Wednesday, 08 February 2012
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Hanes Ysgol Rhoscolyn History
Llyfr Log 1871 Log Book Print E-mail

1871      Log Book

Feb 2nd       Attendance improving - but still below the standard.

Feb 11th        Mr R. Jones and Rev. C. Roberts called - to supervise the metalling of the Schoolyard

Feb 16th       Ordinary Routine

Feb 24th       Very wet and boisterous morning - only 38 children assembled - Registers not marked.  Afternoon - only 29 present - Registers not marked.

Feb 27th       Tremendous storm  - only 29 present.  Registers not marked.  Several slates and pieces of wood blown away from the roof of school.  Afternoon - Registers marked as the Master wishes to leave early.

March 2nd       Awfully wet morning - only 14 attended a school meeting

New Stock

June 17th       Attendance Officer called

June 24th       Report for 1903.  Dated June 5th '03.

"The school is well constructed, the work carefully organized.  The instruction intelligently imparted, and, all things considered, very satisfactory progress has been made during the year, both in the elementary and in the Class subjects.  The infants are fairly well advanced in the ordinary range of subjects.  To enable the Head Master to supervise the work of this Class a small window should be inserted in the wall separating the Main room from the Classroom.  The existing ventilating outlets are ineffective."

H. M. Inspectors' remarks made previous should receive attention.

J. E Roberts is recognised under Article 33 of the Code.

Th. Breese. Head Master

Ann G. Roberts.  Art.68 Assistant

I. S. Roberts

June 20th       Ordinary Routine.  The attendance is low, owing chiefly to many of the younger children suffering from bad colds - something like whooping coughs.

July 1st       No school owing to tea parties in connection with the chapel - Wesleyan Denomination.

 

 

1879 July 28th

J. Evan Davies commenced duties at Rhoscolyn Board School.

The children are on the whole in a backward state, this is partly attributable to the considerable length of time the school has been closed and also to the inefficiency of some of my predecessors.

August 27th       Very wet and stormy - several children unable to attend.

Oct 6th       Many absentees.  Children employed in drawing potatoes.

Nov 3rd       I was informed that some of the children quarrelled by going home in the evenings.   Consequently, I had to inflict corporal punishment.

Nov 11th       Head keeper of Bodior visited this morning with a complaint that some of the scholars trespass after rabbits when on their way home.

 

1880 July 12th

Several absentees - employed at harvesting.

Deem it advisable to break up school about the end of the week.

 

Aug 13th 1880       I was informed by the clerk of the Board that a candidate would be engaged to assist me... but I understand the Board has been unable to procure one and that the Lordships have approved of selecting 2 paid monitors instead.

Sep 1st       William Hughes (new teacher) commenced duties.  He has had very little experience in teaching, but I am glad to say that he is energetic and obedient.

Oct 28th       Very wet and stormy, almost all absent.  Raining and blowing incessantly since yesterday morning - several of the children are unable to come on account of the water which overflows their paths.

 

1881

Feb 15th       Had to slap two boys on their hands for coming to school dirty also had to send them out to wash their hands and faces - had cautioned them previously.

Sep 11th       Master suffering from a severe cold.  Time table not strictly adhered to.

 

1883

James Evans commenced duties in this school Nov 16th on Monday last (Nov 12th 1883).  Am sorry to say that the school was in the greatest disorder imaginable.  The children most untidy - and no materials worth mentioning left in school to go on with work.

Dec 7th       Children making fair progress considering that we are still without reading books.

Jan 23rd       The school on this day - owing to the very stormy weather - only two children attended in the morning (Robert and Margaret Williams, Pwllpillo)

 

1885

February 6th       The school opened on Monday 2nd July under the mastership of J. G. Davies.  I understand that all the children are very backward in their English.  I infer that they have been accustomed to hear Welsh spoken in school.

May 14th       I had today to enter into the Admission Register the names of two children who were admitted by one of my predecessors, but whose names I failed to find on the Admission Register.

 

1887

Dec 1st       Owing to the shortness of the afternoon, I find it necessary to take oral lessons in the last half-hour.

Feb 1st       Very cold and rough this morning - very few children.  Most of the children got thoroughly soaked going home yesterday, which I presume chiefly accounts for their absence this morning.

 
Hanes Ysgol Rhoscolyn History Print E-mail

Hen Hanes Ysgol Rhoscolyn gan y diweddar Brifathro Mr. O. G. Roberts

 

Saif yr hen ysgol ar y ffordd rhwng Pontrhydybont a Rhoscolyn.  Ty annedd yw ers blynyddoedd bellach.   Sefydlwyd ac adeiladwyd yr ysgol gan J. Hampton Lewis, uchelwr a drigai ym Mhlas Bodior,yn y flwyddyn 1846.  Ef hefyd a fu'n gyfrifol am ei dodrefnu.

