Abstract
IN a paper on “The Teaching of Agriculture” read by Mr. F. B. Smith, director of agriculture in the Transvaal, before the British Association, there occurs a statement which is of special interest to educationists and to the public of this country. The paper was read with the object of directing attention to the keen desire for agricultural education that now exists in South Africa, and to the improvements in the condition of the colonies which might be looked for if a satisfactory system of education and research were established. But though colonial Governments are willing, and the enlightened members of the agricultural community are anxious to get on, progress is slow, and chiefly because suitable teachers for agricultural colleges and other officers for colonial departments of agriculture are hard to find. The words used by Mr. Smith are:—“The difficulty of obtaining men qualified to fill such positions is great, and frequently one of two things happens: either an unsuitable man from the Homeland (the italics are ours) is appointed, with the result that a department is seriously hampered or discredited, or a selection has to be made from abroad. I `am not speaking without experience, for I could give many examples in support of my argument that a great deal of harm has been caused to agricultural administration and education in the colonies by the sending out of inexperienced and unsuitable men from Great Britain.” Again, after stating that the demand will continue, and is likely to increase, Mr. Smith asks, “Cannot some steps be taken to improve matters, and to supply the want?”
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Agricultural Education and Colonial Development . Nature 73, 250 (1906). https://doi.org/10.1038/073250a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/073250a0