DOMESTIC SCIENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 45, 28 June 1913, Page 4

DOMESTIC SCIENCE.

> Discussing Domestic Science at a meet ■ ing in Wellington, p, day or two ago, 1 Mr George H'ogben is reported to hare said that what, had been done 4ti' 5SeHv Zealand • for teaching ,pf home science varied a great deal .from district to district.. Before we could ‘rfa'ako 'effective progress we must convert the parents. We had not yet converted them to one or two things. Wo had not converted them to agricultural training for the boys. We had not converted the mothers to the necessity for home training. They could go into any secondary school where the opportunity for the training existed, and they would - find that the majority of mothers wanted the girls to learn two languages and prac tically the same as the boys. They would have to convert the mothers, and it. was worth the trouble, He find always fought, very strongly for equal opportunities for boys and girls in education. He did not mean that they should do the same, things. He meant that they should both be able to do their respective work in the best possible manner. The community had not reached that stage yet. Ho was glad there was established in New Zealand a course recognised in the university for the higher study ot home science. It would be a stimu lus to the proper study of home science in New Zealand. There should be one place in New Zealand where the experts could be trained. Thawas why they congratulated themselves in already having that place in Dunedin. The Department did nol think it necessary to have more than one such institution in New Zealand at present. The- staff required for the training of one or two students would be sufficient to train all the experts they would require at present. The department was offering bursaries in connection with domestic science and fourteen had been taken up in New Zealand by girls who would in time become experts. The amoun 1 of the bursary was £2O, with £3O if the students were away from home. Every girl studying at the college? with a view to becoming a teacher had to take a course in home science Tt was held that every woman going as a teacher in a primary or secondary school should be equipped to train girls in home science. * Home science was as much training in science ar anything else. Tt was necessary tc train the girls as well as the boys in science. The proper direction in which education should go in New Zealand was* vocational. He held they could not teach home science in its higher stages properly unless they had a hotel or its equivalent—and he did not know of the equivalent.