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186
received a Government Grant as efficient, representing accommodation
for 1,100 move scholars, have been closed altogether:
Offertory Schools, Swallow Street about 100 places.
St. Luke's and Peter Street Schools ,, 500 ,,
Wardour Chapel Schools* ,, 200 ,,
Craven Schools, not under Government
Inspection, but giving education
of the same character, and
under the management of a body
of Trustees ,, 300 ,,
Accommodation in closed Schools 1,100
Vacant Seats in Voluntary Schools
still carried on 611
Total number of places now
vacant, but which might have
been utilised 1,711
In the year 1873, the total accommodation for children of parishioners
of St. James in certified Public Elementary Schools was about
2,500, or, including Craven Schools, 2,800 school places, the
average attendance being slightly above 2,300. The School
Board have in the meantime added 1,000 places, but the average
attendance in all the Schools had fallen to 2,095 in 1884. The
result of the action of the School Board in this Parish has thus
proved most unsatisfactory, the number of children educated in
Public Elementary Schools being actually less now than (taking
the Craven Schools into account, but without reckoning the
" Private Venture" Schools, which have been discontinued) before
the erection of the Board School at the great cost above stated.
It was subsequently arranged to hold a conference of
representatives from the various rating authorities with a
view to considering whether any united action could be usefully
taken, preparatory to the election of members of the
Board in November next, but this conference had not been
held by the 25th March.
* These Schools are not actually in the Parish of St. James, but received many children
therefrom. Pulteney School receives children from the adjoining Parish of St. Anne, in
which Wardour Chapel Schools are situate.