§ SIR HENRY TYLERasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether Science Schools are held at the Hall of Science, Old Street, E.C., in connection with the Science and Art Department of South Kensington; and, whether the courses for the instruction of the young during the next Winter Session, from October 1881 to May 1882, include elementary or advanced courses in physiology, chemistry, biology, natural philosophy, and geology, as well as sound, light, and heat, by Mr. E. B. Aveling, Miss Hypatia Bradlaugh, Miss Alice Bradlaugh, and Mrs. Besant?
§ MR. MUNDELLASir, I find, on inquiry at South Kensington, that Dr. Aveling has conducted evening science classes at the Hall of Science since September, 1879. The subjects taught are mathematics, inorganic chemistry, elementary botany, and animal physiology. I understand that Miss H. Bradlaugh and Mrs. Besant have occasionally assisted Dr. Aveling; but they are not teachers recognized by the Department, and what they have done must have been a voluntary sacrifice of time and labour on their part. Captain Abney, who examined the classes this spring, reported very favourably of the instruc- 728 tion given, which is confined mainly to adults of the superior artizan class. We know nothing of the proposed subjects for next session, as no forms of application have been received at South Kensington.
§ SIR HENRY TYLERasked the right hon. Gentleman, whether it was correct that Dr. Aveling had recently written that the principles involved in the construction of the frog were "condemnatory of God," and whether he considered that anyone publishing such ideas was a fit teacher for a school in connection with the Science and Art Department, and whether such teaching received the sanction of Her Majesty's Government?
§ MR. MUNDELLAsaid, that he was unable to answer the details of the Question without Notice. These classes had been thoroughly well conducted, and the instruction had been good. This was all they had to do with the matter at South Kensington, and certainly he had heard nothing to justify the withdrawal of the grant.
§ SIR HENRY TYLERsaid, that he should renew the Question on the following day, and hoped that in the meantime the right hon. Gentleman would inform himself on the subject.