TARANAKI SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 207, 29 February 1912, Page 7

TARANAKI SCHOOLS.

DAIRY WORK AND AGRICULTURE. The report of the technical organiser (Mr. Heatley) to the Tarana'ki Education Board on the work done in dairywork and agriculture throughout the district in connection with his department, makes interesting reading. In it he states that he has drawn up a suggested two years' course in agriculture and dairywork for schools taking the combined course. There is nlso sufficient material to afford a two years' course for those taking agriculture alone, they being able to devote more time to the agricultural side of the programme. In order to systematise the work, a meeting of head teachers who intend taking or who were taking agriculture was held and a certain minimum number of lessons selected to be given. The idea was to have a certain part of each school garden in the district set aside for plot experiments, while other portions could be utilised at the taste and discretion of the teacher. A report on the season's work, results, etc., should bp made in 1 summary by each school so that comparison may .be made from year to yoar. As the time available for outdoor work can at .best be but limited, every effort should be made to get the most out of it. The children should have a iclear idea of what they are to do when they go out, the reasons for the particular work, and should record carefully what has been done. This question of recording observations is one of importance, not because the pupils may make any great discovery, but because they thus learn the habit of observing accurately and recording neatly. The small notebooks that too often are thought good enough do not conduce to respect for j science. Each child should have a plan of the ground and a record of the gardening operations, weights of crops, etc. The plan, drawing and measure-: ments give exercises in drawing the calculation of quantities and cost of seeds, manures, etc., and crops per acre, and will afford many problems in arithmetic. I Each lOin strip gives practically 1-USO acres, or a square pole. Mr. Heatley adds that' most of the schools have taken up the combined course, and it is gratifying to note how many of these, by local efforts, have raised funds for the purpose of obtaining the necessary outfit. Even where funds have not been available, it is remarkable what valuable experiments in plant growth, etc., can be done with a few. pots and bottles on a shelf in the scliooli roofti. ;

In the first halt of the year Mr. Morison visited the schools for the purpose of giving instruction, and later during the year„Mr..,Heatlejr paid some 68 visits of grganisation and instruction. The instruction has been on the lines laid .down in the bookletissued by the 1 Board. The rough spring and late season that prevailed throughout the district militated somewhat against the plots except in the more favorably situated gardens, but in misfortune useful lessons can be learned as .in prosperity. During the year Mr. Heatley paid visits to and addressed meetings of farm- ! ers and others on rural matters at Cardiff, Ngaere, Midhirst, York road, Kai-; rnata, Inglewood, Okato and Bell Block. X Two good evening classes were formed at ■ Ngaere and at Midhirst, the number of students being 14 and 16 respectively.' As a result of a circular sent out to the farmers, through the agency of the secretaries of the various dairy companies, a number of /farmers' sous took up a special one-day-a-week class in agricul ture, dairy work, farm woodwork' and metalwork. The class seemed to l meet a need, and the students look great interest in their work. Teachers' classes in dairywork and chemistry were held on alternate Saturdays thoughout the year at New Plymouth and Stratford, with good attendances. A good deal ot \ practical work was done, but the varied I compositiorf of the classes which were attended by all grades of teachers, from headmasters to pupil teachers, rather divided lesson and practice for school work the latter aiming at examination. Most of the head teachers who have taken a course really now .require special laboratory practice to jpnable them to carry out the experiments laid down m the course. He hoped this year to devote some time to this and to supplement • the Saturday lessons with occasional circulars to schools taking up agriculture.