THE JAMES & FLORA POWELL MEDALLISTS

I recently received an e-mail from Ian Dickson

regarding the James & Flora Powell Medals.

I have reproduced Ian's e-mail and photos below:

OUR
FIRST
VIEW
OF A
JAMES
AND
FLORA
POWELL
MEDAL

"When I was reading about former Dux Medalists on your blog I remembered that my mother-in-law, Mary Cree McMurray Fulton, was a medalist at that school.

She was born in 1919 and attended Newlands Primary from 1924 till 1930. I`ve attached photographs of her Dux Medal, the James & Flora Powell award. It is inscribed with her initials, `M. C. F.` on the front and with `James & Flora Powell Medal, awarded to Mary C. Fulton, Newlands School, June 1930` on the back. I am not sure whether there was an Honours Board in 1930.

Events are vague now but I assume she was then entitled to enroll in the High School for Girls. Mary, however, came from a very poor family and couldn`t afford the school uniform. She had to sit another exam to obtain a further bursary. She passed the bursary exams but poverty and home conditions prevented her from going to the High School. Remember there was no NHS or Social Security in those days.

Because of her background, Mary never went on to higher education.

Mary was of a generation, born after the First World War and lived through the Great Depression and the Second World War. Although she had no professional qualifications she had a flair for finance and management. She married and became Mary King, living in Dennistoun and Shettleston until her death in 1998, aged 78.

My wife and I will always treasure her little medal.

Many Thanks, Ian Dickson."

This makes me wonder if the DUX and the POWELL MEDAL are actually the same thing as we have assumed in other posts below. If you look at the post showing the award won by Frank Wales, it shows a Trophy and NOT a Medal.

Can anybody out there throw any light on this subject ?

Regards, Brian.