AGRICULTURAL COURSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20969, 4 September 1931, Page 11

AGRICULTURAL COURSE.

ROTORUA HIGH SCHOOL PLAN. KEEN INTEREST IN SCHEME. [FROM our own correspondent.] ROTORUA, Thursday. A proposal to introduce an agricultural bias into the curriculum of the Rotorua High School is being considered by the Board of Governors of the school, and, it is hoped, will result in a practical scheme which will enable a comprehensive agricultural course to be put into operation. The board has been considering the introduction of an agricultural course for some time, and this week conferred with Mr. D A. Campbell, agricultural instructor at Rangiora High School, in connection with the scheme. A particularly successful scheme of agricultural work has been evolved at Rangiora, and it is the Rotorua Board's intention to model its own course of instruction along the lines which have been adopted there. Mr. Campbell expressed the opinion that Rotorua had an opportunity to develop a very valuable scheme, not only in introducing agricultural training into the school, but perhaps by utilising the areas of undeveloped land in the district for a more comprehensive scheme which would enable boys to be placed on the land after they had received their training at the school. Considerable interest is being taken in the board's proposal, and at a special meeting to consider the matter, an offer was received from Mr. *H. C. B. Hardcastle, who stated that he was willing to make available a portion of his property for practical training purposes until the board could acquire a school farm. A subcommittee has been set up to consider Mr. Hardcastle's offer in relation to the scheme, and also to report with regard to various areas of land which may be suitable for use as a school farm.