EDUCATION IN AGRICULTURE

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26886, 12 November 1952, Page 6

EDUCATION IN AGRICULTURE

REPORT ON CONFERENCE OF COLLEGES Improvement of agricultural education in New Zealand was a general theme of last week’s conference of the two agricultural colleges, according to reports of delegates to the board of governors of Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, yesterday morning. “One thing was stressed—that we should convince the community that agriculture demands teachers and students of the highest ability,” said the Director (Dr. M. M. Burns). There was a common impression that agriculture did not require the standard of education of, say, engineering or the sciences, Dr. Burns said. “I think that is a false basis and, in this country, a wrong basis,” he added. No definite resolutions were passed by the conference, Dr. Burns said, but it was agreed that research and extension services were essential functions of agricultural colleges when carried out to the extent necessary for effective teaching; that there was a duty to offer diploma courses as well a s degree courses; that there was no real over-lapping between the two colieges because of. regional differences: ? nd , o Post-primary schools should be told more of the opportunities for young men trained in agricultural sciences.

„The chairman (Mr W. H. Gillespie. M.P.) remarked on the co-operative spirit of the conferee©*

Mr J. E. Strachan said that Dr. G A Currie, Vice-Chancellor of the University of New Zealand, had obtained tor the conference reports from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research on their needs of pro-fessionally-trained workers “Tnere was evidence of some empire-building ideas in the departments, but their comments merit our closest consideration, Mr Strachan said. Another matter of interest was a proposal that there should be better training for teachers in rura! high schodls, said Mr Strachan. may be a. case for another degree in rural science or rural sociology. he said. This need not be so h^t h ?i Cal f as thedegree in agriculture, but the standard should be as high.