AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2605, 13 September 1909, Page 4

AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.

MEETING OF TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE.

A special meeting of the Poverty Bay branch of the Teachers’ Institute was held in the Gisborne School on Saturday, for the purpose of considering the proposed introduction of agricultural "instruction. Mr. D. E. Leslie presided, and read a telegram he had received from the agricultural instructor m Wanganui, stating that in the 110 schools that take agriculture there', only eight take woodwork also. After considerable discussion, it was decided to make the following recommendation to the Education Board, through the local members—“ That pupils taking agriculture be not compelled to take woodwork, and that girls taking dressmaking and cookery be not compelled to take or, as an alternative—“ That the time (two hours) necessary for agriculture be taken from singing, history, and one branch of drawing, the modification being left to the discretion of the teacher.” It "was also stated that' while the teachers are thoroughly in sympathy with the Board in their effort td introduce agricultural instruction, that they feel that an effort was being made to teach too much in the primary schools.