The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-11 00:00:00

EDUCATION IN WALES.

Mr. WILLIAMS then rose, in pursuance of notice, to
move than an address be presented to her Majesty for inquiry
to be made into the state of education in the principality of
Wales, with the means afforded to the labouring classes of art-
quiring a knowledge of the English language. He said that the
state of education in Wales was much more neglected and
deficient than in any other part of the United Kingdom.
The consequence was, that there were no works produced
amongst that people which had beers an addition to literature
for ages, neither had there been any translations of English
works into their language, either on literature, the arts, and
sciences, especially in those most important to the interests of
mineralogy, agriculture, or the useful arts. That was the
position in which they were placed, and he thought until the
Government should have taken measures for such an intro.
duction of the English language as would increase
the intelligence and information of the community
in general throughout the principality of Wales,
no- great improvement was likely to take place.
His motion only asked for an inquiry in the same way as had
been grantel to England and Scotland. A Committee had
been appointed to inquire into the system of education in
England and Wales, and many valuable reports resulted from
that inquiry so far as England was concerned. Now
nut of all this inquiry only one pas t of Wales
was alluded to. Why that was the case he could
not tell. The report from that district, however, gave such a
statement of the destitute state of education, that he considered
it binding upon her Majesty's Government to remedy the evil.
There were 250,000 children in the principality of Wales, from
the age of fourteen years downwards, who ought to receive
education, and who were at present, in a great m asure, with.
out the means of obtaining' it. He had received various letters
on the subject, in one of which it was stated, that
of the 25,000 children a very large proportion of
them received no education, or of so inferior a description,
it may be only. called nominal. That Gentleman states,
that those 250,000 children had immortal souls, and they were
left without the means of receiving a proper education. In
Merthyr Tydvil, and four parishes in alonnaouthsh.re, con-
sisting of 85,000 inhabitates, he states, that the means for
affording education in those parishes consisted of forty•seven
schools, thirty-three of which were for children, and there
remained 8,026 who received no education whatsoever.
Many of these schools had masters who were themselves the
most ignorant men, and, of course, were incapable of giving
instructions to those under their care. Ile could give many
proofs of what he had stated to the House, but he
would not take up the time of the Hon. Members by
reading more than one or two of the statements
which he had received in confirmation of the state
of education in. that portion of her Majesty's dominions.
Sixteen of the masters of those schools were unsuc-
cessful in retail trades. Eleven masters were miners or
labourers, and only ten had received any education with a
view of becoming fitted for the instruction of youth.
Four were dissenting preachers, and such was the mode
by which at present the schools in Wales were governed.
He states that the instruction afforded to the children of the
labouring classes could not be expected to have much per-
manent effect, either in raising their habits or correct-
ing their dispositions. He found the greatest dis-
position among the people to avail themselves of instruction,
and the district to which he had alluded, contained eighty
Sunday schools, at which a large number of adults attended
for several hours of the day, in order to be enabled to read
their bible.—( Hear, hear.) He would refer the House to the
statement of Mr. Tremaherne. In making his statement as to
the mental destitution of the people, he said, the men engaged
in the furnaces and in the mills got from 255. to 60s. a week
wages. The miners and colliers got 219. to 255. ; the artisans
18s. to 245. ; and the commonest labourer 12s. to 18s. Now,
what was the mental condition of that population, so physically
will off? Mr. Tremaherne said scarcely one instance existed
among those men earning 509. a week of any savings being
made. lie sail that these men, industrious to the last degree,
were so destitute of mental means of enjoyment that they ere
obliged to resort to the pubic hous?, and there they spent their
earnings. It might be askednis hat was the cause of all this apathy
and indifference towards this people ? He could not answer the
question; but it appeared to him snore than extraordinary to ,
perceive such indifference practised towards a nukes of
people who needed so much mural, mental, and, he would
add, physical improvement. He very much feared that some
strong feeling of indifference prevailed amongst the gentry and
landed proprietary of the country; and though there were, to
his own knowledge, many most excellent and worthy
Gentlemen amongst them, yet, he should adhere to
what he had originally stated. He had no doubt if
the landed proprietors were compelled, as were the gentry
of Scotland at one period, to form schools in the various
districts, that the outlay would be tenfold repaid them, not 111

alone by the improved habits, and superior manners eof the
people, but also by the superior style of cultivation
which they then would be certain to practice.
