Glamorgan Free Press

SEJICHENYDD BOARD SCHOOLS The Opening Ceremony. A INTERESTING FUNCTION. INSTRUCTIVE ADDRESSES BY LOCAL EDUCATIONISTS. When the history of the rise and growth of Aber Valley, its development from a rural dis- trict to an important coal-mining centre, comes to be written," the striking volume will contain no more interesting chapter than that dealing with the provision of educational facilities. No doubt, when Aber Mill Schools were erected some twenty years ago, it was anticipated that the itistitution would suffice for the needs of the scattered juvenile population of the valley for ages to come. Not so, however. Beneath the earpet of smiling green, the enterprising "pros- pector" saw hidden all untold wealth of coal, and he has lost no time in commencing to turn these valuable mineral resources to good account The starting of operations by the Universal Col- liery Company marked the dawn of a new and prosperous era for the valley, and already the only recently unknown locality of Senghenydd has assumed the size and commercial importance of a thriving town. And all this within a period of five years! The Eglwysilan School Board, to their credit be it said, were prompt in realis- ing that the growth and development of this hidden-away portion of their district imposed upon them an important duty. We live in a democratic age, and this is more than proved by the fact that, wherever a new poplation is attracted, educational facilities must follow as an imperative right. And the Eglwysilan Board without hesitation recognised that right, and directly they were satisfied that the Senghenydd coal industry had "come to stay" they set about the work of rectin a suitable school. In the meantime, provision had to be made for the youngsters already arrived, and this was found in a small vestry. Under adverse conditions almost insuperable, Miss England, the excellent head-mistress appointed, took charge of the in- fant children, and in a tiny, overcrowded room, she successfully "taught the young idea how io shoot." The older lads and lasses were obliged to trudge in all weathers to Aber Mill School, a distance of two miles, and there they received splendid instruction at the hands of Mr Edward Evans. Now, however, boys, girls, and infants can attend a compact and commodious school within easy leach of t,heir own homes. The mixi-d department of the institution has been placed in the charge of one of the ablest head-teachers under the Board, Mr Dan Lloyd, who for a number of years has diligently and successfully laboured at Taff's Well, whilst Miss England will retain her charge of the infants. Monday was the date fixed for the opening ceremony, and, as may be readily imagined, the occasion was looked forward to with livelv interest, not only by the Board members, but by the inhabi- tants genrally. Admirable arrangements for the auspicious event had already been made by the architect and the builder, together with a small local committee, of which the chairman was Mr John Morgan, Brvnhyfryd, Caerphilly, the oldest member of the Board, and a gentle- man who has always occupied a prominent and distinguished position in matters educational in the parish. The bulk of the preparatory work naturally fell upon the shoulders of Mr Thomas Thomas, Ty'nywern, the faithful and energetic clerk to the Board, undoubtedly the most re- spected and beloved centleman in the entire parish, whose name will live as long as that of Eglwvsilan itself. THB PROCESSION. At half-past one the children of the Aber and Senghenydd Schools met at the former institu- tion and formed in processional order. Mar- shalled by Mr Edward Evans (Elfryn), Miss England, Miss Evans, Miss Brace, Miss Morgan, Miss M. A. Edwards, Miss M. Edwards, Miss Rowland, Miss Llewellyn, and other members of the staff, the procession, which included about 450 children—the girls in sweetly pretty frocks and the boys in very smart suits—marched to a position near Mission Church, Senghen--dd, headed by the Universal Colliery Brass Band, aonducted by Mr Miller. Throughout the morn- ing the weather had been decidely cheerless, heavy showers falling at intervals, but by this time the sun was smiling with his wonted erenial- itv and the scene was one of beauty and bright- ness. At the appointed halting place, the pro- cessionists were joined by the Rev Daniel Lewis, R.D. (Rector of Caerphilly), the chairman oi the Eglwysilan Board; Mr David Lewis, solici- tor, Caerphilly, the Vice-Chairman; Mr John Morgan, Brynhyfryd, who acted as "Master of the Ceremonies; Mr T. S. Wright, Mr William Davies, and Mr Evan Sherrah, members of the Board Mr Thomas Thomas, clerk to the Board, Mr J. H. Phillips, the architect; Mr J. Howells, Caerphilly, who built the new schools; Mr E. Mil'ward. Nantgarw, the Board's attendance officer; Rev Henry Morgan, Vicar of Eglwysilan, Rev T. Tawelfryn Thomas, White Cross; Mr and Mrs Dan Lloyd, Taff's Well; Mr W. W. Wil- liams, The Schools, Caerphilly; Mr Moses, head- master, Taff's Well;Mr J H. Morgan, M.A., Tongwynlais; Mr Leigh, Aber; Mr R. Loughor, Universal Hotel; and a number of leading citi- zens. The augmented proce.