TEACHERS' CLASSES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 6 September 1913, Page 5

TEACHERS' CLASSES.

AT MASTERTON. DISTRICT' HlfeH ' SCHOOL. Tliat teachers are. enthusiastic in their work is evidenced by the fact that over forty of them are at present sacrificing their term holiday to attend the spring school in nature study and elementary agriculture, now being held at the Master ton District High School. The school extends over a fortnight, and is specially intended to give those teachers who have not had the advantage of a training college course, and who are situated too far from the larger centres to avail themselves of Saturday 'classes, an opportunity to acquire a knowledge of the newer melhods of introducing then* scholars to a knowledge of their surroundings. Thp classes are organised by the Wellington Education Board, ancl are under the directorship of Mr C. A. Cumming, the board's instructor in agriculture and nature study, 'assisted in the practical work by Miss F. 0. Kilroe, 8.A., and Messrs ,E. Howe and D. Grant.'

Some of the subjects already treat? Ed by Mr Cumming in his ' lectures haifp been : , Soils,. their , origin and conditions necessary to plant growth; fertilisers and their value in maintaining the soil in a fit condition ; plant foods, and conditions necessary to enable the plant to avail itself of the food materials contained in the soil. Wednesday morning, Mr A. H. Cockayne, Government biologist, delivered a lecture on weeds, and in the afternoon, along with Mr Cumming, conducted the students over the . grounds of Mr King, ', near the old showgrounds," where actual examples of different weeds, and also insects, were studied in their natural habitat.i iPractical chemistry and physics is also carried on in the well-equipped: laboratory, and microscopic work'and hygiene in the domestic economy room. Tp enable the teachers to carry out the experiments'referred to in /the lectures, opportunity is afforded them in the woodwork room, to rimke the necessary apparatus, and is enthusiastically taken advantage of. The recreative side is not altogether left out of the programme, a very enjoyable social and dance being engaged in on, Thursday evening in the spacious school hall."

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