Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

14 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

NOTES AKO COMMENTS.

FISHGUARD.

MAENCLOCHOC.

PRIZE DAY.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

PRIZE DAY. REV. R. WILLIAMS' ADDRESS. The following is our report of the address delivered by the Rev. Richard Williams on the above occasion. It was unavoidably crowded out of our last issue:— After congratulating the managers, the staff, and scholars on the success achieved by the school, Mr. Williams proceeded:- l" came across a very interesting passage the other day bearing upon the dilhculty of teaching, which at the same time shows what variety is possible in the life of the student. He (the teacher), spurs the in- dolent, stimulates the sluggish, challenges the inattentive, restrains the forward, con- trols the rash, exposes the cureless, en- courages the timid, and helps the dull." I have no doubt that all teachers get an experience of this variety and have to re- sort to these and as many other methods as they can devise'in order to accomplish the great end for which students come to them. This naturally causes us to ask what then is the aim of teaching. \Yhat is it that brings you to this school? You are here for no less a purpose than to be fitted for life's journey. The aim is to help you to face and to conquer life's difficulties. Yes, and to be the better for the struggle. This great purpose cannot be realized un- less certain conditions are observed. Suc- cess depends upon this. We shall this afternoon name four such conditions- Resolution, recreation, rest, and respect. RESOLUTION. Success demands resolution. It has been well said that knowledge is worth just what it costs. That does not mean what it costs the parents, although the child should never forget that. "It really encourages all those who love to promote knowledge to see how parents are ever getting readier to sacrifice for the education of their child- ren, and it ill becomes any child to be blind to the sacrifice. The great question, however, is not what does it cost the par- ent, but what does it cost you. W hat does study cost you Now, I feel sure, could we enter your mind sometimes as it is per- plexed by problems, we would hear a voice whisper, or perhaps shout within you, why all this difficulty? Surely my teachers are very hard, or I am very stupid. But neither of these are true of necessity. There must be difficulty before there can be culture. If you experience no difficulty you may be very sure that you are not re- ceiving true culture. There should always be a grappling with difficulties, because the aim is not to give you something which you can suck in like a sponge, with neither effort nor thought, but something which by its very difficulty compels you to grapple and thus strengthens your mind. Your teachers well know that you will daily be face to face with difficulty in your future life, and that your success will depend upon the quality of your mind, hence the constant dmlculties they give while you are here. For just as the blacksmith's arm becomes strong by constant use, so will your mind by having to concentrate your attention on subjects which seem at the moment too great for you, but which really call out the possibilities that are in you. Be determined therefore to meet your difficulties as conquerors. Never worry, worry helps no one. Never be satisfied, for then you hava ceased to grow. But fill your m'ind with ideals that shall urge you on. Ideals which thall beckon you upwards through the difficulty to success. When you feel the drudgery of Latin de- clensions and conjugations, he inspired by the hope that you will soon read Latin authors, and thus be able to catch the spirit of great minds of the past that will caus_e„. ypu jo ;yuftvTre W'a loss to know why any person who has any feelings at all should compel you to rack your brain, expressing, explaining, and ex- pending euclid, look forward to the time what that exactness of thought shall help you (easily) to conquer easily difficulties nearer home. Success then needs will power, a will set on success kept from flag- ging by an inflow of life from its ideals. But never allow dreams of success to cause you to neglect present duty. Ideals exist to inspire one to duty, never to take the place of duty. Right use of the present is really what shall determine what you are to be. Set yourselves therefore for culture, through conquest of difficulties as they arise. This then leads us to our second point RECREATION. This again is esential to true culture. The person who has met his (difficulties) duties in the strong way indicated, will feel ready for a change. It is as necessary to forget your work as to remember it. Dullness, not culture is the result of unbroken work. The body must get fair play, or it refuses to serve the mind. I was glad to see that the managers of a certain high school were forced to get larger desks, because, through recreation the girls were so much bigger than in former C, years. Mr. chairman, if your managers have not already antici- pated such consequences of exercise, it is my sincere wish that you shall soon be face to face with the same problem. But in addition to its effect upon the body, re- creation plays an important part in the true education of the student. What can better prepare one for the conditions of real iue than the games of to-day. To reach your goal, you must work all to- gether. There must be no selfishness, or failure may crown the efforts of all with disgrace. What courage? What test of patience ? What tact is there needed ? And you may be very sure that he who works well will also enjoy this expense of energy which we call recrea- tion. We have now reached our third point, REST. Having worked with resolution and had our fill of recreation, we shall truly expect a refreshing rest. To no mere worker can we promise this, as his mind will be too cloudy for repose. While on the other hand no one who lives for recreation de- serves this calm repose. To the one, how- ever, who has rightly distributed duty and delight, rest is not only necessary, but welcome. At last we have reached point four. RESPECT. What shall we say here? Respect your teachers, even as you do your parents and those who love you. They are your friends, trust them. Go to them in respect for courage when you are in difficulty. Re- member that they have a far deeper interest in you than merely to teach you the sub- jects. They desire nothing more than to n get into the real touch of sympathy with you. There would be little to inspire them when teaching those dry bones which have long ago become worse than monotonous to them were it not that through these very things, they hope to produce in some meas- ure true manhood and womanhood in you, and thus set you on life's way with high ideals and equal ..ttainments. Respect your teachers therefore with that deep re- spect which spells sympathy, that calls them friends, and which loses them too much to cause them unneccessary trouble. Above all, respect yourselves. In vain will you succeed in examinations and gain dis- tinctions, while you deteriorate in charac- ter. Respect yourselves too much to stain your good name, or in any way to violate your true self. I have known Oxford grad- uates work for a labourer's wage. Why? because 'they liad.Iost their character. Re- spect yourselves. Respect others. Seek to get into touch by your studies with those master spirits who have made the world, -v and who will also make you by giving you their spirit. May your respect for persons lead yell to reverence Him who gave them to you Nothing but reverence for the Giver of all can cause you to suc-cesfully use voir opportunities and culture in the great battle of life. May such success crown your immediate efforts and thus fit you fo- the futme, is the sincere wish of the speaker. --+--

EISTEDDFOD AT SOLVA.

COODWICK.

ICE FATALITIES.I

THE PRIMATK'S MESSAGE.

BOY'S TERRIBLE PLIGHT.

LORD CRANBROOK'S WILL.

LIFEBOAT SERVICES IN 1906.

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