SCHOOLS COMPETITION

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 August 1931, Page 3

SCHOOLS COMPETITION

DOBSON PRIZE-WINNERS.

The results of the Grassland Kndw-, ledge Competition, in which school children from many parts of the Dominion took part, have been received' by the Canterbury Education Board; The competition was instituted by the New' Zealand Junior Red Cross Society.

The best collection among-the Nelson entries, although nbt extensive, showed more skilful preparation of the specimens than that of any other competitor in the whole competition. The others were of fair merit.

L. Moore, Spring Grove, Nelson (£1 i/-) 1. '

Eileen Hill and Doreen Baker (working 'in conjunction), Dobson School (5/-) 2. * Doreen Thomson, Dobson School, (5/-) 3.

Commenting On the entries, the judge (Dr. H. H. Allan, Systematic Botanist at the Palmerston NorthPlant Research Station) states that* he Was very pleased with the entriessent in. ' “While, the collections were of; Vaiying size and merit, all had some ’ thing of interest, all had something to teach me,” he writes. “The wisest and most experienced of us have still; so much to learn concerning our grassland plants that even the youngest collector cannot fail to bring before' one something not previously knownj Thus any time and labour expended by me on the collections have been recompensed by increased knowledge of the distribution of certain species.“Notes on specimens are of thegreatest importance,’’ the report cod--tinues. “As was to be expected in; an initial effort, this was the weakest, point in the competition. Most com-, petitors gave some statement of the nature of the soil, but few gave personal observations. Some gave notes, derived from books or other peole.These are quite useful sources of in. formation, but sometimes the notes referred to a plant other than the’ specimen to which they were attach-, ed. The great thing is to observe and. thus draw original conclusions. The lesson of the competition appears to be —know the plants by name and study what part they are playing.. The competitors have all made an excellent start and I greatly hope the interest will not be allowed to die' away.”