HC Deb 13 May 1895 vol 33 cc1032-3
MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS (Notts, Mansfield)

I beg to ask the Vice President of the Committee of Council on Education, whether he is aware that there is in use in the Denmead School, under the management of the School Board of Hambledon, Hants, "the Children's Hymn Book, arranged in order of the Church's year," and containing hymns which cannot properly be sung by the children of Nonconformists, and that the School Board have declined to discontinue its use, alleging that it is used with the sanction of the Education Department; and whether the Department will take any action in the matter?

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (Mr. A. H. D. ACLAND,) York, W. R., Rotherham

Hymns are constantly used in Board Schools without, so far as I know, in any way infringing the Act of 1870. The statement by the Board, which is to the effect, as I understand, that the hymns used in the school have received the sanction of the Department, must be due to some misunderstanding. It is, I believe, quite incorrect, as the Department have no such power. The Department is of opinion that, in consideration of the provision of the Act of 1870 and the general circumstances of the case, School Boards will be wise to refrain from providing hymn-books for the children which are connected with any particular church or denomination, and to which objection might be taken by some of the parents. This is, I believe, largely the practice of School Boards throughout the country.