The Star Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1914. SYSTEMATIC AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 2 December 1914, Page 4

The Star Delivered every evening by 5 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1914. SYSTEMATIC AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION

The Wanganui. Education Beard and ssome. progressive pecph in South Taranaki have for a considerable time taken an enlightened interest in agricultural education. It is true that a similar interest has, off and on, been shown in other parts of the Dominion, but nowhere has the subject been more earnestly or intelligently dealt with than j.t has been in the Wan-

&anui education district, which inciudes a large portion of Taranaki. Fortunately the subject has already been taken up by the Board of Agriculture, and as this recently constituted body stands for the whole Dominion, Taranakl's efforts in the matter may benefit the country at large "by giving it a timely impetus, while the general movement should, indirectly at least, help Taranaki to make the full educational provision which it has long been aiming at in the interest of scientific farming, through the agency of lectures, experimental lessons, and the establishment of an Agricultural Collegiate School. The Auckland Board of Education has already taken action on the Board of Agriculture's memorandum with regard to children at the primary schools being instructed in the principles of stock-judging. A special report was presented to the Board at its last meing by Mr E. K. MuJgan, chief inspector. '"Extremely valuable training, leading to the acquisition of much useful knowledge,' 0 said the report, "could be given to boys in Standards V. and VI. by the Farmers' Unions throughout the education district, if they were to arrange for demonstrations on stockjudging by competent members from time to time. The demonstrations could be held in central localities at which pupils from schools within reach could attend. Prior to attending these- demonstrations, however. r'«n?i,s sbo'j'i receive instruct,)?" from their teachers on the physiology of farm animals, so that, they may be in a position to follow and profit by the demonstrator's remarks and c-irsctions." ]ri fhis connection Mr Mulgan recommended that "applications should be made to the Department of Agriculture, asking' it to undertake the publication and issue of suitable charts to be supplied to the schools, and used by teachers in illustrating their instruction. This is an important matter, for without some previous knowledge of the build and structure of the animals in question, and some familiarity with the terminology employed, the demonstrations would lose much of their practical value." Then, "the Agricultural and Pastoral Associations could render important assistance by arranging for judging competitions at their various shows, for boys actually attending school," continued the report. "The Farmers' Unions could also help us

in our efforts to spread some knowledge of elementary agriculture through the medium of school gardens if they were to prepare experimental plots in central localities." Finally, it was resolved to communicate fur--7 ther with the Board of Agriculture .8 and the Farmers' Union, and a com•9 mittee w,as appoin^d to- co-ojisrate ' x with the chief inspectors in arranging z for lessons in the form of practical 3 demonstrations. It was stated that of the Farmers' Union were 6 willing to give instruction in connoc--7 tion with horses and stock to boys in the higher standards. The Board showed that it- realised the importance of the proposed change, because (it was admitted) agriculture is the primary and most vital industry in the Dominion, and -its continued neglect in connection with the higher branches of primary school work would be a_ proof of very regrettable short-sightedness in those connected with and interested in effective national education. The chairman declared that the step which the Board was taking was the most important it had decided upon during his chairmanship, and he has helcl office for a number of years: In some respects the Wanganui Board of Education has, on its own initiative, gone much further than the Auckland Board now proposes to go at the instance of the Dominion Board of Agriculture, but some of the efforts proposed in Auckland should prove suggestive and stimulating to the observant agricultural educationists in this part of the country. However, the chief consideration with respect to local efforts, aims and prospects is that Auckland supplies an encouraging instance of the new general movement in favor of agricultural education on 'a national scale. The people here have been workers and fighters in this cause for a considerable time, but even the lesser efforts now being made elsewhere, being part of a general movement, are not only so many acknowledgements of the wisdom and public spirit of the "Wanganui Education Board, and of the value of the work of the agricultural educationists and of the in- , structor in South. Taranaki, but they give at least considerable moral support to our larger local aims in connection with systematic agricultural education as a great natiotial necessity. Being thus justified agricultural educationists in South Taranaki are also at the same time encouraged to go on steadily with what they are already doing and to maintain their efforts to secure the establishment of an Agricultural High School in the district. ' ;