Roman Catholic Schools
SI11,—I do not seem to have made clear the poini which I wished to make in my last letter. In your editorial comment you quote the Ministry of Education's view to the effect that "precise estimates are obviously out of the question, if °nig because much of the building cannot be put in hand for years to come." The Ministry is, of course, referring to the total estimate of costs for the whole country, about which there is some disagreement in our figures. In the developnnent plans of each local authority, however, precise figures and estimates are given for the reconstruction or re-building which is to be undertaken. When the development plan of a local authority has been approved, these figures are revised and are the basis on which the costs to be borne by the Catholic community are-calculated. It is true that the Ministry's notes on Form 18, Schools, point out that the statements of sources of revenue made by the managers or governors are not to be regarded as guarantees. They also point out, however, that each offer should be Specific and that a statement of the "proposed target figure" should always be made. If this is not a "guarantee," it nevertheless has very much the same effect Let me give an example. The development plan for the County Borough of West Ham has been approved. In that plan one of the Catholic primary schools is scheduled to be replaced by new buildings on an extended site. The total cost is estimated at £55,000. The cost which falls to the Catholic authorities is £24,375. The managers of the school proposed to borrow this sum from the Ministry and indicated this on the Form 18, Schools, which they submitted to the Minister. This form was ceturned -by the Ministry with a letter from which the following is an_ extract: "The second reason for sending the form back is that the managers do not seem to have enough money in prospect to service a loan for anything like this amount. The annual loan charges on £24,375, including repayment of the principal at present rates on a loan period of 30 years, would be £1,218 15s." The letter points out that the sources of revenue 'indicated by the managers are inadequate for this purpose, and that. even allowing for possible post-
ponement of the building, the amount which could be accumulated in the interval would be "inconsiderable." In this particular case the situation was 'saved by an undertaking to make good the parochial deficiency from diocesan funds. It is possible to do this in a small number of cases, but it would be either dishonest or disingenuous on the part of the managers or Bishops to make such promises for the 2,000 or so Catholic voluntary schools included in the development plans. Yet, as section 15 of the 1944 Act now stands, unless we can satisfy the Minister of our ability and willingness to meet these costs, he will not be able, in his local education orders, to classify our voluntary chools as aided schools, and they will therefore become controlled schools. It is this threat to the existence of their schools, so far as their traditional religious character is concerned, which is causing the greatest anxiety to the whole Catholic body.—Yours Co-adjutor Bishop of Brentwood.
SS. Peter and Paul's, High Road, Ilford, Essex.
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