WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16455, 6 June 1919, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. VIEWS OF DR. REAKESJ. BT TELEGRAPH OWN CORRESPONDENT. WELLINGTON, June 6., Giving evidence before the Industries Committee Dr. Reakes, Director of Agriculture, said he did not believe in multiplying experimental farms top much. They could do better work under special experts with a limited number. He ctaumended the principle of demonstration farms, farms controlled by farmers over which the Government had supervision. These farms could be viewed by the farmers of the neighbourhood , who could learn thereby. There were several of these already in New Zealand which were giving excellent results an the general wont of agricultural advancement. He believed that the existing institutions, whether agricultural or educational, should cooperate as much as possible. The demonstration iarm at Stratford, which comprised, about 20U acres, had been purchased uy farmers and was subsidised by the Government. As a general principle he favoured any scheme which \voufd enable the farmer to get expert advice. Whether these experts should thrust themselves on the farmers was another matter. He had no doubt that a great many farmers would appreciate visits from departmental experts and the advice they tendered, '.there were farmers, on the other hand, who took the attitude that tbef. could not be taught anything. The original idea in establishing experimental farms in the North island was that the settlers did not know very much, about farming; he would not care to tell the South Island farmers that. He thought good work could ba done in the South island by establishing demonstration farms under local organisations, the Government supplying the knowledge and a subsidy. . Un6 of the subjects under consideration in the reorganisation of the department was to what extent the breeding of stock should be carried on by the department.

THE SCHOOL SYLLABUS. The scope of the present school syllabus was attacked to-day by Mir. R. E. Alexander, who is attending the Agricultural Conference as a delegate from Lincoln College, as being overloaded. He considered that teaching agriculture and applied sciences interfered with and clogged the general education of the children. T'lie teacher, moreover, could not teach agriculture as he should, as he had failed because the syllabus was overloaded. A' few facts should he taught and taught well. At present pupils were taught at the middle, but at neither the beginning nor the end, with the result that when the pupil went to college he had to begin alt over again and unlearn much that he had learnt. He had seen students testing milk; they knew how to carry out the process, but they did not understand the process. The principles should be taught before the practice. He advocated the omission of the teaching of agriculture in secondary and high schools and the substitution of the basic sciences.

Mr. E. J. Loten pointed out that there was no attempt at teaching scientific agriculture or even the art of agriculture in schools; the scheme aimed at giving a training that would, lead to the development ot the mind and spirit of inquiry, which rural science certainly Drought out in the child who studied it.

Mr. John Caughley (Assistant-Diroo-tor of Education) said vocational training in JNevv Zealand was impossible* though it might be given in England ofi older industrial countries. He did not consider that all children in' rural schools should be compelled to take tha rural course, for that meant that pupils who had the inability to follow more exacting occupations were unable to get the instruction they required. Thq syllabus for secondary schools was in his opinion overloaded. Perhaps 4 per cent, of the secondary school children would pass on to the university, but under the present system the other 99 per cent, had to go through the syllabus set in connection with the matriculation examination. ,

Mr. C. II Cresswell, Senior Inspector of Secondary Schools, said that under present conditions the school agriouL* tural scheme was a blind alley, aa stew dents could not continue the course at the university, consequently the study of agriculture was avoided by some pupils of good intelligence. To some extent the course had been looked on as a sort of receiving home for the intellectually destitute. Possibly that was why boys with whom Mr. Alexander liad come into contact were not of the brightest and best. He thought’ that too much time was spent on mere manual work and that if the Government wished its experimental- ares to Ire put to the best advantage outside labour should be provided to do part of that manual work. Either the University Senate must be brought to view the subject of agriculture in a different light and allow diplomas to be granted or the idea of. a progressive courso must be relinquished. In one year at Illinois University over one-fourth of bachelorships granted were for courses of agriculture. Professor Easterfield was of opinion that no great success could be achieved in agriculture without preliminary close laboratory study, and he had grave doubts as to the advisability of adding agriculture, to the list of pass subjects without provision for such preliminary training. It had been said that the study of agriculture needed more stimulus. The same was tru« of science generally; very few training college students took science courses np to the “pass” standard. There was grave difficulty in obtaining not only teachers of agriculture but science teachers generally. ■ Mr. A. Cockayne (Dominion Biologist), spoke briefly of the need of a training college course which would enable tcaciic. s to take up the composite subject of agriculture on a proper and uniform basis. Dr. Anderson (Director of Education) said that at Hawkesbury College, N.S.W-, students showing special aptitude wore allowed to discontinue their ordinary course and take up a special course in agriculture. It was utterly impossible for the great majority of students to pursue courses of the basic sciences and then take up _ the ■study ot their application. They simply had not time. Prom a scientific point of view the contention that baaio sciences should be studied first waa sound, but from the point of view of expediency and interest to the great number of the public it could not be upheld. .