BARRY COUNTY SCHOOLS

THE FIRST FOUR DECADES

Mr. EDGAR JONES, M.A.

Headmaster, 1899—1933.

The Barry County School opened its doors on October 1st, 1896. One hundred and eleven pupils entered the first term. Fifty years, years later the numbers attending the two Secondary Schools of Barry exceed a thousand.

Although the Welsh Intermediate Education Act was passed in 1889, it was not till 1894 that the majority of the Welsh Intermediate Schools were established and those of Glamorgan for special reasons were not opened until 1896.

But Barry narrowly missed having a Secondary School. When the Glamorgan County Scheme for the provision of Intermediate Schools was first published it was discovered that Barry was left out. A strong protest was made, but at first without result. It was claimed by the framers of the Scheme that the School at Penarth would amply suffice for Barry’s needs, and that the Scheme could not be altered. There were, however, in Barry a band of education enthusiasts of vision and high ideals who refused to yield. Conspicuous among them were: Mr. John Lowdon, Dr. Lloyd Edwards, Dr. P. J. O’Donnell, Mr. J. C. Meggitt, Colonel J. Arthur Hughes, and Captain R. Davies, Dock-master. Through their persistent efforts a Dual School was ultimately secured, but only for 200 pupils, although the Barry representatives maintained that a provision of at least 200 places was necessary to meet the needs of the town at that time. The increase in number of pupils year by year more than justified their claim.

Unlike Schools in the rest of Wales which were built by public subscription, the Schools of Glamorgan were built from County Funds, the local communities having only to provide a site. How wise Barry was in its selection of a site is being more and more realised from the standpoint of health and of town development.

The first headmaster-was the late Mr. H. R. Norris, M.A., LL.B., B.Sc., but he did not long remain. Among the early members of the Staff were two, Mr. Thomas Keen, M.A., and Miss A. L. Mountain, Domestic Science and later Senior Mistress, who gave exceptional service to the School and left an indelible impression on their pupils. Mr. Keen composed the music of the School Song and laid the foundation of that excellent modern language teaching which has been such a marked feature of the Schools to the present day.

Barry has always had a progressive spirit. In 1899 it shared with Festiniog the distinction of being a pioneer of the policy of educating Pupil Teachers in a Secondary School, and of being a forerunner of the Bursar system, which has also become obsolete.

In December, 1898, I was appointed Headmaster and commenced duties on St. David’s Day, 1899, when the number of pupils was 157. My first impression was one of keen disappointment when I entered the School buildings and was confronted with a dark narrow corridor, the walls of which were of uncovered common bricks. Nor was there a Central Hall, a serious defect still unremedied.

Within a year of my arrival, however, the Glamorgan County Governing Body, as the Education Committee was then called, decided to enlarge and rebuild part of the building, thanks chiefly to the efforts of County Councilor Dr. O’Donnell. In 1900, therefore, we were compelled to seek temporary accommodation and were fortunate to secure fairly adequate substitutes in two empty unlicensed hotels in Woodland Road, now occupied by the Y.M.C.A. and the Town Clinic. I recall that my office had engraved on its windows in large letters, “Jug and Bottle Department,” to the amusement of staff and pupils.

The enlargements gave us Chemistry and Physics Laboratories, a Lecture Room, and a slightly widened Corridor. In 1901 the first additional block was built and formally opened by Sir George Kekewith, Secretary to the Board of Education. It consisted of the Gymnasium, the Woodwork Room, two small dining rooms, and the Caretaker’s house. Two temporary blocks were later added. More than ever today is there need of a new building worthy of the School.

Several new members of the staff joined us in 1899, among them Miss Gilpin, a very popular Senior Mistress until her marriage to an old Science and Senior Master, Mr. H. P. Lunn, in 1908, Mr. A. E. F. Henderson, M.A.; a little later, Miss Edith Howells, B.A. (now Mrs. Kingston), and Mr. Jenkin James, Classics Master, upon whom recently the honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred for his services to the University of Wales, as Secretary of its Committees.

Several pupils of this early period have distinguished themselves in various ways. Our first graduate and our first Civil Servant was W. J. Pryce, who has recently retired from the Patent Office. One of our most brilliant pupils, the late Ethel C. Jones, after twice gaining Honourable Mention for the Gold Medal of the Central Welsh Board, won an Open Scholarship in Somerville College, Oxford, took a First Class in Modern Languages, was awarded a Research Fellowship at Somerville, and took her degree of Docteur-ès-Lettres in the University of Paris.

