Llawryglyn Board School 4
The Pupil Teacher
When universal state education came into being the system borrowed a method which had been usefully employed previously in the teaching of reading in Sunday Schools. This was to employ older pupils as Pupil Teachers or Monitors to teach groups of younger children while at the same time undertaking their own studies, often at home in the evenings under the guidance of the schools Headmaster. This allowed the new schools to cope with the influx of pupils and began the training of a new generation of teachers.
At Llawryglyn the first Pupil Teacher was John Jones who seems from the School Log Books to have had problems adjusting to his new role.
Log Book
"Satifactory progress has been made this week. Cautioned John Jones Pupil Teacher as to his conduct in school, he having a tendency to play with his scholars."
It must have been difficult for John Jones to assume the authority of a teacher over children he knew so well outside school. Soon after he was cautioned again by the Headmaster after failing to keep up with studies and being frequently late for school.
Powys County
Archives
M/E/PS/40/L/1
The entry reads:-
"Cautioned John Jones Pupil again, a complaint having been
made to the Master that he takes small articles from the children
under his care without returning them. The complaint in question
was not fully proved. Satisfactory progress has been by the children
this week."
In February 1875 John Jones was in trouble with his Headmaster again. This time it appears that he was striking some of his pupils - to which some of the parents took exception - and spreading false reports about the Headmaster. Mr Exton left soon after this and at first John appears to have more success with the new Master James Evans who reported him as being diligent in his studies and working well with his class. By 1876 though the young Pupil Teacher is caught in an act which led to his leaving the school and his Pupil Teacher arrangements.
"My Lords are informed that J. Jones had to be dismissed from the examination for copying. This being the case, if he had been required for the staff a deduction might have been made from the grant under Article 30 (C) 1. Any repetition of his conduct or any failure in examination will be followed by his non-recognition as a Pupil Teacher and will cause a deduction from the grant if he is required under Article 32(C) 1."
To a small school struggling to provide education in difficult circumstances John Jones was sadly a liability.
