Talk:Dissenting academies

New talkpage
I don't know why a previous talkpage was deleted (many months ago) but there is clearly a real article, so it ought to have a talkpage too.

The following was removed from the article by another editor, as is right and proper. However, I think it useful here:
 * The project is a collaboration between and the . The aim is the preparation for print publication, with supporting materials online, of a major new multi-authored study, A History of the Dissenting Academies in the British Isles, 1660-1860.

BrainyBabe (talk) 17:22, 16 October 2009 (UTC)


 * The talk page with this title was deleted in February 2008, because at that time there was no article with this title. The article was created in September 2009. JamesBWatson (talk) 11:54, 22 October 2009 (UTC)


 * OK, fair enough. BrainyBabe (talk) 05:49, 23 October 2009 (UTC)

Historical background
Historical background to Dissenting academies

(from an annotated list entitled" Theological Colleges attended by Welsh ministers and priests" BrainyBabe (talk) 23:33, 15 January 2010 (UTC))

Here are some snippets from A History of Carmarthenshire by Sir John Lloyd, 1939, which outline the early history of these academies ;

1. "Dissenting academies represented the Nonconformist attempt to provide higher education for Dissenters at a time when the Penal Laws closed the older universities to all but conformists......they could not obtain the charters which would have enabled them to confer degrees, but in principle the work which they did was university work (i.e they were not 'schools') and during the C18 the standard actually attained compared quite favourably with that reached by the vast majority of students at the universities...." 2. "Their weakness was the almost total absence of endowment.......the universities when they had shaken off their torpor.....quickly outdistanced the academies....and their position was further undermined by the opening of new university institutions in the C19 and finally by the opening of Oxford and Cambridge to Nonconformists". 3. "The better academies, (such as the Presbyterian College, Carmarthen), developed into theological colleges proper, the lesser (ones) abandoned a not discreditable struggle for existence."

And some further quotations of background relevance ;

By W G Evans, contributor to Cardiganshire County History Vol III p548-9, 1998

4. "Nonconformists, debarred from Oxford and Cambridge, were also active in establishing academic and private adventure schools in Cardiganshire in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. They provided education which varied in quality from advanced elementary and secondary to preparatory courses for the ministry which were often of university standard. It was quite common in the years 1750-1850 for Nonconformist ministers, particularly Unitarians and Congregationalists, to establish private academies and schools. Working in very modest premises, able teachers were still able to make a significant impact on students - Anglicans as well as Nonconformists - several of whom later gained considerable distinction. Many students prepared for the ministry, though many also became famous in other spheres and professions, notably law, medicine, teaching, and the army ... In Cardiganshire during these years ... small academies and schools which became well-known and popular included the Revd. John Pugh's Motygido Academy at Llanarth; the Revd John Jones's academy at Llangeitho; John Evans's 'The Mathematical and Commercial School' at Aberystwyth 1818-60; Pantydefaid Grammar School 1813-60; the Revd Rees Davies's Grammar School at Ystrad, Llanwnnen and Cribyn 1825-57; Atpar Academy 1839-58; the Revd David Evans's Grammar School at Llandysul 1831-53; the Revd Griffith Griffiths's school at Llechryd 1788-1818; and the Revd J M Thomas's school at Cardigan 1810-50. At Aberystwyth, Aberaeron, Cardigan and Newcastle Emlyn, there were also private, boarding and day schools of varying quality for girls in the early decades of the nineteenth century. Some boys in north Cardiganshire were also taught classics by James Henderson at Pwllpeiran between 1802 and 1807."

And by B Nightingale in The Story of the Lancashire Congregational Union, p51-53, 1906)

5. "The great universities of the nation being rigidly closed against all Nonconformists, an endeavour was made to supply the lack, by establishing various kinds of collegiate institutions where intending candidates could receive some sort of training for the work of the ministry. The point cannot be too strongly accentuated that the moment persecution abated, and it became safe for Nonconformity to show itself, these institutions began to appear ... Bishop Horsley, one of the most eloquent prelates in the Anglican Church, had said that the pastor of these 'new congregations of nondescripts is often, in appearance at least, an illiterate peasant or mechanic' ... the taunt comes with ill grace from those whose policy throughout has to make the great schools of learning their own close preserve; whilst examination tests are incessantly and emphatically showing how little ground for the taunt there is when Nonconformists are permitted a fair field and no favour ... The names, indeed, are legion of those who conducted small Theological Seminaries in their own houses, and who thus sought to equip men for the Congregational ministry in more or less adequate fashion. The multiplication of these small and inferior educational institutions may be regarded today as a very doubtful good; and yet it is difficult to see how otherwise the Churches could have been supplied with a trained ministry of any sort."

Additions on background
I have added a couple of sections on the general background from the early days. These are not fully referenced yet, but I think represent reasonably the environment in which the academies operated, up to 1750. Charles Matthews (talk) 20:18, 20 January 2010 (UTC)

Examples of dissenting academies
I believe Harvard College was founded as a dissenting academy in Massachusetts. -- Bob (Bob99 (talk) 17:53, 6 October 2011 (UTC))

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