AGRICULTURE INSTRUCTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15047, 17 July 1912, Page 13

AGRICULTURE INSTRUCTION

if. TH c TRAINING OF TEACHERS. ■ •' I • PRODUCING EXPERTS. I ~j 9 cheering to know that in many of ■ . t r ,, h \\ o schools throughout the Dominion 1. ■ ; ' i, r ,:.;" possess teachers sufficiently broad 1 ' Snded *° recognise the iinmenso value ot 1 J ic«Huval education to the growing 1' Oration, wd sufficiently enthusiasts and to undertake a lar«e »n™"« °* in this cause. «o would like i : t make a list of these men and commend §- i'em "for their services, and endeavour -to 1 «Uo tho public and the educational author.it #" s show their appreciation, for valuable 1 rfrvices cheerfully rendered. ..;■'.'.■' M : .':■'■■ Thero are, no doubt, still soma survivals, B of a past age among us who honestly he--1 i ievi > that tho State docs its full duty to I , o i.r'h when it gives it a moderate amount I If" instruction in reading, writing, and E arithmetic. There, are others who think i i:': V { hat a knowledge of tho classics is a supremo 1 (litmi to educational dignity, and. tho §• •■(:'.:•■ :*'irestcat boon which can bo given to the § young by our most expensive schools and I colleges. Such believers may bo honest, 1 W they can scarcely lay claim to any I hig" appreciation of the value of know--1 ledge- , .■ . . , I To the man who believes that the mere f iftnentary forms of teaching are sufficient, r.T ro those who believe that a mastery of J eek is tho h:gl»>st attainment, it will bo ilifficult to present convincing arguments in - tnv:mr of practical education, but we have 'sufficient facta more potent'than any forra ■ pi ■ logic to prove that if we wh& to hit W(' ■ Iranian nature out of "the.'ruts of ignorance j ive must educate along lines which affect j ctdinary, ©very-day, life. It is all very J we |l for the 'unambitious' peasant to be I t , uteivfc with an acquaintance with the three It's; it is no doubt consoling for the -ex* elusive ir.inoriiy to shield tncmselyes be.hind a itiat.ll of classical culture; but these jreopfe do not make a nation, nor do they ''■■$' much ail'ect its material or ■ intellectual welfare. It is the everyday working cithsttn whom we must arm with knowledge—the artisan who must be given the power 8f science, tho farmer who must possess, the ! resources of chemistry. Through these men I widely educated wo can lift the nation to heights of wealth and power undreamt of Practical Education. I Wo have seen the Germans, simply through the application of scientific education So practical pursuits, lift their nation from a condition of rural obscurity to a foremost position among the peoples' of the .world. By it they' have triumphed over the' poverty of their soil, through it*- they have lifted their commerce and manufactures to aa unassailable position, and with it they may yet win wor'U-wide domiuaucc. In.' these days of national rivalry and competition, the man who believes that ijnoraace is the natural lot of the masses i is a traitor to his and those who, CStnnot see the absolute- necessity ui tie widen knowledge bei'ijf given to every man and woman, to every; boy and giii, are amply bliud to-the- obvious. "lucre aro few, it must be acknowledged, who do not in. the- üb. tract reeogm.su rhs jnighty influence which saeubbc oUucatiou, can exercise- on tho constructive lorms of .Justry; but too many, alas, believo taafctt:."':■• ths higher forms, of edir.atiou make workers (•iscontented with their lot. \iJus may bo -r-;* 1 in one way, but discontent is a great S■''.•••'. evolutionary" force, and rightly wUi hit man to high levels. Ana v.i*y blfoukt men be content until they have raised tiie stanoard of living so high that ctfery individual in the community can lead a healthy, useful life, fulfilling all that ia best widun aim. The Greatest Industry. :">r... : ' ... ' . ~.,'.,.;: And how can agricultural education benefit ihn nation? Who bus an ignoramus would s \ inch a question? 1- not agriculture the •vdtect, and most important- indusUry in f «.-,erv nation? Even in duiginnd, where for ! .-centuries' the,, whole strength of thecjieoptev: ' serras to have been given to tho work of Manufacturing, agriculture ir stul tho ■ re te&t of*imlusiries, and there is no doubt thrt under better conditions, which would f. comii through wider knowledge, agriculture m the Old Country might he made to expand to an enormous degteb. - ' ,-■ In. 1 'Mew' Zealand, where.agriculture: is so;. imnorcnut that it not only tiominates over &ny other industry, but over ml other industries 'out together, agricultural educafiou muse have immensely important results. It can be mado to increase production by millioiw of pounds yearly j it can help to savo vast, sums now wasted through ignorance ;> it can he made to give us ai.nost illimitable wealth in the shapo of new plantc or improved varieties. • ■ ,s - What dees our educational system give do the agriculturist ai the presvenc timer It Vgitea..practically nothing, -when it should -. .' give,'the bulk'of it» services.' It is a regretTahlo facs tiiat we have to call'for appreciatiett'en hehaif of a »haJtll;bddy_ of teachers who" are unselfifibty -'tfevo^|^' : -timfr;to: ! agrt-, cultural insiruction, when a smattering of Mtitt or Greek would give them more honour and greater?reward., wis a disgrace to the nation that we < have :t<i iackhowledg© thai agriculture still holds the loweet and most obscure place in our.educational cu"r- ! riculum when it* should occupy the domi.naiat position. '■ * . ' A. sreglected-""Sub|est. At the present time ihe subject of agriculture is held to be of so little account m New Zealand that scarcely any attention ;W rjaid to it. What is required almost at once ui.a-clear and definite determination on * tlie part of our .educational authorities to make the "bulk of our teaching a preparation for those who wish to go <>n to the land. "Or, if this is asking too mucia at once, we should certainly advise that three important provisions should be made in this direction. Firstly, ail youths who wish to, become farmers should have provided'a form of educatioit which specially fits them for this important work. Secondly, provision should be mad© for the special encouragement and training of agricultural teachers j and, thirdly, the State should assist those youths who have shown special aptitude in. agricultural science to become our future agricultural experts. ' . Our youths to-day can 'be* specially traufed to become lawyers, doctors, parsons, engineers, miners, ox almost any kind of artisans - ; and teachers, scholarships, ' libraries, laboratories are provided to help them in these directions. We require as much or more to he done for those who wish to become farmers. .We have special schools for the training of teachers. ,Theae schools should bo used extensively for the training of agricultural teachers. A ITatioaal Question. " Thi> matter of training agricultural experts is one of national importance. Every future officer in our Agricultural Department should be trained to the highest point j of efficiency in our own schools; every de- j parfcmental inspector should be a qualified,] • instructor. We have the very best material j in this country for the production of j V specialists in farming science, and if our brainy young men now wondering how they can force their way into our crowded professions were assured that thej would have tho first claim to good official positions in the State Departments, there would soon be an end to the besi of our young men leaving New Zealand to seek positions elsewhere. If our schools and colleges provided the preliminary and general training in agricultural science, our State farms could !' be used as training grounds in practical work and in the higher branches of education, and we could thus turn out specialists , of a high order, whose knowledge would be continually at the service of the nation, and continually exercised 'by the performance, of State duties. Even under our present system we could find profitable employ,ment for hundreds of young men, but in the future the demand would grow. We shall ': want soil chemists, pathologists, - plant-■ hiceders, stock-breeders, dairying chemists, 7 horticulturists, veterinarians, and a host of . others-who can help us to increase the pro- ; auction of wealth frQm tho land or to economically utilise the products of the -farm.