He should state that there existed the most intense desire
amongst the people of Wales to possess the means of acquiring
a knowledge of the English language. In support of this he
.begged to refer to the report of her Majesty's Commissioners
appointed to inquire into the state of the principality of Wales.
The Hon. Member then read an extract from the reports of
the Committee appointed to enquire into the state of educa-
tion in North and South Wales, which set forth that the want
of a knowledge of the English. language by the inhabitants of
the principality was a great drawback to their improvement, as
it prevented the proper working of the laws, the administra-
tion of justice, and threw great difficulties in the way of the
exertions of the Church of England and its members.
There were but few churches, and so low was
the state of morals as to almost cripple individual
exertions, the consequence was that many farmers and' their
families were almost beyond the 'Tech of improvement. They
also attributed the recent political excitement to the
ignorance amongst the people. The report was signed by
gentlemen of great influence, whose authority was sufficient
to induce the House and the Government to -give
the subject the earliest and f alest consideration.
If he could induce her Majesty's Government and that House
to confer upon the people of this country the benefits of a
sound education, the beneficial results would be beyond
calculation. He would now call the attention of the Right
Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State to the statements made
by the gentlemen he had named. They said that the want of
the knowledge of the English language, arising from a
want of proper education presented the most serious obstacles
to the administration of justice. It were impossible
for him to furnish evidence more strikine of the
consequences of the want of education than those
statements appeared to be. If the House wished, he
could multiply such- statements a hundred fold ; but
he would just confine himself to two or three per-
sons who were well known to that House, and to
the country, and who he was sure would receive that attention
they deserved. He would beg leave to quote the opinion
of a gentleman, who was in an especial manner
worthy of their attention. He meant the gentleman who was
-sent by the Times newspaper to Wales to inquire into the dis-
turbances which prevailed there some few years ago. He was
in that country for a considerable period of time; he was a
gentleman of high education, a barrister, and one who was
peculiarly qualified for investigating into the condition of the
people. He was the same gentleman who was lately sent to
Ireland under the name of the Times' Commissioner,
and who had sent to this country those very able
reports which had -. appeared in the Tinzes. He
meant Mr. Forster. The Hon. Member went on to read an
extract from the reports which had appeared in the Times
newspaper a few
_years ago with respect to the disturb-
ances in Wales. That gentleman stated, that after a long-
sojourn in that country, he had found that the state of
the education of the people was lamentably deficient,
which was the main cause of the disturbances which had
broken out, and that they were, in fact, completely destitute of
that which led to improvement and civilisation—complete and
sound education. He also stated that there could be no ex-
tensive, sound, and feasible plan of education, unless it were
based upon the principle of making the • English lan-
guage the only means of communication.—( Hear, hear. )
The useful sciences, and indeed the whole principle of ad-
vancement depended' upon, the cultivation of the English lan-
guage. The Welsh people were well aware of this circum-
stance, and were exceedingly anxious to obtain the means of
teaching their children English. This, he was convinced, was
the only means which opened the road to promotion. He there-
fore thought that this was the only way to increase the pros-
perity of the country, and to reader the people permanently
happy. He would now add to the testimony of this gentleman,
other evidence of great importance. It was the testimony of
a gentleman, distinguished alike from his high position, and
for the extent of his attainments as a scholar, and his char-
acter as a man. He alluded to one high in the estimation of
the Bench of Bishops. He meant the Bishop of St. David s.
