Dr. Williams' School. It would be like taking the Kingdom of Heaven by violence. All he asked was not that they should begin to learn afresh, but to be kiud and sympa- thetic to those who, :encouraged by the experience of other countries, were seeing whether there might not be some advantage for a system which had succeeded so wonderfully elsewhere. There was one detail in connection with co-education that had not entered into the Welsh system. When he was asked by the Education Department to institute a comparison between the American and English system and to discuss whether the American co- education could be grafted upon the English sys- tem, he foresaw at once that the great difficulty would be the fact that in England people had leanings towards Boarding Schools, whereas all the co-education in America was in day schools. He did not wish to write in his article that it was not applicable to boarding schools, because he had a boarding school himself, which was co-educational, but he had no experience to prove that it was adaptable to boarding schools. Now, however, he had had a year's experience and he could not resist giving them his firm conviction that it was espec- ially for boarding schools that co-education was de- sirable, and that, though there might be some ad- vantages for it in day schools, its great advantage would be that it would remedy many of those par- ticular evils wnich might be inherenl in the board- ing school system. He would ask them as Welsh peeple to look with interest upon the attempts that were being made in England in reference to co- education and to supplement them by adapting it also to their boarding schools (applause). MISS ARMSTRONG. Miss Armstrong, who was received with applause, said she considered it a high privilege to be allowed to be present and to assist the Governors and her old friends to rejoice at the coming of age of their old school, and to rejoice over, not only the good work which was done at first by her staff and herself, but also the excellent work which had been put into the school by their successors. They ought not to forget Miss Fewings, because she was the only past headmistress not present, nor Miss Pritchard, who had done splendid and earnest work (applause)* Proceeding, Miss Armstrong said the reign of Victoria would be remarkable for the establishment of secondary girls' schools. This movement was inaugurated greatly by the Day School Company and the Endowed Schools Commission and she deemed it the very greatest honour to have been t'be person who introduced that movement into Wales. Dr. Williams School was established under the Endowed Schools Com- mission, and she and her staff worked it oodistinctly i modern lines. There were excellent schools in the Principality then—Llandaff and Denbigh—but their lines at Dolgelley were the modern lines introduced from England. It was mere chance that brought her there. She came to Wales as a tourist and had then never heard of Dr. Williams's Trust until she saw the advertisement, and she wrote her application. She had no idea what an honour was in store for her. When she saw the school for the first time, it was in the dusk, and her heart rather went down but she remembered how hospitably she was treated by the then Governors. Having alluded to the opening of the school an event that was accelerated through the energy of Mr. Holland Miss Armstrong said they did not get the furniture quickly because they thought everything was to be bought at Dolgellcy, and Dolgelley never did things in a hurry (laughter). She remembered the two first boarders coming—" two dear little brown bundles brought by their aunt "—they were tlie two IMisses KODerts-tlic youngest- oi me gins --and they were both married now. The ac- commodation was for 23, but they soon began enlarging the premises, and the boarders soon numbered 43. Welsh girls had a great deal of talent, aud did very good work from the first. There were girls in the school then who left a record of which the school was still proud, and a good many of them had done excellent work in different places. At present," said the speaker, "your ambition is attained. Even in my time, when it was known how soon I should leave, we used to talk jocosely of the time when there would be a Welsh head mistress, educated in Wales, and here she is (applause). That was a great honour. She wished Miss Thomas was one of her own girls she was not, but one of her (Miss Armstrong's)f'own girls from that neighbourhood was occupying an equally honoured position, being one of the senior Assistant mis- tresses at the largest High School in England. The fact that this lady did not care to apply for the post of Head mistress of an Intermediate School in her own neighbourhood reminded her (Miss Arm- strong) of. a rock ahead—not for Dr. Williams' School, perhaps, although she was not sure; she referred to the extremely mean salaries that were offered to the heads of Intermediate Schools. Wales would not command the best talent as long as she was so meanj about the salaries. To make cultured people enter a profession, it was necessary that that profession should be sufficiently attractive, not only as regarded money matters, but also as regarded conditions of life. Cultured people were frightened out of Elementary Schools because of the disagreeable things they had to put up with, such as petty patronage, interference and payment by results, which was the most vulgar thing a nation could lend itself to. No money should ever be granted to schools upon the earnings of :the child- dren: it was a vile principle, quite unworthy of any nation. Having started a system of intermedi- ate education in Wales, they ouglit-to make some provision for the teachers in their old age—a kind of insurance fund—especially as the salaries was so bad. She thought half the examination fee should go to form a central