BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS

Southland Times, Issue 21073, 3 May 1930, Page 9

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS

LEITER TO EDUCATION BOARD, n AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION. Some time ago the committee of management of the Southland Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Clubs Association applied to the Southland Education board for the services of its agricultural instructor (Mr Matthews) for two months in judging plots. The board decided that it could not spare its instructor for more than a week for this purpose and replied accordingly. At yesterday’s meeting of the board the following letter on the subject was received from Mr J. W. Deem, director of the Fields Division, Department of Agriculture: “Mr R. B. Tennent, fields superintendent of the Department, Dunedin, has referred to me your communication regarding assistance by your instructor in the agricultural clubs’ movement. After reading this one is forced to the opinion that your board is not generally in favour of Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs and does not consider the results obtained from them of much value to the general education of the districts in which the clubs are conducted. The question of boys’ and girls’ clubs is giving my Department considerable worry as in some districts farmers’ associations and the Education Boards are keen to get the work extended and we are finding great difficulty in supplying officers to carry out our part of the work, even where ably assisted by agricultural instructors of the education boards. For instance, the instructors to the Taranaki and Wanganui Boards are very keen on the club movement and supply fully 50 per cent, of the labour necessary in carrying out the ■work. It has now become necessary for me to carefully consider the whole question of boys’ and girls’ clubs so as to decided the advisability of attempting to extend or limit them in certain districts. I should therefore greatly appreciate a frank statement of your board’s views on the matter. I might state that your offer to allow your instructor to assist for one week is not considered of much value to my Department. When boys’ and girls’ clubs were started in my district it was generally understood that the agricultural instructors of the education boards were completely in accord with the scheme, were supported by their boards and in a position to devote the necessary time to the work. I do not know if this was definitely understood by your board, but we were under the impression that such was the case.” Mr Thomson, in moving that the letter be received, said that, the board's agricultural instructor’s time was fully occupied in imparting scientific instruction to the pupils in the board’s district. He could not be spared to devote one-sixth of his time to the work of agricultural clubs. Mr Thomson said that he was surprised that there were no members of the Farmers’ Union who were able and willing to do the work which Mr Matthews was asked to do. The members of the Education Board devoted three days a week gratuitously to the administration of education. Surely members of the Farmers’ Union could assist the agricultural clubs in judging the competitions. While he was anxious to see boys’ and girls’ agricultural clubs flourish and knew that the board would assist as far as was reasonable, it could not give the services of its instructor for two months. He was surprised at the tone of the letter from the Department of Agriculture. Mr L. Evans, who represents the Education Board on the association, spoke of the good work being done by the boys’ and girls’ clubs. He said he considered that next year the association would be quite satisfied if Mr Matthews could be relieved for a fortnight. It was decided to receive the letter.