In one of his late charges that learned functionary had stated,
for the instruction of his clergy, that it was a remarkable cir-
cumstance, which hail come to his knowledge, that several of
the children of the Welh in the rural districts, from their
knowledge of the English language, had been the main means
of instructing their parents in the principles of morality and
religion. He thought, therefore, that the utmost effort,
should be made to extend the knowledge of the English lan-
guage throughout the whole of the Principality, for he
believed it depended greatly upon this means of communica
time being extended, e betties. the Welsh community advanced
or retrograded in religiousknowledge. Now he (Mr, Williams )
thought that no better testimony could be given than this for
the promotion of the English la- guage. All these circum-
stances combined to convince him, and to show that the only
means of promoting extensive usefulness was the one which
tne Learned Preltee had pointed out ; and he trusted that the
same feeling which had been exhibi ed in these reports woule
find a response within the walls of the House, and that it
would be carried out to the remotest parts of the Unite
Kingdom. The Hon. Member then proceeded to read another
1 statement, and he would state, as an apology for trewassine
so long on the patience of this House, that it was the first time
that this House had been called upon to consider the education
in Wales. The statement to which the Hon. Member referred
was written by a proptietor and editor of one of the leading
journals in Wales, and who was intimately acquainted with the
condition of the people of that country. and who had writtes,
many articles in favour of establishing a better system of edu-
cation in that country. He had stated, when referring to the
late •• Rebecca" disturbances, that such a violation of the law
betokened the general state of uneasiness and disaffection in
the ceuntry, and proceeded to say that if the people had been
acquainted with the English language, and had had a proper
education, instead of being, as they t hen were, a prey to designing
hypocrites, with religion on their lips and wickedness at their
hearts, they would be, from their geographical position, ana
their great natural advantages, the best, the happiest, the
most peaceful, and the most prosperous people on the face of
the earth. He (Mr. Williams) considered these remarks as a
strong evidence in favour of extending an improved system of
education to that. country. The present state of education in
Wales was well known, and when he saw these prOofs of the
existing state of ignorance, hs was compelled to ask himself,
' what could these people be doing to allow themselves to re-
main in such a state? A great portion of the people of the
Borth of Scotland and the north of Ireland, were in the same
condition as the people of Wales. What would be the conse-
quence of an improved system of education ? What had Scot-
. land done for herself ? An Act was passed in 1833,' for esta-
blishing schools in Scotland. A tax was imposed upon the
landowners to defray the expenses attending these
schools, and hew well had they been repaid for
their outlay. The prosperity of . that country was
principally owing to the improved system of education
which bad been- so successfully introduced. There were
in that country an average of three schools to each parish.
But not content with having done all that for the instruction
of the people, they hail also appointed a Committee to inquire
and report to the Council on Education as to the working of
the system. Every means were taken to give effect to those
' schools that the Government could possibly adopt. Although
he had always been an advocate for curtailing public expendi-
ture, yet he never on any occasion ceased to advocate the out-
lay of public money for the purpose of education in any part
of the United Kingdom. Now, as he said before, the conse-
quence of the, system of education in Scotland had made the
people of that country the most intelligent of any people in
Europe, Let them talk to whom they would, they would hear
it stated bow intelligent and how industrious were the Scotch.
What had they done for Ireland? They had done for Ireland
what reflected the highest credit on the Government.
