HC Deb 22 July 1903 vol 125 cc1448-9
MR. LAMBERT

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will consider the advisability in the rural school curriculum of modifying or withdrawing the subject of Drawing, and utilising the time for teaching the measurements of surfaces and stacks, grafting and pruning fruit trees, culture of bees, knowledge of animal philosophy, different values of manures and soils, and kindred subjects fitting rural children for country livelihoods.

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (Sir WILLIAM ANSON,) Oxford University

Under Article 15 of the Code drawing is required to be taken, as a rule, in all schools, but not necessarily in every class, and it may be omitted in any school which can satisfy the inspector and the Board that there is good reason for the omission. The Board of Education are extremely anxious to encourage arrangements for bringing the course of instruction in rural elementary schools into close relations with the environment of the scholars; and the inspectors of the Board have power under Article 15 of the Code to approve a course of instruction specially designed for this purpose, and, if necessary, to sanction special arrangements as to Drawing.

MR. LAMBERT

Will the hon. Gentleman instruct the inspectors of the Department to give special attention to this subject in rural schools?

SIR WILLIAM ANSON

They are already instructed to pay special attention to the adaptation of the course of instruction to the environment of the scholars.

MR. HUMPHREYS-OWEN (Montgomeryshire)

Is not Drawing considered by the Board of Education a very valuable subject in rural schools in encouraging the working together of hand and eye?

SIR WILLIAM ANSON

It certainly is a valuable subject.