HOME SCIENCE

Evening Star, Issue 21810, 28 August 1934, Page 7

HOME SCIENCE

A DOMINION CONFERENCE WIDENED SCOPE OF TEACHING Yesterday found nearly 200 delegates in attendance at Otago University for a conference convened by, the Association of Home Science alumnre. This is the first conference of its kind that has been held in New Zealand, and it is expected that it will have farreaching results, since an indication was given recently by. the Director of Education (Mr N. T. Lambourne) that any recommendations made by the conference would receive favourable consideration. PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. The proceedings were opened with the' presidential address presented by Dr Elizabeth Gregory, who unpliasised at the outset that . a considerable amount of time should be devoted to a discussion of the school syllabus. In the teaching of home science in schools, she said, it was necessary to develop the mental capacity of the child, to make her think for herself, and then to provide useful information to enable her to take an intelligent interest in what was going' on around her. Referring to syllabuses, Dr Gregory said the ideal in this direction would be difficult indeed to attain, but it was at least something to aim at. It was better to at tempt to raise the general standard oi work than to bring the syllabus down to the level of the school equipment. Speaking oh general lineSj she said it was advisable that . senior teachers should feel a definite responsibility in the training of younger graduates, and in that connection she would like to mention that under the Australian system teachers did not apply for positions, but went where-they were sent. She suggested that in the larger towns in New Zealand, where there might be three or four teachers in the one school, the principle, should be that at least one or two of them should be. younger graduates definitely training under the head of the department, instead of allowing newly-graduated teachers to be sent to a school where they would receive ho specialised help, and must sink or swim according to their ability. Dealing with the subject of academic freedom. Dr Gregory referred first of all to . the much-discussd question of freedom of speech. There was too little freedom in New Zealand, she maintained, and she thought that the matter should be judged from abroad viewpoint. on the principle that it was better to allow opinions to be uttered than to force them to be bottled up. The question of freedom, of speech was most important for, the development of social science. Dr Gregory pointed out that pure scientists had formerly been persecuted, but for some centuries now they had had their freedom, and one of the reasons why the world was so hopelessly disorganised from a social point of view at present was that the researches in science and industry had gone too far ahead of research in the social sciences. It was in the development of work in social science, followed by the education of the people! that their only hope for the future lay, so what could they expect if freedom of .speech and freedom of experimentation were not permitted. ' MODERNISATION. An address was then'given by Professor Strong, dean'of the Faculty .of Home' Science in the University of Otago, who said that in the changing world of to-day it was necessary to prepare the present generation to meet the changing, conditions. The idea of “integration ” seemed to be the theme abroad, an, idea that was being brought into school curricula and would enable pupils to meet problems - not only ;of to-day, but pf . the future as well. Professor Strong- displayed a home science chart of 1904, which showed that the only subjects embraced .at .that, time were cooking and sewing, with the emphasis on technique, and then contrasted those conditions with those 'prevailing to-day, when science and the practical arts were being integrated in a common centre of human relations, and the social aspect was taking a much larger part than in the past. In the United States of America' nursery schools, where the child mind,could be studied, were attached to many of the home science departments, and courses of study were organised by the teachers and accepted' by the department. A picture given by Dr Gregory enabled the delegates to study the results of research work at: present being carried- out abroad. It was confined to the nature and -value, of vitamins, being one of a series of addresses to be presented daily throughout the conference. A prepared outline distributed among the delegates made the, lecture doubly interesting. : ■ Miss E. M..Beid, organiser of the Horae Science Extension Service, showed by lecture arid demonstration the method of presenting her subject matter, ‘ The Family Diet to an Adult Group.’ The correct components, of a “ square meal 33 were interestingly shown by the use of pod models and charts of a simple nature that required no preliminary scientific knowledge. Miss Reid stressed .the point that enlarging of hospitals and kindred institutions would be unnecessary if home science teachers, were able to bring about a better state of health in the community through _the introduction of a better balanced diet.

NUTRITION OF CHILDREN.

Dr Ada Paterson, director of school hygiene, gave an address on the subject of the nutrition of children. Good nutrition in its broad sense, she said, might be regarded as that condition of health and well-being in which there was abundant vitality and the proper carrying out of the bodily functions. Other factors than food were concerned in its achievement —a routine permitting adequate sleep, exercise, fresh air, was essential—but she proposed to talk mainly on the subject of food. It was her intention to outline two recent important contributions to the literature on the subject of nutrition with' an account of some observations made by the New Zealand School Medical Service. ■ After referring to the various factors that had to be considered in the formation of a diet that would fulfil the requirements, and the quantities necessary to the individual at various stages. Dr'Paterson said that, proteins of animal origin—meat, milk, cheese, eggs, and fish —had a higher nutritional value than proteins derived from vegetable sources such as peas, beans, potatoes, carrots,' etc. A diet might contain an adequate number of calories of proteins, fats,.'and carbohydrates, and yet be incapable of supporting health, or even life if it was without minerals and vitamins, which were necessary constituents of any diet. Dr Paterson then quoted from.a lecture delivered by Dr Robert Hutchison to the British Medical Association, in which it was pointed out that food must be taken by the child to' make good 4he outgoings of the-body in the

form of energy in various directions. It was also necessary to remember that a growing boy or girl might consume and need more respectively than a fullgrown man or woman. Digestive disorders were fairly common causes of malnutrition among children of all classes. The components of an ideal diet were enumerated, emphasis being laid on the necessity for food derived from animal and vegetable sources, and also on the fact that an excess of sugar, in the diet might predispose to disease. Two observations, Dr Paterson continued, existed for their comfort. The report of a committee on nutrition set up by the British Medical Association stated that a; consideration of budgets received from working class families indicated that the average housewife purchased foodstuffs which broadly - approximated to dietaries considered to be satisfactory. Then Dr Hutchison, had said, that if the diet of the growing child were abundant, mixed, and varied all would be well, provided that the child had a good appetite. Dr Paterson quoted authorities _ou the value,of milk as an article of diet, emphasising that in New Zealand,, where it was so plentiful, _it was not used nearly so much as it might be, and also stressed the fact that skimmed milk was valuable as a cheap protective food. Other factors in the . proper nutrition of the child were dealt with,instances being given of happenings in New Zealand schools and at the health camp at Otaki, where a great deal of good work was being done among the children. Dr Paterson’s address was made the more interesting by the usa of lantern slides, and she was accorded a hearty vote of thanks at the conclu* sion.

MODERATION IN ALL THINGS. A short talk was given by Professo* C. E. He'rcus, who warned the delegates against an over-anxious attitude towards health, which, he said, was,after all, only a means to an end—the enjoyment of life, the art of living,He referred to the Value of encouraging children to think for themselves, rather than to fill them up with facts, and emphasised the desirability, where possible, of linking up with the home. In the search for health they inevitably turned back to the old Greek ideal of moderation in all things, and if this principle were followed a great number of the bodily ills that beset persons t'o-day might be averted. In conclusion, Professor Herons commended the work of the home science graduates. Ho said he would like to see more of them, in the hospitals and other similar institutions, where they could ,give_ * direction on the essential points of diet and nurture. Professor Hercus was warmly thanked for his talk. The conference was continued to-day, and will sit each day until' Friday," when it will be concluded.