CHANGES IN THE NUMBER OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND PUPILS FROM 1960 TO 2011 IN TOTTORI PREFECTURE

Abstract

We developed a database of the number of public elementary schools and their pupils in Tottori. This paper aims to explain the changes in pupil numbers and resulting schools closures. From 1960 to 1975 the number of children fell by half and that forced many schools to shut down, but branch schools thrived to some extent. After that there are no major changes until 1999. However the amalgamation and reorganization of schools accelerated after 2000 as the large scale merging of municipalities took place. We classified and analyzed cities and towns by the changes of number of schools in them.