<sion then re-started to the accompaniment of lively strains from the band, and climbed the ascent leading to the new schools. The parade was watched with enthu- siastic interest by the inhabitants, who thronged the streets on the line of route, On the arrival of the procession at the door of the girls' school, the interesting opening formalities were com- menced. Letters of apology having been read fey the Clerk from the Rev David Jones, curate .r Senghenydd; Mr John Morgan, Cardiff, the solicitor to the Board; and Mr W. T. Rees, Maesyffvnon, Aberdare, the Rector was presen- y ted by the architect with a gold, inscribed key. The rev. gentleman thanked Mr Phillips for the valuable souvenir, and formally declared the building open. Headed by the Rector and the Board, members and the gentlemen named above the children then trooped into the school-room, accompanied by a large number of adults, the room being crammed to its utmost capacity. t THE OPENING ADDRESS. I The Rev Daniel Lewis, R.D., on rising to I deliver his opening address, was accordoo. a I hearty reception. In the course of his remarks I he said My first duty is to thank the members I of the Board for the honour they have done me I in asking me to open these magnificent schools. I I value the honour much more than I can ex- ■ press in words. The honour has come from the ■ whole Board, irrespective of creed or politics. I It has come from those who know me best; I from those who have worked with me for nearly ■ three years; from those who have watched my ■ movements with the deepest and liveliest inter- I est; from those who have invariably treated me ■ with the utmost kindnevs and consideration; ■ from those who have readily and cheerfully ■ placed their time and valuable services at my ■ tommand. (Hear,hear). I have also to thank ■ &ur worthy architect for the artistic and valu- ■ able pold key he has been good enough to give ■ me. He has placed me uprler a deep debt of ■ gratitude to him. By this generous act he has ■ made me a rich man, which is a very rare posi- H tion for a clergyman in these days. (Laughter). ■ I was never so well off before. True, I know H what it is to possess that small popular silver ■ coin-the threepenny bit—the coin thafc is so ■ much in evidence on Saturday nights in order to swell our collections on Sundays—(laughter)-— but I never possessed a golden key before. tie may rest assured that I shall always value it, and will never part with it. I shall take the greatest care of it,and will request those who come after me to keep it safely, and not under any circumstances to send it to the mint. It has been given me by a gentleman who is an orna- ment io his profession, and one that we are justly proud of. (Applause). The spot on which the schools is built are simply charming; H commanding an extensive view of one- of the finest valleys in the country, it looks upon th& historic town of Caerphilly—a town with a gran I past, a noble present, a bright. and a prosper- ous future-a town that is destined to soon b?- come second only to the metropolis of Wales. (Hear, hear). The contract for these schools ■ amounted to £ 4.700. Extras, of course, have ■ been incurred in laying on water and construct- ing storage tanks, and other necessities. We ■ were also obliged to extend our playground, and ■ that meant additional boundary wall. We H have accommodation for 780 scholars. Thus the H schools have been erected at the low cost of less than £ 6 10s per scholar. The average cost of H schools in this locality is at least £9 per scholar. H We must also bear in mind that the site was H expensive to build upon. The approach to it has been bad for haulage, and the gradients necessitated a large amount, of excavation and foundation walling. But notwithstanding all this, the materials, the sr>Vndid workmanship, the conveniences provided, will compare favoiir- ably with many schools erected at a much fcisrher cost. In fact, we can safely say that these fine schools are a credit to the architect, a credit to the contractor,, and an ornament to the district. (Hear. hear). We are also for- tunate in our teachers. Mr Lloyd, the head- master, is an 0W and valued teacher; he holds a splendid record, and is highly respected in the neighbourhood. His removal from Taff's vVell reminds me of an old clock that was placed m a turret in the copper works in my native place. When the company removed their works io another district some miles away, the old clock was also