Timeline of Events in Agricultural Education
Agricultural education courses began to be formulated between the years of 1825 and 1850, especially on a college-level. These courses were not necessarily popular, and very few institutions featured them. However, in 1862, the Morrill Land Grant College Act was passed, allowing for the expansion of agricultural education at the college level. These introductory agriculture courses continued to grow in popularity, and by the 1890s, additional agricultural education courses began to be offered at a high school (or secondary) level. These two events can be considered the foundation of agricultural education in America’s education system, as they were the initial courses offered for all students.
During the early 1900s, the agriculture industry in the south was booming with a variety of crops being harvested. Therefore, in 1906, Booker T. Washington began a program that can be considered “agricultural education on wheels.” Washington traveled throughout the southern states to advocate the importance of agriculture as an industry. He pioneered advocacy for agriculture by promoting it to nearly everyone he met by demonstrating his passion and experience in the area through his leadership abilities. He taught numerous young children about how to till the land and care for their animals and crops, and encouraged these children to seek new and innovative methods of bettering production agriculture. Washington is claimed to have sparked interest in the lives of many young agriculturalists, and he is still admired by many present-day agricultural education instructors for his innovative teaching ideas.
A major event in the history of agricultural education was the Smith-Hughes Act, which was passed in 1917 by the United States Congress. This piece of legislation allowed for the official establishment of vocational education courses for students in junior high school and high school. This act not only provided official establishment and structure for agricultural education courses, but also, for vocational education courses in general. Vocational education courses are courses in which students are driven to prepare for a career in a particular area. Some examples of present-day vocational education courses include emergency medical training courses, family and consumer science courses, and industrial education courses. The purpose to the passage of this act was to encourage students to be preparing for specific careers while receiving their secondary education. A report stated that at the time of its passage, of the twelve million people working in the agriculture industry, approximately one percent of these people had proper training. Additionally, another purpose of the passage of this act was to allow for students to begin to ponder on potential career choices and ideas for a longer period of time by taking a variety of hands-on learning courses. One limitation to this piece of legislation, however, was that “these classes started in small rural schools and only farm boys were allowed in the classes” ("The History of Agriculture Education in High Schools Across High Schools in America," Paragraph 1). As time passed, however, agricultural education grew to a larger population of students who did not necessarily live in a rural environment.
One of the key events in the history of American agricultural education is, of course, the founding of the FFA. Formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, the FFA has allowed for its students to become engaged in the field of agriculture since 1928. FFA began with a small group of thirty three local farm boys seeking to discuss farming techniques, but has grown to over five hundred thousand members nationally, making it the largest student-lead organization in the nation. FFA provides for leadership and career development opportunities for its members to prepare them for any field of work ranging from architecture to zoology.
A final key event in agricultural education was the Vocational Education Act of 1963. The purpose of this act was to expand the parameters of vocational education curriculum. In terms of agricultural based courses, it meant that the new classes could be created that expand on farming techniques. Many new courses, after the passage of this act, emerged. These included floriculture, plant propagation, biotechnology, and leadership courses. Without the passage of this act, it is possible that current agricultural education students might be enrolled in courses solely relating to farming, meaning that enrollment would be decreased due to a lack of variety of courses. And eventually, by the 1970s, a wider variety of students were enrolled in agricultural education courses than just farm boys. The new target population included girls, students of different races, and students living in larger communities. These students were attracted to the updated curriculum that educated them about hunting regulations, the elements of floral design, agricultural mechanics, and much more.
During the early 1900s, the agriculture industry in the south was booming with a variety of crops being harvested. Therefore, in 1906, Booker T. Washington began a program that can be considered “agricultural education on wheels.” Washington traveled throughout the southern states to advocate the importance of agriculture as an industry. He pioneered advocacy for agriculture by promoting it to nearly everyone he met by demonstrating his passion and experience in the area through his leadership abilities. He taught numerous young children about how to till the land and care for their animals and crops, and encouraged these children to seek new and innovative methods of bettering production agriculture. Washington is claimed to have sparked interest in the lives of many young agriculturalists, and he is still admired by many present-day agricultural education instructors for his innovative teaching ideas.
A major event in the history of agricultural education was the Smith-Hughes Act, which was passed in 1917 by the United States Congress. This piece of legislation allowed for the official establishment of vocational education courses for students in junior high school and high school. This act not only provided official establishment and structure for agricultural education courses, but also, for vocational education courses in general. Vocational education courses are courses in which students are driven to prepare for a career in a particular area. Some examples of present-day vocational education courses include emergency medical training courses, family and consumer science courses, and industrial education courses. The purpose to the passage of this act was to encourage students to be preparing for specific careers while receiving their secondary education. A report stated that at the time of its passage, of the twelve million people working in the agriculture industry, approximately one percent of these people had proper training. Additionally, another purpose of the passage of this act was to allow for students to begin to ponder on potential career choices and ideas for a longer period of time by taking a variety of hands-on learning courses. One limitation to this piece of legislation, however, was that “these classes started in small rural schools and only farm boys were allowed in the classes” ("The History of Agriculture Education in High Schools Across High Schools in America," Paragraph 1). As time passed, however, agricultural education grew to a larger population of students who did not necessarily live in a rural environment.
One of the key events in the history of American agricultural education is, of course, the founding of the FFA. Formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, the FFA has allowed for its students to become engaged in the field of agriculture since 1928. FFA began with a small group of thirty three local farm boys seeking to discuss farming techniques, but has grown to over five hundred thousand members nationally, making it the largest student-lead organization in the nation. FFA provides for leadership and career development opportunities for its members to prepare them for any field of work ranging from architecture to zoology.
A final key event in agricultural education was the Vocational Education Act of 1963. The purpose of this act was to expand the parameters of vocational education curriculum. In terms of agricultural based courses, it meant that the new classes could be created that expand on farming techniques. Many new courses, after the passage of this act, emerged. These included floriculture, plant propagation, biotechnology, and leadership courses. Without the passage of this act, it is possible that current agricultural education students might be enrolled in courses solely relating to farming, meaning that enrollment would be decreased due to a lack of variety of courses. And eventually, by the 1970s, a wider variety of students were enrolled in agricultural education courses than just farm boys. The new target population included girls, students of different races, and students living in larger communities. These students were attracted to the updated curriculum that educated them about hunting regulations, the elements of floral design, agricultural mechanics, and much more.