§ MR. S. SMITHI beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council 392 on Education whether, in view of the desirability of affording inducements to children to enter evening schools, the Government will consider the expediency of freeing evening schools from the payment of fees?
§ THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir W. HABT DYKE,) Kent, DartfordThe principle of the Bill is to render attendance at school free during the years in which compulsion may be applicable; but, as the hon. Member is aware, this does not cover the case of evening schools. The Department has lately done much to encourage evening schools, and is prepared to do more; but, looking to the advantages they confer on the lads in attendance, who are mostly themselves in receipt of wages, I do not think it too much to ask of the scholars that they should be willing to help themselves to the amount of the school fee usually charged.