OVERCROWDED PUPILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18331, 22 February 1923, Page 9

OVERCROWDED PUPILS.

.',-—— —-«•— ': '''■'.. . AUCKLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL SOME TO GO TO MT. ALBERT. | Reference to the overcrowded state of | the Auckland Grammar School was made ' at a meeting of the Auckland Grammar Schools Board yesterday. It was stated that' the school opened this year with about 900 pupils. •-. The headmaster, Mr. J. Drummond reported that ,; the school could conveniently accommodate 800. He suggested that either all boys living across the harbour should be compelled to attend the Mount Albert school, or that all boys living on the ' western sid» of Mount Eden, whether nearer the Auckland or the Mount Albert school, should attend the latter. The present roll number of the Mount Albert school was 277. The board decided to authorise > the headmaster to reduce the number at the Auckland school to 800 by sending some boys to Mount Albert. PRIMARY SCHOOL CONDITIONS. REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTER. The urgent need for improvement in {>rimary school conditions in the Auck and district will be brought' before the Minister for Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr, to-day by members of the Education Board.': •■'■ , * , J. . ' ' In reviewing existing conditions of overcrowding, the chairman of the' board. Mr. E„ C. Banks, slated yesterday that the Minister had agreed to the provision of a minimum of 12 square feet of space for every: child. An attempt to bring accommodation up ,to this standard was being made when the country'. entered upon a stage of financial depression, and the space was now down to Bft. or Jft. again. v ; This was most unfair to the ''children, who would be better outside tflan in these , stuffy, overorowded classrooms. "The money must be tound," declared Mr. Burns, "and we must press for thft immediate enlargement of* all schools so as to provide at least 10ft." of space for. every pupil." , ' ;