The Sunday School Trip
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A Welsh Tradition
Sunday schools became part and parcel of the Nonconformist movement in Wales during the nineteenth century. Classes were initially held for all ages but today the Sunday School is seen as primarily for children and young people. Weekly classes were held to teach moral lessons from the Scripture to youngsters and the classes played a vital role in teaching pupils about the Christian faith.
Though seemingly synonymous with Wales and the Nonconformist denominations, the Sunday School did not originate in Wales. The idea is believed to have come from Italy where similar classes were held in the 16th century. During the 18th century, Robert Raikes, an Anglican layman, promoted the idea in England.
The Sunday School Trip
For the thousands of children who attended Sunday school each week across Wales, the annual trip must have been seen as worthy reward for months of memorising and reciting scripture, sitting up straight in class and listening obediently to the teacher. The seaside was often the favoured destination and the whole chapel would travel to places like Aberystwyth, Rhyl, Llandudno, Barmouth and Tenby to enjoy the sea and sand, and hopefully, the sunshine ...
An uncertain beginning
Griffith Jones of Llanddowror in Carmarthenshire laid the foundation for the movement in Wales with his circular schools which travelled the country educating people and improving literacy rates. Following his death, the mantle was taken up by Thomas Charles, a Calvinistic Methodist minister from Bala who is considered to be the 'father' of the Sunday School movement in Wales.
Despite some opposition from those who believed that the schools were 'breaking the Sabbath', the practice spread quickly and soon all the Nonconformist denominations were providing classes for their members. The education they received not only taught attendees about the Bible but improved literacy rates, the ability to debate and discuss and, more significantly, allowed learning through the medium of Welsh.