Margaret Rosser (1882 – 1967) (Extract from an un­published work by Dilwyn Lewis).

The parish can be proud of its achievements in education and of one movement in particular. Out of local endeavour, conducted on pure voluntary basis, has sprung a full­time Welsh School at Garth Olwg run by the County Council. The idea of starting a Welsh Nursery School (Ysgol Feithrin Gymraeg) in came from Mr Eric Evans M.A. now Head of the Unit at the Polytechnic, . He expressed the idea to Miss Margaret Rosser of Y Wern, , a retired Head Mistress. A Committee was setup with the Rev. E.V. Dodd, Vicar of , as Chairman, Secretary Mr Miles Richards and Treasurer Mr Gwilym T Jones. The school opened in Gwynfa with eight pupils, all from English speaking homes. One of the young pupils was an Australian. The class was held for two hours each day. After a short time the school moved to the Carnegie Library at Church Village. The building is now used as the Parish Hall and the school continues. Miss Margaret Rosser started as a teacher at Tre­Illtud School on 13 th September 1915. While there, Sir Owen Edwards, founder of the Welsh League of Youth (Urdd Gobaith Cymru) visited the school on 10 th May 1916. Perhaps an omen for her future work coming out of retirement at the age of 77 years in 1959 to organise a Welsh Class. She had taught at Gwaelod­y­Garth as a peripatetic teacher from 1920 to 1935 when she became head Mistress of Gwynfa Infants School, Caerphilly until 1943 when she retired. Miss Rosser was a member of the Eisteddfod Gorsedd with the name ‘Megan Illtud’. The class was financed from funds raised mostly from Jumble Sales and other functions organised by the Parents’ committee. A mini­bus brings children from a scattered district. Miss Rosser was assisted by Miss Winnie Griffiths who had retired from a long distinguished career teaching at and Llantwit Fardre Infants School, and Mrs Margaret Harte of Efail Isaf. Pupils increased from eight to over twenty. When the time came to enter school at Infant level a Welsh class was started in Llanilltud Fardre Infants School, which flourished until a Welsh School was opened on 25 th April 1966, as an independant school in a Cottage at Garth Olwg Homes. The first and present Head Master is Mr Vivian Harries, B.A. who, with the staff, Miss G.E. Samuel, Mrs A.L. Williams and Mrs S.A. Griffiths conducted a school of 95 pupils. By 1 st September 1966 there were 106 pupils and the present school buildings were built. By 1969, the school had 220 pupils, and at eleven years of age were transferred to Ysgol Gyfun for their Secondary Education. With reorganisation of schools in the district, since the 1 st September 1974 pupils now transfer to Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari. The efforts and genius of Margaret Rosser has brought forth a Welsh renaisance in an otherwise English­speaking parish. The school was unique and was spot­lighted in the National Press. In order to make Welsh teaching easier over 20 books in Welsh of stories for Children, singing games and a book “Welsh Verbs Simplified”. This work continued until her health failed in April 1967. After a short illness Margaret Rosser died on 24 th July 1967 and is buried at Tabernacl Chapel, Efail Isaf, her native chapel. Her greatest achievement was in creating games and songs through which children could learn Welsh, she herself always believed that the Welsh Language was revived by English children. At the time of her death, it became known that for her encouragement of Welsh children the Eisteddfod Council had awarded the Sir Owen M. Edwards Memorial Prize of £50. The Eisteddfod audience was told of the award by Sir David Hughes Parry. Miss Rosser’s Trustees presented the award to the Glyndwr Trust which was set up to help establish Welsh Nursery Schools.