 

Arolygwyd yr ysgol gan un o aelodau Comisiwn "Brâd y Llyfrau Gleision" ym mis Tachwedd, tri mis ar ôl  ei chychwyniad.  Roedd nifer y bechgyn a'r merched ynddi bron yn gyfartal, yn gwneud cyfanswm o hanner cant.  Talent geiniog yr wythnos am y fraint o gael eu haddysgu ynddi.  Saith o'r plant a ddarllenai yn rhugl, gyda rhyw ddwson yn gallu gwneud Rhifyddeg yn weddol dda.  Ond teg dweud mai ar ddydd yr arolygiad, dau ddeg wyth o'r plant yn unig oedd yn bresennol.  Enw swyddog yr ysgol oedd "Rhoscolyn Charity School", ac roedd yn hollol rhydd ac anenwadol.                         

 

Dywed Adroddiad 1847 mai un athro yn unig oedd yn yr ysgol.  Ni dderbyniodd unrhyw hyfforddiant fel athro, ond roedd wedi dysgu cynllun "private adventure schools" ers dros ddeng mlynedd ar hugain.  Canmolai'r archwiliwr ei ddawn - yn y dosbarth darllen, er enghraifft, dehonglai'r brawddegau "as they are read", a holai'r plant yn drwyadl ar ddiwedd y wers.  Dim rhyfedd felly i'r dyn pwysig ddyfarnu fod cynnydd y plant yn dda a'r ddisgyblaeth yn rhagorol.

 

Enw yr athro cyntaf hwn oedd Mr. Owen Roberts, mab i Sion Rhobert Lewis, a brawd Robert Roberts yr Almanaciwr.  Bu'n athro yn yr ysgol am 35 mlynedd hyd 1881, ond yn ôl llyfr cofnodion cyntaf yr ysgol a ddechreuwyd ym mis Gorffennaf 1879, dywedir fod yr ysgol wedi bod ar gau am gryn dipyn cyn y dyddiad hwnnw.  Yn ôl Adroddiad 1847 tua £20 y flwyddyn oedd ei gyflog, ond roedd hefyd bethau y gaalwem ni heddiw yn "perks" ynghlwm wrth y swydd.  Gwnaethpwyd cytundeb rhyngddo a J. Hampton Lewis; cawsai Owen Roberts dy i fyw ynddo fel ysgolfeistr, sef Lodge Bodior, gyda chwe mis o rybudd i ymadael pe gadawsai y swydd.  Rhoddwyd caniatad hefyd i'r athro droi buwch i bori i'r cae gyferbyn a'r Lodge, ac hefyd i hel grûg ac eithin at gynneu tân - "but not in quantities for general firing".  Ond roedd hefyd yn gorfod bod yn rhyw fath o was bach i'r uchelwr.  Roedd yn ofynnol iddo fo, neu ei wraig a'i blant, agor y giât i bobl oedd yn mynd a dod i'r plasdy, ar gefn ceffyl neu mewn cerbyd.  Ac i goroni'r cwbl rhaid hefyd oedd iddo achwyn am bawb a gerddai ar y ffordd o'r Lodge i'r Plas heb ganiatad.

 


 

Rhoscolyn Charity School (Yr Hen Ysgol)                           Lodge Bodior                                                             

Ychydig iawn o hanes yr ysgol rhwng 1846 ac 1871 sydd wedi ei gofnodi.  Or ar 23ain Chwefror, 1871, cynhaliwyd cyfarfod cyhoeddus yng nghyntedd Eglwys Rhoscolyn, ac yn ddiweddarach yn yr ysgol ei hun.  Erbyn hyn roedd Deddf Addysg 1870 yn gyfraith gwlad.  Llywydd y cyfarfod oedd y Rheithor, y Parch. T. Hughes Jones.  Penderfynwyd yn unfrydol beidio a ffurfio "School Board" yn ôl y ddeddf, gan fod y trethi yn barod yn llethol.  Diolchwyd i Major Hampton Lewis a'r teulu am eu diddordeb yn addysg plant y plwyf ers 1845.  Rhoddwyd diolch arbennig i Miss Hampton Lewis am noddi yr ysgol a'r drafferth a gymerodd i arolygu'r ysgol am flynyddoedd lawer.  Ond wrth gwrs, diwedd y gân yw y geiniog.  Gofynnwyd i'r teulu, trwy y Rheithor, a fuasent mor garedig a dal i roi cymorth ariannol i gadw'r ysgol yn ei blaen i'r dyfodol.  I gloi y drafodaeth gofynnwyd i'r Anrhydeddus W. O. Stanley, A.S., Capt. a Mrs. Edmund Verney, yr Arglwydd Boston a thirfeddianwyr eraill y plwyf roi eu cymorth hefyd.  Llofnodwyd y cais i'r bonheddwyr gan bedwar ar hugain o drigolion y plwyf.

 

Ond yn ôl pob golwg ofer a fu'r cais.  Erbyn Gorffennaf 1879 galwyd yr ysgol yn "Rhoscolyn Board School".  Nid oes sicrwydd pryd daeth y newid, ond o'r flwyddyn yma dechreuwyd llyfrau cofnodion yr ysgol.  Ym mis Ionawr 1880 gwnaethpwyd cytundeb eto rhwng teulu Bodior, Cyrnol Thomas Hampton Lewis erbyn hyn, a Bwrdd yr Ysgol i ddalu y swm o bum swllt y flwyddyn am dair blynedd fel rhent am yr adeilad.