Another old boy distinguished himself in quite another direction, D. G. John, the cartoonist, creator of” Dai Lossin.” The School may well be proud of having produced two famous cartoonists, John, and some years later, one of wider reputation, Leslie G. Illingworth, who stands today in the first rank of British cartoonists, sharing with E. H. Sheppard the honour of the central cartoons in “Punch,” and brightening with his brilliant drawings the pages of the “Daily Mail.”

In still another field, John Lowdon served as Consul General in Cologne, and at the outbreak of this war in Algiers.

Our buildings may be crude, crowded and inadequate, but it seems to have little effect on the success of the School in work and play, a success due to a remarkable sequence of able and devoted masters and mistresses throughout the years. The result of their work is partly shown in the records of successes obtained not only in Scholarships, in School, University and other public examinations, but also in the distinguished positions to which Old Barrians have attained in so many varied branches of public activities and in the cultural and commercial life of the nation. A notable feature of Academic achievements is the varied character of the subjects in which success has been attained. In addition to the more usual subjects of Modem Languages, the Classics, English, History, Mathematics, and Science, marked successes have been gained in Medicine, Engineering, Economics, Law, Archaeology, Philosophy, and in such an unusual language as Russian.

In French, the School has for several years distinguished itself in the Annual Competition organised by the journal “La France.” On three occasions the School was placed third in the list of British Schools competing, but in 1937 it was awarded First Place, a success of which Mr. G. C. Hughes has reason to be proud. The tradition of Mathematical Scholarships originated by Mr. E. P. Evans has been admirably maintained by the fine team-work of Mr. Young Smith and Mr. David Jones, and of University Scholarships in History and in Geneva Scholarships by a series of great History teachers.

The Academic and teaching quality of the Staff is also shown by the positions many of them have filled later in the educational life of Wales and beyond its borders. A considerable number have proved successful Headmasters and Headmistresses. Among them were Messrs. Thomas Keen, M.A., Ballahouston Academy, Glasgow; H.P.Lunn, B.Sc., Yardley School, Birmingham; E. P. Evans, B.A., Caernarvon, a wizard in teaching mathematics; J. Elwyn James, M.A., Canton, Cardiff, recreator of the Orchestra after the first World War; J. Morgan, M.A., Brecon; H. W. Newcombe, M.A., Abergavenny; Ben M. Jones, M.A., B.Sc., Hawarden; Miss Esther E. Morgan, B.A., Barry; Dr. Ellis Lloyd, Cathays, Cardiff.

On College Staffs, Mr. Henderson, M.A., became Vice-Principal of the Johannesburg Training College, South Africa; Mr. David Williams, M.A., has recently been appointed Professor of Welsh History at Aberystwyth College, and he has been succeeded as Lecturer in History at Cardiff College by Mr. Ivor B. Powell, B.A. Two old members who are Lecturers in Welsh at Bangor and Aberystwyth respectively, Dr. R. Williams Parry and Mr. D. Gwenallt Jones, are not only Chaired Bards, but are generally regarded as among the greatest Welsh poets of this generation. Our French Mistress, Miss Annie Ffoulkes, became Secretary of the University Appointments Board and was editor of the excellent Welsh Anthology, “Telyn y Dydd.” Dr. D. J. Roberts is now Regional Director for Wales, Ministry of Works.

Many others deserve honourable mention, but space prevents my naming only those who have passed away: T. Davies Williams, B.A., “Tim” to all who loved him and wondered at his inspiring teaching skill, was to our grief and loss, killed in the last days of the first World War; his successor, Lowell Rees, a popular old boy, remembered for his football prowess, also an enthusiastic teacher of History; one of the best loved and respected masters of all time, E. H. Davies, scientist, philosopher, athlete, and founder of the first School Orchestra; E. J. Richards, keen teacher of Welsh and devoted and unselfish supervisor of the Debating Society; J. C. Carpenter, able French Scholar and skilled producer of plays; Miss M. L. Peacop, a brilliant French teacher; and finally, two victims of the present war, Major F. W. Batey and T. E. Worthington, two Rugby and Cricket enthusiasts. Sorrow for Worthington’s death in a Japanese prison camp is still fresh and keen; he will be long remembered for his Spanish scholarship, his teaching ability, his attractive personality, and for his coaching in Rugby and Cricket of many juniors who later became the backbone of the first teams

It has been the aim of the School to develop a full life with a wide range of interests outside the usual curriculum, in Games, Athletics, Music, Drama, Art Appreciation and Poetry Reading. It would have been impossible to achieve this aim without the loyal co-operation and self-sacrificing devotion of the Staff.

