THE SCHOOL ROLL.

Waikato Times, Volume 99, Issue 16653, 19 November 1925, Page 11

THE SCHOOL ROLL.

w OVER 65,000 PUPILS. PROVINCE'S GREAT GROWTH. At a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday a return was presented of the scholars at the public schools in the province, showing that they numbered 34,498 boys and 31,662 girls, a total of 66,160. The average attendance is -69,319. In conjunction with the return the secretary presented two graphs showing the numbers of the pupils in other districts at the end of 1924, which made it clear that the scholars in the Auckland district were nearly double as many as those in Canterbury, nearly three times as many as in Wellington, and over three times the number in Otago. A chart of-the percentage increase since 1916 showed that Auckland had far outstripped all other education districts in the growth of pupils, having increased 27 per cent, in that time. Hawke's Bay came next in order, Vvhile Otago and Southland had practically remained at a standstill. The chairman (Mr Burns) remarked that the figures and charts were most illuminating, in that they made it quite clear why it was that the Auckland district, while getting the greatest share of the school grants, yet found it most difficult to provide accommodation for the children. In Otago and Southland, where the number of had remained stationary for many years, the boards were enabled to remodel and improve their schools, and yet they complained about the money obtained by Auckland, which was insufficient to provide the bare accommodation for the great growth in school population, let alone do any remodelling. The board decided to endeavour to have the charts exhibited in the Education section of the South Seas Exhibition.