RURAL EDUCATION FOR WOMAN

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 118, 12 February 1919, Page 2

RURAL EDUCATION FOR WOMAN

It is difficult to understand tho in-, activity of the majority of our educa-' tional officials in regard to the smaller rural districts, says the "New Zealand Farmer." There seems to ba a wide-' epread lack of effort and of ability (p grasp the educational needs of the com-; munity. One. would expect that the trained.officials would lead the publicin.matters of .which they should Iμ and' aro aesumjd to be specialists. Yet in general we find that our educational offi- r cials—at.- least those concerned with technical ""instruction—aro led by the public, instead of vice versa. They respond to rather than create educational demands. An, obvious instance of this '■is the- neglect of rural education for women. . If ono , woroto judge by the courses'of'work provided by the aver- J age technical school, the conclusion would 'be that tlie great need of. the Dominion at the present timo is an army ■ of typists, bookkeepers, and shjp hands generally. J.'.This may bo a prominent function of a- city technical school, but . jt, certainly;■]s' not of much' importance in the majority of our centres or technical instruction',, if the general iyelfaro of • the coinmiinity and of tho individual is considered; ■ It is highly desirable tiiat the directors-of our various technical institutions should foster rural education . for women. This may be done, firstly, by 'providing facilities- in the way of lectures and u'quipment, and then by bringing to the notice of the public the possibilities which rural occupations ollor in tho way of profitable mid attractive omploymont for women..""," By doing-this our- educational officials would be doing / something: to check I he unfortunate drift citywards of our rural population. i,s I tilings at present , are, the townward trend .is most marked -jn tho case of our girls. ' This may easily bo verified by a chat with a country schoolmaster. In ,the great majority of cases it will, be ■found. and. 6iieh gotio girls, on finishing their jjrinwi'ry ■ education, drift, sooner or later, into inj . door occtipationgv.- This'etirte'of nffnirt ' calls for reform, ,whichi ; will bo wrought only ]>y proper educational developments. When suitable facilities-are nrovidcd v/q shall find'a greater, proportion of our womenfolk embarking . on tho more healthful and wholesome rural occupations. . .