Agree with Bob West. Splitting up is only okay if you split up into groups, preferably with an experienced person in each group.
Further, I'm a firm believer in the sweeps system, where you have the leader (someone who is highly experienced/very fit) run sweeps. Sweeps is when you have someone at the back of the last group to make sure no one is left behind.The sweeps system has some major safety advantages.
If you pair this with the buddy/group-system, then any person who might get hurt or sick will have someone to stay with them or go get help from the leader at the back.
This way the leader at the rear ensures that no one gets left on the mountain.
With such a big group, and with your desire to find a good pace, it might behoove ou break people into groups based on pace, come up with a meet-up plan (say stop for a break every 1.5 hours and wait for everyone to catch up), maybe (as Steve suggests) until Trail Camp, at that point you might set your pace groups free until the summit. At this point (TC-Summit) walkies might serve you reasonably well.
