Welsh Journals

A Welsh It is significant that the graduates of the University Welsh University are collecting together Club in the interests of their Alma Mater and of Wales. It has been a gibe for some time that the Welsh University has been turning out mediocrity both in respect of citizenship and scholarship, and the graduates are beginning to realize that much can be done in Welsh matters by collaboration and co-ordina- tion. Informal meetings of Old Students have been held during the past year, at all of which the political and educational problems of the day have been sincerely discussed. The Old Students of Aberystwyth are pro- bably to the fore in respect of this combined action, and we hear that the question of University representation, of University control, of Union Societies and the like are engaging their serious attention. The Bangor contribu- tion is in the nature of a suggestion that a Welsh University Club should be established in London for the convenience of the large number of Old Students of the three Colleges that are now stationed in and around London. Nothing would do more to make the Old Students effective than some institution of this character. It was interesting to note the nature of the reception held at the invitation of Mr. Herbert Lewis at the Caxton Hall recently, when, as Member for the University, he met about two hundred of his constituents who reside in London. It was purely a social gathering, but the talk among the groups continually returned to matters of importance dealing with Wales. One realised that the Welsh graduates were just about feeling their way, and that in the near future they would bring their weight into play in public affairs. It is to encourage this sense of solidarity that we specially welcome the establishment of a Welsh University Club in London. It will focus the activities of the Welsh graduates, and it will assuredly lead to movements that will profoundly affect our national life. The Church The future of the Church in Wales is a in Wales matter of great importance to Nationa- lists in respect of the old struggle for Disestablishment, and in respect of its possibilities as a strong national institution. It is certainly making a great, and we think a successful effort, to put its house in order on the right lines. The proceedings of the St. David's Diocesan Conference were full of interest, and the attitude adopted by the Archbishop of York and the Master of the Temple in their addresses to the controllers of the diocese cannot fail to win the approval of those who have the interests of Wales as a whole at heart, and must have a strong effect on those who are members of the Church in Wales, but who are not wholeheartedly in favour of Welsh nationalism as an ideal and a belief. Nonconformity in Wales is the home of nationalism. The Church in Wales should breed nationalism too. The Archbishop expressed the hope that as a free Church the Church in Wales would now be able more than ever to yoke the sentiment of Welsh nationality to the work of the Church, and he hoped that the day was far distant when the Church in Wales would not have abundant opportunities to speak to the people of Wales in the language which he was certain touched the deepest chord of their souls. His tribute to the beauty oi Welsh hymn tunes should not be forgotten I hope you will make a scrap heap of a large number of those sugary and jingling tunes that have found their way into our English hymnals. More and more you will let the soul of the Church of Wales rise in the voice of those massive melodies that are the glory of Welsh singing." The Archbishop has pointed out the lines along which the Church ought to proceed if it wishes to become a great national institution. We shall watch its progress with interest. Secondary The Conference held on November 14th Education at Cardiff, on the Organisation of in Wales Secondary Education in Wales, though excellent in principle was unfortunately not so successful in results. The agenda was far too crowded; the questions for discussions savoured too much of the more technical points of educational administra- tion, whilst matters of moment, such as the nature of the new secondary education, the ultimate destination of the Central Welsh Board, or the relation of the local authorities to the secondary education within their. areas, were left practically untouched. Nevertheless, the precedent is an excellent one, and it is much to be hoped that the Rhyl and Swansea conferences will allow of freer discussion upon a few points of wider interest. The morning session, apart from one or two speeches, was without incident. Chief interest centred in the quest- ion of differentiation of schools to meet different industrial needs. Here a curious divergence of opinion was revealed. Labour representatives insisted quite rightly on a broad cultural education before specialisation; the teachers, again quite rightly, emphasised the importance of the child's capabilities, whilst it was left curiously enough to an official administrator to advocate early vocational training. It was unfortunate that time did not allow of a freer dis- cussion. One other problem aroused interest that namely of the place of Welsh literature, history and language in a Welsh national system of education. It is gratifying to find that this problem is, in some quarters at any rate, at length being attacked in a systematic, scientific manner-though even yet there is far too much appeal to sentiment and vague desire. The afternoon session was dull and unenlightening. It opened with a most unfortunate address in which the speaker urged a specialist form of training in arithmetic, English, geography and languages for youths (and pre- sumably girls !) of 16-18 as a preparation for commercial careers The speech ended with a warning that unless such commercial training was adopted Germans would 1 again invade our land as secret agents, pry out our trade secrets and spy out our defences. Fortunately, the audience, composed largely of Labour representatives, was wiser than the speaker, and his remarks were received with incredulous silence. After such sentiments, it was scarcely to be wondered that a general tone of suspicion became prevalent in regard to the place of the University in the control of secondary education. Indeed, the attitude of the public representatives to the role of the University