MOUNT ALBERT GRAMMAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 296, 15 December 1933, Page 3

MOUNT ALBERT GRAMMAR.

DECREASED B-OLIi NUMBERS.

Presenting his annual report at the prize-giving ceremony last evening, the headmaster of the Mount Albert Grammar School, Mr. F. W. Gamble, said that ifor the third successive year the school roll had shown a considerable fall in numbers. The opening roll was st>3, as against 635 in 1932. During the first week, the number swelled to 578, which was the official strength of the school on March 1. The number on the roll at the end of the third term, 50(3, was the smallest since 1!>28. New enrolments numbered 198, or 30 more than in 1932. The drop in numbers was attributed by Mr. Gamble solely to a much smaller re-entry of the previous year's pupils. Over a period of three years the re-entry figures had been:—4B3 in 1931, 407 in 1932, and 395 in 1933. In relation to the question of boy employment he considered these figures were significant of a movement towards more normal conditions, and confirmation of this had been provided during the year by his experience in being able to place boys more satisfactorily than formerly. Of the 75 boye who took up work during the year 51 went to positions that showed fair prospects of permanence and advancement either in professional or in commercial life; 10 others went farming, leaving only 14 whose present employment showed little promise for the future.

In public examinations of 1932 the school experienced one of its best years. Two pupils won University entrance scholarships (Bth and 9th on the Dominion list), two obtained credit passes and two gained national bursaries. In the University entrance examination 7G passes were gained. The year had brought almost to completion the ambitious effort begun in 1931 to put the whole of the- school grounds into order as playing fields and future boys of the district would have a heritage that very few schools could boast, said Mr. Gamble. Organised games and physical training continued to contribute their tonic value to school life. The school held again the secondary schools' cricket championship, while the Association eleven shared honours with the Auckland Grammar School team. Leading positions were taken by junior grade teams in Association and hockey. The rifle team won the secondary schools' cadet teams' championship. The school prizes were presented by Dr. E. Roberton, vice-chairman of the board of governors, who presided at the ceremony, and during the evening entertaining items were given by pupils.