§ MR. W. EWARTsaid he wished to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education, Whether the Committee can authorize or encourage a system of military drilling in the Schools which have participated in the Education Grant?
§ MR. LOWEsaid, the hon. Gentleman was doubtless aware that the management of the Schools was not in the Committee of Council. There were Local Committees of management, and therefore it was impossible for the Committee of Council to take any direct step to authorize or encourage a system of military drilling in the schools. The question, then, was, could they take any indirect step? The hon. Gentleman must also be aware that what the Committee of Council did was to 1133 make grants in aid of schools on certain conditions, not strictly educational. He must confess that, in his opinion, however desirable it might be to extend drilling, it was not desirable to attempt to exercise authority upon a new subject, and to impose fresh conditions different from those on which the Committee of Council had hitherto dealt with the Committees of management. The business of the Council was education. In his opinion, they should confine themselves to that, and not be led aside in the promotion of any other object, however desirable it might be.