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Aberdare Boys’ Grammar School

Certificate Ceremonies

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Press Report of the Certificate Ceremony, December 1907

County School Day.


Last Thursday was the Prize Day of the Aberdare County School. A well-attended meeting of children, teachers, and members of the public who are interested secondary education was held at the Constitutional Hall. Mr. D. P. Davies, J.P., Chairman of the Governing Body, presided. The following governors were also Present:—Mrs. Walter Lloyd, Mrs. J. Griffiths, Councillors G. George, J.P., and David Hughes, with Mr. A. P. Jones, High Constable, and Mr. J. D. Thomas, Clerk to the Governors. The chairman, in a brief address, referred in eulogistic terms the efficiency and progress of the school. He remarked that three of H.M.’s Inspectors had in a report of the Triennial Inspection paid a very high compliment to the School. Both Mr. D. A. Thomas and Mrs. Thomas being unable through illness to be present, the distribution of the following certificates awarded by the Central Welsh Board on results of the annual examination, was made by Mrs. Lloyd:—

Honours—Philip B. Jones, Elizabeth A. Parfitt.

Senior—Winnie Chapman, W. J. Curnow, D. Arthur Davies, D. Felix Davies, Elizabeth A. Davies, D. Norman Evans, May George, Peter Halewood, Edith R. Howells, Mary Howells, Minnie Hughes, Annetta John, Sarah Gwladys John, James B. Jones, May Lewis, Daniel R. Morgan, Mariel Morgan, Cyril B. Morris, Miriam Nicholas, Irene F. Pratt, Albert Pugh, Trefor J. Reynolds, Henry Thomas, John Thomas, Arthur Williams.

Junior—Thomas Davies, Aaron Gibbon, Rd. L. Harris, Annie Hughes, Daniel Hughes, Edith M. Jones, William Jones, Edith May Kent, Lewis T. Morgan, Frederick W. Oxenham, Irene Price, T. Aneurin Rees, Idwal G. Thomas, Wyndham Thomas.

Pitman’s Shorthand Certificate: Theory—R. L. Harris.

Certificates awarded by the Association [sic] Board of Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music: Nancy Edwards, Lilian Phelps, Willie Morgan, Hilda Jones, Sadie Williams, Lena Williams, Annie Mills, Lily Thomas, Becky Johnson, Jennie Thomas, Emily Rogers. Miss Lily? Thomas was also the recipient of a prize.

Prizes awarded by the Governors:— Form VIa.—History, Lizzie Parfitt. French, Lizzie Parfitt. Mathematics, P. B. Jones. Latin, P.B. Jones. Form VIb.—Form Prize, Winnie Chapman. English Subjects, W.J Curnow. Mathematics, John Thomas. Languages, J.B. Jones. Science, Winnie Chapman. Form Va.—Form Prize, Trefor J. Reynolds. English Subjects, May George. Mathematics, Irene Pratt. Languages, T.J. Reynolds. Science, Mary Howells. Form Vb.—Form Prize, Edith M. Kent. English Subjects, Enid Davies. Mathematics, Thos. Davies. Languages, Wyndham Thomas. Geography, Dl. Hughes. Shell.—Form Prize, Marjory Jones. English Subjects, Marjory Jones. Arithmetic, Idwal Thomas. French, Idwal Thomas. Form IVa.—Form Prize, W.J. Morris. English Subjects, W.J. Morris. Mathematics, Cyril Probert. Languages, Dan. J. Jones. Form IVb.—Form Prize, Margaret Ashford. English Subjects, A.L. Davies. Mathematics, T.H. Lewis. Languages, Jennie Powell. Form IIIa.—Form Prize, Eliza M. Davies. English Subjects, Eliza M. Davies. Mathematics, Irene M. Rosser. Languages, Maggie Evans. Form IIIb.—Form Prize, Elsie Andrews. English Subjects, Elsie Andrews. Mathematics, Annie Williams. Languages, Muriel Stephens. Form IIa.—Form Prize, Stanley Morgan. Englsih Subjects, Kate Connolly. Mathematics, Stanley Morgan. Languages, Aneurin Rhydderch. Form IIb.—Form Prize, Gwen A. James. English Subjects, Gwen A. James. Mathematics, Catherine J. Jones. Languages, Sarah Jenkins. Form I—Form Prize, Catherine H. Lewis. English Subjects, Winnie Boulton. Mathematics, Catherine H. Lewis. Welsh, Jennie Morris. P.T.’s.—Form Prize, Gwilym R. Jones. English Subjects, Gwilym R. Jones. Mathematics, W.J. Thomas. Languages, Lizzie M. Harries. Drawing, L.T. Morgan. Woodwork, Wyndham Thomas. Shorthand, R.L. Harris. Book-keeping, F.W. Oxenham. Cookery, Mary Benjamin. Needlework, Clarissa Rate. Domestic Economy, Annie Woodford.

A vote of thanks to Mrs. Lloyd for distributing the prizes was proposed by Mr. G. George, and seconded by Mrs Griffiths.

