AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 June 1928, Page 9

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

STOPPING THE DRIFT TO THE TOWNS.

GOOD INFLUENCE OF BOYS’ CHUBS.

The question of agricultural education and the action or the executive in furthering this useful .subject, was discussed at the annual conference of the North Taranaki executive of tire Farmers’ Union yesterday. Mr White said' it had been regarded as a possible check on the drift to the towns and the Minister himself had expressed concern. Mr Moyes had mentioned the small proportion of the 454 pupils at the New Plymouth Roys’ High teonoc'l who wer© following a farming course. At the Hawera High School only 18 out of 290 boys were taking tlie agricultural course. At Wanganui College there were 520 boys, all of them rushing into town pursuits, except a meagre 30. In view of this state of affairs Mr White said that on behalf of the executive he had written the Minister on the subject. His reply was that the views should be placed before the primary schools syllabus. This had been done, and they had every hope that their efforts were not misdirected.

The chairman said the union had asked to have agricultural instruction included in the syllabus. In addition, representatives! of the union and 1 the agricultural society were discussing with Mr Moyes a scheme to send their boys to the Massey Agricultural College with bursarnesi from certain moneys.

“I want to say here and now that the primary school teachers have done' their very best regarding the agricultural elute,” said Mr Dunn. He bad been in many primary schools where he had found a very large proportion of the boys and girls intended to go on the' land.

On the motion of Mr White, seconded by Mr Dunn, it was agreed! that als root-growing and the other operations conducted under the auspices of boys’ and girls’ clubs were so essential a part of primary education, some allocation from the State education funds should! be mads for the work.