THE NEW RURAL COURSE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9716, 11 February 1910, Page 5

THE NEW RURAL COURSE.

FOR DISRITCT HIGH SCHOOL. MASTERTON COMMITTEE'S VIEWS. A STRONG PROTEST. At the meeting of the Committee : of the Masterton District High School last evening, a very keen dis- | cus9ion took place on the portion of j the Headmaster's report relating to ■, the new rural course for District High i Schools. ; The particular part of the report : referred to was follows:—"The Ed- i ucation Board has decided to adopt in , the Masterton, Carterton, Greytown, < Pahiatua and Levin District High ; Schols a new programme of work on the'lines of the Rural Course laid down by the Education Department. For buys the following will be the subjects: English, Geography, Civics, Arithmetic, and Bookkeeping, Physical drill, Elementary geo- ; metry, and Surveying, Woodwork, , Scale drawing and building construction and Agriculture to include— Elementary physics and chemistry, Botany, Physiology (farm animals) and practical outdoor work. For girls —English. Geometry, Civics, Arithmetic and bookkeeping, Physical drill, Hygiene domestic economy dressmaking, Cookery, Physiology and first aid, and Agriculture to include- Elementary chemistry and physics, botany, and practical outdoor work (Mote time devoted to horticultural work, and if possible, bee and poultry keeping, and care |of milk in home. Special instructor will direct the work in Agriculture, Woodwork, Cookery domestic economy and dressmaking. The course is to be compulsory for all pupils entering the secondary department. Pupils wishing to enter for the matriculation examination will be permitted to apply for exemption from the rural course, after they have completed two years of the latter." The chairman (Mr R. Brown) said that like many other matters connected with the Board the new syllabus had been introduced without the wishes of ths Committee or of the people being taken into consideration. It would naturally affect their school to a considerable extent. A theory was apparently held that out- J siJe of Wellington, Hutt and Petone they were"Country bumpkins" who were only able to go in for agricultural work. It was thought that the course was to be optional, but the Department now said it was to be compulsory, and parents and school committees had no say in the matter. The standard of matriculation had : now been raised to a four years course, and they could be granted certificates of exemption after two years had been undertaken. This | meant that two years of the course would be absolutely wasted. It seemed rather strange, too, that while they were endeavouring to encourage the study of agriculture in the

district, no provision was made for settling the young people on the land. According to the syllabus it appeared that the country schools were being

debarred from getting the facilities offered to the city schools. They could have understood it it the system had been made optional. Mr C. Perry considered that they ought to enter a protest. Tt meant that the pupils were practically losing the opportunity of matriculating. The children should be able to get the best education at a minimum of cost.

The chairman said that it came particularly hard on the Masterton School on account of the valuable endowments of the Trust Lands Trust. To a great extent they would now be debarred from taking advantage of their generosity. Mr A. Hendry thought that it would be a good idea to commu"'cate with other School Committees affected in the same wav. with a view to taking concerted action in the matter.

After further discussion it was decided that "This committee enters a very strong protest in regard to the compulsory nature of ihe new syllabus, and the taking away of the matriculation standard, and that the committee communicate with other country district high Bchools affected with a view to taking concerted , action. '