AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 875, 22 July 1910, Page 8

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.

\N INSPECTOR'S RECOMMENDA- . TIONS. ' The following series of recommendations have been forwarded to the "\vanganui Education Board by Mr. (*• Braik (Chief Inspector) concerning the question, of-agricultural teaching in the secondary classes of the district high schools and the technical schools:— 1. Classification of Pupil.—;A£ each secondary department ,of a district high school there shall b© two divisions, one of which shall take a scholarship courso and the other a practical course. " 2. Principle of" Classification.—Any qualified pupil . may. elect to take the practical course; the pupils for; the scholarship 'course* shall bo selected by the inspector, who shall givo due weight to the recommendation of the head teaclier; 'the pupil's primary school re-' cord; and the result of. tho profi--ciency examination. The-inspector s se: lection, with the approval of the board, , to final. , ' . ' ' 3. Junior' Scholarships.—Jnnior scholarships may be held by the pupils of 'either division. Senior Scholarships.—Not fewer than, three of the' board's 1 senior scholarships shall be awarded annually to pupils (boys and girls) : taking \ the practical course, one in the northern district, one in the central, and one in the southern, due'consideration being |iven to the relative number - of :piu)ils.in_each district. I notice that in two education districts in the South Island it is propostd that all pupils in the secondary departments of tho district high schools shall take the-practical-course.-. To this there .are several; objections.' Nature has expressly designed a select number of pupils for a literary or professional life, and nothing but harm could result from an attempt to repress their original tendencies. • The proposal would put our examination system completely out of joint—in itself, perhaps, not the worst thing that might happen. And, again, it would throw tlm preparation far all tho higher examinations into the hands of the secondary schools, and thereby depriW some promising boys; and . girls of the opportunity of qualifying for many walks, in life to which scholarship supplies the only introduction. s.'Proposed University Scholarship in Agriculture.—Referring to this proposal, which has been received not. unfavourably by agriculturists, I would recommend the consideration of the following draft scheme:— (1) Amount. —That A. and P. Societies fanners' unions, county councils, and private donors in each of the divisions into which the district divides itself, be asked to provide annually the sum of £75. to enable.boys from their Te-- • spective districts to proceed to the university to get a thorough training in s the group of science subjects bearing on agriculture.' Duration of Tenure.—That each scholarship be held for threo succes- . . eive years. (3; Examination.—That. candidates for the scholarship' must have passed the matriculation examination, and also an. examination in the principles and practice of agriculture- , . (4/ Conditions !of Tenure.—(a) Successful candidates to take'at the uiiiver'sity/such group of science subjects as may be prescribed, (b). He, shall take the degree of B.Sc. in the pre-' scribed group; (c) After the completion of his degree L work" he shall proceed to the training college for one year, and thereafter return as a tcacher under the Wanganui Education Board, and there serve for a period of not less than five years. Seventy-five pounds seems a large sum, but in view of .what is being done in agricultural education iii other countries, it is modest enough.