Summer has flown by! – children will return to their schools for a new academic year at the beginning of September. There are a variety of publications on the theme of schools of all kinds in the National Library. The publications include history books, volumes of pupils' work, story books for children and inspections of schools in Wales. The first picture includes a book that gives the history of the London Welsh School and a cookbook by Ysgol y Cwm, Trevelin in Patagonia. It is wonderful that children can get an education through the medium of Welsh even though they live so far from Wales.
Seen in the photo is a book that gives the history of Ysgol Glanaethwy, which is a performing arts school and a book about the history of Sunday schools in Wales between 1780-1851. The book "Dyma Fy Mhowys" is a volume of poetry by children from Powys schools and the publication "Llyfr Ysgol y Dderi" contains poems, short stories and pictures by the pupils.
This year Ysgol y Dderi, Llangybi has celebrated 50 years since it was founded. 5 rural primary schools in the villages of Llangybi, Betws Bledrws, Silian, Cellan and Llanfair Clydogau were closed in 1976. The pupils were transferred to the new modern school in Llangybi [children from Llwynygroes also attend Ysgol y Dderi because Ysgol Gartheli closed in 1984]. A very interesting documentary was filmed in the mid 1970s called "Ysgol y Dderi: Hanes Ysgol Bro = The Story of an Area School". The pupils are shown in the 5 schools and then in their new area school, and the programme gives a lovely glimpse of rural life and education in the Ceredigion countryside around half a century ago.
In the second picture (above) you can see 8 books published by individual schools when they were celebrating different milestones – ranging between 25 years and 400 years. In Wales some schools have closed forever, some have changed their name and others have moved to another building. Documenting the history of individual schools throughout the years means that there will be information about them on record. Books that look back on the history of schools can be very interesting, especially if they include various photos taken over the years and memories from former pupils. Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdâr's 40th anniversary book contains entertaining memories by two famous actors from Wales, Gaynor Morgan Rees and Ieuan Rhys.
A variety of story books that are based in schools can be seen in the third picture (above). Among them there are books about A School for Sheep, A Forest School and A School of Spells and there is a book for very young children about Gwenno Gwningen going to Nursery School. There are also books about the beloved characters Cyw and Alun yr Arth attending their schools. Primary and secondary schools are very important in children's lives as they give them the opportunity to learn, to expand their knowledge, to make close friends and to develop a lifelong interest in reading and books.