DOMINION PRODUCTS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 147, 18 March 1931, Page 8

DOMINION PRODUCTS

School Exhibits Proposal PRACTICAL LESSONS At a meeting of the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association yesterday, Mr. J. 0. Burns, headmaster of the Petone West School, gave an outline of his scheme for giving scholars a thorough understanding of the industries of New Zealand and what they manufactured. A good deal of latitude was allowed in the school syllabus, said Mr. Burns. His idea was to establish a museum in the school containing exhibits showing the goods manufactured from the raw material to the finished article. He was starting with the industries already in Petone—the meat works, the woollen mills, cigarette factory and soap works. If the children had something placed before them which linked up with something in their homes, they were interested. They might take the breakfast table—although he proposed to begin earlier than that, with the soap in the bathroom. (Laughter.) When the geography lesson was given the exhibits required for the subject would be placed before the class and the manufacture explained. These local products would appeal to them, and if the parents were using imported articles the children might suggest that the locallymade product should be substituted. Mr. R. J. Waghorn, of the Teachers’ Training College, thought something along those lines might be introduced at the Training College, especially If exhibits were to be provided. The economic aspect of the purchase of New Zealand-made goods should not lie lost sight of, said Mr. A. Seed, and Mr. Bums replied that this would come under the heading of elementary economics in the upper classes. Mr. J. Abel: “No doubt visits could be arranged to Petone factories and later to factories in Wellington.” He did not think there would be any trouble in providing an ample supply of exhibits for the museum. Mr. Burns said he proposed, when the museum was established, to place it at the disposal of the other three schools in Petone. It was agreed to support the scheme in any way possible, and members of the association are to be circularised asking 'them to contribute specimens to the museum.