SCHOOLS RURAL EXHIBITS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16763, 12 June 1920, Page 9

SCHOOLS RURAL EXHIBITS.

NEW PLYMOUTH WINTER SHOW. The schools’ rural exhibit in connection with the. AVinter Show is deserving 1 or seme comment. i lie whole ex- f liibit enough is perhaps smaller than in j 1 previous years rs not racking in quality. 1 it is set out to advantage and me several features of the* work r.ow being under taken in our schools are represented by entries of -specimens of rhe work which must be classed from good to excellent. ' Taking a general survey of the whole ; exhibit one is struck by the decrease ; in the number of roots, etc., shown, bru ’ at the same time by the correspondin',; ; increase nr the entries in tire nature study section, more attention evident- ' ly being given to observations of ' grasses, weeds and native plants, this 1 last being much to the foro in some ' schools. This change is to bo com- 1 mended as coming more within the - scope of the child-mind and away fro hi ' tho intricate problems connected —say “ ■—with mammal triaL, etc., in root and crop raising, and, so the old idea 1 of agriculture gives place to the newer ono of nature study. I AVell arranged specimens, mounted in . pleasing style of grasses, weeds, ac- ; eompamed -by drawings in pencil, pen and ink, and colour snow the interest being taken in observation. In the collection of roots and vogo- . tables good exhibits come from Lopporton, Bell Block, and Motonui, .some j tine ohions being included tor exhihi- j tion only from the last named school. . Note books are a strong class giving j indications of tho different aspects of nature study, daily work, weather re- j cords and seasonal observations. A } set of note books from Ohailgai shows an interesting*course of work running j through the school from Standard I. to Standard AL, work in drawing and , composition being (correlated. Two ( books being those of pupils of Standard J I. and 11., both Maoris, are deserving . of special mention in their drawings cl ( and comments on native plants in leaf, ( flower and fruit ■, Two sots of graphs on tho milk and 5 butter-fat records of dairy herds over [ a number of seasons must have pro- } vided instructive .and interesting work ( for the pupils concerned. ( The collections of grasses and weeds j from Bell Block and that from Dudley s Road should not pass without special } mention. Plans of school grounds j though few in number, showed excel- ] k-nt work especially in that awarded 1 first prize, though Die second prize ] taken was very little behind. Pencil j end pen and ink drawings of weeds by ( Norfolk Road and Mata, tho latte; ] for exhibition only, showed fine work j accompanied by notes. _ j Tho notes on propagation, lucerne, 1 potato-growing and pasture plants were : undoubtedly good, but showed tho need 1 of a better arrangement of classes by - tho authorities in order to avoid cone 1 petition of high school pupils or per- • haps up to four or more years’ stand- ; ii.g with primary pupils. 1 The seed-testing box is always worthy j of mention, attracting as it does, no < tico from the show, and it I should not bo forgotten that it re- 1 presents a feature being taught in our ( schools providing means of interest- < ing observations in seed germination f and early root formation. 1 A special place must be given to the j very comprehensive nature chart com 1 ing forward from Matapu School. This chart showed graphs of soil tempera- ] turo, rainfa’l drawings and painted i sketches of seasonal observations ac- 1 companied by conci.so notes. The whole i effect was at once pleasing and instrur- ] Live. 1