Ellen Evans CBE (10 March 1891 – 26 September 1953) was a writer, teacher and principal of Glamorgan Training College in Barry. She was a leading advocate for teaching Welsh in schools.[1]
Ellen Evans | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 10 March 1891 |
| Died | 26 September 1953 (aged 62) |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Education | Aberystwyth University |
| Known for | principal of the Glamorgan Training College |
Life edit
Evans was born in Gelli in Wales in 1891. Her parents were John and Ellen Evans and they both came from Cardiganshire.[2] She went to Rhondda secondary school and after becoming a pupil-teacher she went to the University of Aberystwyth where she obtained a degree in 1914.
In 1914 Glamorgan County Council created Glamorgan Training College to train women to teach and Hilda M Raw was the first Principal.[3] Evans began work there in 1915. Raw served until 1923 when Evans was promoted to succeed her.[3] She was an leading advocate for teaching Welsh in schools.[1] The college only took women who lived in Monmouthshire or Glamorganshire.[3]
In 1947, the college decided to accept students irrespective of where they lived and in the same year she was given a CBE for the work in Education.[3]
Evans served as the Principal of Glamorgan College of Education until she died in 1953 when she was succeeded by Olive R Powell. In 1965 her college changed its name to Glamorgan College of Education.[3]
Writing and legacy edit
In 1924 she published The Teaching of Welsh[4] which was adapted from her masters thesis. In 1926 she published lesson plans for teachers starting to teach Welsh in her book, Llawlyfr i athrawon[5] and in the following year Cynllun Cymraeg. These books enabled teachers to teach in the Welsh language. She created source works adapting the classic Mabinogion for younger readers in her Y Mabinogion i'r plant which was published in four volumes in 1924. She also wrote Hwiangerddi Rhiannon in 1926 and Y Wen Fro in 1931.[2]
She has been seen as an overlooked person in Welsh history.[6]
References edit
- ^ a b Williams, Siân Rhiannon (2021). "Pioneering for Wales: Ellen Evans (1891-1953), her life and work". Women's Archive Wales. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
- ^ a b "EVANS, ELLEN (1891 - 1953), principal of the Glamorgan Training College, Barry | Dictionary of Welsh Biography". biography.wales. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
- ^ a b c d e "Glamorgan Training College/Glamorgan College of Education Records". calmview.cardiff.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2021-12-02. Retrieved 2022-09-05.
- ^ Evans, Ellen (1924). The teaching of Welsh (in Welsh). Educational Publishing.
- ^ Evans, Ellen (1926). Llawlyfr i athrawon yn cynnuys cynllun-wersi i blant ysgol: Grada I. (in Welsh). Hughes a'ifab.
- ^ "Rediscovering Ellen Evans (1891–1953), Principal of Glamorgan Training College, Barry". The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. Retrieved 2022-09-05.