fund for the pensioning of teachers, the school also and the teachers them- selves to contribute. Teachers must have whole- hearted sympathy, and be entirely trusted. With regard to the future she thought Dr. Williams' school must hold firmly to the good scholarship with which it had begun and gone on with since: but at fa certain age (16, 17, or even 18) they might venture to specialize a little in those duties that befongecl to the lady of the house. They might meet the wants of country life a little in that way. In England there was a great movement just now to teach ladies gardening, and they mighL obtain additional land in Dolgelley and secure a lecturer on gardening; she would also go in for poultry and dairy-keeping, with regard to the question of music in Wales, the Welsh voices had a touch of genius but of music in Wales it could be said that it went so far and no further." That weakness must be taken away in that school if possible. Of course music was cultivated there, but it must be cultivated more than ever, so that they might go as advanced students to Aberyst- wyth. There were other things that could be done. They wanted not only to go on on the same lines, but to widen the scope a little. "he difficulty was money "-but she had been warned not to say a word about money (laughter). They used to talk a lot about Dr. Williams' school as the school of Wales, and they all meant it to be-and it must be-the school of Wales. It must ever remain the "new" school too—always ready with the newest methods and the newest everything, so that there would be no school in the Principality to touch it (applause). THE BISHOP OF BANGOR. The Lord Bishop of Bangor, who had a hearty reception, spoke next. He remarked that he would be brief as he would be followed by those who had made the subject a speciality. He had come there as a visitor, and to see. It was the duty of one who had been called to his position to make him- self acquainted with every work that was in hand far the good of those who came within his pastorate, and, so far as he saw and he believed that the work was good, to support it as much as was able (hear, hear). In coming to a school like Dr. Williams' one came to learn, to see. and to mark. He supposed they all had a few prejudices to get rid of (laughter). In the olden days, when he used to discuss with his cousin every single problem on earth (laughter), be would argue that a school was the right education for boys, and the home the education for girls, but they found that schools were the necessity of the age for girls as well as for boys. Girls nowadays found that they wanted more teaching than they could have at home, therefore, schools such as Dr. Williams' were a necessity, and it behoved them all to use their best endeavours to see that they were used to educate in the truest sense of the word, to bring out every faculty for good that lay dormant in the pupils. There were many things in the school with which a visitor could not but be pleased; there was the technical kitchen,started 21 years ago, which must be quite upto modern ideas now, and they had just seen specimens of the pupils'handiwork,and there was that sign of splendid loyalty to the school on the part of 200 young ladies who had come. some of them from great distances, to Dolgelley that day. The school must be flourishing when old scholars came back to it with such pleasure. It was a good sign, it showed there was a healthy tradition in the school, and he hoped that the time would come when the staff would be composed of those who had been educated in the school, and be imbued with its traditions. He could not withhold his respectful tribute of admiration to the lady who presided over them, for the way in which she had, in spite of opposition, brought the school to its present state, and he hoped that what was good in the school would never be changed, and that it might go on improving in every respect, and that those who were educated in the school might go out of it with characters fully developed, to appreciate that which was good, and that which was lovely and of good report, and that they might be girls to whom the young men of the present day might look up with that reverence which was engendered when one loved that which was good, and shrank from that which was evil (applause). LADY VBRNEY. Lady Verney, who was cordially received, after expressing pleasure at the presence of the Bishop of Bangor, than whom, she said, there was no one more loyal jto his old school (Westminster), went on to describe the occasion as a very interesting one. Dr Williams' School was now one of the institutions of Wales. It used to be her great pride 20 years ago that she was officially connected with it, and she was delighted to be present that day. It was glorious to be young and see Wales going forward so splendidly, and the hope for the future so bright. Dr. Williams School was in the van of that pro- gress. During the waiting time, when the Inter- mediate Schools were not yet in sight, and the Colleges were things of the future, a small and very useful Association was started—the North Wales Scholarship Association '—with which she was connected, and when it was,found that girls, as well as boys of promise, were winning these scholarships, the question arose,—where are our girls to be sent to ? The Association sent her round on a sort of educational pilgrimage, to visit the girls' schools and to make a report. Her ex- perience was a sad one; she found "a perfect wilderness," but one day she came to Dolgelley, where she discovered an oasis-there she found a school already established that seemed to realize all the Association dreamt of. There in Miss Arm- strong and Miss Pritchard she found two educa- tional enthusiasts with a Committee at their back who were supporting them splendidly; there, instead of botany being taught from text