Aberdare Boys’ Grammar School

ABERDARE BOYS INTER-
MEDIATE SCHOOL.

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Earl of Plymouth at Annual Prize
Distribution.

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The Right Hon. the Earl of Plymouth was accorded an enthusiastic welcome at the Palladium, Aberdare, on Monday afternoon, when he presented prizes and certificates to the successful students at the annual distribution in connection with the Boys’ Intermediate School. The High Constable, Mr. W.M. Llewellyn, M.E., C.C., presided over a crowded audience, which included parents, members of the staff and scholars, and he was supported on the platform by Mrs. W.Charlton Cox, Mrs. A.P. Thomas, Miss M.Cook, M.A. (headmistress Girls’ Intermediate School), Alderman Wm.Thomas, C.C., Messrs. T.Marchant Harries, C.C., J.Ll. Smith, C.C., G.A.Treharne, C.C., J.D.Thomas, T.Botting, B.Sc. (Director of Education), and W.Charlton Cox, M.A. (headmaster).

The Chairman. in his introductory remarks, said he had pleasure in introducing the Earl of Plymouth to the gathering. The late Earl, with whom they had been more intimate, was considered one of the most democratic of their nobility. He pleased to think that the responsibilities had fallen on one who had the interest of democracy at heart, and he could congratulate the headmaster upon having secured the services of the Earl of Plymouth for that day. Meetings of that kind gave the parents and the students an opportunity of coming face to face with the staff and the governors, and could see what jolly lot of people they were (Laughter.) It also allowed the staff to confer with parents. It been his privilege to be a governor for seven years, and, for the last two years he had been chairman of the governors. Therefore, he had had opportunity of coming into constant contact with the school and staff, and he had no hesitation in saying that the Aberdare Intermediate School was second to none in South Wales. (Applause.) He was about the staff, not the boys—(laughter)—and he desired to congratulate the staff on their wonderful achievements during the last few years. As he had remarked on previous occasions, he hoped the boys would realise that many of them were at school as the result of great sacrifice on the part of their parents and that they would determine to make the most of the great opportunity afforded them.

HEADMASTER’S REPORT.

The Headmaster, in presenting his twenty-seventh annual report for the year ending July, 1923, expressed, on behalf of the staff and the pupils, how very much they appreciated the honour which had been conferred upon their school by the presence there that afternoon of the Earl of Plymouth (Applause.) He was sure that in future years all the pupils that were there that day would look back upon that prize-day as one of the red-letter days of their school career and remember it with gratification. It was pleasing to note that the attendance at the school was increasing, for it showed that the people of Aberdare district were appreciating more and more the importance of giving their sons such education as was offered by the Boys’ Intermediate School. The results of the examinations had been very gratifying, and what was probably unique was that out of five students entered for the London Matriculation, four passed, one in the first division. He expressed thanks to the governors for their great interest in the work, and concluded by saying that he considered the scholar did very well indeed during the year under review. The report stated that the numbers on register for autumn term: was 297 pupils; spring term 1923, 288 pupils; summer term, 1923, 270 pupils. This gave an average for the three terms of 285 pupils, which was an increase of 12 on the average number during the preceding year. No further increase in the number pupils in attendance was now possible, as the limit of the accommodation available had now been reached. No alteration in the teaching staff occurred during the year under review. He took the opportunity of recording his appreciation of the manner in which the staff carried out their duties throughout the year; it deserved high praise. He thought he was justified in claiming that the examination successes gained during the year were gratifying. They included: London Matriculation, 5 pupils were entered and 4 passed, 1 in the 1st Division; first Medical Examination of the Conjoint Board, 1 pupil was entered and passed at the first attempt; Central Welsh Board. Higher Certificate, 9 pupils were entered, and 8 passed, 3 with distinction; Supplementary Certificate, 9 pupils were entered and all passed, 2 with distinction; School Certificates (formerly Senior Certificate), 50 pupils were entered and 31 passed, 13 with distinction. and 3 gaining exemption from the Welsh Matriculation Examination. The percentage of pupils successful was 70; 22 marks of distinction were gained in all. On the result of the above examinations a County Free Studentship of £60 a year and fees was awarded to B.C. Erricker, and County Exhibition of the same value was awarded to E.John Shannon. Both these pupils had now entered the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. Further distinctions were gained during the year by past pupil of the school. Of these he would mention specially the names of Mr. J.D.Powell, who gained first class honours in English in the University of Wales; Mr. Garfield Thomas, who gained the degree of M.Sc., in the University of Manchester, and was appointed assistant chemical pathologist at the Manchester Infirmary, and Mr. Henry Thomas, who the degree of M.A. in the University of Wales. Rugby football was last year adopted us the winter game, and was played with great keenness and success, one of the pupils, B.C.Erricker, being awarded his international cap against France in the Schoolboys’ International. More interest was shown by the younger boys in cricket than in the preceding year, but far less than is shown in football. The weekly meetings of the Debating Society during the winter were an increasingly popular feature, and some really good papers on the burning questions of the day were read in them, During the last week of the spring term public performances of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” were given by pupils, which resulted in a substantial sum being handed to the Games Fund. Owing to their being unable to secure the loan of the Ynys Field last summer, it was decided not to hold Athletic Sports at that time.