In this brochure others have written of various School activities, but I should like to emphasise the debt of the School to those stalwarts who have built up and handed on a tradition in these activities for which the School has so long been distinguished.

In Cricket, our debt to Mr. George Young Smith, himself an old boy, is immeasurable. Before his day, Mr. Keen, Mr. Lunn, and Mr. J. R. Johnson, good cricketers and great teachers all, had taken an active interest in the School teams. But every summer for over a quarter of a century, G.Y.S. has spent almost the whole of his leisure time in coaching young players and supervising games. Without his enthusiastic aid the unique success of the Eleven in the Schofield Shield Competition in the early 1930’s would have been impossible.

The School is similarly indebted to Mr. Fisher for the excellence of its Rugby. He can well be proud of the three International players the School has produced, Ronnie Boon, Gus Risman, thrice member of British Rugby League teams to New Zealand and Australia, and Captain of the recent team, and Dan Evans, who still plays as skilfully as ever.

Up to the division of the Schools, Hockey was confined to girls, who were coached by Miss Esther Morgan, herself a skilful Hockey player and a former captain of the Cardiff College XI, and Mr. H. Leonard Davies. On Mr. Perkins joining the Staff he started Hockey among the non-Rugby boys and soon by his enthusiasm and good coaching brought the team to a high pitch of efficiency, several members of the team gaining International, Glamorgan County, and Cardiff College Colours.

Track Athletics and Cross-Country Running will always be associated with two of Wales’ greatest athletes, the Olympic hurdler (Athens, 1906), Mr. D. W. Walters, who served the School so well as Chemistry Master for over 40 years, and that never-ageing holder of a record number of Championships, Mr. D. J. P. Richards. Thanks to their efforts the School has produced excellent athletes, who have distinguished themselves in Inter-school events and later in Welsh A.A.A. and other Championship meetings.

Nor should one forget that at two periods in its history the School ran Cadet Ccrps. About 1904-5 a Cadet Corps was formed jointly with Pontypridd County School. Our contingent was under Lieut. H. P. Lunn’s command, and the annual Camps at B2rry Island were greatly enjoyed. In the first World War, a strong company was formed under Lieut. G. C. Hughes’s command; its photo now hangs in the corridor.

I have recently been reading with intense interest some of the early School Magazines of 1900 onwards. I could not help comparing their size and format with the large well-produced numbers of recent years. For more than 25 years Mr. J. H. Francis has added to his daily task of preserving and raising the high standard of the English of the School, the responsible and often thankless work of Editor and Business-manager of the Magazine; he greatly deserves our gratitude.

The Literary and Debating Society has a long history. One of its earliest and most eloquent members is now a Member of Parliament of weight and influence and a leader of British Jewry, Barnett Janner. The Society has since produced many other first-rate speakers, among them, Dr. llltyd David, the Reverends Idris Evans, W. Priestley Phillips, Howard Ingli James and Glynmor John, Gareth Jones, Gwynfor Evans, and Hrothgar Habakkuk. For many years the late Mr. E. J. Richards watched its proceedings with fatherly devotion.

When we think of the Orchestral Music of the School we realise how extremely fortunate the School has been in having such an exceptional conductor and trainer over a long period of years as Mr. Christopher Whitehead. The successful series of Orchestral Concerts, in which were performed most of the best known overtures, and many of the Symphonies of Mozart, Haydn and two of Beethoven’s, was a remarkable tribute to his skill, enthusiasm and persistence. Nor should we forget the pioneer work of Mr. E. H. Davies and Mr. Elwyn James, who so raised the standard of playing that the Orchestra won the prize for School Orchestras at the Ammanford National Eisteddfod, 1922. It was always a pleasure to see so many of the Staffs playing their part in the Orchestra.

