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Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1917, Page 6

vice and knowledge from the instruc- J tors. . |

Mr R. E. Browne briefly outlined the work which would ! be done on the 43: acres. All the work would he done by the lads at the liigh School or the Technical College, aud all fencing, draining, ploughing, etc,, would he done by this means.? Not only would they have a, number of experimental plots, but would carry cut experiments in fodder crops and deal with the improvement of pastures, etc. The area would be very easily handled, because they were dealing with Taranaki soil, which held pasture well. The plot would deal with work which would be very valuable. They would carry several cows. He thought that they might make use of .the services of several lads for an hour or two per day in exchange for their board. 'His idea was that the work, whether for .primary schoolboys, High School boys, or farmers, should dovetail together. He did uot think that 40 acres was too much. ■DR. ANDERSON'S REPLY. Dr Anderson expressed pleasure at the welcome accorded him. Though it was first visit to the district, he had heard a great) deal about the school in charge of 'Mr T?rer, whom he would like to congratulate, and he r.vould also !ikd to falow the secret of his success. The school had been remarkably successful, and it was known throughout the Tfominion as one of the most remarkable educational occurrences. It was also remarkable that tho school should have developed until its secondary department contained USO pupils The great advantage in retaining the district high school system was that it combined secondary and primary education. That advantage, however, ivas counterbalanced by disadvantages when the number of pupils became too great. The question was at "vhat stage in its growth was it necessary to establish a separate institution. It had long been recognised the time was ripe, as far as Stratford was concerned. Another question was as to what form the separate institution should take. To show the interest that the Government was taking 'n agriculture, bursaries had recently been established at Weraroa, where it was hoped to be able to provide young people who had gone through a secondary course and the University College with a practical course of research and experimental .work, so as to provide experts to the Agricultural Department for the instruction of farmers, and also teachers of agriculture in primary and district high schools. The Council of Education had dealt with agriculture fully, and made recommendations which included the utilisation of the Ruakura Experimental Farm as a place where teachers who wished coul". take a year of special practical instruction, so as to make themselves more efficient in their work in the district high or secondary schools, and also where a lad with two years' experience in a district high school could obtain two years' practical experience. The scheme ivas only in embryo, as there were the questions of instructors and of finance It showed, however, that the Government were thinking how best to utilise the experimental farms That, however, would deal with only a small portion of the farming population and for the great bulk some other means must be found of giving the necessary training. He recognised that the Stratford idea had its origin in an earnest desire to do its best under the and also from an intimate knowledge of the practical difficulties of farming. He further recognised the importance of the subject, and would endeavor to formulate the ideas that others had impressed on him. As far as ho could ascertain, they wished to train boys of from 14 to 17, to pursue a course of intensive culture, and he did not think that it would be necessary for the work to occupy a large area of ground. From inquiries he understood that between the laboratory work and plot work of an acre or two, there was a great field for practical and valuable Btudy. He pointed out that, in 'New Zealand, only in certain districts was there much intensive cultivation. The great majority of farmers did not aspire to intensive culture, but obtained hush' land cheaply, fenced it, cleared it, and stocked it with horses, or sheep, or the three com' bined, and followed in a rough way methods generally accepted, without bringing into play any knowledge save that gained by being cadets on a similar station and not from a laboratory or special work at a high school. This part of the country, however, specialised in tho dairy industry, the development of which needed intensive farming, that would well repay study both in and outsido the laboratories of tho high school. He ha,' not fully discussed with the Minister,the nature of the school to be established in .Stratford, but he favored the Technical High School; (1) because it: control can be more uniform with the control of primary education; (2) whatever that particular class of school was called, it implied at once that one of the prominent elements of the work had a direct bearing on industry; (3) under existing arrangements, such a form of school provided a great amount of elasticity of labor of the pupils.

It might be that the same advantages, not necessarily permanent advantages, attach to another form of high school. There were many pupils who wero not prepared, to give their whole time to secondary education, and the conditions would enahle those wno did give their whole timo a large choice of courses and subjects. As to the size of area to be attached to high schools or secondary schools, he was not prepared to dogmatise at present. There was a general idea that 20 acres were required. On the other hand, experts said that a large area was embarassing, and all that can be done might be done effectively on an acre or two. He referred at length to what had been done at Ashburton and elsewhere. He pointed out the difficulty of obtaining labor to successfully work large areas. He was quite willing to agree that Mr. Browne could secure the labor necessary for success in this uistrict. There was, however, the danger that in undertaking too big an aroa they might undertake something beyond the limits of their labor. He was not primarily impressed with the importance of a, big area. Agriculture could be taught on a limited area, together with observation plots, but his mind was quite open on the matter. He was by no means blind to the interests of agriculture, but was anxious to do what he could, and was only desirous for a lead, which it was possible the committed might give. THE MINISTER'S •REMARKS. Hon. J. A. Hanan &3t congratulated Mr. Masters on his elevation to the position oi chairman of the Taranaki Eduff.tion Board. He expressed his pleasure It the enthusiasm shown in educational macters in Stratford, as illustrated by

