RURAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 9, 21 December 1911, Page 5

RURAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

At tho previous meeting of the Education Board, Mr. F. J. Heatley, technical organiser, submitted a report on rural farms and rural scholarships. This was submitted to Messrs W. A. Ballantyne and R. G. Whotter, the Board’s inspectors, for their report. At Tuesday night’s meeting they submitted their report as follows: (1) That two of the Board’s Junior Scholj arships be known as “Junior Ruraß Scholarships,” and be offered to those! who, in addition to the ordinary schoH arship subjects, present themsleves for examination in agriculture and dairy work. (2) That two of the Board’s Senior Scholarships be known as “Senior Rural Scholarships,” and be offered to those who, in addition to tho ordinary scholarship subjects, present themselves for examination in (agriculture, dairy work, woodwork, etc. Successful candidates must attend a secondary school or a district high school where there is adequate provision for a rural course. As there is in this district no secondary school or district high school which is at present in a position to provide, for the holders of Senior Rural Scholarships, a complete course of instruction in practical agriculture, etc., we feel that provision must be made to meet this want. It might be possible to arrange with some farmer in the vicinity of tlie Stratford District High School to place at our disposal three or four acres of his land for an experimental farm and also to give us the use of his farm implements, etc., in order to work this plot, in return for this the farmer to receive all produce grown.' The seeds, manures, etc., will bo supplied by the Board and the experiments carried out under the supervision of one of the staff of the school. We think it not unlikely that it could also bo arranged for the farmer to give the class tho benefit of his practical experience. With regard to the Junior University Scholarships, we would recommend that the Board bring before the Senate of the University the desirability of adding to the syllabus of the Junior University Scholarship the principles of agriculture, practical agriculture, and agricultural chemistry. This would enable those who are taking up the senior rural course to compete for the Junior University, Senior National or Taranaki Scholarships, with a view to ultimately qualifying for tho degree of Bachelor of Agriculture. After discussion tho report was adopted.