RURAL INSTRUCTION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1076, 15 March 1911, Page 4

RURAL INSTRUCTION.

« SOME SOUTHERN PROPOSALS, ■ (By Telegraph.—l'resa Association.) , TimariU; (March;, 14. The,; Education Board, vto r day M received a' report on agricultural instruction. Last year, at tho District High School, 40 boys and 48 girls took instruction in agriculture. This year only 26-boys and 23 girls wero enrolled at two schools, and none at a third.. Tho majority of pupils ' work ' . for matriculation, and agriculture does not fit in with that course. It is impossible to graft agriculture on tho _ ordinary secondary course, and'the instructor (Mr. Brown) therefore recommends that a resident continuation schbol'be established. He visited twenty,-primary schools where gardening and.oleflmntary. agriculture were taught and.'..advised. A teachors' conference had' been held last Saturday (attended by l the instructor, inspectors, headmasters of district high schools, and members of the board), at which it was, resolved that it was advisable to make agriculture a chief subject-at-the Districtr'High School, to ask . the - Department to modify the conditions lof elation rol ' agriculture in Standard VI, that boards be asked to mako more lipcral provision for agriculture in scholarship regulations, that district high schools adopting a course in agriculture should havo an assistant taking special interest in the subject, and that it is desirable that South Canterbury should have a boarding school and institution demoted mainly to agricultural education on the lines of the Australian agricultural continuation schools, with land for experimental and' demonstration work. The board to-day discussed and adopted tho instructor's rcporfynnd the recommendations of tho conference. It was agreed that agricultural instruction cannot bo successful vtfidcr tho nresent conditions, among the obstacles being the conservatism of ilio University Senate. It was explained that the suggested continuation school could prepare boys to enter tho ordinary secondary course who now do not go to high schools.. It was also suggested that the Timaru High School Board should provido the boarding school recommended.