E.—6

19

WANGANUI. Extract from the Report of the Director of Manual and Technical Instruction. The rural course was continued at each of the six district high schools, the number of pupils who took the course being 1.89. Tin- annual stock camp was held at Mr. Short's Ahiiadale Farm in March, fifty-live boys being in attendance. A new departure was made by excluding horses almost entirely from the programme and substituting the Southdown sheep. Sonic valuable lessons were given to the boys on the Kouinev. Southdown, and Hereford. The sum of £10 I.os. was donated by the Feilding Agricultural and Pastoral Society for prizes in connection with the examination held at the conclusion of the camp. A camp for agricultural instruction was held at the Central Development Farm at, Weraroa, for ten days in October. Thirty-four boys attended. Practical work was given groups of the boys in the milking-slied and dairy every day. The boys operated the milking-machines ami assisted in the cleaning of the shed, machines, and utensils. They also had some practise in preparing seed-potatoes for the planting-machine. The almost continuous rain prevented much outdoor work being done, but the boys gained some insight into the management of a moderately large farm (803 acres). Lessons and demonstrations on farm practice, farm buildings, silos, ensilage, pastures, insect pests, weeds, plant-selection, ami wool-classing were given. The annual shearing and wool-classing camp was held at Mount Stewart at the cud of November. Twenty boys attended, fifteen of whom had had no previous experience. 83)7 sheep and lambs were shorn. The programme of work included, in addition to shearing, the grinding and setting of shears; wool classing and pressing; branding, drafting, &c. HAWKE'S BAY. Extract from 'rut-; Report of the Education Board. As in previous years, the first- and second-year pupils of the district high schools look the rural course. As far as both work and numbers arc concerned the year was very successful. The pupils in the first two years covered the programme of work in science subjects for the Public Service Entrance Examination. In the third and fourth years natural science was taken up to Matriculation standard. The following tabic shows the average yearly attendance at the rural course classes and Matriculation science classes : — Rural Course. Matriculation ~ ■ Eta* Year. Vra| . ( , o|)njc Total. Hastings ... ... ... ...31 20 14 65 Waipawa, ... ... 23 17 9 49 Woodvillo ... ...16 6 ('» 28 71) 43 29 142 Fifty-seven pupils left during the year, of whom twenty were first-year pupils, twenty-five second-year pupils, and twelve third- and fourth year pupils: i.e., 26 per cent, of the pupils that entered at the beginning of the year did not complete a year in the secondary school, and 11. per cent, left, before completing two years. The fact is greatly to be regretted, and it is to be hoped thai in the near future the Education Department will recognize the national importance of compelling all pupils who pass Hie Sixth Standard to continue their studies for at least two at some secondary school. Extract from the KepOrt of the Inspectors of Schools. Tlie resultfs achieved in the three district high schools at the end of the year were very satisfactory. Two pupils of Waipawa District High School qualified under the regulations for higher leaving certificates. Towards the cud of the year Hie roll number of Waipawa District High School was reduced owing to the withdrawal of the children hitherto conveyed from Waipukurau, where the local authorities have arranged to form a Seventh Standard. The true solution of Hie problem of secondary instruction in the combined districts lies, in our opinion, in tin 1 establishment of a central technical high school with an agricultural bias, and we hope to see this proposal taken seriously in hand after the war. Extract from the Ueport of rut: Director of Manual and Technical Instruction. As in previous years, the first- and second-year pupils of the district high schools take the rural course. The alteration in the railway lime-table interfered considerably with the arrangements under which the manual and technical instructors had been working in previous years. The duration of some of the classes in science work had lo be curtailed, whilst in woodwork and cookery Hie amount of time devoted to these subjects had to be reduced from two hours to one hour and a half in the primary classes. The introduction of agricultural bursaries by the Education Department, tenable at certain Government demonstration farms, is a step in the right direction, and will allow senior boys in the district high schools to continue their education in agricultural subjects. Pupils who have passed the Matriculation Examination or who have lower leaving certificates arc eligible for these bursaries. It is hoped that our matriculation boys will compete for bursaries this year. The garden-work at the three centres has been satisfactory during the year. The experiments with potatoes at Hastings centre commenced in 1916 have been continued. During the year twelve fruit-trees were planted at Hastings garden. In connection with the dairy science of the rural course, the pupils of the district high schools visited the butter-factories at Dannevirke, Waipukurau, and Hastings in order to see testing and buttcrniaking carried out under modern factory conditions.