§ MR. H. H. FOWLER (Wolverhampton, E.)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether he can inform the House what is the number of elementary schools, in connection with the National Society, which have been built since 1839; what was the total cost of the site and building of such schools; and what amount was granted out of public money towards such cost?
THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Sir W. HART DIKE,) Kent, DartfordIn 1882, when grants in aid of the erection of voluntary schools had come to an end, 5,676 schools in connec- 484 tion with the National Society or Church of England, providing accommodation for 1,062,418 scholars, had been aided with grants to the extent of £1,515,385. The amount subscribed by promoters was £4,296,519, making the total cost of sites and buildings £5,811,904, or nearly £5 10s. per scholar. Some of these schools have ceased to exist, but at this rate the total cost of the accommodation for 2,651,078 scholars supplied by the 11,854 National or Church of England schools inspected during the year ended August 31, 1890, would amount to £14,580,929. This information applies not to all voluntary schools, but to Church of England schools only.
§ In answer to further questions,
§ SIR W. HART DYKEsaid: When I said that "some of these schools have ceased to exist," I meant ceased to exist as voluntary schools. Some have been transferred to School Boards, and others have been discontinued altogether.