§ 9. Mr. Woodburnasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in his post-war plans for boarding schools, he will consider making even a short period at a boarding school part of the education of all children; and whether, in this connection, he will consider using the great industrial hostels in country areas likely to be redundant when peace comes?
§ Mr. ButlerIn reply to the first part of the Question, I should not regard it as practicable to require a period of boarding school education for all children, but the hon. Member will have realised from the answer given to him yesterday that the possibility of using some of the hostels to which he refers for boarding purposes is very much in mind.
§ Mr. Kenneth LindsayCould the Minister say whether, under existing powers, he has any authority to subsidise boarding, except for boys in approved schools or boys who live distant from a secondary school?
§ Mr. ButlerThere are one or two isolated cases, which I have investigated. I should like the hon. Member to put a Question down, when I will give him an exact answer.
§ Mr. WoodburnWould the Minister consider, if this matter is to be limited to certain children, using those children for experimenting with the most modern system of education—using them, as it were, for laboratory purposes?
§ Mr. ButlerI should like to feel that all children could get this chance, but it is rather difficult to find facilities for all of them.
§ Dr. Edith SummerskillIs the Minister not aware that we do not all subscribe to all the views expressed in this Question?
§ Mr. ButlerThat is one of the reasons why I said that I did not think it would be practicable to enforce it for all children.
§ Captain PooleIs it not a fact that the finest influence that can be exerted on the life of a child is the influence of the home?