INSTRUCTION IN AGRICULTURE

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 569, 26 July 1909, Page 2

INSTRUCTION IN AGRICULTURE

At a recent mooting tho Otago Education. Board i> circular was received from tho Educa-; tion Department; suggesting amcaiis whereby more iiitiinato ' relationship may be brought about botwecn tho course of instruction at tho District High School and rural pursuits. Tho Department suggested , tho grouping ; of small district high ■ schools and • arranging for classes bearing specially on- agriculture being. takon : by itmerant .instructors., Tho board' 6 inspectors, oxprcssed ontiro sympathy with tho Department's, aitns, but they were of opinion that fchq adoption of tho scheme Would deprive country, children of :a fair share of other, education, i They thought it would bo .necessary to; malso' tno course ot study such as would qualify both for rural pursuits and for public service. SiicJi , iv coiirso would suit-tho reriuirenieiits_of' about 75 pcf cent. ; of tho "pupils in.district' , high schools, aud ,tho iuspectors believed it , was in.tilio powor'of the Departmont: to> design it, as it involved littlo more than tho, extol* sioil of tho optionaJ subjects for the Civil Service junior examination, It ;was decided to forivard a copy,of tlio inspcct<rrs tiiemo, to tho Minister, with ah expression of tho board's entiro sympathy with the end'soughtto bo obtained, and of .its'readiness to cooiwrato in the matter provided tho intcresta of the: children arc safeguarded -in the directions indicated by tho'inspectors';. ■;']'■>. .;;■• :■■.