a short history of wales-第13部分

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he　great　migration　of　the　country　population　to　the　slate　and　coal　districts。

The　rapid　rise　of　the　importance　of　the　industrial　districts　is　seen　in　the　third　Reform　Act　of　1885。　　The　country　districts　represented　by　the　small　boroughs　of　the　agricultural　counties　of　Brecon；　Cardigan；　Pembroke；　and　Anglesey；　were　wholly　or　partly　disfranchised。　　But　the　slate　county　of　Carnarvonshire　had　an　additional　member；　and　in　the　coal　and　iron　country；　Swansea　and　Carmarthenshire　and　Monmouthshire　had　one　additional　member　each；　and　Glamorgan　three。

The　third　Reform　Act　enfranchised　the　agricultural　labourer　and　the　country　artisan。　　In　England　many　doubts　were　expressed　about　the　intelligence　or　the　colour　of　the　politics　of　the　new　voter；　but；　in　Wales；　most　would　admit　that　he　was　as　intelligent　as　any　voter　enfranchised　before　him；　all　knew　there　could　be　no　doubt　about　his　politics。

The　character　of　the　representation　of　Wales　has　entirely　changed。　The　squire　gave　place　to　the　capitalist；　and　the　capitalist　to　popular　leaders。　　Wales；　whose　people　blindly　followed　the　gentry　in　the　Great　Civil　War；　is　now　the　most　democratic　part　of　Britain。



CHAPTER　XXIIIEDUCATION



The　chief　feature　of　the　history　of　Wales　during　the　eighteenth　and　nineteenth　centuries　is　the　growth　of　a　system　of　education。

The　most　democratic；　the　most　perfect；　and　the　most　efficient　method　is　still　that　of　the　Sunday　School。　　It　was　well　established　before　the　death　of　Charles　of　Bala；　whose　name　is　most　closely　connected　with　it；　in　1814。　　It　soon　became；　and　it　still　remains；　a　school　for　the　whole　people；　from　children　to　patriarchs。　　Its　language　is　that　of　its　district。　　Its　teachers　are　selected　for　efficiencythey　are　easily　shifted　to　the　classes　which　they　can　teach　best；　and；　if　not　successful；　they　go　back　willingly　to　the　〃teachers'　class；〃　where　all　are　equal。　　The　reputation　of　a　good　Sunday　School　teacher　is　still　the　highest　degree　that　can　be　won　in　Wales。　　Plentiful　text　books　of　high　merit；　and　an　elaborate　system　of　oral　and　written　examinations；　mark　the　last　stage　in　its　development。

The　Literary　Meeting　is　a　kind　of　secular　Sunday　School。　　The　rules　of　alliterative　poetry　and　the　study　of　Welsh　literature　and　history；　and　sometimes　of　more　general　knowledge；　take　the　place　of　the　study　of　Jewish　history；　and　psalm；　and　gospel。　　The　Literary　Meetings　feed　the　Eisteddvod。

The　Eisteddvod　passed　through　the　same　phases　as　the　nation。　　It　was　an　aspect　of　the　court　of　the　prince　during　the　Middle　Ages。　　In　Tudor　times　it　was　used　partly　to　please　the　people；　but　chiefly　to　regulate　the　bards　by　forcing　them　to　qualify　for　a　degreea　sure　method　of　moderating　their　patriotism　and　of　diminishing　their　number。　　In　modern　times　the　Eisteddvod　is　a　great　democratic　meeting；　and　it　is　the　most　characteristic　of　all　Welsh　institutions。　Its　chairing　of　the　bards　is　an　ancient　ceremony；　its　gorsedd　of　bards　is　probably　modern。　　But　the　people　themselves　still　remain　the　judges　of　poetry；　they　care　very　little　whether　a　poet　has　won　a　chair　or　not；　while　a　gorsedd　degree　probably　does　him　more　harm　than　good。

