RURAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 150, 21 December 1911, Page 7

RURAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

At the previous meeting of the Kdu- • cation Hoard. .Mr. F.Heatley, technical organiser, submitted a report 011 rural farms and rural scholarships. This was submitted to Messrs W. A. Biillantyne and I!. (!. Whetter, the Board's inspectors, for their report. At Tuesday night'smeeting they submitted their report as follows: i

'(II That two of the Board's Junior Scholarships be known as "Junior Rural Scholarships," and be offered to those who, in addition to the ordinary scholarship subjects, present themselves 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 the ordinary scholarship subjects, present themselves for examination' in agriculture, dairy work, woodwork, e.tc.

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 the 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 be 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 be arranged for the farmer to give the class the 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 diesirabilitv 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 the degree of Bachelor of Agriculture. Mr. Ballantyne, in submitting the report, said that they were taking it for granted that the Senate would modify their fnatriculation syllabus so that those taking this course need not take a language which was at present compulsory. Otherwise a student following this course would be debarred from going up for his degree of Agriculture. He thought, however, that this might be overcome, as it was intended to make these scholarships a stepping stone to the degree of Bachelor of Agriculture. Mr. Kennedy asked if it were not placing a big hurdle before the boys to take up so many subjects. Mr. Ballantyne pointed out that at present some 40 schools in Taranaki had taken up the rural subjects.

Mr. Morton asked if it were not advisable that the rural course should include some language. His boy at the Stratford High School was taking the rural course, and- this did not include either Euclid, algebra, or- any foreign language.

Mr. Ballantyne said he would like to see some language added in case it was needed later, but he was afraid of overburdening the syllabus. Mr. Kennedy asked if the degree of Bachelor of Agriculture were not primarily intended for bovs who were following a rural and not a professional career.

Rev. McArthur thought that it was very desirable that a boy should have the opportunity to matriculate, as that opened up so many avenues for his future career. They should make the scope as wide as possible. Mr. Ballantyne said that the object of the course was to train boys to go on the land. He thought it would be hard if the country expended considerable money on the lads with this end in view and that the boys later chose another career.

The chairman pointed out that that was the difficulty that tad occurred to him. It appeared as if they were going to force these young people to go on the land instead of following,a professional career. It seemed as if an attempt were, being to prevent the lads from having a freedom of choice. They might be urging them into a certain course when young and not giving them an opportunity of choosing something different when they were old enough to know more. They heard! a lot of talk about forcing the people on the land, hut there was a good deal to say on the other side.

Mr. Kennedy said that in the past they had been practically forcing the boys to adopt a classical course.

Mr. Ballantvne pointed out that by adopting the report they simply affirmed the desirabiliy of widening the scope of the Junior University Scholarship so as to include agricultural subjects studied by those taking up the rural course at the high schools. The question of the inclusion of a language in the rural course could be dealt with later on. The report was then adopted.