Several contributors have referred to the Shakesperian Plays as the happiest memories of their School days. The performances were certainly of an exceptionally high standard, which is due to a series of excellent producers as Miss Gilpin, Mr. Lunn, Mr. Carpenter, and Miss Bateman, and to a number of young actors and actresses of considerable dramatic talent. The names of Flossie Prichard, one of the School’s most gifted actresses, whose Rosalind and Katherine seemed to dominate the stage, Betty Morgan, Ben Murrell, Gwilym Thomas, Noel Morris, Newman David, and that rare comedian, Roger Price, come vividly to mind. And Mr. H. L. Davies’s artistry and ingenuity in stage management and scene production made the plays a source of pleasure to the eye as they were to the ear. My memory goes back to the very first efforts of the School in the dramatic art. The senior girls performed “Scenes from Cranford” in 1901, and in December, 1902, the boys produced the ancient farce, “Box and Cox.” The caste was : Mr. Box: Walter H. Davies; Mr. Cox: E. Guest Habakkuk; and Mrs. Bouncer: Lowell Rees.

Even in Welsh Drama some excellent performances were given, with Mr. R. Williams Parry as producer. Many of us still recall with pleasure the moving acting of Dorothy Jones (now Alderman Dorothy Rees, J.P.) as the mother in “Ble Ma Fe.”

Early in the history of the School the House system was introduced. The School was divided at first into three Houses, Baruc, Cadoc, Dyfan, named after local saints. But after the division in 1913, a fourth, Illtyd, was added in the Boys’ School. Their mottoes are: Baruc’s, “The Utmost for the Highest”; Cadoc’s, “Bydd wir, bydd eirwir, bydd iawn”; Dyfan’s, “Non sibi sed toti”; Illtyd’s, “Goreu oh y goreu ellir.” House loyalty has almost rivalled School loyalty, and the struggles between the Houses in games, sports, and the Eisteddfod have always been most keen and spirited.

The year 1913 marked an important date in the history of the School, for the Glamorgan Education Committee, influenced by Miss E. P. Hughes, M.A., first Principal of the Cambridge Secondary Training College for Women, decided to divide the Schools and establish separate Schools for Boys and Girls. At Barry, therefore, a new Girls’ School was built. In appearance and accommodation it was a great advance on the old School for it had a Central Hall, the use of which, thanks to the kindness of the Headmistresses, has often been granted to the Boys’ School for their Concerts, and joint Dramatics.

Miss C. F. Lee, M.A., Edinburgh, was appointed Headmistress, and she served the School wisely and devotedly until compelled to resign through ill-health in 1919. To everyone’s gratification, Miss Esther Morgan, who had been such an efficient, loyal and popular member of the staffs of both schools for many years, was appointed to succeed her. Several women members of the Staff went over to the new School, one of whom, Miss Madeleine Jones, gave loyal and valuable service for 30 years.

I had long formed the opinion that the orthodox type of Grammar School education, leading to Matriculation, was by no means suitable for a large proportion of our own pupils. I therefore, in 1914, with the approval of the Governors and the sanction of the Board of Education, reorganised the School into what is now called a” Multilateral” School, with four departments: General, Technical, Commercial, and Agricultural. Although a member of the Staff, Mr. Walters had thoroughly qualified himself to teach Agricultural Science, and though I circulated information of the proposed departments to all farmers within the School area from Llantwit Major to St. Fagans, only one response was received, so that the Department ceased to function. The two other new Departments proved generally successful. The Technical Department under Mr. H. Leonard Davies and Mr. F. J. Kingston, filled a definite need as long as the engineering shops in the Barry area were in full operation. We can be proud of the eminent success in Engineering of many of our old boys who fill positions of great responsibility in the great engineering establishments of the Empire (vide lists). The Commercial Department has been and remains a most valuable part of the life of the School. It was great good fortune for it to have as its head yet another old boy, J. W. Lennox. The success of his pupils in Economics in the Universities and in business has been phenomenal, as a perusal of the lists shows.

