10

r J. G. WILSON.

L—Ub>

3/. There is another recommendation, with regard to books for teachers. I think the names of those books might go into the evidence, because it will show from the Department's point of view whether they are alive to the question as regards books or not. Will you read them?— "Elements of Agriculture," Fream (Murray); "Elementary Agriculture" (Whitcombe and Tombs); Blackie's "Agriculture." We have no good book, as far as New Zealand is concerned, upon agriculture. I know Professor's Fream's book well. 38. Are any of those books good?—" Elementary Agriculture" is the one 1 have shown )'ou. 1 do not know Blackie's " Agriculture " ; but in my opinion Fream's book is not suitable for our country. There has never been a suitable book written in New Zealand upon agriculture in New Zealand, in my opinion. 39. Have you read all those names of books?— The remainder are nature-studies—there are several. Of course, there is great objection to multiplying the books, because of the difficulty to the children in getting them. 40. These ones are for teachers to select from ?—The teacher's ought to be supplied with them. It is not fair for the teachers to have to buy books, as they have now. 41. If a long list is sent to the teacher to select from, you would not expect him to be supplied with the lot? —No. Certain books are more suitable than others. 42. If the books in those lists are not suitable, will you recommend to the Committee some books that you think would be suitable for us, or suggest some method of getting books suitable for New Zealand on agriculture or nature-study ?—I have seen no book that I could recommend to the teachers, as far as exercises are concerned, as 1 could recommend this Bulletin No. I of the Minnesota University. That seems to be an ideal book for teachers. 43. What about the children in the elementary schools?-—I think it would be advisable to get a book such as this and look over it. These are much better got up than most of ours. " Agriculture for Beginners" is also an American publication. 44. Is this one suitable for the school-children ? —No, 1 do not think so. 45. Can you recommend one? —I think that " Nature-study," by Captain Hutton, is a very nice little book. 46. That is on the list?— Yes. 47. You have no book to recommend for children on agriculture? —No. 48. Or on nature-study? —No; except Captain Hutton's. I think it would be well if the Department got a number of copies of this Burkett book. But it is for teachers only. 49. Might I be permitted to read to Mr. Wilson a sentence from Professor Reichel's report' He was a member of the Moseley Commission that visited America. Professor Reichel says, " Manual training in American schools derives its strength from two independent motives — (a) the educational "- -and I lay stress upon that word —"working up from the kindergarten; (b) the professional, working down from the technical colleges." This is the point that I have been trying to get at—the question of specialisation. I want to know from you whether you think that the work in the primary school ought to be educational or professional from this point of view? —It should certainly not be professional. You aannot teach a profession in a technical school or in a primary school, and you ought not to try to do either. That is my opinion. 50. If there be specialisation for after-employment —I mean working for a profession —that ought not to be done in the primary school? —No, I think not. You refer to teaching a profession. 1 may say, with regard to that, that in Ballarat they were very anxious to have a first-class engineering school in order to teach young boys their work for after-life. They had an elaborate school; they had most expensive machinery; but I am told that it was a complete failure —that you could not teach the trades in a technical school, but that you cculd assist the trades enormously. 51. By scientific training? —Yes. 52. With regard to the distribution of this general training —that is, the educational training —you say there is great difficulty in the smaller schools in the country —the back-blocks schools--and you recommend to us a system of agglomerating these schools and providing for means of transport? —I read Professor Robertson's suggestion, and I think it is a valuable suggestion; but in New Zealand the conditions are very unfavourable. 53. Is it possible to carry it out in New Zealand, do you think? —In portions of J\ew Zealand it is, but iv certain portions it would be impossible. But I think the suggestion is well worthy of consideration. I think it could be used advantageously, but in many parts it could not be. 54. In certain districts it could not be adopted?— That is so. 55. Then, for these districts a special teacher is needed? —Yes. 56. I want to deal with the training of that special teacher. How, in your opinion, can such a teacher be trained in New Zealand? —Very indifferently, 1 admit. The way in which we are absolutely ignoring the teaching of teachers is simply lamentable, in my opinion. I think the fact that we have difficulty in getting young men to take up the profession is as much due to there being no places for them to go and be trained at and encouraged, as it is to their not being properly paid. 57. You think we should make better provision for training teachers? —I have spoken of rural education, but this affects education generally. 58. Do you think, then, that in the training of these teachers they should be given a broadenough education to permit of their going into the country districts and teaching these educational subjects —I mean elementary pure science, elementary chemistry, and elementary botany ? —I am not quite prepared to say that. Botany is a very useful subject. Elementary chemistry is a subject that would scarcely require a peripatetic teacher. 59. lam not speaking of a peripatetic teacher —I am speaking of a fixed teacher ?—I think they ought to be capable of doing it. 60. What would be needed in a teacher that was stationed in a back-block school in order that