WORK IN SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 156, 28 March 1939, Page 11

WORK IN SCHOOLS

Agriculture And Science Instruction SUPERVISOR’S REPORT Though the long-continued measles epidemic had made itself felt, in the lowering of school attendances throughout the second and the greater part of the third term, the general standard of work seen throughout the past year in agriculture, nature study and elementary science had been well maintained, said Mr. 11. W. Hesse, supervisor of agriculture and science instruction to the Wellington Education Board, in his annual report for 1938. Extension of observational work taken by the children themselves on practical lines, in accordance with the group method and assignment plan, had been encouraged and, in particular, the continuous study of topics taken throughout the year. The sugar beet crop had been one of the most successful school garden projects of recent years from the garden viewpoint, the general interest exhibited and the many excellent records kept by the children. Definite progress had been made in the further development of nature work on project lines of continuous study, the propagation of native trees and shrubs in the school nursery plots, the further extension of home and school projects under the boys’ and girls' agricultural clubs and allied activities.

Nature Study. The “open-air” month of February had been a valuable innovation as far as nature study was concerned. It had given an initial impetus to an outdoor study of nature which had been fairly well sustained throughout the year. Indoor nature study had been generally well correlated with oral expression in the form of individual and group lecturettes by the children. The use of group and class records as opposed to individual notebooks was showing a slight increase. The chief limiting factor to any marked advance in that direction was undoubtedly the purely disciplinary aspect of large classes. The majority of teachers believed that the class wall-charts and group records would be an improvement on the individual notebooks, but in too many cases they were chary of putting their beliefs into practice. Agriculture.

“For the 1938-39 season, three varieties of Korean clover (Lespedeza) are being grown as the main crop experiment,” the report continued. “The seed was distributed to all schools during July, in ample time for early spring sowing in Augns„t or September. The spring proved, however, to be wet and late, so that not all schools were able to get their sowing done by that date. It is too early yet to judge of the suitability of this crop fo r New Zealand conditions. The progress of the varieties sown was noted with interest at all schools visited by the instructors before the close of the year. In all cases seen, the Kobe and Korean annual varieties showed up rapidly and thickly and the Sericean perennial variety was much later in germination and made very slow growth in comparison with the two annual varieties. It was found that the interest, roused among the children by this crop had extended to the farming community.” Other sections of the report dealt with school flower gardens, elementary and secondary science, school forestry, Arbor Day, school grounds, home garden competitions, Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Club projects, calf and lamb rearing, root-growing, and arts and crafts projects.