removed. Some of the old in- :Y.1: on the event as a great calamity; but an old wag, told them they ought not to be down in the month, they ought not to murmur. The old clock .had served them faithfully and well for many years, and he hoped it would be as useful to its new parishioners as it had been to them. We have taken the old clock from Taff's Well, and the inhabitants of that district are down upon ua and consider us cruel and unkind; but we can assure them that the old clock will be looked after and taken eare of in its new home, and we have every reason to believe that it will serve this part as faithfully and well rs it served the inhabitants of Taff's Well. (Ap- plause). But if the Senghenydd people will not treat the old clock kindly and be guided by it, we will take the old clock back to its old home, where it will be received with open arms. (Laughter, and Hear, hear). We are also for- tunate in Miss England, the head-mistress. She stands well in the opinion of the inhabitants of this district, and has done a good day's work here; in fact, she has left her mark indelibly on the minds and characters of the chidren commit- ted to her care. (Hear, hear). This is a red-letter day in the history of Senghenydd, a day that will not soon be forgotten. It is an important day as far as th3 rising generation is concerned. The future position of the place, educationally, morally, and possibly religiously, will in a great measure dtpend on the tone, character, ana qua lit v of the instruction that will he imparted in these schools. Taka the word "Schools"— there is a. tremendous charm in it; not per- haps to an Englishman, but certainly to a Welsh man It is a word pregnant with meaning. The word '"school" ir. Welsh is "ysgrl.' The English word for 'ysgol" is "ladder," and you all know what a ladder is. I sincerely trust that the teachers engaged in these schools, and the scholars committed to their charge, will realisc the. meaning of that word, and then we, tho members cf this Board, 'shall see that this "ysgol." this "ladder," which we have the plea- sure and privilege of opening Lo-day, will be the means of bringing many a boy and many a girl to the front—boys and girls who would be a credit to the parents who brought them up; credit to the schools in which they were trained; and a credit to the neighbourhool in which they were brought up. Then we who have taken an interest in education, and who have given much of our time to bring it within the reach of every child in the district in which we live, and over which we have jurisdiction, wll have the sats- faction of seeing that our labour of love has not been in vain, and that some amount of gratitude which is a rare commodity in this worId-(Iaugh- ter)—will be accorded us by all who are anxious to be fair and just, if not generous, to us who have tried to do our part, however humble and imperfect, in our day and generation. (Loud applause, during which the rev. gentleman re- sumed his seat). THE HISTORY OF SENGHENYDD. Mr Thomas Thomas, the cordiality of whose reception was an eloquent tribute to his popu- larity, was next called upon by Mr John Morgan. His remarks were singularly suitable and full of interest. It may be interesting to many pre- sent, said Mr Thomas, especially to the younger portion, to have a short history of the imme- diate neighbourhood of Senghenydd. The name SeK?henydd (or St. Cenydd) is not the original name of the hamlet; but the dingle was always known as Cwmparc, and the land where the coming town is being built was called Gwern-y- MJiwr, which would have been a neat and pretty name for a new Welsh town. Senghenydd is the old name of Caerffili, and the name of the manor in which Caerffili is situated. The whole neighbourhood is full of historical interest. To the south of Aberfawr House are the ruins of Cwm-byr Farm house, where, according to tra- dition, the renowned Sion Cent was born, and whose thirst for knowledge is an excellant ex- ample and stimulus to the more fortunate boys and girls of the present aav.. He'was born cf poor parents, and it isf slated that he walked daily barefooted from Cwm yr Aber to a semi- nary kept by an uncle of his (who was a monk) living at Llwvn Dafydd Ddu in the parish cf a Pentvrch. There are many traditions about him and his dealings with the "Prince of Dark. ness." which we have no time nor space to re- cord here, and which are no more nor less than the inventions of the priests of the period in order to blight his good name and reputation, at the timet when he left the Romish Church and joined the Wickliffites or Lollards. He lived in the 14th century, and was an eminent scholar, poet, and divine. After he left the Church of Rome, he became a tutor to the Scudamore family a.t Kent Church, on the borders of Here- ford, where he remained