They had done that which, in his opinion, would re-
move many of the evils and the crimes which
existed there, because they were of a social character and
would be removed by education. He would jest relate to the
House what had been done for Ireland. So early as, the reign
of Henry VIII. an Act of the English Parliament was passed
to establish schools in every pariah in Ireland. Subsequent
Acts were passed in the reigns of Elizabeth, George 1.,
George 11., and George 111., but the system of education
provided by those Acts being of a sectarian nature were con-
sequently unsuccessful ; but in 18C6 the Crown appointed a
Commission to inquire into the funds and revenues granted by
public bodies for the purpose of education, and also into the
state of public schools in Ireland. Subsequent Commissions
were issued, and their reports were submitted to a Committee
of that House, and in the year 1831 a most extended
system of education was founded on the report of that
Committee, a system which has already produced the
most beneficial results. Schools were immediately
put into operation, and the result was that in the year 1841
nearly heir a million of poor Irish children were receiving the
blessings of education ; and he had no doubt that in 1846 the
amount was doubled. The Government established normal
schools, which were attended by two professors, who gave lec-
tures on the art of teaching and conducting schools, in the
English language, and in geography ; and there were now ex-
periments carried out 'which would unite the instruction of
agriculture. Last year there was voted, for the building of
three colleges in Ireland, the sum of 100,0001., and a further
sum of 21,000/. for endowment, and. 26,0001. for the repairs of
the College of illaynooth. It might be said that the clergy of
Wales ought to provide for the education of the people. They
were too poor to do so. In ten parishes in Carmarthenshire
the tithes were 5,9351., and out of that 2,2261. went
into the pockets of the proprietors, thus leaving
only 7001. for the clergy of those parishes.--(Hear. )
He had seen a report of a meeting of clergymen in January
last, for the purpose of education in Wales, in which they la-
mented that no feeling had been manifested by the laity for
that object, and that all the money that had been subscribed
had been ob ained from the clergy. He hoped that the House
would not throw any difficulty in the way of his proposed in-
cpery. He did not wish the House to believe his single state-
ment. The most irrefragable testimony shall be furnished of
the destitute state of the Welsh people with respect to educa-
tion, and of their strong desire to be properly instructed. If
the landed proprietors were compelled to establish schools on
their several estates, he (Mr. Williams) had no doubt that in
a little time they would be amply repaid for their trouble and
original outlay of expense. He had never conversed with any
intelligent Welshman who did not bear testimony to the uni-
versal dearth of education among his fellow-countrymen.
There existed no portion of this empire which was more at-
tached to the institutions and habits of the English than the
Welsh people. It would excite the deepest sympathy and
commiseration in that House, if he were to relate some
of the circumstances that had occurred in Wales
with respect to the administration of justice in
that country. All the proceedings in the courts of law were
conducted in the English language, which was a language that
the people, to a very great extent, were unacquainted with.
The judge charged the jury in English—the counsel addressed
them in the same language—and the most farcical and some-
times melancholy occurrences frequently happened in conse.
quence. He (Ur. Williams) had heard from one of the local
magistrates that he had very frequently known the jury give a
verdict in direct opposition to the evidetace of the witnesses and
the direction of the judge. When the jury were asked why it
was that they had given so strange a verdict, the reply was in-
variably that they did not sufficiently understand the English
language to know exactly what was going forward, and there-
fore they considered it woule be advisahle to give the prisoner
the benefit of their ignorance, and acquit him. A case had
happened of a man convicted of a crime fur which he was sen-
tenced to be hanged. While the judge was passing sentence,
the prisoner looked round and inquired what the judge was say.
ing. When informed that sentence of death was being passed,
the prisoner seemed astonished, and immediately declared that
the witnesses had sworn falsely against him, which,
after a further investigation, was discovered to be the
fact. He (Mr. Williams) would trouble the House
with one more circumstance. A person surrendered to take
his trial for a felonious assault. On the jury being empanneled,
it was notified to the Court that eleven of them did nit under-
stand English, up in which the judge observed that the twelfth
juryman could explain the case to his brethren, and the trial
proceeded. The counsel on both sides addressed the jury, and
the judge summed up, and the result was that a verdict was
returned against the prisoner, who was sentenced to be mai.
prisoned for 4 months with hard labour. The next morning
eleven of the jury said the/ were of opinion that the man was
not guilty, and actually signed a memorial to that effect to be
presented to the Secretary of State. He ( Mr. Williams) had
not yet heard whether or not the man was discharged front cus-
tody. If there existed in this country any institution of which
they were more proud than any other, it was in the adminis-
tration of justice; but here was a case which could not be
paralleled in the proceedings of any other country. He did
not wish to bring any charge against her Majesty's Govern-
ment. He was only saying that great neglect towards the
Welsh people had been allowed to take place, which he trusted
would in a short time be rectified. The people do not ask yoti