Origins of Agricultural Education

1. Origins of Agricultural Education AGSC 405

2. Announcements • Read Chapters 3 & 4

3. Objectives • Discuss the importance of understanding the history of vocational education. • Create a timeline of important dates in the history of agricultural education. • Identify the important dates in the history of the National FFA Organization. • Describe the current status of agricultural education.

4. Why is it important to study the history? • We need to understand where we’ve come from in order to understand where we are and where we are going. • The current agricultural education system has been formed based on historical ideals, events, and legislation. • These laws impact us TODAY!

5. Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 Hatch Act of 1887 Morrill Act of 1890 Smith-Lever Act of 1914 Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 FFA History – Public Law 740 Vocational Education Act of 1963 Carl D. Perkins Act of 1984 Understanding Agriculture: New Directions for Education 1988 Native American Indian Legislation – 1994 RAE 2020 No Child Left Behind Legislation that Impacted Ag Education

6. Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 • Provided land to states to establish colleges for the common man. • Purpose of the college was to provide education in agriculture, engineering, and military training. • “The land grant university system is being built on behalf of the people, who have invested in these public universities their hopes, their support, and their confidence.” – Abraham Lincoln

7. 1862 Continued… Why was it important for public education to develop in the United States? Have land grants lost their way? What was it like in 1860s?

9. Hatch Act of 1887 • Provided $15,000 to each state for the development of ag experiment stations. • Purpose was to conduct research to improve production agriculture. • Provided a scientific basis for what was being taught at the land grant colleges.

12. Morrill Act of 1890 • Provided funding for Ag and Mechanical colleges for African-Americans in the southern states. • Same provisions as 1862’s. • 1890’s have their own legislation.

13. Smith-Lever Act of 1914 • Established the cooperative extension service. • Purpose was to provide an extension from the land grant colleges to the local communities. • Give instruction and practical demonstrations in agriculture and home economics to “common people”.

14. Man named “Smith” lifting a stone with a lever in 1914.

15. Smith-Lever Act of 1914 • Established the cooperative extension service. • Purpose was to provide an extension from the land grant colleges to the local communities. • Give instruction and practical demonstrations in agriculture and home economics to “common people”.

17. Hoke Smith (September 2, 1855 – November 27, 1931)

19. Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 • Established vocational education courses at the secondary level. • Ag programs were intended to “teach boys about farming”. • Why was this legislation passed in 1917?

21. History of FFA – Public Law 740 • 1920 – Henry Groseclose established the Future Farmers of Virginia for boys taking ag classes. • 1926 – New Farmers of America organized in Virginia. • 1928 – 33 students from 18 states established the Future Farmers of America in Kansas City at the American Royal Livestock Judging Contest. • 1950 – Public Law 81-740 passed. This granted the FFA federal charter.

22. FFA History continued… • 1965 – New Farmers of America merge with the FFA. • 1969 – Female membership allowed in the FFA. • 1988 – Delegates changed the name to the National FFA Organization and passed a motion to allow middle school student enrollment.

23. Vocational Education Act of 1963 • This is a major piece of legislation for vocational education. • Expanded the scope of ag programs to include off farm enterprises (don’t just teach about farming anymore). • Expanded SAE’s. • Established work study programs • Funding increased.

24. Carl D. Perkins Act of 1984 • This is the current legislation (it’s been modified) for vocational education. • Most significant rewrite of vocational education legislation since 1963. • Two broad themes: • Accessibility to all persons • Improve quality of programs

25. C A R L P E R K I N S

26. Understanding Agriculture: New Directions for Education - 1988 • Multi year study that came up with recommendations for ag education. • Focus of ag ed must change/curriculum is outdated. • All students in K-12 should receive instruction about agriculture. • All students in ag programs should participate in SAE’s. • FFA changes.

27. Native American Legislation - 1994 • National Ag Research, Extension, & Teaching Act. • Provided extension education programs on reservations. • Provided technical assistance and training in subsistence ag to Native Americans. • Granted land grant status to 29 tribal colleges through the American Indian Higher Ed Consortium.

28. Reinventing Ag Education – Vision 2020 (2000) • Funding provided through the Kellogg Foundation. • National Council for Ag Education conducted study. • Goal: Identify where ag education should be going and what characteristics it should possess. • 4 major goals: • Increase supply of qualified teachers • All students have access to Ag Ed programs • All students agriculturally literate • Partnerships and alliances developed

29. No Child Left Behind (2001) • Goal is to create the best educational opportunities for our children and to ensure they have every opportunity to succeed. • Sets forth changes in education policy, testing, accountability, and teacher quality. • This legislation will affect you!!!!

30. Objectives • Discuss the importance of understanding the history of vocational education. • Create a timeline of important dates in the history of agricultural education. • Identify the important dates in the history of the National FFA Organization. • Describe the current status of agricultural education.