until his death. He lived to a great age, and as he says in his writ- ings "Having seen five kings, many wars and earthquakes, and several floods." He was a great author, and many of his works are now extant. Close by, just opposite these schools, Are the ruins of an old chapel, which tradition says at one time belonged to the Lonords or Wickliffites. Several old places of worship be- longing to that persuasion are all over Wales. About 150 years ago there lived in the hamlet of Pare several yeomen farmers who had at- tained a high degree of classical education, and who would have been ornaments to soaiety in any a/re. To the north-east of Senghenydd stands Maesdiafol, a comparatively small farm house, on the boundary of Eglwysilan Mountain. It was at this farm house on Wednesday after Whitsun, in the year 1738, Mr Howell Harris, the great reformer, preached, having preached the previous day at Bwlchycwm. It appears that the hamlet of Pare was the most populous part of the parish then, except the town of Caer- ffili. The population of the whole of Eglwysilan at that period did not exceed 1,000. The com- intr of Mr Howell Harris to this parish at the time was a God-scrcl, and his visit to the locality had a marvellous effect. The churches and other places of worship were well-attended. Sab- bath breaking was put down and looked upon as a very abominable thing. Dancing (Gwyl- mabsantau) had been much interrupted, profane swearing and cock-fighting were exclaimed against. After the light of the revival dawned on our beloved parish the charm of the magi- cian lost its hold on tke people, and their morals were much improved. The country folk ware no longer afraid of being deduded by the shrieks of Shiwi Wow into the bog of Mawn-duon on Eglwysilan Mountain, and no one felt afraid of the goblin called the Green Lady of Caerffili, the colour of whose dress is indicated by her title. She used to haunt the ruins of Caerphilly Ca.stle at night, wearing a green robe, and she had the power of burning herself into ivy. and mingling with the ivy growing on the walls, which was a very ingenious way of getting rid of the Goblin! The terror of ghost stories and fairy tales of the district have now disappeared we hope for ever. We could name other places (if time allowed), such as Pandy-bach, and old Pare Farm, with which are connected reminis- cences of the past which were held sacred by our forefathers. About 120 years ago, lower down in the valley, near Aber-tri-dwr, a kind of cutlery and agricultural implement works was carried on by a Mr Brown, an English gentleman who married one of the local heiresses. He had a brisk business for a time, but competition got too strong for him, and after spending thou- sands o fpounds, he had to succumb, and give up the business. This Mr Brown was the grand- father of the late respected Mr Joseph Evans, the Bank, Caerphilly. On the south-east, about 1 mile distance from Senghenydd on the left of Graisrwen Farm house, in the hollow below, are the ruins of an old homestead called Cwm Ivor, where in the year 1718 Lewis James (the son of Mr James Lewis, a well-to-do freeholiler) was born. Mr Lewis James received a good educa- tion, and was well versed in several of the classi- cal languages. There was until very recently at the house of Mr John Richards, Caerllwyn Farm, in this neighbourhood, a. large number of his books, which proves he was an elaborate reader and a ripe scholar. This Mr Lewis James was the minister of Hengoed Baptist Church for over 50 years, and lived at Cwm Ivor, his birthplace, up to the time of his death in 1809. Who can imagine the mental and bodily labour of this faithful old minister in attending to the spiritual wants of his people for upwards of 50 years, through storms and sunshine, from Cwm Ivor to Hengoed Chapel. Another fact which is very interesting in connection with the history of the hamlet of Pare is that one of the Rev Grif- fifth Jones' school was held at Cwm yr Aber. The history of the founder of these schools ig one of the most interesting chapters in the history of our country. Mr Jones was born in the parish of Cilrhedyn, in the County of Car- marthen, in the year 1683. He was well educa- ted for his high office under the care of a re- nowned classical tutor at Carmarthen. He was first ordained in the year 1709, and in the year 1716 he received the living of Llanddowror by the patron. Sir John Phillips, of Picton Castle,Pem- broke Castle, Pembroke. He was considered the best pr eacho-mr in Wales in his day. At least he was one 0f Wales' best benefactors. Through his love for his nation and his strong desire to instruct the reople, he established schools all over the country, to teach them to read Welsh. They were a kind of travelling schools, staving at one place for three months, and some