The resumed debate on Monday on the Management of Schools
Clause—the famous Clause 7—of the Education Bill, following the fruitless debate on the 12 o'clock rule. was comparatively tame in character, though it decided some important aspects of the BilL On the question of the term of office of school managers Mr. Balfour deprecated, and, we think, rightly, annual elections. The further amendment that the body of managers should consist of persons of both sexes raised an interesting discussion. The Government declined to accede to the amendment on the ground that it involved the necessity of women being elected to every body of managers, and that this in some country districts would involve great difficulty. The Government, however, agreed that women, both married and unmarried, should be qualified to hold the office of manager in any district, and promised that the Bill should be framed so as to avoid any possible legal difficulty that might arise on the inter- pretation of the Act. The debate concluded with a dis- cussion on amendments dealing with the number of school managers in the case of a " provided " school, but the Govern- ment maintained the position adopted in the Bill.
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