§ MR. GRIFFITH - BOSCAWEN (Kent, Tunbridge)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether, notwithstanding a steadily decreasing average attendance of scholars, the managers of Blockley School, in the County of Worcester, are being called upon to enlarge school and class-rooms which have heretofore been approved by the Department as suitable and sufficient for a larger number of children than are in attendance?
§ MR. ACLANDThe managers of this school were informed in the last Annual Report that the schoolroom, which is only 9 feet 6 inches high, must be heightened, and that the smaller of the two class-rooms, which is only 12 feet by 8 feet 6 inches, should be enlarged. The managers can, of course, disuse this class-room if they prefer to do so, but it is plainly unsuitable for teaching purposes.
§ MR. GRIFFITH - BOSCAWENMay I ask the Vice President how it is that two years ago the accommodation was deemed sufficient by the Department, although the number of scholars in attendance was 25 per cent. higher than at this moment?
§ MR. ACLANDAs public opinion becomes more in favour of more suitable accommodation from a sanitary point of view, a Public Department has to extend its demands accordingly.