§ MR. PARKER (Oxfordshire, Henley)I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education whether Mr. Barker, who has for seven years been master of the Chilson Board School, and during that time has improved the school and given general satisfaction, has had to resign because lie could not qualify as a teacher of drawing; and whether the Education Department is going to call on other masters similarly situated, many of whom have been many years most successful teachers?
§ MR. ACLANDIt is not at present necessary that drawing in an elementary school should be taught by someone holding a certificate in drawing, either for the annual grant from the Education Department or for the drawing grant from the Science and Art Department, if the work of the scholars shows that they have been satisfactorily taught. Where the existing teacher is unable to do this, drawing may be taught by some competent person not on the school staff. In the last Annual Report on this school, it was specially pointed out to the managers that, having regard to the general success which has attended the attempt to teach drawing by teachers without previous experience, Mr. Barker should make some effort iii this direction. The Department have been recently informed by the managers that Mr. Barker lies resigned, and another teacher appointed in his place, but no reason is assigned by them for the change.
§ MR. PARKERAm I to understand that Mr. Barker resigned independently of any communication from the Education Department?