o many of the business men giving up heir time to attend the deputation on a ii'.sy day. Their views allowed a desire o do their best to establish an educaional institution on certain lines, and hat they wanted to do that, which as ime went on, would prove they had nade no mistakes. At the outset: he boioved that, when established, the High jchool should have a distinct agricultural class. Agriculture should be one of ts main features! We had devoted coniiderablo attention, to the primary and ■econdary training of our lawyers, doe,ors, teachers, literary and commercial noil, but what had been done in the way if educating those whose future pursuit vas agriculture? • Did we show it by noney voted? No. At this time farmers were faced with a shortage of labor, nd tin's was a problem that would coniinue after the war, because farmers and ;hcir employees had gone to the war, and some would not return. We should hcrefcre make provision that those who io on the land should have intelligentlylireeted labor, which gave better results ban labor without intelligence. After ;he war, they would want to develop and oster aii intense and increasing produc;ion, for which there would be a greater lemand. How to meet future requirenents by increased land settlement and letter methods of intensive cultivation equired a knowledge of the best use if the land, which was more necessary on iO acres than on areas of 300 C or io. teres. Taranaki, he believed, would be '. county of small holdings, and he was doased to see that farmers valued uie leed of knowledge. It. was thus necesary that the proposed high school should lave a distinctly agricultural bias. He vanted to 'see more agricultural educaion. He wanted to see farmers go on he land in the future with gre_ter selenitic knowledge. In the past they had ieen using nature, but had done little o help nature. The impoverishment of he land had to be faced, and agriculturil training, if wisely developed, would how how best to get the most out of the and, and at the same time conserve the and and hand it down unimpaired to hose who come after. There had been Teat development of technical education, nd in some places technical colleges had mdermined high schools, because techlical colleges recognised the needs and equirements of the boya who were going nto the world, and covered an area of nstruction that the majority of the boys ;nd girls required in the world. Recently he high school authorities in some eases ecognising this, had altered their sylla>us, though others, who w'ero very conervative, had not. This would influence he Director of Education in considering vhether it was not advisable to do away pith the high school board of governors, .nd thus give unity of control, which lad much to recommend it. There was ilways the danger that ith two differ;nfc bodies, like watertight compartments, Jiere would be a gap between the two. iVhat was wanted was a programme >o hat one branch would dovetail into the )ther. The school should be of a type :hat would be part and parcel of tno :ducational system from the primar* iehool to the university. The courses of instruction, it seemed to liim, should i>e a combination of the work at other institutions. He wanted to establish i clear type of institution in Stratford, so that a father would know where to send his boy. He had suggested a technical high school, with a distinct agricultural bias. The Director of kdneation was disposed to think the proposed irea too large, and the scheme difficult tc carry out., The question of finance had to be considered. With regard to agricultural education, the question was how long would the boys remain? The suggestion that a sum of money should oe deposited was difficult to make. It might bo possible to adopt a system as in primary education, so as to secure compulsory attendance for a certain time. He wanted an institution at which would be produced a farmer with a high standard of knowledge and intelligence, not as a teacher or an expert, but combining knowledge of milking, veterinary science and experimental plots. It was a big order, and required careful consideration. From the point of view of finance, they would have a better opportunity o; securing a vote if the school was practical than if they asked for a school that did not make agriculture a prominent feature. He did not say that he would get a vote, but he would make representations, and could use better arguments in its favor than he could if it were an ordinary high school, because so many schools were requiring financial assistance. He could not recommend grants for high schools when the needs of primary education were so great and the children in the buck blocks were not being cated, by reason of their parents being isolated. These noble and heroic men and women must have consideration, and the votes must be allocated to the most urgent needs, which was sound policy. He would not say that at present he would 'approve of acquiring a large area, as it meant that this would ultimately have to be paid for, without first seeing what it involved. It would be preferable to wait until normal •times, when we would go into the question very carefully. We must, he said, congratulate ourselves on our position, when we considered what the people in England were suffering, and cur sense' of proportion should tell us only to spend money on what, was most urgent. Ho would, however, go into the matter, and see what could be done to establish a separate institution, as desired by those who had the interests of the young people at heart.

Mr. J. W. McMillan thanked the Minister and Director for their patient hear

VISIT TO STANLEY ROAD. Later, the Minister and Director of Education visited Stanley Eoad, and were shown by Messrs K. Masters anil George Sangster (chairman of the school committee) over the new school which has just been erected, and which embodies some new open-air features. The party were, much interested. The Hon. J. A. Hanan and Br. Anderson left by the evening train for hawera, where tliev were to meet tlip nawera committee, proceeding to ■Wellington this morning.