E.—2

14

In schools with two or more teachers—that is, schools of Grade IV and upwards —we find that the average number of pupils per adult teacher, reckoning two pupilteachers as equivalent to one adult, was 40-22. With the same assumption we find that the average for all schools was 33-62, and for all schools, omitting those below Grade 11, 36-61. - The following figures show the ratio of males to females, adult teachers and pupil teachers being considered separately. For purposes of comparison the figures for the previous years are also given : — 1909. 1910. 1911. . Male. Female. Male. Eemale. Male. Female. Katio of adult male to adult female teachers, schools with one to fifteen scholars 100 : 359 100 : 325 100 : 362 Eatio of adult male to adult female teachers, schools with more than fifteen scholars .. .. .. .. 100 : 140 100 : 141 100 : 142 Ratio of adult male to adult female teachers, all schools .. .. .. 100 : 157 100 : 155 100 : 157 Ratio of male pupil-teachers to female pupil-teachers .. .. .. 100 : 319 100 : 302 100 : 295 Ratio of male to female teachers, all schools 100:174 100:170 100:172 From the above table it will be seen that the proportion of males to females is by no means small, except in the cases of pupil-teachers and sole teachers of small schools. The figures in regard to pupil-teachers show conclusively that a much largei percentage of females enter the service than males ; but a great number of these female pupil-teachers leave before completing their period of training. In regard to the large proportion of female teachers to males in Grade 0 and Grade I schools, the maximum salary payable to teachers of such schools is £120, and Education Boards have always fo.und extreme difficulty in procuring suitable male teachers to fill such positions. Indeed, many educationists hold the view that women teachers are more suited to take charge of small schools than are men; for in such schools one-half of the pupils on the average are girls, and, of the boys, half are under ten years of age, and both these groups are consequently more easily and sympathetically managed by a woman teacher; thus 75 per cent, of the average number in attendance at a sole-teacher school are more suited to instruction by a woman teacher than by a male. If we take into consideration the corresponding proportion for primary-school teachers, secondary teachers in district high schools, and secondary schools (exclusive of part-time teachers), and for students in training colleges respectively, we have :— Number of Women Teachers or Students per Hundred Men Teachers or Students (omitting Teachers of Schools with 15 or less in Average Attendance). 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. Adult primary teachers .. 125 124 126 140 141 142 Pupil-teachers .. ..339 277 296 319 302 295 Secondary teachers 80 77 76 82 85 84 Training-college students .. 350 315 285 280 219 197 All teachers and students 148 142 144 158 156 155 In other words, out of a total of 4,814 persons engaged in the above-named branches of the teaching profession, there were, in 1911, 1,889 men and 2,925 women. It will be interesting to see how these figures compare with those from othei parts of the world—England, Scotland, and the United States, for instance. In comparing this Dominion with such old-established countries, it is necessary to bear in mind that in the latter, the population being comparatively dense and the means of communication—the roads and railways—being more complete and efficacious, there are few schools corresponding to our Grade 0 or Grade I schools. Accordingly such schools are not taken into consideration in the New Zealand figures. England. Scotland. United States. New Zealand. Adult primary teachers.. .. 314 245 368 142 Pupil-teachers .. .. 313 449 * 295 Secondary teachers .. 95 * 121 84 Training-college students .. 211 389 365 197

* Figures not available.