Mrs. Lloyd moved a vote of sympathy with Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Thomas in their illness. Mr. G. George, in seconding, said that he would have been glad if Mr. D. A. Thomas had been present, in order to point out to him the injustice meted to Wales in Mr. McKenna’s allocation of the Grants towards secondary schools. Referring to the new Bill which provided for the medical inspection of school children, Mr. George remarked that henceforth there would be a physical record as well as a mental record of the capabilities of the child. The vote of sympathy was unanimously passed. Mrs. Lloyd exhorted the recipients of the books to read them and to value them. The High Constable proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, remarking that some men had the time without the inclination to perform public service, and others were in a vice versa position. Mr Davies, however, possessed both. The speaker dwelt on the value of commercial education. Councillor D. Hughes seconded the vote of thanks. The school choir, under the conductorship of Mr. E. Ogwen Williams, F.R.G.S., sang “The Carnovale,” “Blow, blow, thou winter wind,” and “Y Lili.” Mr. W.J. Jones accompanied. At the close “Hen Wlad fy Nhadau” and “God save the King” were sung, Miss Lizzie Franklin taking the solo in the former.

In the course of the meeting, the headmaster, Mr. W. Charlton Cox, M.A., presented his annual report, from which we cull the following:—

Number on Roll. —This was—in the Autumn Term (1906), 380; in the Spring Term (1907), 372; in the Summer Term (1907), 352. Included in the above totals are sixteen Pupil Teachers. The average number on the roll for the year was therefore 368. This is an increase on the average number during the previous year of 51. Owing to this large increase there was a. considerable strain on the accommodation, which was however somewhat relieved by the renting of Carmel Hall, Trecynon.

Annual Inspection and Examination.— No “full-dress” inspection was held during the past year, but Mr. Robinson, the Assistant Inspector of the Central Welsh Board, visited the school in March and in July; Mr. W. Edwards and Mr. Skirrow also inspected the arrangements made with regard to the Pupil Teachers in December last, and Mr. Skirrow again in May. As a result of the visit of the two last-named the school has been recognized by the Board of Education as a Pupil Teacher centre for the past year.

EXHIBITIONS AND SCHOLARSHIPS GAINED.

On the results of the annual examination, P. B. Jones and Lizzie Parfitt were each awarded a County Exhibition of the value (app) of £40 a year for three years. This is the seventh year in succession in which pupils of this school have qualified to gain Two County Exhibitions. P. B. Jones also gained an exhibition of £10 per annum at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He has now entered into residence there. Lizzie Parfitt, being only just sixteen years of age, has preferred to remain another year in school.

Matriculation.—Mildred Pratt, a pupil of this School till July last year, passed London Matriculation in January last. Anaetta John passed Welsh Matriculation in June last and Henry Thomas and Lilian Probert in September. Also the Central Welsh Board Certificates gained by W. Chapman, D. F. Davies, E. R. Howells, Mary Howells, Jas. B. Jones, Mariel Morgan, Irene Pratt, Albert Pugh, John Thomas, and Arthur Williams exempt them, from passing Welsh Matriculation. This makes a total of 13 Matriculation Certificates in the year.

Pupils Holding Scholarships.—On the result of the entrance examination held in June, 1906, County Entrance Scholarships were in September, 1906, awarded to the following:—Lucy M. Berry, Kate Connolly, Samuel Davies, Mostyn F. George, R. Donald John, Edith L. Morris, David J. Parsons, A. Rhydderch, Benj. Thomas, Enoch Watkins.

On the result of the Central Welsh Board and School Examinations held in July, 1906, County Scholarships were awarded to: Winnie Chapman, Lizzie A. Davies, Archibald L. Davies, Philip B. Jones, Daniel Hughes, William D. Lewis, and Richard H. Williams.

The County Scholarships held by the following were renewed for another year: W. J. Curnow, D.A. Davies, D.F. Davies, E.W. Davies, Thomas Davies, Peter Halewood, Alice M. Harris, Griffith C. Hughes, Gwilym S. Jones, H. Lloydwyn Jones, James B. Jones, Idris Jones, Win. Jones, Ernest C. Jenkins, Edith M. Kent, Harold Knibbs, May Lewis, Cyril B. Morris, Christopher Morgan, Tom Masters, Miriam Nicholas, Lizzie A. Parfitt, Cyril M. Probert, Dorothy Rees, T.B. Reynolds, T.J. Reynolds, Henry Thomas, John Thomas, Beatrice Thomas, Garnett Venn, David Williams, Arthur Williams, Gordon Chapman, Lily G. Evans, Emma Williams, Stanley Wilson, and May George.

Special Scholarships (amounting in each case to half the school fees) were awarded to: D. Norman Evans, Minnie Hughes, Annetta John, and Bertie Pugh.

“D.A. Thomas” Scholarships (amounting in each case to half the School Fees) were awarded to Aaron Gibbon, Dan J. Jones, Thomas H. Lewis, and Kate Rees.

The “Lord Aberdare” Scholarship (amounting to the school fees) was awarded to Fred W. Smith.

The “Co-operative” Scholarships (maintained by the Cwmbach Co-operative Society, and amounting in each case to the school fees) were awarded to:— Margaret M. Bowers, Lilian Collier, Thomas J. Griffiths, and William J. Morris.

The “National” Scholarship (amounting to the school fees) was awarded to George N. Williams.

Scholarships maintained by the Vaynor School District Governors were held by: J.R. Boyns, D.F. George, R.L. Harris, R.W. Jones, D.R. Morgan, L. T. Morgan, Ethel Page, Mary Phillips, and M.E. Rogers.

 

Notes

Paragraph beginning, "... Pupils Holding Scholarships" and those following refer to pupils at the school holding scholarships for fee, or partial fee, exemption at the Aberdare County School, not scholarships awarded for university entrance. The parents of all the other entrants would have to pay the termly school fees. The phrase "passing the scholarship" persisted into the 1950s and 60s, but was a hangover to the past. After 1944 the phrase referred to passing the 11-plus examination. Fees for secondary schools were abolished by the Education Act 1944 (Butler Act).