RURAL-EDUCATION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13338, 29 March 1911, Page 3

RURAL-EDUCATION.

(Per United Press Association). WELLINGTON. March 28.

'The course" in rural education- adopted and operated in country schools by tin Wellington Education Board lias apparently not met with the -welcome anticipated for it in country districts. In their, annual report presented this afternoon t: the Wellington Education Board, ' tin School Inspectors state; “We ..look- npo' this adoption of the Department’s extended rural course in our District High Schools, as the most, 'important advance mads in our educational system durinf the last decade. It has always been an i anomaly that the Dominion, depending as it does alincet entirely on agricultural pursuits, should have provided so little training • specially'-' designed to meet tin needs of an'--agricultural'community. Wo cannot say. that course has met with tin approval that.it has a right to expect'!; country districts. In’more than one case; considerable opposition on the part of the local committee' had to be overcome before ■the course was- adopted. We found, moreover, the common -fault of expecting too much from the primary school. It was never pretended for one moment.that this course- was going to turn put finished practical farmers. The intention, as expressly stated by the Department, was to bring about a more intimate relation than, generally speaking, at present obtains between the course of instruction r-t District High Schools and rural pursuits, and if the course accomplishes'this much toon it does all that it can be reasonably expected to do in our District High Schools. Vocational training in agriculture is the function of the Agricultural College or'school specially established and equipped for that .purpose.”