§ MR. BOLAND (Kerry, S.)To ask the President of the Hoard of Education whether his attention has been called to 1031 the correspondence between the Education Committee of the London County Council and the Rev. T. Carey, of Eden Grove, Holloway; was the permission of the Board of Education sought before the letter, dated July 12th, 1906, was sent by the London County Council; can he explain how the removal of one of the partitions contributes to the efficient working of the school, and, if so, why would not the removal of a like partition in the other room also contribute to its efficient working; and whether, in view of the expense caused by the changes required to be made, he will say who is to indemnify the managers.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) I have made inquiries as to the circumstances referred to, and I find that the apparent inconsistency of the local education authority was duo to a misunderstanding. Their letter of July 12th was written to the managers in ignorance of the fact that the partition in question had already been erected, and with the object of relieving the managers of expenditure which it was not absolutely necessary for them to incur. I understand that in the circumstances the local education authority will not press for the removal of the partition.
§ MR. BOLANDTo ask the President of the Board of Education with reference to the correspondence between the London County Council and the Rev. T. Carey, of Eden Grove, Holloway, if he can say how it comes that sixty children on one floor divided into two classes of thirty each, separated by a partition, can be efficiently taught, whereas sixty children on the next floor cannot be effectively taught if they are so divided and accommodated; if the sixty children on one floor in one largo undivided room were transferred to the next floor and divided into two classes, and if the other sixty children were transferred so as to take the place of these sixty children, how comes it that the teaching would be still effective; and can he say what steps he proposes to take so that managers of schools may not be subjected to harassing and contradictory requirements.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The somewhat abstruse problems to which the hon. Member asks for replies raise ques- 1032 tions of educational administration into which the occasion of Question and Answer in this House does not appear to offer a suitable opportunity to enter. I think the essential purpose of the Question is met by the Answer I have given to the hon. Member's previous Question.