They also illustrate the great variety of fields of achievement in the Academic world, in the Civil Service, in Commerce and Industry in which Old Barrians have gained distinction. Sir Charles Woolley, K.C.M.G., M.C., Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Cyprus and in the future of British Guiana, heads the list of a number of Civil Servants; two old boys have reached the rank of Brigadiers during the recent war: Arthur Felix Williams, D.S.O., M.C.; Stephen Windsor, M.C. I was informed that T. N. Coslett, who entered the R.A.F. from School, was for a time, while on special service in America, Acting Air Vice-Marshal. The

School Magazine of 1946 proudly records the list of 45 War Decorations and Distinctions, and in this brochure there is, to our proud sorrow, a long list of boys who have laid down their lives for their Country in both wars.

The School has sent out at least 37 Doctors and Dentists, some of whom have gained great distinction.

It has been a source of gratification that so many Old Barrians have been appointed to positions of importance in the service of the town of Barry, as Heads of the departments of Public Health, and Sanitation, as Borough Engineer, and Deputy Engineer, as Heads and Assistants of our Primary Schools, and as members of our Borough Council and of the Glamorgan County Council.

A feature of School life up to the first World War was the Speech Days, nervous occasions for Headmaster and all. He gave his report, the Principal Speaker his address, and the School Choir and Orchestra performed their part generally very satisfactorily except on one never-to-be-forgotten occasion when the Orchestra had forgotten to tune up

It is a sad pleasure to recall the names of distinguished men, now long since dead, who honoured us with their presence and sought to inspire us with a speech: Sir John Gorst, M.P., famous politician and President of the Board of Education; Sir Lewis Morris, a well-known Victorian poet and one of the founders of the University of Wales; Sir Isambard Owen, first Deputy-Chancellor of the University, Sir James Hills-Johnes, V.C., hero of the Indian Mutiny, and later Treasurer of the University (by the way, it was a pleasure to introduce to this distinguished V.C., another V.C. of the Boer War, Charles Ward, who as our P.T. Instructor, was in charge of a P.T. squad that night); Dr. Thomas Jones, C.H., Deputy Chief Secretary to the Cabinet during the first World War; my revered old Headmaster, Mr. Owen Owen, first Chief Inspector of the Central Welsh Board; Principals T. F. Roberts, E. H. Griffiths, A. H. Trow, and Bebb, and my old Latin Professor, Dr. J. Mortimer Angus, one of the most honoured and best loved men on the staffs of the University.

But I think that all who heard it will agree that the most brilliant speech of the series was that of the “silver-tongued” M.P. for Arfon, William Jones. Those of us who were in the know were even more amazed than the audience generally. For we knew that he had less than an hour to prepare his speech. The first topic on which, as he told us at tea, he was going to speak, would have made him a most unwelcome visitor to Barry. It was the unwisdom of establishing a Training College in the town!

My 35 years as Head of the School was the happiest period of my life, thanks to very likeable pupils, a most loyal staff and a sequence of wonderful Chairmen, sympathetic and kindly Governors and helpful Clerks. How fortunate the town of Barry and the School was to have for 30 years a Chairman of Governors of the rare quality of Mr. John Lowdon. He combined vision and wise caution, and his faithfulness was unique; he rarely missed a meeting of Governors during the whole of his period of office. And he was succeeded by three men of exceptional ability and of a great sense of public duty: Colonel J. Arthur Hughes, C.B., C.B.E., Alderman the Rev. D. H. Williams, M.A., and Alderman Dudley Howe, J.P. To these four my gratitude is profound for kindness, sympathy, and wise advice. Our new Chairman, the first lady Chairman, Mrs. Digby Smith, brings to her office a first-hand knowledge of educational problems, a love of the arts, and a boundless enthusiasm; I wish her a happy and useful period of office.

I desire also to express my gratitude to the three Clerks of Governors for their unfailing assistance and genial courtesy: the first Clerk, Mr. Alfred Jackson, his successor, Mr. R. Treharne Rees, both of whom served the school faithfully for many years, and the present Clerk, Mr. E. Guest Habakkuk. It was a source of gratification to me that the two former Clerks were succeeded by an Old Barrian, distinguished alike Academically and in School games, who carries out his duties so efficiently and helpfully.

The continued successes of the School in Scholarships and Academic distinctions under my successor, Mr. E. T. Griffiths, have given me pleasure and gratification. From my heart I wish “Pob llwydd i Ysgolion Sir y Barn.”

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