 

Fel diweddglo, daeth Evan Charles Davies, "athro trwyddedig", yn brifathro ym mis Gorffennaf 1879.  Ffaith diddorol yw fod merch iddo, Miss Sally Davies, yn dal i fyw mewn oedran têg yn Nhywyn Capel.  Yn y llyfr cofnodion dywed fod yr ysgol wedi bod ar gau am amser hir cyn ei ddyfodiad ef i'r swydd, ac wedi ei hesgeuluso yn y cyfamser.  Gresyn nad oes dim yn aros am helynt yr ysgol rhwng 1871-79.

 Rhagfyr 1972.

 

 

Rhoscolyn Council School, officially opened Aug 31st 1937

 

   

Presented to the Local Managers of                                                 Thomas Breese, Pennaeth/Headteacher 1886 - 1924

Rhoscolyn Council School by T. H. Breese Esq. Headmaster 

Seated left to right    Robert William Esq (Correspondent), G S Owen Esq (Chairman), Miss E R Jones 

Standing   Captain William Parry Jones, Rev. J H Williams, (J) Roberts Esq 

 

Ysgol Rhoscolyn's history by Mr. O. G. Roberts, late Headmaster of Rhoscolyn School

 

 The old school was built in 1846, beside the roadway from Four Mile Bridge, which passes through the Bodior Estate and on to Rhoscolyn.  The old building has now been converted to a residential dwelling.  Mr J. Hampton Lewis, a wealthy landowner resided at Bodior, know for his generosity towards all charitable causes locally, it was he who gave the land, financed the building and furnishments to establish the school.   The school was inspected by a member of the Treachery of the Blue Books Commission in October, just three months after its opening.  The number of boys and girls at the school was about equal, making a total of fifty pupils.  They paid one penny a week for the privilege of receiving their education there.  Seven of the children were fluent readers, with approximately a dozen being able to undertake Arithmetic fairly well.  It is fair to say that on the day of the inspection, only twenty-eight of the children were present.  The official name given to the school was Rhoscolyn Charity School, and it was entirely free of religious persuasion.


 According to the 1847 Report there was only one teacher at the school.  He had not received any training as a teacher, but had taught the private adventure schools scheme for over thirty years.  The inspector praised his ability - in the reading class, for example, he interpreted sentences "as they are read", and questioned the children thoroughly at the end of the lesson.  Little wonder that the important inspector decreed the children's progress good and discipline exemplary.


The name of this first teacher was Mr. Owen Roberts, son of Sion Rhobert Lewis, and brother to Robert Roberts, the Almanacer. He was a teacher at the school for 35 years until 1881, but according to the school's first record book, started in July 1879, it states that the school had been closed for quite a while at that date.  According to the 1847 Report, his annual salary was approximately £20, but there were certain perks that came with the job.  An agreement was reached between him and J. Hampton Lewis; that Owen Roberts would receive a house to live in as schoolmaster, namely Bodior Lodge, with six months notice to leave should he leave his post.  Permission was granted for the schoolmaster to turn a cow to pasture in the field opposite the Lodge, and collect heather and gorse to light fires "but not in quantities for general firing".   But he also had to be a servant to the landowner.  It was requisite for him, or his wife and children to open the gate for people coming to and from the main house on horseback or carriage.  In addition, he was required to report everyone who walked along the road from the Lodge to the House without permission.
 

 Very little history between 1846 and 1871 has been recorded.  On February 23rd, 1871, the first public meeting took place in the foyer of Rhoscolyn Church, and later at the school itself.  Now in 1870 the Education Act was the law of the land.  The chairperson at the meeting was the Rector, the Reverend T. Hughes Jones. It was decided, unanimously not to form a School Board according to the Act, as the taxes were already stifling.  Major Hampton Lewis and his family were thanked for their interest in the education of the parish children since 1845.  Special thanks were given to Miss Hampton Lewis for sponsoring the school and the trouble taken to inspect the school over numerous years.  But, of course, money is paramount.  The family were asked, through the Rector if they would again be generous and to continue to support the school financially.  To close the proceedings, the Hon. W. O. Stanley, M.P., Captain and Mrs Edmund Verney, Lord Boston and other wealthy parish landowners would be asked to pledge their financial report.  The appeal to the gentry was signed by twenty four villagers.  But it appears the appeal fell on deaf ears.  By July 1879, the school became known as Rhoscolyn Board School.  It is not clear when the change took place, but school record books commence from this year.  In January 1880 another agreement was made between the Bodior family, Thomas Hampton Lewis by now Colonel, and the School Board to pay the sum of five shillings a year for three years as rent for the building.

 

In conclusion, Evan Charles Davies, a licensed teacher became Headmaster in July 1879.  An interesting fact is that his daughter, Miss Sally Davies, now in advanced years, still lives at Tywyn Capel Residential Home.  The Minutes state that the school was closed for a long time prior to his arrival, and apparently in the meantime had been neglected.  It is a shame that there are no accounts of the school's exploits between 1871-79.


December 1972.