Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/154

32 schools. Schools aided, but not provided by local authorities, have 4 'foundation' managers and 2 managers appointed by Councils. Women may be managers.

The local education authorities maintain all public elementary schools and control the expenditure necessary for this purpose. The only financial responsibility resting on the managers of "non-provided" schools is to supply the buildings. In the case of schools not provided by them, their directions as to secular instruction (including the number and qualification of teachers) must be complied with, they have power to inspect the schools, and they must receive, free of charge, the use of the school-house for elementary school purposes. The Acts prescribe the funds from which expenditure is to be met, and give borrowing powers. Income from endowments for such purposes of elementary education as fall within the scope of the local education authorities is paid to these authorities and applied in aid of the rates. Under the Education Act of 1902, there is paid annually to the local authorities, out of money to be provided by Parliament, a sum equal to 4 s. per scholar in average attendance, and 'an additional sum of three-halfpence per scholar for every complete two-pence per scholar by which the amount which would be produced by a penny rate on the area of the authority falls short of ten shillings a scholar.' Under certain conditions, however, the grant may be reduced. Other grants are also payable.

Throughout the Act there is observed the distinction between schools provided, and schools aided but not provided, by the local authorities, this distinction being, so far as elementary schools are concerned, in accordance with that between board schools and voluntary schools.

The number of separate local authorities for educational matters on July 31, 1911, was as follows:—

On July 31, 1911, the number of Council Schools in England and Wales for ordinary elementary education was 8,046 with accommodation for 3,980,946 pupils. The number of voluntary schools was 12,800 with accommodation for 2,826,594 pupils. Of these voluntary schools, those maintained by public authorities numbered 12,734 and were distributed among religious denominations as follows:—

The following table gives statistics ol public and other elementary schools in England and Wales:—