AN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 9, 14 September 1945, Page 5

AN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL

»• PROPOSAL FOR SOUTH AUCKLAND PROSPECTS OF NEW SCHEME Whether or not sufficient pupils would be available for ?he establishing- of an Agricultural High School in the South Auckland Province was a subject which caused some discussion at last Wednesday's meeting of ihe Whakatane School Committee. The point 4 arose out of a questionnaire which was received by the committee, and which put a number of questions in an endeavour to ascertain the committee's opinion on the matter. Outlining the scheme, the Chairman t Mr J. W. Wilson said that the Board in Auckland had set up a subcommittee to go into the matter and this sub-committee bad prepared a booklet laying out the pros and cons of the idea, It was impossible to have farms attached to each individual school in the province but the. Education Board was anxious that any encouragement it was passible to give boys to go on the land should, not be overlooked. It was therefore suggested th.it an Agricultural High School should be established somewhere in the province south of Auckland, and that it should be in a position convenient to $11 parts of the. and not too near a large town. In order to ascertain the opinions of the various. School Committees in the area a questionnaire was sent to each one. The first question asked, if the majority of the. members of the committee were in agreement that such a school as the one proposed should be established. The school it was •9 ' stated would have boarding accommodation. A boy wishing to attend would fiust put in two years of general education at his own school and then would proceed to the Agricultural School. The Headmaster Mr I. B. HubJ bard, pointed out that the Agricultural School at Feiltling had only 111 boys t yet it was quite easy to reach. If the North Island could only 'find 111 boys, it would seem to indicate that a further school of this kind was not necessary. Boys hes pointed out did not want to be trained merely as farm labourers Avhich was what it amounted to if their fathers were not in a position to place them on a farm of their own. The Chairman: 1 don't think we should argue the pros and cons of the idea. I think we should get behind, it. To the question asking if any particular area south of Auckland which would be suitable for the school, was. known the committee decided that the Waikato would suit best, being a central position. Jn an effort to ascertain the prospective number of a further question asked if there were any parents in the district who would be prepared to send their boys if such a school were established in 1 i)l(5. Any parents who would be prepared to do this are asked to communicate with the Secretary of the School Committee P.O. Box 1 as soon as possible. In conclusion the committee asked to be advised of the time and place of a meeting with the special sub-committee of the Education ! Board to further consider the proposal.