AGRICULTURE IN SCHOOLS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 272, 24 January 1929, Page 1

AGRICULTURE IN SCHOOLS.

According to the Education Department’s pamphlet about 26 per cent of the male breadwinners of New Zealand are engaged in agricultural or pastoral pursuits (says tlhe Evening Post). Taranaki primary schools therefore, are contributing their quoita for the land if, as reported to the Taranaki Education Board, 33 per cent, of the boys leaving school go on to farms. The complaint is that! the secondary schools do not maintain this high average. Various explana- , tions may be given. Country scholars are often unable to obtain secondary education unless their parents can afford to pay for their accommodation away from home. Further, while a high school course may often be of benefit tto a boy intended for farming, it is not so essential as for the boy who proposes to enter the professions. The latter youth cannot enter on his work without further study. It would be desirable if more secondary scholars became farmers; but we are not sure that the remedy for the ! present position is toi emphasise agriculture in the primary schools. | In country schools the boys learn J much at home, and the school hours J may be more profitably snent in instruction in basic principfes (rather than practice), such as they are less likely toi acquire from their parent's and elders.