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I The Man About Town.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

The Man About Town. When Parliament is up" and the London season is over, when everybody who is somebody has gone to the Rhine, Norway and Sweden, Paris, Switzerland, or to an English or Welsh sea- side holiday resort, and everywhere is crowded, the season in Cardiff and Newport will be in full swing. The visit of the Iron and Steel Institute to Cardiff and the Bute Festivities are the great features of the "season," whilst the National Eisteddfod, held at Newport, will be running concurrently. Casnewydd-ar-Wyse-that is Newport- has made a good effort to beat all records in the way of the National Eisteddfod gatherings^ and IahaJl be, sadly disappointed if the Committee and the town do not accomplish their cherished object. Everyone has worked with a will and put enthusiasm into the work of preparation for the national event, and I am glad to observe that on the eve of realisation the promise is fair-nay, very bright. There have been record entries for the Newport meetings, the Committee hae produced a record Programme in size, and all that is needed to complete the success is a record attendance, for something like 26,000 has been spent on the pavilion and preliminaries. Newport can boast a model pavilion, which has been specially constructed, and a popular Presi- dent of the National Eisteddfod for the present year in Lord Tredegar. I notice that a preliminary Note" in the Programme makes a good deal of the town's claims on the Welshman's attention for its geographical position and historic associations. Cardiff is accused of being a Cosmopolitan town; Newport always strikes me as being an English town, but such a suggestion in the Eisteddfod year will be scouted! Yet the fact remains that Newport is in the centre of much rustic beauty and adjacent to country full of the romance of other times and ages, and its name is mixed up in history with many stirring events. The writer of the introduction dealing with the charms and the claims to interest which Newport possesses has made the best of his story." He brings in Caerleon and a view (from a church tower) of Portishead, Clevedon, Weston, and the Lorna Doone county as attractions for the visitor to the National Eisteddfod I That reminds me of a letter which Lord Tennyson, just before his death, wrote to a friend on the story of his visits to Caerleon. The Poet Laureate simply re- marked that a good deal of romance had grown up about his visit to the little Roman town on the banks of the Usk. A little bit of romance tinged the writer's fancy when he set down, for outside consumption, the attractions of Newport. Not that I would deprive Casnewydd of one atom of glory in its historic associations with ancient Wales, or its beautiful setting in natural scenery that requires a good deal of beat- ing. Newport with its tidal river, its Little Switzerland, its Chartist memories and trophies, its association with Caerleon and Arthurian legends, and the visits of Tennyson-Newport for these and many other reasons is very dear to one who has learned to admire it for its many charms. Thousands of visitors are likely to see New- port during the Eisteddfod week, and many I doubt not who have the opportunity of learning something of its charms of scenery and incident will be converted into warm admirers. The first week in August will be a royal time indeed for Newport. Of the Gorsedd, the competitions, the entries, and the Art Section, let others speak. A word about the musical arrangements. Music of a non-competitive character gives most satisfaction and real enjoyment to the listener. Music thrills and exhilarates gently, leaving with the listener pleasant thoughts and satisfactory sensations. Too often the competition produces excite- ment, disagreement, and animosity. I like to keep Music clear of all jarring elements. In the evening Concerts of the Eisteddfod week there are provided enormous attractions, opening with the Military Band of the Royal Marines. Mendelssohn's Elijah," performed by a full orchestra and chorus, with Madame Medora Henson, Miss Clara Butt, Mr Ben Dayies, and Mr Ffraugoon Daviee* should leave nothing to desire. The third concert of Welsh and orchestral music introduces a new choral ballad by a Welsh composer, and such artistes as Miss Maggie Davies, Miss Ceinwen Jones, Miss Olive Grey, Mr Gwilym Richards, Mr David Hughes, and Pencerdd Gwalia, the Queen's Harpist. A fourth Concert has a programme, including Mackenzie's The Dream of Jubal," and miscellaneous, with (amongst others) Miss Clara. Butt and Mr Ben Davies as vocalists. These Concerts have been arranged on Musieal Festival lines, and I ave no doubt that music lovers throughout South Wales will show their practical approval of the efforts made by Mr E. Bernard Newman, the Conductor of the Choir, and the Musical Committee in producing what is practi- cally a Musical Festival during the Eis. teddfod week. .„ At one of the sectional meetings of the Cymmrodorion during the week the ques- tion of The place of Welsh in Education will be discussed. As it will bear on the topic of the hour, the teaching of Welsh in the Board Schools, I call attention to it in passing on to other topics than those of the Eisteddfod week, and the first that comes to hand is the teaching of Welsh. The letters, mostly from Welsh. men, which are being showered upon me,run in two grooves. First,.those from Welshmen who deprecate teaching Welsh in a public elementary school; and secondly from I writers who accuse the objectors of being ( no Welshmen." Richard Lewis, East Moors, writes I Dear Man About Town,—I find, when read. ing the Echo, that a certain clerk from the Docks objects greatly to Welsh being taught in our Elementary schools, and would advocate French or German. Well, I think I may at once conclude that he is no Welshman, and! to exter- minate a language that preceded his own I think shameful. If he wants to learn French or Ger- man let him do so. He shall not exterminate the Welsh language." On the other side of the question the writer of the following letter enjoys the patronymic of Thomas," and is, I need not say, a Welshman :— Dear Man About Town,—What stupid idea is this again about teaching Welsh in the Board Schools—wasting the children's time and the ratepayers' money ? What earthly use will the ratepayers' money ? What earthly use will the knowledge ever be, if ever acquired—which is very doubtful—So ninety-nine-hundredths of the children in after life ? None whatever. The majority of the parents who voted in favour of it's being taught did so, no doubt, to please their Welsh neighbours. The Welsh language, like the Irish and Gaelic, is bound to die out. It will endure only as a written one, like many other old tongues—a subject of interest to the student and antiquarian only. But although their language may cease to be spoken, the Welsh will always remain a distinctive race, like the Scotch and Irish. They will have their capital, museum, colleges, &e. their national peculiarities, customs and talents, interesting and attractive as their own romantic land. But why strive to pre- vent the inevitable and sacrifice our childrens' time and future to a chimera or fad ?—Yours, COMMON SENSE. So far as the correspondence has gone the writers have been sharply and evenly divided, so that the result of the poll is rendered all the more remarkable. The following letter, which reaches me from Porthcawl, needs no introduction :— Dear Man About Town,'—You say in to- day's issue of the Echo you should like to see a Board School pupil the proud possessor of a University degree. If you will step up to the Cardiff University College and ask to see Robert Seaton Forrester you can have that pleasure. He received the whole of his education as far as schooling is concerned at the Graig Board School, Pontypridd, and he never had any private tuition. Last year he received his degree as B.A. and this Jiyeai his degree as M.A. at London Univertlllty, and he has just passed with honours at the University of Wales. —I am proud to sign myself, HIS FATHER. I am delighted to learn it, and if I may, I wish to congratulate father and son upon so signal a success.

IA BOY'S FOLLY.

I HIGHLY CONNECTED.

LAWN TENNIS. I--AENNI8.

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