History of Agricultural Education in Wiltshire - Lackham Countryside ...

organise relevant courses for all grades within their assoc
iation, both short residential courses and correspondence
courses.
The centralisation of the milk operatives courses was not achieved before 1968/69, the
machinery courses in 1969/70. The course for Corn Merchants was abandoned after the
1965/66 session.
A member of the Extra Mural staff, Mr J M Woodcraft, felt strongly that it would be in
the students' interests to include much more practical work in the day courses in
Agriculture than had been the case hitherto. Thus in 1966, two pilot schemes were launched
which allowed the classes at Mere (Mr Woodcraft) and Marlborough (Mr Chamberlin)
centres to be given a total of nine days practical instruction in a course of some twentyfour
days. • Added to this was a one week residential course in January 1967 to give
instruction in Animal Husbandry subjects and Milking Techniques. The success of this early
venture was ample reward for the difficulties of staffing and servicing. The lessons
learned helped to improve both these and the more traditional courses over the next year
or two until the traumatic birth of the Agricultural Training Board - this caused County Hall
to reconsider the fee and raise it from £1 12s. Od. to £21. Thus we withdrew to a more
traditional course. The obvious advantages of the practical course in enabling students to
gain a better understanding of the principles of the subject were felt keenly by staff
trying to enthuse students amongst the distractions of a Technical College, dusty scout
huts and village halls. Thus in 1972 it was felt politically right to centralise classes for Day
Release students in Agriculture and Horticulture at Lackham College. Special buses were
provided. Students who now attend these classes (1975) are able to benefit from the
college farm and the workshop facilities as well as the expertise of staff not formerly
available.[i]
EVENING CLASSES (AGRICULTURE)
In 1965/66, a very wide range of courses were offered, some long term and some short.
The subjects offered included Welding, Beekeeping, Animal Health, Records and Accounts,
Grassland etc. This pattern was repeated in 1966/67 and attracted a total of 192 students,
plus a further 23 on Farm Management. A similar pattern was employed for Horticulture.
Whilst this picture appears quite healthy, many courses were offered which found no
takers. The influence of Farmers' Clubs which were becoming a very important feature in
the county, of television and of the increasing variety of classes in alternative subjects
provided by the Adult Education Service may have been contributory factors to the decline
in popularity of these classes. The most important reason must have been the advent of the
A.T.B.
The Agricultural Training Board was resisted in Wiltshire for its first two to three years.
Eventually it was accepted and the influence which it has, has been widely felt. With its
extensive finance it is able to (and indeed required to) initiate and pay for very expensive
Industrial Training Courses. Lackham College has been able to participate in this programme