AGRICULTURE IN SCHOOLS'

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1865, 26 September 1913, Page 10

AGRICULTURE IN SCHOOLS'

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S HEVIEW. Elementary instruction in subjects bearing on rural life has been given in 1005 schools during the past year, as compared with 832 in tho previous year (states tho annual report of tho Education Department;. Instruction in this branch of manual training is in tho case of ten of the thirteen education districts supervised by trained itinerant instructors. Tbero are now sixteen of these instructors stationed in various parts of the Dominion. The course of instruction is based mainly on experimental and observational work (both indoor and outdoor), and includes in some districts, chiefly in tho Nortli Island, elementary dairy work. Local interest in the classes continues to bo well maintained, valuable assistanco being forthcoming, ns heretofore; from agricultural and pastoral associations, school committees, and members of the farming community generally. In addition to prizes, which, as in previous years, have been freely offered, contributions in money and kind to the value of nearly £650 have been received by education boards during tho year. These contributions carry a Government subsidy of £ for £ 1 Courses of instruction bearing on rural pursuits (having a domestic trend in the case of girls) wero carried on in connection with the secondary departments of district high schools in seven education districts (as compared with live in 1911), as follow:— No. of No. of schools, pupils. Taranaki 1 71 'Wanganui 8 238 Wellington G 194 Hawke's Bay 3 83 North Canterbury 2 44 South Canterbury 2 68 Otago 6 189 Totals for 1912 ... 28 887 Totals for 1911 ... 17 499 Capitation payments on account of these rural courses amounted to £5795, equivalent to a rate of £6.5 per pupil. Tho hope is expressed that tho curriculum in tho secondary departments of tho district high . schools -located in agricultural districts will in the near futuro be. based,, generally, on the lines of tho courses, at present being successfully carried out in tho above-mentioned education districts. What may bo called tlie practical • subjects of . tho course continue for the most part to bo taught by visiting instructors. This arfangement, which cannot be regarded as ideal, appears to bo the only practicable ono at prosent, in view of the scarcity of trained teachers qualified to give instruction on modern lines in the various branches of natural and physical science, although facilities for obtainii.ll tho nocessary training cannot bo said to bo non-existent.

Courses of instruction bearing on rural pursuits (having a domestic trend in the case of girls) wero carried on in connection with the secondary departments of district high schools in seven education districts (as compared with live in 1911), as follow:—