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15
"That the main causes of the increase under this head for the
current year are stated in the Board's estimates to be, firstly, that
'latterly the Schools have been more liberally staffed and secondly,
that 'the ratio of assistant teachers and pupil teachers has been
constantly rising.' It is added that 'by paying greater attention
to the composition of the staff' it will probably be 'possible to keep the
cost of head and assistant teachers' salaries at £2 3s. per scholar.
This apparently is an admission that due oversight has not hitherto
been exercised in this particular matter.
"That the highest grant earned during 1883-4 was 18s. 1¾d. per
scholar in the Manchester Board Schools, and the expenditure in
salaries in the same Schools was £1 10s. 2¼d. per scholar, being a
difference of 12s. 0½d. In London, the average grant was 17s. 2½d.
and the expenditure in salaries £2 3s. 0¼d., or a difference of
£1 5s. 9¾d.—more than double the difference in the case of Manchester;
this excess (13s. 9¼d.) between London and Manchester represents an
annual expenditure of £215,937 11s. 10d., or a rate of 1¾d. in the
pound on the Metropolitan ratepayer. Lt is clear from the results of
the inspection that the Manchester Board Schools are not starved, and
it would appear equally clear that the same rate of expenditure might
be adopted in London at the enormous saving named.
"That the cost of maintenance of the boys on the Board's Training
Ship is far in excess per head of the cost of the boys educated and
trained on Training Ships mainly supported by voluntary contributions,
being £32 per head, compared with £19 to £20 on the 'Chichester''
and 'Arethusa' Training Ships on the River Thames and the
'indefatigable' Training Ship in the River Mersey, and being also
far in excess of the cost of the Training Ship at Mount Edgcumbe.
"That your Petitioners are much impressed with the necessity
of educating the masses, and view with grave alarm the continuous
increase in the demands of the School Board as likely to cause such an
agitation as may seriously impede the work of popular elementary
education in the Metropolis.
"That your Petitioners, from a consideration of the figures above
quoted, are constrained to believe that the School Board for London are
not exercising due economy in the administration of the funds at their
disposal.