Highlight of the Week

Old Llandavian comes back to school to inaugurate new library

Former Cathedral School pupil, Dr James Kelly, Senior Tutor at Queens' College Cambridge, came back to school on Saturday to inaugurate the new library, which contains some 5500 books and is an ideal learning centre for the Senior Section.

It was the first time since leaving the Cathedral School in 1973 that Old Llandavian, Dr Kelly had returned and he recalled a saying from his then teacher, Mr Evans: "Never dodge a tackle and never give up", two headings under which all that he has undertaken since leaving school has fallen.

Speaking on the title: 'Books are not absolutely dead things' (John Milton, 1644): The Physiology of a Healthy Library', Dr Kelly said: "Without readers to activate books they are dead things. The birth of a library is cause for special celebration. Pupils at the Cathedral School will activate the books in their new library through the process of reading, and this engagement will nourish intellectual life.

"As with all living things, so all libraries, the school's collection library will be subject to mutability. Its catalogue will change over time, reflecting the needs and tastes of this community of readers, and the individuals who compose it, across successive generations."

Asked by Head Girl, Rose Stevens what his favourite book was as a child, Dr Kelly replied Robinson Crusoe and kindly presented a copy to the school, for which he had contributed to the notes section, along with a copy of the King James Bible, 400 years old this year.

Mr Stephen Morris, Headmaster said: "We were delighted to welcome Dr Kelly back to school - staff and pupils alike were fascinated to hear him speak on such an engaging topic. The new library has already proved very successful with the current pupils and will be significant resource when our sixth form is launched."