E.—l.

10. SIZE OF CLASSES. As will be seen from the following table, the average number of children pel adult teacher m the public primary schools is not unreasonably high.

Table K1.-Average Number of Children per Adult Class-teacher in Public Primary Schools.

N.B.—The average attendance shown for each grade of school in the above table does not correspond with that shown m Table C I, owing to the fact that in Table C 1 part-time and side schools are taken separately, thus altering the grades of various schools for the purpose of the latter table. Admittedly there are still some large classes, but, as in 1930, the financial situation has precluded any definite progress in the scheme for the reduction of large classes throughout the Dominion. That some progress has been made in the elimination of large classes during the last six or seven years is shown in Table K 2 (below), while Table K 3 also shows in a different way the general improvement in the staffing ratio until the year which is now nnder review. Unfortunately in this year the economic conditions have prevented any relief being given to many schools which in normal times would have been granted an additional assistant, with the result that there has been an increase from 30-3 to 31-5 in the number of pupils per adult teacher (Table K 3).

Table K2.—Size of Classes in Schools of Grade IV and over.

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AT 1. 2 A , „ rn ■, Averatp Average Number of ChildNumber of Adult Teachers. Attendance ren P er Adult Class - Grade of School. for Year teacher. j : — ended 31st ; i — All i Head class August, 1931 Tea0hers " | e T xXd e ed. " te - h -s. (Pri-ry 1931. 1930. T ° ( / Q i) 193 •• 193 1,128 6 6 TT o, i " '• 744 •• 744 10 > 839 15 15 TTT •• 501 •• 501 12 > 833 26 24 īīī A 564 •• 564 12 > 546 22 22 TTTn S'11 " "■ 537 •• 537 16 ' 300 30 SO TO /ioī *2« " 387 •• 387 12 > 230 32 3i V !Ī1!J '■ " 674 •• 674 24 ' 271 36 34 VT SI'S " " 539 •' 539 22 ' 140 41 38 vtt 3 Q!~ 48 ? •• •• 605 58 547 24,114 44 44 VII (481 and over) .. .. 1,447 100 1,347 58,767 44 41 Junior high, schools and depart- 85 2 83 2,360 28* 28* ments (Forms I and II only) I All schools .. .. 6,276 160 6,116 197,528 32 ~ 31 secondary department! ° D a ° C ° Unt ° f the inclusion of 20 manual and art. instructors who devote part of their time to

February, 1926. February, ] 931. February, 1932. Number of Children. " ~ Number of p Q Number of .p p . Number of p 4 Classes. LVl enl ' Classes. clasges _ PerCent. Under 31 .. .. 249 9 221 7 258 8 31-40 .. .. .. 603 21 717 24 758 24 41-50 .. ,. .. 979 34 1,164 39 1,197 38 ®1" 60 J 81 8 28 787 27 825 26-5 61 and over .. .. 235 8 83 3 107 3-5* Total •• •• 2,884 100 2,972 100 3,145 j IOCkT^ ' * Notwithstanding the limitations imposed upon the Department by the exigencies of the financial situation there lias been no material increase m the proportion of very large classes. '