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New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 5

The Education Department has commenced the issue of a series of special reports on educational subjects, and the second number of the series, which has just reached us, consists of a translation of a publication issued by ' the Minister of. ‘Public Instruction for France. It is a French scheme for the teaching of elementary ideas of agriculture in rural schools. Instruction, it is stated ip. the directions to teachers, ought to be addressed less to the memory than to the intelligence of the children. To sum up, says the report, the aim of elementary instruction in agriculture is to initiate the bulk of bur country children into that degree of elementary knowledge which is necessary to enable them to read a modern book on agriculture with profit; or to derive advantage from attending ah agricultural conference; to inspire them with the love of country life, so that they may prefer it to that of towns and factories ; and to convince them of the fact that agriculture, besides being the most independent of all - means of livelihood, is also more remunerative than many other occupations to those who practise it with industry, intelligence and enlightenment. The pamphlet proceeds to give in detail the courses of instruction to be imparted to children of various ages, and ip. conclusion states that, as with all other instruction so with that in agriculture, the work of schools must remain incomplete unless provision be made for its continuation and development. •; ;