times for six months, or more. And often, on account, of the shortness of the day. the school was kept in the nisrht for three o rfour hours. It is very interesting to finrl that one of these schools was held at Cwm yr Aber (Aber Vallev) in 1740, the number of scholars being 49. And in 1741 oppo- site Ab r-tri-dwr, with 40 scholars, which proves ttnt, the school was well supported when we con- sider the sparseness of the population. In his -c,cotii)t of this school the Rev Mr Jones states Lhat it was necessary to assist them from the school fund lest th:,v should starve their boding ;n trvin" to save their The creat dav n1", wil1 fhnw fh. offsets of tb rcliools. h s:2eJ that 159,212 r-C!!3 ,;rc!"c taught ic read the Welsh Bible, at these schools, varying in age from 6 years old to 70 years. The memory of the Rev Griffith Jones, of --an- ddowTor, should be held sacred and with the deepest respect in the heart of every Welshman. What a difference there is between the educa- tional advantages of the present day, and those of our forefathers! I trust and hope that the children and parents of Senghenydd will make the best of their privileges. They have one of the best school buildings, trained and experi- enced teachers, with all the most modern ap- paratus in furniture and books. We hope fhe children educated within these walls will become enlightened, well conducted, and useful citizens. (Applause). Mr David Lewis s-poke at some length, and his remar were heartily received. He ad- dressed himself particularly to the children, to whom he offered some very useful advice. Now reminiscent, now anecdotal, and anon humorous, Mr Lewis enchained the interest of the little ones throughout, and concluded a.midst loud cbsers. Mr William Davies, who was also warmly re- ceived. took a retrospective view of the last forty years, and compared the educational ad- vantages now enjoyed by the children of the masses, as compared with the lack of facilities with which people had t. put up four decades ago. Looking at the rapid progress which had so soon been made by Senghenydd, he felt he could not too highly honour those pioneers, full of enterprise and energy, who had made the locality what it was, and he sincerely hoped they would meet with their just reward. (Ap- plause.) It was one of the greatest blessings of modern life that wherever working-men set- tled. the State followed them with educational facilities for their children, and they should all be thankful for the immense benefits to be thus derived. The School Board had done its duty in erecting that school-it was a splendid school as the Rector had observed—and now he asked the people to do their duty. (Hear, hear.) The board had placed increased advantages within their reach, and it was now their duty to send their children there as regularly as possible (ap- plause). THE HEADMASTER INTRODUCED. This juncture was deemed a fitting occasion for introducing Mr Lloyd to his future neigh- bours and proteges. The ceremony fell to the lot of Mr John Morgan, who paid a high tribute to the new master's professional capabilities as well as to his social influence. Mr Lloyd, after repeatedly bowing acknow- ledgment of the hearty greetings aecorded him, expressed his delight at the introduction, and a licpe that he and they would soon know each other better. He wished to emphasise the very timely remarks made by Mr Davies, when re referred to the fact that the parents had an im- portant duty to perform. They should look upon sending a child to school in the same light as giving him his breakfast; they were equally essential. He would not like to use on that occasion, in referring to the chairman, and mem- bers of the Board, any language which might be construed into flattory, but he thought great thanks were due to those gentlemen for the progressive spirit which had im- pelled them to build such an excellent school, (Hear, hear). Touching upon the work that lay before him he hoped, on behalf of Miss England and himself, that they might long continue to co-operate in thei-interest of the Senghenydd of the future. (Applause). This concluded the opening ceremony. On the motion of Mr Sherrah, seconded by Mr Wright, a vote of thanks was unanimously ac- corded Mr John Morgan for his able conduct of the proceedings. Mr Morgan briefly responded. DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOLS. The schools stand on an eminence whicli affords a very pleasing view of the valley for some distance down, and in a bracing atmos- phere. They are built of local stone, with dressed brick quoins, and though they are not to be considered very ornate, they are certainly of a common-sense, suitable style. The girls and boys' departments each provide accommo- dation for 260 scholars. Each o fthe large schoolrooms accommodates 160, and