PRIZES AND CERTIFICATES.

The Earl of Plymouth handed over the prizes and certificates to the successful students. A full list of these was as follows :—

Central Welsh Board Certificates.— Higher: E.G. Davies, J.B.Davies (1 distinction), B.C.Erricker (2 distinctions), R.W.Francis, E.J.Shannon (1 distinction), J.C.L.Thomas, W.D.Walters.

School: A.F.Carter, D.M.Edwards (2 distinctions), B.T.Evans (2 distinctions), W.I.Evans, W.J.Evans, M.T.Goronwy, J.R.Hinton, I.T.James (1 distinction), E.S.Jenkins (1 distinction), Trevor Jenkins (1 distinction), D.T.Jones (1 distinction), J.S.Jones, T.G.Jones, Trefor Jones, R.C.Knight (1 distinction), A.Lewis, G.H.Marsh (1 distinction), J.G.Nicholas. W.W.Notton, I.Phillips, M.Phillips (1 distinction), T.T.Price, E.H.Rake, R. Reynolds, A.Roberts (1 distinction), B.Samuel (1 distinction), B.P.Thomas, I.I.Thomas (1 distinction), Trevor Thomas, H.E.Williams (4 distinctions).

Supplementary: R.N.Berry (1 distinction), D.G. Evans, D.M.Francis, H.W.H.Hodges, P.Jones, R.B. Jones, J.J.C.Shannon, E.G.Davies (1 distinction).

London Matriculation Examination:—R.N.Berry, 1st division; Victor W. Jones, H.Kelly, David Lewis, 2nd division.

First Medical Examination of the Conjoint Board: W. L.Probert.

Prizes awarded by the governors.—

Form 6a: Form Prize, B.C.Erricker. English Subjects, E.J.Shannon. Languages, J.C.L.Thomas. Mathematics and Science, R.W.Francis.

Form 6b: Form Prize, R.N.Berry. English subjects, P.Jones. Languages, R.B.Jones. Science, J.J.C. Shannon.

Form 5a: Form prize, H.E.Williams. English subjects, E.S.Jenkins. Mathematics and Science, R.C.Knight. Languages, G.H.Marsh.

Form 5b: Form prize, Trevor Jenkins. English subjects, I.T.James. Languages, M.Phillips. Mathematics and Science, A.F.Carter.

Form 4a: Form prize, C.C.T.Baker. English subjects, H.E.Davies. Languages, D.T.Jones. Mathematics and Science, I.N.Stevenson.

Form 4b: Form prize, J.W.Evans. Languages, A. Morris. Mathematics and Science, J.C.Williams.

Form 3a: Form prize, G.L.Sefton. English subjects, W.D.Davies. Languages, I.Williams. Mathematics and Science, C.H.Morgan.

Form 3b: Form prize, I.Bridges. English subjects, W.Codd. Languages, A.G.C.Cox. Mathematics and Science, W.S.Davies.

Form 3c: Form prize, F.Jordan. English subjects, A.W.A.Morgan. Languages, J.H.Morgan.

Form 1a: Form prize, H.W.Davies. English subjects, R.Pardoe. Languages, B.Price. Mathematics and Science, T.R.James.

Form 1b: Form prize, V.H.Jones. English subjects, J.G.Jones. Languages, G.I.John. Mathematics and Science, R.J.Rosser.

Special prizes: Drawing, C.E.Davies. Book-keeping, D.M.Edwards. Shorthand, A.P.Owens. Music, J.A.Jenkins.

Commercial Certificates: Book-keeping, Institute of Book-keepers—

Stage II (Associateship): Class I, H.W.Evans, J.W. Evans (Vc.), L.S.Daniels (Vc.), A.R.Probert (IV Mod.). Class II., J.J.Parry (IV. Mod.), H.G.Hopkins (IV Mod..), M.Vaughan, (IV. Mod.), V.B.Jones (IV Mod.), J.H.Hargrave (IV Mod.), W.H.Hobbs (Vc.).

