TRAINING FARMERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 534, 11 December 1928, Page 14

TRAINING FARMERS

WORK OF SCHOOLS AGRICULTURISTS CONFER Press Association ASHBURTON, Monday. Agricultural education in its relation to instruction given from the primary school to the university was discussed at a conference of leaders of agricultural education from North and midCanterbury held here to-day. The conference was the outcome of a discussion by the Ashburton A and P. Educational Committee recently. Those present were Messrs. M. P. Blathwayt, chairman of the Ashburton Educational Committee, who presided; John Brown, Lowcliffe, representing the farming interests; A. G. Holmes, economist at Lincoln College; R. J. Thompson, principal of the Ashburton Technical School; John Brown, primary schools’ agricultural instructor, Christchurch; R. M. McGregor, agricultural instructor of the Ashburton High School; and W. H. Johnstone, of the Department of Agriculture. The conference lasted all day, various aspects of the subject being considered. The object of the discussion was the co-ordination of a syllabus in primary and secondary schools so aj to give youths a bias toward life on the land, with a course at an agricultural college fitting them as practical farmers. It was resolved that the entrance examination ijor the agricultural degree be based on the following subjects: English, mathematics and chemistry as compulsory subjects, and two other subjects from the following, agricultural botany, physics, mechanics, history, geography, French or Latin. It is provided that pupils not taking a foreign language must pass in agriculture. It was also resolved that it be a recommendation to the University Senate that students showing an exceptional merit in the diploma course who wish to go on with the degree course, should, on the recommendation of the principal of the agricultural college, be allowed to complete their Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree after a further three years’ studv. It was decided that a committee of lour draw up suggestions for a modification of the syllabus, to be presented at another conference earlv next year. * The aspect of primary schools was dropped for private consideration pending discussion later.