§ MR. BAGNALLsaid, he rose to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, Whether he approves of Her Majesty's Inspectors paying their official visits to Schools during the Whitsun week, when children cannot without difficulty be collected to meet them, and masters are deprived of their accustomed holiday; and, whether the Grants to Schools will depend upon the 170 result of Inspections made under such disadvantageous circumstances?
§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUsaid, in reply, that there were the usual holydays in summer of one month in towns, and of six or eight weeks in the country, for harvesting. At Easter there was a holyday of one week, and at Christmas a holyday of a fortnight, At Whitsuntide they only recognised the Church holydays of Monday and Tuesday. Inspection was very costly, for the salaries and commuted allowances were running on whether the Inspectors were at work or not. It was therefore inexpedient that sixty or seventy Inspectors should be kept idle longer than was necessary. The object of the holydays was not so much for the sake of the children, who by being kept in school were prevented from getting into mischief, and from being in the streets, but were chiefly for the sake of the masters. It was therefore better that the children should be kept in a warm and airy room at school. But a holyday was essentially necessary for the master. However, they laid down no rule for an Inspector, except to suit the convenience of the managers as far as he could.