GROUP VISITS TO LINCOLN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29051, 13 November 1959, Page 7

GROUP VISITS TO LINCOLN

Children’s Tours May Be Curtailed The possibility of farm tours of Canterbury Agricultural College by kindergarten and primary school children being curtailed in the future was discussed at a meeting of the college board of governors. A member of the board, Mr J. K. McAlpine, M.P., inquired whether group visits to the college by kindergarten children were necessary. Visits to the college by 14 groups during October, including children from two kindergartens, were listed in the report of the director (Dr M. M. Burns). He felt that although there were no direct results, kindergarten children benefited from a greater understanding of country and farm life, said Dr. Burns. With the present staffing problems, diverting the staff for this work would be of necessity reduced in the future and groups would be reduced in numbers, he said. The college had carried the visits for a number of years but the pressure was getting too great. “I would hate to see anything done that would result in the tours being cut down,” said the chairman (Mr W» H. Gillespie, M.P.). Dr. Burns said that a public relation appointment for someone to take Charge of such things as group tours had beeni suggested. The matter, had been placed before the committee on university education which was quite impressed and which might bring down a favourable report He said that the cutting down of group tours by, adults was not /contemplated. /