books, it was taught in the fields; everything had a reality. a life about it which she would never forget. The speaker went on to contrast the system of second- ary education in France with the Welsh system. In France, after 20 years, the schools had been found to be too mechanical—worked on too uni- form a pattern, the result being that a very narrow type of'boy and girl bad been produced, whose chief aim in life was to suppress every opinion contrary to their own. On the other hand Father Didon, dealing with the schools in this country, noticed a note of activity, judicious experiment, and of alertness in adapting improved methods" (applause). AN ENGLISH M.P. ON OUR SYSTEM. Mr. Henry E. Hobhouse, M.P., on rising, was cordially applauded. The hon. member remarked that he was a complete stranger to the school and to Wales—he came from that benighted coun- try which had great disadvantages educationally as compared with Wales. They had not the natural advantage of being born to speak two tongues, nor the artificial advantage of having a Welsh Intermediate Education Act. He was glad to be present on so interesting an occasion, be- cause he had for some years witnessed the progress of Welsh education with great interest.. He served on the Royal Commission for Secondary Education and heard a good deal of of evidence as to the advantages of the Welsh system of intermediate schools and as to their adaptability to England, He thought, therefore, he might say somethi of the aspect which that system presented to an out- sider like himself. He thought Wales had a great deal to be thankful for in the educational world during the last 10 years. They had made marvel- lous work under the new act—progress that had been due partly to the new conditions under which they had been placed by law, partly to the sums which had been granted them both out of the rates and taxes,—because, though Wales was not satis- fied with the amount of Saxon gold which they had received, yet, really, from the Chancellor of the Exchequer's point of view, they were treated with far more consideration as regarded their secondary schools than England had hitherto been treated. Wales also owed a great deal to a number of most energetic men and women who, with enthusiasm, zeal aiici great sen-devotion, naa taken up the cause of the schools during the last few years. There was his friend Mr. Arthur Acland (applause) who did so much to start it. and ais friend Mr. Tom Ellis (applause), whose death they all deeply regretted, and who seconded him in all his efforts; a man whom to know was to like; though he (Mr. Hobhouse) did not belong to his party, yet no one could come into contact with him without feeling the effect of his enthusiasm, and his high purpose in life (applause). There were others, such as the late Mr. Holland and his friend Mr. Humphreys- Owen. Many generations of Welshmen and women would, he was sure, pass away before the good deeds of these men and women in education were forgotten. To compare Wales with England, Wales had great advantages from its organization of intermediate schools. They had covered their country districts with schools which bad attained a very fair amount of efficiency, which gave an excellent education to large classes that could not get any higher education at all at a cheap rate, unless the schools were placed within their reach. These schools were able to measure their standard of efficiency one against the other by periodical examinations. They were also able by co-operation in sharing common teachers in technical and special subjects to make their pupils efficient in special branches of learning. They had all these advantages, but there might be dangers in it. He hoped their schools would not become too uniform in their education and in their character. In England, if there was one thing they valued above others in their secondary education it was the variety and freedom and elasticity which had had hitherto characterised it (hear, hear). They thought every school should, as far as possible, have this distinctive character. He was sure Dr. Williams' School had had and would continue to have a distinctive character, but in the case of other intermediate schools there might be some slight danger, if the governing bodies and the head teachers did not look to it that they should lose their distinctive character in a dead level of ordinary education. They in Wales had their special advantages, but the very fact that they had established in such a short time so many of the schools, with, perhaps, in some cases, insufficient means, and, therefore, probably, an insufficient staff, made it all the more necessary that they should remember to keep up the higher ideals of educational progress. They knew the vital distinction there was between mere mechanical instruction and real, living education. There were three great aims in education The first and fore- most and most important was to form the character of those who were taught—by excellent discipline, to inculcate good habits, graceful manners, high theories. No school, however efficient some of the instruction might be, could be said to give a good education, if it did not hold forth above every other aim the instillation of a high moral and religious tone (applause). The second aim was the develop- ment of the faculties. Rather too much stress was often put in school life on the development of the faculty of memory. It was not always those who had the best memories who learnt the most at school. There were other faculties that they ought to develop—the faculties of observation, of intel- ligence, reflection and reason-the development of which went to form the really well-educated man and woman. Just as we developed the faculties of the body by athletic exercises, so it was necessary by the proper use of instruction in languages, in science, in mathematics, to bring