RURAL EDUCATION.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 9 January 1917, Page 2

RURAL EDUCATION.

iSir James Wilson, of Bulls, has been tlisccursiii'g on rural education, must interestingly, before the New Zealand Educational Institute. .His introductory remarks aire so interesting that we reprint a part of them. He r;-aid: " . . . When we consider that it is to the land which we must look to produce wealth to pay our way, and •that with the high-pi iced land we must tako -advantage of every truth science teaches -us, H am ceirtain that the greatest want which X'ew Zealand has at the present day is that of welltrain rd tcaehers and ledum's on agricultural science, who can teach our youth, and go amongst it-lie fanners and encourage them to use mod-emi ■methods. Given the right man the farmer will listen to him. He may not a-bile to- draw a straight furrow, but if the farmer thinks he has something to tell him, and on which he can speak with (authority, lie will welcome liis visit. I have' seen a very marked instance of this. I have found considerable difficulty in getting fanners together to hear lecturers. In one instance I succeeded beyond expectation. It was .in a grass seed district, and the young man whom I invited specialized on this section. He had no experience in public speaking; was somewhat shy; but the farmers flocked to hear him. They believed he had something to ' say. ] hey would scarcely let him away from the district; he went round to various farms and discussed 1 things with the farmers; suggested various matters that were worth 1 trying, and would always have been welcome at any time in the district. This goes to prove that once the farmer has confidence in a man that lie has knowledge and desires to impart it, lie will give him a hearing. So it is wth the teacher; train him so as to be able to impart to his pupils vocational knowledge, and the parents will give him whole-hearted support."