ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1921, Page 7

ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE.

WORK OF SCHOOL CHILDREN. PRESENTATION OF COMPETITION PRIZES. At the new Hawera Technical School on Saturday the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, presented the prizes won during the year at the first presentation ceremony to be held in connection with the Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Club competitions instituted by the Taranaki executive of the Farmers’ Union. The children were all provided with dinner before the prize-giving. Mr. F. Mills, who presided, welcomed the Hon. Parr. They were very grateful to Mr. Parr, who had come at very great inconvenience to (help in the distnoution of the prizes. They were grateful for the help of the town people on this occasion. Special thanks were due to the Women’s National Reserve for the very excellent work they had done in helping, particularly with the luncheon provided for the children. He had the pleasure of presiding simply because it had been the Hc.wera branch of the Farmers’ Union which, had organised the presentation. The Hawera branch thought that the Agricultural Club competitions were of such great importance that the first prize giving should have some significance in years to come. He believed that the competitions were going to spread throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion.

Mr. R. Dunn, provincial president of the Farmers’ Union, said that they had heard and read a great deal of the boys’ and girls’ clubs movement in the United States and Canada, and they resolved to establish boys and girls clubs in Taranaki. The Farmers’ Ufiion took the movement up, but could not have done so without assistance from the Education Board and the department. They were greatly indebted to Mr. Johnston, agricultural instructor to the board. Mr. J. W. Deem and his assistants had also given yeoman work. (Applause). They were very thankful for the publicity accorded the movement by the Press. Inquiries were coming from all-over the province. They had started with 19 schools last year and 170 entries, and 68 per cent, of the entries had passed as excellent. This year they had 48 schools and over 730 entries for the competitions. They were adding calf-rearing to the competitions. Mr. Dixon. M.P. (Mayor of Hawera), asked how many boys present were going to be farmers. A forest of hands shot up into the air. Mr. Dixon said he was delighted. It was the tendency for the boys to go to the towns. Farm life was the best life of all and it was a good thing a good farmer. The children should not neglect their opportunities while at school but make the best of them. He called for them to give Mr. Parr a hearty welcome, and a volley of hand-clapping broke out. Mr. P. J. White, chairman of the Taranaki Education Board, said that the day marked the commencement of an epoch in the history of education in this country. Tn the establishment of agricultural clubs they had done something to bring education into touch with the home li.fe of the people. Education would never be the satisfactory thing it ought to be until the whole communitv took a keen interest in it.

The Hon. Parr said that he was pleased to come to Taranaki again. He always received a hearty welcome. He wanted to congratulate the district on being the pioneer of a movement which he believed would spread. He was satisfied that they had struck the right thing in agricultural clubs. It was not enough that the Education Board and Agricultural Department should support the movement. That was something, but it was much more that they should have the backing of the public opinion of representatives of the Farmers’ Union, and they had that in Taranaki to-day. He rejoiced that the Farmers’ Union and the parents of the boys and girls were behind the movement. That spelt success. Tn his opinion the movement would spread right through New Zealand. At any rate it had his blessing. He pointed out the avantages of teaching boys and girls to grow up and live in Taranaki. The brilliant ones should seek what the outside world had. but 80 to 90 per cent, of us are only of average ability and could not do better than till the plains Oif Taranaki. The clubs would help to keep the boys and girls from travelling to the town... He would like to see the club movement spread all over New Zealand. As had been said, it was an epoch in the history of education in New Zealand, and it would be no light thing to be able to say that it had its start in the Taranaki district. He thanked the teacher* for the great interest they had taken in the matter. In many eases the teaching of elementary agriculture was purely perfunctory and he was glad the teachers took such an interest in the work. He also appreciated the work of the agricultural instructors of the Education Department. The following is a list of the prize winners:

MANGOLDS. Annie Thomlinson, Ohangai, 2)54, 1; P. KnUckey, Rawhit iroa, 2091, 2; S. Knuckey, Rawhitiroa,, 1964. 'nd R. Walker, Rawhitiroa, 196 J, 3 (equal). SWEDES. Emily Wood, Rawhitiroa, 152, 1; George Harding, Ohangai, 149, 2; RegHarding. Ohangai, 147 3. MANGOLDS. Group I.—Annie Thomlinson. Ohangai, 2155, 1; Rita Savage, Ohangai, 160, 2; Stuart Savage. Ohangai, 1525, 3. Group lI.—S. Marx, Mangatoki, 191. 1; R. McCullum, Okaiawa, 1844, 2; ’Lily Hoskin, Matapu, 1734, 3. Group HI.—H. Pettigrew, Pihama, 1904, 1; H. Bennett, Manaia. 1824, 2; Julia Hill, Manaia. 143, 3. Group TV. —C. Webby, Riverlea. 167. 1; n. Johns, Riverlea. 156, 2; Tleane Gorgan, Riverlea, 145. 3. Group V.—D. Knuckey, Rawhitiroa. 209 J, 1; S. Knuckey. Rawhitiroa, 1964, and R. Walker. Rawhitiroa, 1964, 3, equal. SWEDES. Group T. —'Qeorge Harding, Ohangai. 149. 1; Reg. Harding, Ohangai, 147, 2; R. Fletcher, Ara rata, 145£, 3. Group IT.—R. Clark, Okaiawa, 121, 1; J. Bollcmd. Tokaora, 96, 2; Grace Nicholson. Matapu. 90, 3. Group 111.—H. Pettigrew, Pihama, 98, 1; J. Lyndon, Auroa, S7|, 2. Group TV. —B. Benton, Kaponga, 1394. 1. Group V.—Emily Wood. R-i whi' irno. 152, 1; J. Stanton, Rawhitiroa. 142 i, 2.