out the faculties of the mind. There were many studies in school life which did not bring to one directly any mat- erial advantage, but the exercise in them was often the best possible exercise to develop the faculties, and to put them in such a state that they might be useful in many branches in after life. The third and last aim of education was the acquirement of useful knowledge and skill. A great deal was said nowadays of the advantages of technical instruc- tion, in which he entirely believed, but he saw the danger of too early specialization in practical teaching. Let them have their cookery classes by all means, and their school gardening, but do not let the attention of the pupil be turned to practical studies in the place of those other more abstract, more literary studies too early in life (hear, hear). They wished first to fully develop the man iand jWoman, and secondly to make them competent workers in their trade and profession, or their duties in after life. He would give a word of warning to parents, especially those in the country districts. Some thought they could get a good finishing education for their sons and daughters in an extremely limited time. However good the teachers, it was beyond their power to give education that was worth anything in the course of a few months or even a year (hear, hear). Parents must be willing to keep their children at the school course at any rate two or three years, if they expected to get any real good. To the girls of Dr. Williams' school he would say Do every- thing thoroughly. He was told that girls, espec- ially Welsh girls, were they quick and clever and keen to learn, but these very advantages often pre- vented them from going as deeply and thoroughly into things as they ought to. "Grind "did everybody good, especially when young. Let them also al- ways readily obey the rules, and lastly, as they were proud of their excellent school, let them always remember they must be a credit to the school, and if they were a credit to the school, they would be a credit to their family, to their country, and to themselves (applause). REV. FRANCIS JONES. Rev. Francis Jones gave some interesting j particulars concerning the trust, which need not be 1 given here, as they will be found in our inside columns. Mr. Jones remarked, in conclusion, that the school was a school not for a town or a county, but for Wales, and, to some extent, for England, and they saw, in the staff of English and Welsh teachers working harmoniously together, the j recognition of the great fact that higher education admitted of no isolation or exclusiveness (applause). DR. EDWARD JONES. Dr. Edward Jones, who was received wfth applause, remarked that those of them who were present at the opening of this noble institution, Dr. Williams' School, and had watched its growth and prosperity, could not help feeling to-day proud of the position of the school. The foundation stone was laid 23 years ago, and in looking back to that period they found with regret that most of those who took part in that function had died. He mentioned Mr. Holland, Mr. Henry Roberts, Mr. Beale, and Mr. Jeremy. The contract for the building at that time was Z2,500, but by to-day there had been expended upon the building nearly £10,000, and it was entirely free of debt (applause). The chief honour of establishing the school was due to Mr. Holland, through whose influence the endowment was secured. Much was said nowadays about erecting monuments to the memory of those illustrious dead, that had served Wales in different capacities. But for his own part he preferred the men and the women that created their own monuments during their lifetime (hear, hear). That had been done by Mr. Holland in building Dr. Williams' School on the banks of the little river Wnion. He had erected for himself a monument that would keep his memory green for many generations to come. They regretted the absence of a great many that day, but there was one whose heart would have rejoiced to be with them, when they were recording a red letter day in the annals of education in Wales, one whose whole heart was in the work, and to whom intermediate and higher education owed more than to anyone else, he referred to Mr. Thomas Edward Ellis (applause). How they missed him, and how they would miss him in the future! What a gap his death bad caused to them in Wales! His sorrowful wife had requested him to present his portrait to the Governors of Dr. Williams' School (Dr. Jones here held up a portrait of Mr. Ellis). In looking at it, he continued, how he would say from the depth of his heart- j 01 na chawn gyffwrdd a llaw nad yw, A chlywed y llais sy'n fud I Tom Ellis was not dead. In the words of George Eliot he was one of those Immortals who never died. His life and his memory would remain for generations to come, a living influence to the young men of Wales to go and follow in his footsteps, but to-day in passing they merely threw a flower on his grave (applause). < PRINCIPAL REICHEL. Principal Reichel observed that several of the dangers mentioned by Mr. Hobhouse to be guarded against in the administration of our intermediate system were very real dangers, and he hoped they would take the words of so great an English educational authority very much to heart. He referred to the danger of substituting mechanical instruction for real education or development of faculty, and the danger also which came along with that, of being satisfied with an inferior staff.' They laid it down in every one of their schemes that the head of every school must be a i graduate, but a great many o the members of the governing bodies had no conception what a difference there was between one graduate and another between the pass gradu- ate who never could be more and the honours" graduate. That was a danger which in Dr. Williams' school they need not fear. They looked back at the