Stage I. (Elementary): D.J.Bremner (IV. M.), L.A. Burgess (IV. M.), W.Codd (IV. M.), R.D.Shepherd (IV. M.), R.K.Powell (Vc.), E.Lee (Vc.), R.J. George, C.I.D.Edwards (Vc.), E.T.Llewellyn (Vc.), D.H.Morgan (Vc.), W.A.Thomas, W.H.W.Jones, S. Vivian (Vc), W.D.Richards (IV. Mod), F.Jordan (IV. M), R.R.Griffiths (Vc.), H.G.Hopkins (IV. M.) J.H. Hargrave (IV. M.), W.H.Hobbs (Vc.), M.Vaughan (IV. M), V.B.Jones (IV. M.), J.C.Williams (Vc.), R. W.Rosser (IV. M.), J.J.Parry (IV. M), C.M.Morgan (IV. M), E.J.Price, A.R.Probert (IV. M.).

Shorthand, the Phonetic Institute.— 80 and 60 words a minute, J.W.Evans (Vc.). 50 words a minute, C.I.D.Edwards (Vc), W.H.Hobbs (Vc), R.K.Powell (Vc.), E.Lee (Vc.), J.C.Williams (Vc.). Elementary, G.Richards, M.Morgan (Vb.), W.H.Hobbs (Vc.), E.J.Price, A.M.Baker, J.Davies (Vb.), J.W.Evans (Vc.), R.K.Powell (Vc.), H.W.Evans, I.W.R. Stevenson (Vb), E.Lee (Vc.), S.Vivian (Vc.), E.T. Llewellyn (Vc.), A.R.Pugh (Vc.), J.C.Williams (Vc.), L.S.Daniells (Vc.), J.H.Hargrave (IV. M.), M. Vaughan (IV. Mod.).

 

THE EARL OF PLYMOUTH AND
“ROOM FOR EVERYBODY.”

The Earl of Plymouth, in his address, said he felt it was a great honour to have been asked to come there to present the prizes and certificates. It was a great pleasure to him always to identify himself with the educational work of the country. He had not left school so very long, and he felt he had a great many things to thank school for; also he would add jokingly, a number of things he did not thank school for, including an impaired digestive system. (Laughter). School days, however, were important, and what they really wanted now was knowledge that would lead to progress. He said that advisedly because it would be obviously wrong to educate everybody in exactly the same way. They could not all work in the same professions in after life, but what they surely all must do was to do what they could to develop on individual lines, and surely, in such times as at present, when so many of their fellow-countrymen and women were making a hard struggle, the opportunities that were given for the acquisition of knowledge should be adequately made use of. He, himself, often wished that he could have his schooldays over again, not only because he thoroughly enjoyed them, but because he believed he could have made better use of them than he did. People talked glibly about independence, but he could tell the scholars present, although they might think he was saying something absurd in face all the rules and regulations they had, that they would never enjoy greater freedom than they were now enjoying at school, and they would never know the same amount of freedom of mind in years to come as they had now. To-day was their chance to develop for that particular sphere for which they were best fitted. In such times as these, he did feel it was up to everyone there to prepare to share the responsibility of making the world a better place when they left it than when they first entered into it. There was room for everybody in life. Everybody had an appointed place, and it was whilst at school that scholars could best find out for themselves that particular sphere in life to which Providence was leading them. Realising the importance of that, it always gave him great pleasure to take his share, however humble it might be, in a meeting like that, and also because he believed that if they going to hold their own as a nation, then they must have education and education of the right kind. He congratulated the headmaster upon what appeared, judging from the examination lists, to have been very satisfactory year’s work. He also congratulated the staff, and those scholars who had won prizes, as well as sympathising with those who had not, for he had been in the same position himself. (Laughter.) He also desired to say how glad he was to know the games had not been neglected, for exercises and athletics generally were very important since, with proper exercise of the body, they could get the best out of the mind— which was what they were really all out to do. It had been a pleasure to be with them that afternoon, and he hoped that the privilege of coming to see them would be extended to him again in the near future. (Applause.)

In proposing a vote of thanks to the Earl of Plymouth, Alderman Wm. Thomas referred to the splendid educative and beneficent work of his late father, whilst Mr. T. Marchant Harries, C.C., assured the Earl, on his first public appearance in Aberdare, that they would be very pleased to see him again, and would give him very warm welcome.

Responding, the Earl of Plymouth said he did not feel he deserved any thanks at all. He greatly appreciated what had been said with reference to his father. It had been a great pleasure to be present, and he hoped to have that pleasure renewed.

A vote of thanks was also passed to the Chairman, on the proposition of Mr.G.A.Treharne, C.C., seconded by Mrs. A.P.Thomas, the Chairman mentioning. in his reply, the indebtedness of the governors to Mr. W.H.Mogford for kindly lending the Palladium.

During the meeting the school choir, under the conductorship of Mr. E. Ogwen Williams, rendered “The Last Rose of Summer” (P. E. Fletcher); “Gwyl Dewi Sant” and “Yr Amser Gynt,” and there was also a recitation by J.M.John, titled “Ymweliad y Cor Cymraeg Llundain,” and a gymnastic display by the scholars under the direction of Mr. E.J. Excell.