FARM SCHOOLS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 May 1923, Page 4

FARM SCHOOLS.

URGENTLY NEEDED IN NEW ZEALAND.

DECLARES MINISTER FOR education.

WELLINGTON, May 18

Speaking at the opening of the Technical Education Conference yesterday, the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister for Education) emphasised the need for establishing farm schools in connection with the technical education system of the Dominion.

Tile multiplicity of conferences ol teacher's organisations being held in AA'ollington was, remarked the Minister, making this week a very strenuous one for him, hut lie wits very pleased to he present to address them that day. Technical education was not the least important branch of the work of the department. A feature of the past year was the extraordinary increase in the nil in her cf pupils attending technical high schools, an increase greater than had occurred in any other branch .of education. That would seem to indicate that the schools were growing in popularity. He hoped all was going well with them. “AA’e, don’t want these technical high schools,” he said, ‘to he of the old traditional type. I fear there is a tendency in that direction in some cases. AVe must insist that the technical high school shall not belie its name. It is obvious that in the country centres one main subject should he continually stressed with the children—the industry of thr land, agricultural science. The Government should provide farm schools for lunching tlie practical work of the farm. (Hear, hear.) We can give the children the elements of the subject in the primary school in nature study. It is not uiy business as Minister for Education. however, to provide practical fill 111 schools. That is the job of the Agricultural Department, but reasons of linanco. Mr Ncswortliy informs me. have prevented anything being done, 1 rejoice that one farm school was started in the .South last week, and 1 would like to see more of them. AAV want to get every boy we can on the land. There is need for a farm school after a bov has hail his ordinary education.

and I am hoping that as finance improves the. Agricultural Department will he able to entry out its part of the pact after the Education Department lias (lime its part. If we want our young people to become a community of farmers, we must provide fa.i in sellouts in connection with our education system. •‘I hope the teehnicnl high schoolwill resist thiil all-powerful system oi taking on old subjects in the old wav. Whatever happens, we must have as a fi undatit ii a goeil liheial edueatioii. 1 am not nincli concerned whether it be with till' languages, seieni e, or nitilhenuities. The idea held by some parents thut- a eliihl should go to school to leal n typewriting and bookkeeping is one we cannot encourage. Thereshould he a certain amount of that sort of tiling, of course, hut I don t like the tendency to convert sclioo's into mere commercial inlleges. There must he a happy mean in nil these things.”

(in the whole, he said, in courlusion. the work being done in the technical schools was excellent, and the conditions in the schools were much hotter than they were. The department was spending large sums on technical education in all parts of the Dominion, and if was justified by results.