AGRICULTURE IN N.Z.

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 462, 18 September 1928, Page 16

AGRICULTURE IN N.Z.

EDUCATION NECESSARY SECONDARY SCHOOLS' FAILURE "Apart from Agriculture, we do not exist or, the map,” said Mr. R. C. Clark, principal of Wesley College, Paerata, lecturing last evening on primary and secondary agricultural education, under the auspices of the Auckland Educational Society. “In New, Zealand,” said Mr. Clark, “there is practically no agricultural education in any of the secondary schools, either technical or high schools. There are many reasons, but the chief are these: all technical educations are expensive, but agriculture is tjie most expensive of them all; there is great difficulty in getting suitable instructors and there is a lack of interest shown by those who control our educational system. “But the most important reason," continued Mr. Clark, “is the type of boy offering for agricultural education. A father who has a son whom he finds difficult to place in the world does not, as was once the custom, put him Into the church. He puts him on to the land. As a result, we are not getting the right kind of boy to take the agricultural courses. “Undoubtedly, the best kind of agricultural school is a boarding school. A boarding, school has the pre-eminent advantage that the pupil is always right on the spot. He practically lives with the animals and plants, and he sees all their growth and evolution.” The lecturer went on to describe the training he considered necessary to make a good farmer. He suggested courses In English literature, civics, economics and mathematics for his general education and, for his technical education, courses in agricultural chemistry, physics, engineering botany, entimology, bacteriology and animal husbandry. ‘ “This sounds rather extensive," said the lecturer, “but the boy must be a jack-of-all-trades as a farming specialist if he wishes to run his farm successfully.” Mr. Clark concluded his address by suggesting that another way of helping agriculture in New Zealand would be by initiating a series of short courses for the benefit of farm labourers and working farmers