Welsh Journals

uphill work. Interest was flagging, and it was the faithful few who kept the association alive. It may be of interest to people who knew them to mention those present at the first meeting, viz Miss Lyddiart, Messrs. J. Pentyrch Williams, Stray, Davies ?, Williams, Bwlchycibau, Williams, Llansantffraid, Jones, Llangynog, and Jones, Llanrhaiadr. Meetings were arranged to be held four times a year. The summer meetings took the form of picnics, which at different times were held at Llanrhaiadr, Llanfechain, Llanfihangel and Llanwddyn. The several schoolmasters and their wives gave a substantial tea after each meeting, at the end of which a pleasant hour was spent in music, reciting, and dancing. At some of the meetings teachers read papers on the various subjects in the curriculum, e.g. Mr. Stray gave a paper on museums and how to collect specimens. Among many interesting items they discussed and resolutions which were passed was one asking for immediate steps to be taken to provide an Intermediate School at Llanfyllin rather than have scholarships tenable outside the district. More personal matters were debated and passed e.g.: i. That teachers should be paid monthly and not quarterly (I was told that one Head Teacher used to ask the authority for payment on account.) 2. That salaries should be paid direct to the Head Teacher and not through the School correspondent. 3. That the pupil teacher system was so unsatisfactory that it should be abolished. 4. A protest against the abolition of slates as they were absolutely essential in the Infants and Junior School. Two other statements, which appear to us today most incongruous are — the Secretary has been authorised to convey to Col. Sandbach, and other managers of Bwlchycibau school their deep sense of satisfaction at the way they treated their Staff by paying them their salaries out of their own private funds when the County Authority refused to meet their oblig- ations in this respect." Again, many thanks were passed to Mr. Lomax for his kindness in supplying the different schools in the district with coal, when the County and Local District Committee had failed to fulfil their obligations." The association had a struggle to exist because of the apathy of its members, and at a Conference of Teachers held in Llanfyllin to discuss the new Education Bill of 1902 it was suggested that the Llanfyllin Association should join Oswestry, Welshpool, or Llanfair. There was great objection to joining Oswestry and be- coming an English Branch, and it was thought infra dig to amalgamate with either of the others, so it was decided to infuse new life into it, and in 1903, when the County Association of the National Union of Teachers was formed, we find Llanfyllin association very virile indeed.