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<p>The school opened on 8th February 1878 with Miss Emily Armstrong as the first headmistress. There were 19 boarders in the first term. Eluned Morgan (writer) and Margaret Owen (later to become Margaret LLoyd George) were pupils while Miss Armstrong was in charge.
This photograph shows staff and pupils.
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A school group photograph taken between 1878 and 1886

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<p>We had to bring to school each term a writing case supplied with a Basildon Bond notepad and envelopes and a store of stamps for the term ahead. A period every week was set aside for writing letters home. This was supervised in the classroom usually by a prefect and was held in silence. These weekly epistles often consisted of requests for money, tuck or stamps, news about events such as walks or the occasional film (see letter in pic - 'Please don't eat the Daisies' with Doris Day & David Niven, celebrities in the 1950s & 60s)
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Another vital piece of information for parents was the list of school test results (see related item at the side).
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<p>We were warned against writing anything about being unhappy or homesick and to prevent anyone breaking this rule, all letters had to be deposited in a box near the headmistress’s study unopened. If anyone had dared to admit to being unhappy they were summoned to the Head’s study and given a good talking to.
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<p>Parents received all letters from school with the addition of " ………… is well and happy”, handwritten by the Head, even if that was far from the case.
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Weekly Letters Home

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letters home Headmistress homesickness happiness

<p>The top half of the image shows DBL (Miss Lickes, headmistress 1947-67 and much revered; she certainly had a presence) wearing a purple dress, a favoured colour of hers and seated in a deckchair (3rd from right) According to Vera, it was a beautiful April afternoon.
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<p>The bottom half of the image shows OGs of the 30's. l-r; Kay, Ann, Gaynor, Pauline, Thelma, Morfydd (ref obituary Morfydd Rees) and Vera - read her story ('My Life at DWS by Vera Gibbon) spanning two years - 1933-35
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1987 OG REUNION IN BLACKBURN

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Headmistress Miss DBL Lickes OG reunions 'My Life at DWS'

<p>This photograph shows Miss Nightingale in her customary white stockings. The location is unknown but could be near her home, Glandwr Hall.
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<p>Miss Nightingale was a Quaker who did not believe in punishments. During her time new dormitories, a gymnasium, new staffroom and the school hall were added. Click on the Related Item to read a story about Miss Nightingale.
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<p>This photo is from Gladys Dutton's collection. Gladys was a pupil from 1936-38
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Miss Nightingale, headmistress from 1924-1940

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Miss Nightingale headmistress 1930s Glandwr Hall

Miss Ellen Constance Nightingale, Headmistress 1924-1940

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Headmistress Penycoed tea punishment

<p>An intellectual and visionary Headmistress who was tall, imposing and elegant in colourful Eastern style shawls. She was a member of the 'Friends' and her trust and belief in her pupils derived in large measure from the Quaker belief 'respect for every person, regardless of rank or status and in the essential goodness of everyone' During her tenure, no girl received a punishment for a misdemeanor but was encouraged to look to her conscience.
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<p>Miss Nightingale was a remarkable woman who taught not so much about Latin texts or Old Testament religion but about compassion, the love of beauty surrounding us, about integrity and about the power of silence.
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Miss Ellen Constance Nightingale, Headmistress 1924-1940

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Headmistress Penycoed school hall Quakers punishments

<p>The 1911 Census records that Florence Anstey was born in Bath, Somerset and was 44 at the time the Census was taken and that she was not a Welsh speaker. There were seven Assistant Mistresses, aged between 27 and 33, resident at the school at the time. Five spoke only English the other two spoke English and Welsh.
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<p>79 pupils are recorded; most were born in Wales or England. Three pupils were born in Bombay, Madras and Shanghai respectively.
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<p>One of the pupils (Dorothy May Davies) aged 16 and from Liverpool, was to go on to become something of a legend at DWS. She retired in 1961 after 42 years teaching.
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<p>The DWS Homefront 1914 gallery pages on this site reveal how the school 'did its bit', affording glimpses of the impact of the war in rural Wales and on one school community. Miss Anstey must have been a source of inspiration for all their efforts.
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Miss Florence Anstey, Headmistress 1906-1924

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Headmistress World War 1 Census Dorothy Davies

<p>The cover of the programme is printed with a blue 'willow pattern' background. The prizes in 1902 were distributed by Mrs Steel. The page shows some of those who were awarded prizes from the Royal Drawing Society of Great Britain. Miss Diana Thomas was the headmistress at the time.
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Programme and list of prizes 1902

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Prize giving programme Miss Diana Thomas headmistress

<p>A ‘legend’ according to one dictionary definition, is a person having a special place in public esteem because of striking qualities or deeds, real or fictitious. 'Do' was, and still is, a DWS legend but in that legend there is nothing fictitious; the real was striking enough. She was one of the ‘Greats’.
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<p>She entered DWS as a 12 year old pupil in 1906 and left in 1912 to attend Aberystwyth University. Following a teaching post in South Wales she returned to DWS in 1919, retiring in 1961 as Deputy Headmistress.
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<p>“She was tall and carried herself very erect; she had short straight hair and blue eyes to rival those of Paul Newman and she oozed a great natural authority. When she walked into a classroom an immediate hush fell”
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<p>Click on the 'associated story' upload file to read an extract from ‘A Patchwork of Memories’ by Gaynor Smith. which tells her memories of Do and DWS.
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Miss Dorothy M Davies ('Do')

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Do Dorothy Davies deputy headmistress legend English teaching

Miss Dorothy Mary Davies,‘Do’ – never to be forgotten

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'Do' Miss Do Davies English teaching deputy headmistress

<p>Photo of 6 ex headmistresses taken at the 1928 Jubilee
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Back row left to right: Miss Anstey, Miss Nightingale.
Front row left to right: Miss Fewings, Miss Armstrong, Miss Thompson, Miss Thomas

Six ex headmistresses

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headmistresses teachers School Jubilee 1928

Summoned to the headmistress' study over a hard boiled egg

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school food headmistress study

Dr Williams’ School
Dolgellau
1878 - 1975

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A school group photograph taken between 1878 and 1886

Weekly Letters Home

1987 OG REUNION IN BLACKBURN

Miss Nightingale, headmistress from 1924-1940

Miss Ellen Constance Nightingale, Headmistress 1924-1940

Miss Ellen Constance Nightingale, Headmistress 1924-1940

Miss Florence Anstey, Headmistress 1906-1924

Programme and list of prizes 1902

Miss Dorothy M Davies ('Do')

Miss Dorothy Mary Davies,‘Do’ – never to be forgotten

Six ex headmistresses

Summoned to the headmistress' study over a hard boiled egg