opening into it are two cloakrooms and capitally appointed lavatories. The gradients of the site have permitted the formation of a large covered play- ground at the lower end of the girls' school. The infants' school is distinct from the others, and gives accommcdatioia for 260 children. All the school-rooms are divided by folding par- titions (Wilks' patent). The contractor is Mr Joseph Howtalls, the well-known Caerphilly builder, the amount of his contract being £ 4,700. Further expenditure has been necessarily in- curred by the provision of a water supply. The supply is gathered into storage tanks, which col- lect the water from two springs on the mountain side. It is impossible to too highly commend the steps taken by the Board towards securing so important a means of adding to the health and comfort of the scholars. Another source of additional expenditure has been the enlarging I of the playgrounds, which necessitated the con- struction of further boundary walls. Yet, when completed, the cost of the schools, including these "extras," will probably not exceed a cost of more than L6 10s per child, which, as the ehair- man pointed out, is a very satisfactory circum- stance. The schools have been carried out from the designs and under the personal superintend- enco of the Board's able architect, Mr J. H. Phillips, of St. John's Chambers, Cardiff and Caerphilly. After the buildings had been inspected, the children were given tea in the infants' room. The refreshments were catered by Mrs Samuels, Senghenydd, and were of a very tasty and enjoy- able description, whilst Miss England and her staff assisted in presiding over the tables. While the work of demolition was being carried on with surprising energy, the members of the Board, together with a number of head-teachers, and representatives of the press, were photo- graphed in the playground, a proceeding which afforded not a little amusment to a large gathering of spectators. THE BANQUET. Later in the evening the members of the Board and most of the ladies and gentlemen al- ready named were entertained by Mr Joseph Howells, the builder, to an excellent banpuet provided at the Universal Hotel. The Rector of Caerphilly presided, and was Isupported in the vice-chair by Mr John Morgan, Brvnhyfryd. As is always the case at the Universal Hotel, the catering was in every respect admirable, and the service left nothing to be desired, so that Mr and Mrs Lougher once more sustained the high reputation of their splendid hotel. The post-prandial proceedings were of an interesting character, a capital toast-list having been ar- ranged. The customary loyal toasts having been submitted from the chair, iur Thomas Thomas gave "The Bishop and Clergy of all denomina- tions," which was seconded by Mr T. S. Wright, and acknowledged by the Rev H.'Morgan and the Rev Tawelfryn Thomas. 1\r John Morgan proposed "The Commercial Prosperity of the Aber Valley and neighbourhood. This was seconded by Mr Evan Sherrah, and replied to by Mr R. Loughor. Mr David Lewis, in giving "The 'health of the teaching staff," with which was coupled the names of Messrs W. W. Wil- liams. Dan Lloyd, and Evan Evans, and Miss England, dilated at great length and with much force upon the great responsibilities which weighed upon members of the teaching profes- ion. Mr Williams, in the course of his reply, gave much that was interesting from his 22 years' experience at Caerphilly Schools. Mr Lloyd, who followed, feelingly referred to the cordiality of the welcome given him by the in- habitants that day, and said that the school- master's task was indeed a responsible one. The sculptor was given a piece of marble which he moulded from his own conception and creative genius; but the schoolmaster was entrusted with the characters of innocent children, and had to fashion these characters after the ideal of a God. (Hear, hear). He trusted that the work at the new schools would go on harmoniously. Mr Evan Evans, in his reply, said that when he came to Aber there were only about 70 or 80 children being educated in that Valley, whereas that number had by now increased to 450. He was glad to find Mr Lewis and other gentlemen recognising the difficulties of educational work, because there could be no greater stimulus than sympathy to renewed effort. In a speech spark- ling with flashes of genuine humour, the Chair- man proposed "The Health of our Builder and Architect," and this was seconded by the Vice- chairman. Mr J. H. Phillips, in responding, said the object he set before him in designing the new schools was to provide a good, sub- stantial building at the lowest possible cost. Mr Howells said there had been no "scamping" in the work, and there had been no forcing. Mr W. W. Williams proposed "The President and Vice-president," and Mr Leigh seconded. The toast