Agricultural Education

Southland Times, Issue 10996, 27 July 1907, Page 4

Agricultural Education

MU BEAUC'ES SCHEME. fONT'EUNEB BY INSPECTOR WVLEIE, in a report 10 yesterday's special me-ting oi the Boar*!. Inspector Wyllie set out liis objections O' the propounded tiy 1- E. Pearce. Hector of the High School, as folio'.vs il) Tlic scheme would lii-. a ncially impracticable as it is -tnlik.-ly that .Y' note pupils would a i tend the proposed ue"’ course ::l raricuh ure. Agricultural lectures hate not received much support m ih.e past, and i:t would be hard to ci uvince farmers individu-Vlly ot ihc 1-moiU to.ho derived from the scheme, .2} The cost of the suggested plot of land would be excessive, and the cost of implements and stock basing, apparently been taken into account. •U) The amount provided ijlOu to T'eiOi for salaries of the two. or rita ps three, additional teachers is :n idecpiate. ■1 ). It seems a new tiling to har of specialisation in • the High S.hool, A course of this kind • cumin -rcinl. including book-keeping and

T' ortliand> was tried some years ago ..ml [ironouticcil a failure. Specialism. inadvisable ai the High School, waich is intend -d to provide that ■ iierul mentiil culture necessai-y to ..I who intend eiiterin,g the various learned professions. One-sided come, ere outside 'lds |»url>ose. if m l ' idvers- to it. ■7,1 pupils entering' Hie H'gh School ar- not at the age. nor have tile.' tluy n- ce-sar\ rtiucaiional grounding to , i-aidv them to pariicipate with T-iuTu in a thoiongh agricultural -uii'se. Agricultural du'miM'ry pre u-,noses u preliminary course itt in u'g-airc cIK-mislr.v l el : ' - mi.*n(ai v a..,’ii niiure. lavparatiity training tu l-i-tlogy : surve.'ing' and previous instruction in mathematics. Pupils ■' 1 -aving, *' not entcmng. the High S- ito',l are tluTefore in a position to ■'a '., with advantagv the artltlous -. o-irse proposed. -it i The area of land suggested is iii.uHicienl for elieclive practical M-lining in urtiinary farm opi-rat i-oiis. ! lie example,; (pioted of plots of .oailur area in Prance and TTolhand ac 1 beside the point, as the -A mein ef culture is more intense in those countries. if ill,- tillage is to hi;:c •formed wiiii manual tools. the ro ir.-e is one of horticulture. not

.i if riedit tiro. 7,i Two (or at most throoi t.nich■rs would itc- iusuliieior.il. One is to 1.0 ro-iuiivil to teach agricttUural . h.mistry. tillage, horticulture (sin. ani.l animal husbandry : itbe oilier, .'.‘.rui carptMtlfy. faiTiery, idacksuutbTi r. It is pmUaido theiv .would !:<• d i dleid (y in obUtinimr U'ach.rs of :-u hj '• a ril’d capabiliiifs. S; the time lost hi g'ldue' to and Iw eeu Ibo school and llm (dot ■ :;n Isi lie considerable. Pupils comply hv train from the courrry nr" , ii!, IviudicaPlusd even al present. .‘Mi The s'.iy’Ti’stiou that small ‘■r.iins of from if." to £lO. iiiuile to n udiei-s who M ere stlccessiiii in n.m- ---■ ipractical adricullural courses in eJemeniary schools, would result in ir.ucii improvenn n!. is diivcllv »;- s.ii to no opinion. It would llrr lend to widespread establish'- .. lit ~f classes 1 1 v teachers insttllii nily e.|tii ppctl. who were, n’vc*llte,'SS. I a red to the attempt by the "nancial bait h-dd out to tl'.em. ’i'll - Inspector's r. port was rri'-nvd o.i tiie Aiyrieiil t Ural Committee.