NATURE STUDY NEGLECT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 20 July 1934, Page 8

NATURE STUDY NEGLECT.

The lack of proper training of children in nature study at some Canterbury schools was referred to by Mr L. W. M’Caskill. of the Normal School, in a report to the Education Board this morning. lie had visited a number cf country and suburban schools, he said,

and noticed that a genuine effort was being made to give the subject proper attention.

“ The two most disappointing features have been the lack of use of the school grounds and of the garden for the teaching of nature study,” said Mr M’Caskill. “To try to remedy this I have named all trees and shrubs and suggested ways of studying them and have tried to make arrangements whereby Standards 1 to 4 are allotted gardens for growing material for plant study. . .In connection with Arbor Day celebrations I would like to men-tion*-that equally important with planting trees is the proper care of trees. There is scarcely a school I have visited where the trees and shrubs are properly pruned and cared for. I am afraid we are developing a pinus insignis sense in the Canterbury schools. In only one school visited did the nursery contain specimens of ornamental trees and shrubs raised by the pupils. Native trees do not seem to be grown at all.”