§ Sir GEORGE WHITEasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that in connection with the school gardening classes at Syderstone, Norfolk, the grant earned by four boys who had made thirty-eight, and one boy thirty-nine attendances out of forty, had been withheld though they were prevented completing their attendances solely because the school was closed by order of the local sanitary authority; and whether he will take steps to prevent local authorities, who are doing their best to develop this part of educational work, being discouraged in this way by using the discretionary power possessed by the Board under paragraph 13 of Schedule III of the Elementary Code?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD Of EDUCATION (Mr. Trevelyan)My right hon. Friend is aware of the case referred to, but he is not prepared to accept without reservation the statement that the boys in question were prevented from making the requisite number of attendances "solely because the school was closed by order of the local sanitary authority." The Regulations require forty hours' instruction to be given in order that the 4s. grant may be earned. This very moderate number of hours constitutes a minimum, and it was open to the authority to spread the course over the whole twelve months ending on 31st October, 1909. The school was closed on 11th October, and at that date only thirty-nine hours of instruction had been given to any scholar in the class. It is obvious that the authority were cutting down the hours of instruction very close to the minimum, and had left them- 1193 selves no margin for accidents. The Board are most anxious to encourage progressive authorities in their endeavour to develop this form of instruction, and they are most unwilling to impose unnecessary hardship, but it does not appear to my right hon. Friend that any hardship is involved in this case.