PIG REARING BY PUPILS

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1932, Page 16

PIG REARING BY PUPILS

INNOVATION IN SCHOOLS. RESULTS OF YEAR’S PROGRESS. ’ Pig-rearing was introduced in a number of central district primary schools in the last year and the results have been very gratifying. The object was first to ascertain the practicability of the establishment of such a scheme amongst the school pupils, and to provide first hand information as to the most serious obstacles to oe encountered in such work. Consequently it was deemed expedient for this year to encourage entries by formulating a scheme as elastic as possible, and one which would carry in its wake not only an educational value but also sufficient inducement and reward fof the work to be undertaken. The establishment of the movement was fraught with many difficulties, chief, of which were the opposition of many of the parents, the erection of suitable accommodation for tne pigs, the purchase of pigs about the desired age, and supervisors to father the work in the different districts. The cppperation of teachers id school committees was sought in each case, and it was pleasing to find several of the committees who were not only enthusiastic, but even willing to purchase pigs where necessary, on the understanding that the money expended was to be refunded after the sale of the animal. CONDUCT OF COMPETITION. • , The competition was, therefore laid down, not as between schools, but merely between the pupils in the respective districts! At the outset there were about 3IL schols to participate, and by the end of September' the number of pigs to be reared was 70. By December, when the judging • was commenced, the numbers had-dwindled to 14 schools with an aggregate of 50 pigs. '1 tie judging was dpne by Mr. Grant (president of . the Pig Breeders' Association), who after pointing up the* pigs gave an interesting talk to the children and parents ; jsembled at each school, outlining the uuierent features in respect to growth, conformation, condition and quality in pigs. The ' children were encouraged to handle their pigs well and make pets of them, also to Keep records of feeding and handling, as in the case of the callrearing. ■ . / 1 < i’fie judge: expressed himself as being very well pleased with what he had seen, and tne great success which attended the worK proved it to be well worthy, of all the encouragement that can be given to it in the future. At several schools the judging was carried out on the same day as the calfjudging. Parents in many places turned out! in good numbers, and many discussions were heard from time to time at the different schools during the judging. The judging was carried out as follows: Fifty , points were allotted for record and 50 points for rearing. The latter were decided as under: Growth as for age and breed, 10 points; conformation and constitution, 15 points; condition, 10 points; quality, 15 points. The results are:—

Waingongoro. No points were awarded by request of committee. The following had entries: Dick Geary, Marie O’Sullivan, Morris Brown, Colin Askew, Mavis Askew, Thelma Askew and Thelma Allen.

- ' ; l •• . rt C ■ O,O rrt . .’. .• A a • ■' •< o g ■ u ° - T3 5' fi TJ o a g . 0 G>‘ . Pt H Albert Bead, Bernard Monk ...... 33 15 30 78 . , Cardiff. Ben Rayner 32 15 45 92 ; Carrington Road. Leo Salisbury ...... 34 15 45 94 Barbara Burkett .. 32 14 45 91 Bert, Farmer. ........ 32 ; 15 44‘ 91 Stan. Lovegrove' .... ■ 34 14 40 88 Earl Gilbert.... 30 12 42 84 Melvin’ Gleye ...... 26 8 45 79 Durham. Road Mervyn Flintoff .... 33 15 35 83 Colin Flintoff ....;. 34 15 34 83 Douglas Schimanski 32 12 32 76 ■. Egmont Village. Ian Morton 33 15 35 83 Inglewood. Leo Gyde 29 13 42. • 84 Keith Gyde .l 33 15 30 78 Aline Patterson , v , 32 13 30 75 Jim Clark .......... 32 14 .29 75 13 25 70 H. Curtis 32 13 20 65 L. Paul ...... 25 11 20 56 One pig could not be brought to the school and failed to be judged. Oaktira. Patrie'; Thomas .... 30 14 40 84 Okato. Martin McFetridge '. 35 15 45 95 Greville Brooke .... 23 9 45 77 Omata. Hugh Gilmer ...... 35 15 45 95 Gladys Reid 34 15 42 91 Neil Cooper 33 15 38 86 Leo Berridge ...... 31 14 40 85 William Reid ....L 34 15 . — . — Pembroke Road. Kelvyn Symons .... 30 15 — 45 Master Woodmer ... 23 12 —• 35 Tuna. Pearl Harrison .... 30 14 50 94 Tataraimaka. Hilda Warner 30 15 —• 45 Hilda Warner 30 15 48 90 Laurence Warner .. 30 13 — 43 Laurence Warner .. 29 15 43 87 Christina Warner .. 29 15 —’ —• Christina Warner .. 28 13 44 85 Lindsay Young .... 27 12 — — Lindsay Young .... 29 13 49 81 Upper Mangorei. Rex Spencer ........ 33 15 40 88 Pearl Spencer .... 31 14 40 85