Statistics of Public Education, 1906 - 7 - 8. (Wyman and Sons. 2s. 3d.)—This
Blue-book contains a multitude of interesting figures, from which we select what is doubtless the most important item. In 1906-7 there were 6,137 Council schools, with accommo- dation for 3,286,478 children, with an average attendance of 2,592,842, and 12,590 Voluntary schools, with accommodation for 3,257,184 and attendance of 2,323,657. Comparing the number on the registers with the attendance, we find the advantage with the Voluntary schools, showing •103 of absentees as against •111. The Voluntary are largely rural. This would tell against attendance. On the other hand, they have an advantage in personal supervision of managers. Of the Voluntary schools, 10,644 were Church of England, 1,011 Roman Catholic, 319 Wesleyan, 12 Jewish, and 604 miscellaneous. The loss in Voluntary schools in the year was 78,-85 closed as against 7 opened. These losses were thus divided : one in 160 of the Church schools, one in 45 of the Wesleyan, and one in 330 of the Roman Catholic. Of course, all this may be greatly altered when the new Act passes. Mean- while the process of loss in the Voluntary schools is at present very slow.
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