having been enthusiastically honoured, the Rector and Mr Morgan responded. Both gentle- men referred in touching terms to the great and invaluable assistance which the Clerk (Mr Thomas Thomas) had rendered the Board in the consciencious discharge of his important duties. Mr Thomas was at. this juncture asked to say a few words. Speaking with much feeling he said he had always endeavoured to do his duty, and that these expressions of regard and recognition would help him to do so in future. (Hear, hear) Mr William Davies, in proposing "The Visitors." made some very timely remarks on the relations subsisting between school-boards and their teach- ers, He strongly advocated the. holdinrr of per- iodical conferences between the members of the Eglwysilan Beard and their staff. Mr Moses seconded, and Mr J. H. Morgan. M.A., and Mr Leigh responded. The toast of "The Press." sub- mittsvl bv Mr J. H. Morgan an I srccrvled v }! ,"r{"i¡):t, 11:n been 2.ll:llIJze,l h; l representatives present, Mr Dan Lloyd, pro posed "The Host and Hostess." This was se- conded by Mr Sam Evans, and acknowledged by Mr Lougher. This terminated the proceed- ings. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EGLWYSILAN SCHOOL BOARD. In connection with our report of proceedings so tuspicious and so interesting, it would not be amiss to give a short biographical sketch ot the gentleman who sits at the head of educa- tional administration in the parish of Eglwysilan The Rev Daniel Lewis, Rector of Caerphilly and Rural Dean, was born at Loughor, an old borough town not far from Swansea, and, with his late lamented twin brother, the Rev Wynd- ham Lewis, was brought up under the late re- vered Canon Powell Jones, v icar of Llantrisant, who was then curate of Lcughor, and who sub- sequently became rector of the parish. Lilfe many others who now occupy good positions in the church and in other walks of life, the Rev Daniel Lewis, as well as his late brother, was w trained in the National School, which was daily visited bv the Canon. Many years afterwards he was ordained in Chester Cathedral, under a title given by the late Canon Barclay, and re- ceived a curacy in the town of Runcorn. There he remained several years, when the important curacy of St. David's Carmarthen, was offered him by the late Archdeacon of Carmarthen. During his stay there he became engaged to, and married, the only daughter of the late Arch- deacon Beavan, who was Vicar of Carmarthen. and the Archdeacon of St. David's. His next appointment was to the vioarage of Llangennach, near Llanelly, where he restored the church, built a new school, and gave a high tone to the religious work of the parish. In the year 1875 the late Mr Griffith Llewellyn, Baglan Hall, offered him the living of Aberavon with Baglan. During his incumbency there he built the beauti- ful new church, at Baglan, which cost £ 17,000; the town church of Aberavon was restored, a new mission church was built, and an old one was restored, whilst the National School, con- sisting of three departments, is considerably enlarged. In the vpar 1886 he removed to Ebbw Vale, where he laboured with energy-and devo- tion until 1894, when he was appointed to the present Rectory of Caerphilly by the Dean and Chapter of Llandaff. His work at Ebbw Vale was crowned with great success, and his depar- ture was much regretted by tha parishioners, At Caerphilly, too, the rev. gentleman has not been idle, but has kept on working with that same earnestness of purpose and singleness of aim which are always the chief elements in en- suring success, Under his ministry the church has gained numerically and in its influence, and both at Caerphilly and Pwllypant improvements have been carried out which must materially add to the success of the work 11. those districts. He is a prominent and a welcome figure in the town and surrounding localities, and on all hands he is justly respected, not only by church people, but by Nonconformists as well. He is beloved by ministers of all denominations, alike for his genial presenoe, his strikng personalty, his agree- able manners, and his neighbourly attitude. It is, of course, in his capacity of Chairman of the Eglwysilan Board that his name is familiar to thousands of our readers. He was elected to this onerous position at the first meeting of the new Board, in 1895, and he has filled the chair with distinction to himself and to the satisfaction of his colleagues. His conduct of the Board'3 proceedings has been characterised by absolute fairness anct impartiality, and he has thus gained the regard and confidence of all the members, irrespective of creed or politics. j It is to be hoped that he may long live, not only to serve in the noble work to which he has been called, but also to aid in guiding the educational machinery of the parish.