distinguished heads who had presided over the school, and if they looked at the very distinguished record of the brilliant Head- mistress who presided over it at present they felt that in that school at least the danger had been amply provided against (hear, hear). Mr. Hobhouse made one remark which ought to be corrected. He spoke as if the money for the intermediate schools was derived entirely from public sources. Part of the money did come from the Treasury, but in his own county there was only a half-penny rate from the local rates, the "liquor" money being equal to both but in Car- narvonshire the schools had been built by subscrip- tions. Z15,000 bad been already subscribed—which was equal to a 7d rate-almost entirely by the non-wealthy portion of the community. He doubted whether there was any country that could point to such a record (applause). The success of the movement in Wales was due to the fact that the rank and file believed in it. In England they did not—it was not a question with them of educa- tion at all, but of commercial equipment. Pro- ceeding, the speaker said when at Oxford he con- sidered the higher education of women a fad, but after he had lectured for the Association for Univer- sity Education of women on history he became con- vinced that there was something real in it. In Ban- gor a system wasestablished from the beginning, and he soon found owt that though the minds of men and women were not precisely the same, still women were equally susceptible to higher intellec- tual training: at the same time it impressed him that if they were to have that higher training with men our University system required to be very elastic in its character-that there ought to be a greater choice of subjects. It was not really the case that a woman's mind was a kind of weak edition of man's mind, but that it was a mind of a distinctive type, quite as good in its way, but requiring special opportunities for subjects to which it was fitted. For some years the University College of Wales was tied to one of the hardest and most rigid svstems of education in the world, viz., the curriculum of the London University, but they had now got rid of that, and had got, cer- tainly, on the arts side, the most elastic curriculum of any University in the kingdom. Since the University of Wales came into existence the University of London had made many changes in its arts curriculum, all inaccordance with those in vogue in the University of Wales (applause). He hoped to see coming out of Dr. Williams' School pupils who would distinguish themselves in the Universities, and afterwards be the centres of intellectual life and culture in their homes (ap- plause). OTHER SPEECHES. Dr. Roberts remarked that a great work had been accomplished at Dr. Williams' School, and the governors were to be congratulated not only on having established a great school, but on having done a great pioneering work in Wales. There had been nothing more remarkable in the last quarter of a century than the growing recognition of the right of girls to equal educational opportunities with boys, and of the right of women to equal opportunities with men. He hoped in Wales they would always maintain the lead of fighting the battle of justice for women. There were im- portant educational problems that Wales would have to face in the near future—there was needed something between the Intermediate Schools and the Colleges, and then, with that realized, they would have completed their educational system (applause). Mr. Humphreys-Owen, M.P., proposing a vote of thanks to the visitors, said it was a matter of great satisfaction to him that they should have the presence of the Bishop of Bangor, for it was right and fitting that he should take his share in this thoroughly Welsh National Movement. He was also particularly glad to have the presence of Dr. Roberts, whose great work in Uuiversitv extension had made a great mark in the educational history of the country. He was glad also to welcome his friend Mr. Hobhouse. They were always glad to see Englishmen amongst them, especially one who was a good friend of education. They had had a a warning against a too rigid system of education, and he was happy to think that danger was being avoided in the system of the Welsh Central Board, because every head teacher had the right of sending in a schedule of the course of teaching in any subject in which the Board examined, and the Board would provide, not cut-and-dried examination papers which were forced upon all the schools, but papers in accordance with the schedules sent in to them, so as to meet fully the special curriculum which was in use at the school. The question of pensions for teachers had also been under their consideration for some time, and they were about to secure from an expert actuary the basis of a scheme. He hoped therefore they might claim to have secured that most necessary provision of pensions for teachers, and due elasticity in the teaching of the schools (applause). Mr. Wynne seconded the proposition, which was heartily carried, and Captain Griffith Boscawen replied. Mr. E. Griffiths proposed and Mr. Edwards seconded a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was carried by acclamation, and the proceedings ended. THE EVENING CONCERRT. In the evening a concert was given by the Old Girls" at the Public Hall, the building being packed with an appreciative audience. Dr. Williams' School staff are to be congratulated on having been able to arrange such an excellent programme by the Old Girls." Miss Maud Jones took the house by storm, and was twice recalled, and the vast audience would not be content with a refusal. Miss Florence Theodore, Miss Lily Morgan,and Miss M. M. Jones also took ex- ceptionally well, and were encored, as did also Miss Rutter. The instrumental portion, although good, did not win such plaudits of recognition.