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Aberdare Boys’ Grammar SchoolMemories and Memorabilia |
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Ministry of Education
State Scholarships, 1961
from Alwyn Griffiths
State Scholarships were introduced in 1920. In this initial year, there were to be 200 scholarships with 22 reserved for Wales; by 1936, 360 such scholarships were awarded in England and Wales. By 1961, as can be seen in this explanatory document about these scholarships, the number had increased to a minimum of 1,850 awards. At one time the holder of a State Scholarship had the value of the Scholarship deducted from any government grant that was also awarded. The Anderson Committee, which reported in 1960, made many recommendations about university grants to students, but it was also instrumental in recommending the abolition of State Scholarships after 1962, and this particular recommendation was accepted by the government.
In 1962, Kenneth Williams of Derlwyn, Penywaun was the last ABGS pupil to be awarded a State Scholarship. A student of Double Maths & Physics, he also was offered open scholarships at Bangor and Swansea, as well as a Miners’ Welfare Award. He decided to take up the award at U.C. Swansea.
