SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.

Northern Advocate, 13 November 1917, Page 1

SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.

A MANGONUI MOVEMENT

BEAUTY AND UTILITY.

In the course of a circular letter to the chairman of all school committees in Mangonui County the chairman of the IVlangonui A. and P. Association states:—

I am sure that you will cordially agree with me when I express the opinion, that the environment of our schools has a marked effect on the future men and women of our race. That being so my Associations feels that it behoves us all to do our utmost to make these surroundings beautiful, and an example to those who have to spend many hours each day at school. They wish to assist in encouraging the teachers and children in the work of making their respective grounds places of beauty instead of the dismal and unsightly places which many of them are at present.

With a view of co-ordinating the efforts of my Association, and the various schools throughout the county in the matter of experimental plots, and research, especially in connection with the dairy industry, I propose to place shortly before my executive certain proposals and would be pleased to have your opinion thereon.

I feel that a splendid opportunity is being missed in many cases in not turning a largo portion of the school grounds of our county into valuable experimental plots on the lines so successfully carried on by many of the schools further south. There are a few striking exceptions amongst our northern schools, but for the most part nothing is done, and where anything is attempted it is carried out in many cases on more or less haphazard line!). There is no co-ordinating of effort between the teachers and the farmers of the district, and in most cases no interest taken by the latter in the work of tho teachers under this head. The inevitable result is that both teachers and children lose heart and interest.

My proposals, so far as I have been able to evolve them at present, are:

"That steps should be taken by our A. and P. Association to set up special committees of enthusiasts who would periodically visit the schools and cooperate with the committees and teachers in carrying on useful experimental work on a large scale, and these committees should solicit donations of money, manure or seeds, and plants in order to enable the teachers to do good work, instead of being handicapped as he is at the present time for want of material."

"That steps to be taken to provide each school in the dairying districts with one or more milk testing outfits so that children would be able to receive practical instruction in milk testing and carrying out the testing operations themselves. In this connection the various dairy companies would no doubt assist, if only in the matter of supplying the necessary quantity of acid for testing purposes."

There are many other ways in which valuable work could be done by cooperating on the lines suggested, but I think I have sufficiently explained the proposals in the meantime.

I am one.of those who believe that the organising of an annual show is only a minor function of an A. and P. Association and that our principal efforts should be directed towards these ends under which our agricultural and pastoral industries are carried on. At the present moment I cannot see any better way in which we could operate than to give the encouragement which I have indicated to our school teachers and children. Under this scheme our school grounds will cease to be a reproach to a civilised community, and whilst being made beautiful, will also become a valuable experimental and demonstration centre in each district. The teacher, instead of being looked upon as an agricultural theorist, as he is by many at the present time, would gradually become part and parcel of the various farming districts, and havo an opportunity of demonstrating that he could put his theoretical knowledge into practice, to the advantage of all.