ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO Satursay May 15, 1920

Gaelic teaching in Argyll - what children were to tell their parents

At a meeting of the executive committee of An Commun Gaidhealach at Perth on Saturday, Mr H F Campbell, advocate, Aberdeen, stated that in Argyllshire, the parents of 4,000 children had expressed a desire that their children be taught Gaelic.

Mr T S Macpherson, Glasgow, thought the response might have been better if some of the teachers had not discouraged the parents.

Mr T D Macdonald, Oban, said at Kinlochleven several teachers advised the children to tell their parents only fools would ask that their children should be taught Gaelic.

Discussion took place regarding the relative positions of music and literature at the MOD and the opinion was expressed greater attention might be paid to literature and the drama. Argyll authority and vacation classes

At the recent meeting of the Education Authority for Argyll, the director of education reported he had conferred with the director of studies, Glasgow Provincial Committee, on the question of vacation classes in Gaelic to be held in Glasgow and that at least one fourth of the total expenses of the course must be defrayed by either the authority or by the teachers who attend.

On the motion of Mrs Burnley Campbell, seconded by Reverend Mr MacCallum, the clerk was instructed to draw the attention of all teachers in the county and of all Argyllshire students in training as teachers to the vacation classes proposed to be held and to the authority’s resolutions: 1 That an allowance of £1 per week would be given for maintenance plus travelling expenses (third class and cabin) for attendance at such classes; and 2 that a sum not exceeding £20 would be paid to teachers who give instruction in the language (the number of pupils so taught being taken into consideration in each case) provided such teachers have attained a standard deemed sufficient by the authority.