T HESE schools have been known by
several names. Originally they were known as the “Aberdare British Schools,” but
by the general public they were called “Ysgol y Comin.” Later, they were described
as the “Park Board Schools,” the “Park Council Schools,” and
are now designated the “Park County Primary Schools.” Why were these various names
applied to these schools?
(1) They were called the “Aberdare British Schools” because they were
the first schools in the Aberdare Valley established along the lines of the voluntary
and undenominational schools founded and supported by the British and Foreign School
Society.
(2) The native Welsh people called them “Ysgol y Comin” because “Ysgol” is
the Welsh name for a school, and because the school was built on a part of the old “Comin,” i.e.,
the ancient “Common” of Hirwaun Wrgan. This common, according to tradition,
had been granted by a Welsh prince or chief of Glamorgan, called Gwrgan, to the inhabitants
of the surrounding parishes to graze their cattle, sheep, horses, etc., free of all
charge. This is supposed to have taken place some 900 to 950 years ago. Unscrupulous
persons, as the centuries rolled on, began to enclose part of the common as their private
property. But still considerable areas were unenclosed, and free for pasturage for the
farmers of the surrounding districts, with no fences or hedges from the present Gadlys
right up to Penywaun, Hirwaun and Rhigos, and people were free to walk about in any
direction, but there were no roads then as we know them now, to Cwmdare, Hirwaun, etc.
It was on a part of the Common that still remained open, that the “Ysgol y Comin” was
built in 1848. In another 48 years, another “Ysgol y Comin” was opened.
This was built on “Y Comin Bach,” the small portion of the Common that had
not been enclosed. This is the Aberdare Boys’ County School.
(3) The schools became known as the “Park Schools,” after the enclosure
of 49 acres from the Common to form the Aberdare Public Park, which was opened on Thursday,
July 29, 1869, when all the children of the Park Schools were given a tea-party. The
schools continued as British Schools until they were transferred to the Aberdare School
Board on the 27th of April, 1876, and became known as “Board Schools.”
(4) By the Education Act of 1902, the Aberdare School Board was abolished, and the
schools were transferred to the Aberdare Urban District, and now became known as “Council
Schools.”
(5) Another change took place in the names and in the organisation of the schools
as the result of the Education Act of 1944, when the schools were transferred to the
Glamorgan County Council. So they now become the “Park County Primary Schools.”