Elementary　education；　in　its　modern　sense；　began　with　the　circulating　schools　of　Griffith　Jones　of　Llanddowror　in　1730。　　They　were　exceedingly　successful　because　the　instruction　was　given　in　Welsh；　and　they　stopped　after　teaching　150；000　to　read　not　because　there　was　no　demand　for　them；　but　on　account　of　a　dispute　about　their　endowments　in　1779；　eighteen　years　after　Griffith　Jones'　death。　　They　were　followed　by　voluntary　schools；　very　often　kept　by　illiterate　teachers。

Between　1846　and　1848　two　organisationsthe　Welsh　Education　Committee　and　the　Cambrian　Societywere　formed；　and　they　developed；　respectively；　the　national　schools　and　the　British　schools。　　After　the　Education　Act　of　1870；　the　schools　became　voluntary　or　Board；　education　gradually　became　compulsory　and　free；　and　in　1902　an　attempt　was　made　to　give　the　whole　system　a　unity　and　to　connect　it　with　the　ordinary　system　of　local　government。

The　training　of　teachers　became　a　matter　of　the　highest　importance。　In　1846　a　college　for　this　purpose　was　established　at　Brecon；　and　then　removed　to　Swansea。　　From　1848　to　1862；　colleges　were　established　at　Carmarthen；　Carnarvon；　and　Bangor。

The　history　of　secondary　education　is　longer。　　It　was　served；　after　the　dissolution　of　the　monasteries；　by　endowed　schoolslike　that　of　the　Friars　at　Bangorand　by　proprietary　schools。　　By　the　Education　Act　of　1889；　a　complete　system　of　secondary　schools；　under　popular　control；　was　established。　　Two　of　the　endowed　schools　still　remain　Brecon；　founded　by　the　religionists　of　the　Reformation；　and　Llandovery；　the　Welsh　school　founded　by　a　patriot　of　modern　times。

It　was　principally　for　the　ministry　of　religion　that　secondary　schools　and　colleges　were　first　established。　　Schools　were　founded　in　many　districts；　and　important　colleges　at　Lampeter　（degree…granting）；　Carmarthen；　Brecon；　Bala；　Trevecca；　Pontypool；　Llangollen；　Haverfordwest。　　Many　of　these　have　a　long　history。

Higher　education　had　been　the　dream　of　many　centuries。　　Owen　Glendower　had　thought　of　establishing　two　new　universities　at　the　beginning　of　the　period　of　the　Revival　of　Letters；　among　his　supporters　were　many　of　the　Welsh　students　who　led　in　the　great　faction　fights　of　mediaeval　Oxford。　　Oliver　Cromwell　and　Richard　Baxter　had　thought　of　Welsh　higher　education。　　But　nothing　was　done。　In　the　eighteenth　century；　and　in　the　nineteenth　until　1870；　the　Test　Act　shut　the　doors　of　the　old　Universities　to　most　Welshmen；　the　new　University　of　London　did　not　teach；　it　only　examined；　the　Scotch　Universities；　to　which　Welsh　students　crowded；　were　very　far。　　In　1872；　chiefly　through　the　exertions　of　Sir　Hugh　Owen；　the　University　College　of　Wales　was　opened　at　Aberystwyth；　and　maintained　for　ten　years　by　support　from　the　people。　　The　Government　helped；　and　two　new　colleges　were　addedthe　University　College　of　South　Wales　at　Cardiff　in　1883；　and　the　University　College　of　North　Wales　at　Bangor　in　1884。　In　1893　Queen　Victoria　gave　a　charter　which　formed　the　three　colleges　into　the　University　of　Wales。　　Lord　Aberdare；　its　first　Chancellor；　lived　to　see　it　in　thorough　working　order。　　On　Lord　Aberdare's　death；　the　Prince　of　Wales　was　elected　Chancellor　in　1896；　and　when　he　ascended　the　throne　in　1901；　the　present　Prince　of　Wales　became　Chancellor。

