AF00180216 NRS-3829-2-[5-17966]-5-17966B Wagga Wagga High School - Flipbook - Page 14
Higia School,
ra a
•ec.,1917.
_ s ......_...,...
; — A r., .,..
.
N
ANNUAL REPORT—AGRICULTURAL CLASSEt.'hic i , -..:7_,..--, MENT OF
--e----e%
. . .. .. . •r
Sir,
I have the honor to submit a repo t
in Agriculture.
.
tP a
loriNgolgtes!
(aor,
EDUCATION
...,...hili
We began the Tear wit' l nine studen
twelve students entered the junior class. Later in the year two
students transferred from one of the other forms, which brought the
total enrollment in the Agricultural classes up to twenty-three.
Eight students were in attendance in the second year elass, just prior
to the Intermediate Examination. Two out of this number left to take
up positions, while one elect ee to do another year in Agriculture and
the remaining five sat for the I.C. There are at present ten students
in the first year class, as in 1916 we have lost several good students,
because their labour is required on their parents' farms, thamelag
through enlistments of elder brothers for Active service. While
labour on the farms is difficult to get,-- as at present-- country
boys in Riverina will be debarred to a large extent from attending the
Agricultural classes. This Eact is borne out by evidence obtained
during the last two years.
I have found it very difficult to cover the theoretical course,
as set down in the High Scpol Sy - llabusp and working as we are at
present on the half-tiae system it is more difficult, and very
unsatisfactory.
The whole of the Agricultural work at ragga is crowded into the
last two days of the school week. Needless to say the graph of
intellectual energy shows a falling off towards the end of the reek.
One teacher of Agriculture attached for full time to one centre would
allow of a distribution of the work throughout the week which wciuld
be more satisfactory, both as regards Agricultural and gReF general
subrects
Further,as a matter of policy, I would suggest one centre
for Riverina. This would save duplication of site,plant,farm builarfies
TFEITMIFFixpenses etc. This arrangement would not only b3
econoical, byt would secure better results in Agriculture in our High
Schools.
The theoretical (as also the Practical) work has been further
hampered by not having a farm laboratory, in which to carry out
Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Physics Experiments, as also to treat
Agricultural Botany, Livestock and kindred subjects. Such a
bla building would accomodate/our herbarium of local economic plants,
range of soils, fertilizers, wools, seeds, photographs etc. that form
in-valuable educational aids in an Agricultural course. The
laboratory, built on the farm, would allow the teacher, engaged with a
F1asi-In3Bors, to sul5T-Wirgiti a class in the field. At present this
is impossible.
would suggest, that with the advent of the three year course
for the I.C., a modern language be included in the course. This -voulc
provide for the students, who wish to enter the faculty of Agriculture
at the University, and would attract more of the brighter wtudents
than we are receiving at present. Mr. Potts of Hawkesbury College
favours this suggestion, and would provide for ga inclusion of a
modern language at Hawkesbury College.
Further, I would suggest that a couple of general questions in
Agriculture be included in the Qualifying Certificate Examination
papers each year.
The practical farm woA at Wagga has, in spite of the mouse and g
grssshppper plagues, as also the excessively wet season, progressed
very favourably. Since Pecember,1916, when the clearing was completed,
4:: acres of cereals have been harvested protvidin a stack of hay
weighing about ten tons. We expect a yield of lt; tons of early
poatatoes, that were planted between the trees in the orchard. Two
acres of orchard have been planted with different varieties of fruit
trees, and all the trees have sptruck, and are growing vigorously.
