SCHOOL AGRICULTURE

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 January 1930, Page 7

SCHOOL AGRICULTURE

T A RAN AKI INSTRUCT! ON. .WIDER SCHEME RECOMMENDED. The subject of agricultural work in the schools of the province was discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki Education Board, when members, while -recognising the value of the teaching, differed somewhat in their opinions as to the benefits arising from the present organisation. Speaking on the subject, Mr J. A. Valentine .said there were three agricultural instructors, and he- computed that these made approximately five visits a year to every -school in their' district. Thi-s caused the teachers to depend on the instructor and they became “spoonfed.” The lack of responsibility tended to let carelessness creep in. It was a case of two people doing one person’s work and this was very expensive. Also the schools most easily reached were most often visited. There was need for reform, as the agricultural work was costing too much for the results obtained, good as they undoubtedly were. He urged an extension of the visits to the Main Trunk schools.

The chairman (Mr S. G. Smith) agreed with the latter part of Mr Valentine’s observations, hut his first impression was that it was an attack on the Taranaki agricultural instructors. The theory was abroad that the agricultural instruction in the training colleges was not efficient. He saw no reason why they should not have specialists in so important a -subject as agriculture and that there should bo no restriction to the efficiency of the tuition.

Mr P. J. White agreed on the desirability of extending the scope and the area, but said he would not like to see a decline in the standard. He pointed out the good done by the hoys and girls’ clubs in opening people’s eyes to the agricultural nature of Taranaki. He would be loth to vote for anything that might reduce the number of visits of some of the instructors. The help they gave was apnreciated by most teachers. Mr A. Lees thought the high standard of instruction now being given should he maintained at all costs. Thirty-one per cent of the hoys leaving primary schools went straight to farms, and for this reason it was necessary to have efficient elementary teaching in agriculture. He said that the Taranaki Board had made a special feature of agricultural education for many years and that it would he unwise to let it go back. The work done was. he said, reflected in the work done in tho Boys and Girls’ Clubs anc! the interest taken by the parents, and it would he better to spend even more than to curtail expenditure. At tlie request of the board Mr. R. G l . Ridling, the senior agricultural instructor, gave his views. He said that in the event of an instructor being transferred to Te Ivuiti that man would be able to work 30 schools, giving advice in forestry, agriculture, and arranging boys and girls’ clubs. This would leave the other two instructors 70 schools each. The increase, however, would not make for efficiency m the southern schools. Mr. Ridling was of opinion that three visits a year were ample to secure a maximum of efficiency. It was his mission to advise.

Mr. N. R. McKenzie said that agriculture was not included in the proficiency examination, and that this was one of the reasons for discredit passed on that examination- He considered that three visits annually by an instructor were sufficient and education in a. rural district should be built up round agriculture. Mr. Ridling added that in his opinion teachers were not “spoon fed,” and if farming was to take its proper place in the community the amount spent oil agricultural instruction should he increased.

The question will he again considered Lit the next meeting.