The　tendency　of　the　whole　system　of　Welsh　education　is　towards　greater　unity。　　There　is　a　dual　government　of　the　secondary　schools　and　of　the　colleges；　the　one　by　the　Central　Board　and　the　other　by　the　University　Courta　historical　accident　which　is　now　a　blemish　on　the　system。　　The　Training　Colleges　are　still　outside　the　University；　but　they　are　gravitating　rapidly　towards　it。　　The　theological　colleges　are　necessarily　independent；　but　the　University　offers　their　students　a　course　in　arts；　so　that　they　can　specialise　on　theology　and　its　kindred　subjects。　　The　ideal　system　is：　　an　efficient　and　patriotic　University　regulating　the　whole　work　of　the　secondary　and　elementary　schools；　guided　by　the　willingness　of　the　County　Councils；　or　of　an　education　authority　appointed　by　them；　to　provide　means。

The　rise　of　the　educational　system　is　the　most　striking　and　the　most　interesting　chapter　in　Welsh　history。　　But　the　facts　are　so　numerous　and　the　development　is　so　sudden　that；　in　spite　of　one；　it　becomes　a　mere　list　of　acts　and　dates。



CHAPTER　XXIVLOCAL　GOVERNMENT



The　French　Revolution　was　condemned　by　Britain；　and　the　voices　raised　in　its　favour　in　Wales　were　few。　　The　excesses　of　the　Revolution；　and　the　widespread　fear　of　a　Napoleonic　invasion；　caused　a　strong　reaction　against　progress。　　The　years　immediately　after　were　years　of　great　suffering；　but　the　very　suffering　prepared　the　way　for　the　progress　of　the　future；　because　it　made　men　willing　to　leave　their　own　districts　and　to　move　into　the　coal　and　slate　districts；　where　wages　were　high　enough　to　enable　them　to　live。

The　first　demand　was　for　political　enfranchisement。　　In　1832；　in　1867；　and　in　1884　the　franchise　was　extended；　and　every　interest　found　a　voice　in　Parliament。　　But；　with　the　exception　of　the　sharp　struggle　between　the　tenant　and　landlord　after　the　Reform　Act　of　1867；　the　effects　of　enfranchisement　on　Wales　have　been　very　few。　Two　Acts　alone　have　been　passed　as　purely　Welsh　Actsthe　Sunday　Closing　Act；　and　the　Intermediate　Education　Act。　　In　Parliament；　the　voice　of　Wales　is　weak　even　though　unanimous；　it　can　be　outvoted　by　the　capital　or　by　four　English　provincial　towns。　　Until　quite　recently　its　semi…independencedue　to　geography　and　past　history　was　looked　upon　as　a　source　of　weakness　to　the　Empire　rather　than　of　strength。　　Its　love　for　the　past　appeals　to　the　one　political　party；　its　desire　for　progress　to　the　other；　but　its　distinctive　ideals　and　its　separate　language　are　looked　upon；　at　the　very　least；　as　political　misfortunes。　　Education　and　justice　have　suffered　from　official　want　of　toleration；　the　appointment　of　a　County　Court　judge　who　could　not　speak　Welsh；　within　living　memory；　has　been　justified　by　Government　on　the　ground　that　Englishmen　resident　in　Wales　object　to　being　tried　by　a　Welsh　judge。

Far　more　important　to　Wales　than　the　Reform　Acts　are　the　Local　Government　Acts　which　followed　them。　　When　the　Reform　Act　of　1884　added　the　agricultural　labourer　to　the　electors　of　representatives　in　Parliament；　every　interest　had　a　voice。　　A　further　extension　of　the　franchise　would　not　affect　the　balance　of　parties；　it　was　thought；　and　a　British　Parliament　has　no　time　or　desire　to　think　of　sentiment　or　theoretical　perfection。　　The　Parliament　found　it　had　too　much　to　do；　the　multiplicity　of　interests　made　it　impossible　to　pay　effective　attention　to　them。　　The　result　has　been　that　half　a　century　of　extension　of　the　franchise　has　been　followed　by　half　a　century　of　extension　of　local　government。　　The　County　Council　Act　came　in　1888；　and　the　Local　Government　Act　in　1894。

Of　all　parts　of　Britain；　Wales　had　least　local　government；　and　needed　most。　　Its　justices　of　the　peace　were　alien　in　religion；　race；　and　sympathy；　they　were　either　country　squires　who　had　lost　touch　with　the　people；　or　English　and　Scotch　capitalists　who；　wit