-E.—l

12

For the number of schools in each education district classified according to grade, reference should be made to Table AJ in E.-2, " Report on Primary Education." The total average attendance for each grade and the average number of pupils per school in each grade is shown below; secondary departments of district high schools are excluded : —

In general, schools in Grades 0- II (average attendance 1-35) are soleteacher schools, and schools above Grade II have two or more teachers. Further reference is made to this matter on page 26, under the heading " Staffing of Public Schools." School Buildings. Public-school buildings are erected by Education Boards, the cost being met by grants received from the Department. With applications for grants, Education Boards submit plans of proposed buildings or additions, and the Department is now more closely scrutinizing these with a view to introducing a desirable measure of standardization in school-construction. Many of the older classrooms are undoubtedly defective in important features, such as shape, size, arrangement of desks with respect to lighting, &o, and it is disappointing to find similar defects recurring in some schools erected comparatively recently. This is to be regretted, as defective buildings can be remedied only at considerable cost, particularly where brick is used in their construction. The necessity for providing school accommodation that is hygienically in conformity with well-recognized and generally accepted principles of school-construction cannot be too strongly emphasized. Indeed, the matter is one of vital importance in view of the substantial proportion of the child's life that is spent in school and the effect the conditions under which school-work is carried on must undoubtedly have upon the health and vigour of our people, both intellectually and physically. A not uncommon defect in school buildings is that they have been erected or enlarged to meet merely immediate needs, and not on a preconceived plan having in view future extension. When, therefore, additional accommodation is required at such schools, alterations to such existing buildings involve considerable expense that might have been avoided by the exercise of forethought. This is frequently noticeable in districts where the population is rapidly increasing, the original building forming a very unsuitable nucleus about which the additional rooms can be grouped economically and with due regard to effective organization of the school. On the other hand, it must be said that most of the buildings recently erected mark a great advance in school-construc-tion upon those to which reference has been made. In these the class-rooms are of a suitable shape, size, and height; the lighting is adequate, and so admitted that it is in no. way distressing to either the teachers or the pupils; ample provision is made for ventilation, and necessary additions can be made economically. As a preliminary to suggesting directions in which the standardization of school buildings might be desirable, the Department consulted Education Boards and requested them to submit approved plans of school buildings either actually adopted or proposed to be adopted. Boards were also asked to state

Grade of School. 0. (1-8) 1. (9-20) II. (21-35) IIIa. (36-80) IIIb. (81 120) IV. (121-240) V. (241-400) VI. (401-500) VII. (501 and over) Number of Schools. 189 665 .. I 509 555 127 124 96 24 66 Total Average Attendance. 1,054 9,192 12,811 26,463 11,854 19,881 28,809 10,521 41 ,312 Average Number ol Pupils per School. 6 H 25 48 93 160 300 438 626 i