SHEEP SHEARING CLASSES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1255, 11 October 1911, Page 8

SHEEP SHEARING CLASSES.

AN IMPORTANT. INNOVATION. (By Telegraph.-Fress Association.) Palmerston, October 10. An interesting development in rural education was witnessed'at the Palmerston North Technical School, which inaugurated tho first sheep-shearing classes in tho North Island yesterday. They will bo continued for six days, and a further course will be given if necessary. They begaii with thirteen students yesterday, but, on the farmers seeing their practical character, tho total has risen to more than twenty to-day. . There is a machinery export, an expert shearer, and an export wool-classer in charge. The sheep are sent in from a neighbouring station, and, after its manager saw the quality of the work today, he stated that the school could have one thousand sheep if it wanted them, and the same next year. The cla&scs are being held in the show ground sheds. Tho students are first taught the use of the oil engine which drives tho plant, and then crutching, blade and machine shearing, skirting, classing, baling, and pressing. To-day mcmbe.rs of tho A. and P. Committee and many farmers visited the sheds, and were greatly surprised at the thoroughness of the teaching the singular aptitudo of the boys,' and the excellent condition of tho shorn sheep. The boys propose to go shearing this year. Tho wool-classsr in charge of the tables, who now has a good position, was himself a graduate of the Palmerston Technical- School wool-classing classes, which havo been successfully carried on for the past three years.