THE SOUTH CANTERBURY EXPERIMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10716, 15 March 1911, Page 2

THE SOUTH CANTERBURY EXPERIMENT.

(Per Pbebs Association. ) Timaru, March 14. The Education Board to-day received the report of the Agricultural Instructor. Last year at the three district high schools 40 boys and 48 girls took instruction in agriculture. This year only 26 boys and 23 girls were enrolled at two schools, and none v at the third. The majority of the pupils' work for matriculation and agriculture does not fit in, and they cannot graft agriculture on to the ordinary secondary course. Mr Brown therefore recommends that a resident continuation school be established. He visited 20 primary scho'ols where gardening and elementary agriculture were taught, and advised.

The teachers' conference was held last Saturday, the instructor, inspectors, headmasters'of. the district and.high schools, and members of the Board being present, at which it was resolved that it was inadvisable to make_ agriculture a chief subject at district high schools, and to ask the Department to modify the conditions of capitation for agriculture, in-Standard , VI; -that the boards be asked to make more liberal provision for agriculture in the scholarship regulations; that; districts high schools adopting the course in agriculture should have an assistant taking a 7 special interest in the subject; and that: it was desirable that South Canterbury should have a boarding school, an institution devoted mainly to agricultural education on the lines of the Australian agricultural continuation /-schools, with land for experimental and demonstration work.

The Board to-day discussed and adopted the instructor's report and the recommendations of the conference. 'lt was agreed that agricultural instruction cannot be successful under the present conditions, amontz the obstacles being •the conservatism of tlio University Senate. It was explninod that the suggested continuation school could prepare boys to enter the ordinary' and secondary course who now do not go to the high schools. It was suggested that the Timaru High School Board should provide the boarding school recommended.