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DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE EDUCATION

Dale E. Thompson

Schools provided students with an opportunity to work at manual farm and academic activities during the schoolday

The roots of agricultural education in the United States can be traced back to the earliest need for improved agri­cultural production practices. Depleted farm land, poor production, and inefficient equipment were major prob­lems faced by colonial farmers trying to make a living from the land. These problems were compounded by the increasing numbers of people entering farming at the end of the Revolutionary War when grants of land were given to returning soldiers. This expansion of farming only emphasized the need for improved agriculture practices.

In the 1780s an attempt to solve some of the production problems were addressed by various agricultural societies throughout the east. The most notable was the Philadel­phia Society for Promoting Agriculture, an organization which encouraged agricultural experiments, improve­ments, and the establishment of other such societies. By the early 1800s there were societies in almost every eas­tern state, and the District of Columbia. These societies promoted agricultural fairs for the display of farmers' crops and livestock; distributed plants and seeds from or­chards, nurseries, and gardens, and published agricultural journals and books. These organizations and societies con­tinued to grow and expand with the development of new nations. By 1860 there were approximately 950 agricultur­al organizations recorded in the books of the United States Agricultural Society.

Interest created by these agricultural societies and the growing national population encouraged the introduction of formal education in agriculture in the manual labora-

tory schools. These schools provided students with an op· portunity to work at manual farm and academic activities during the schoolday. Agriculture programs were then introduced in technical institutes, private trade schools, and county agricultural schools.1 These schools led to the establishment of nationally uniform post-secondary schools with the passage of the Morrill Act of 1862, which provided money for the establishment and continu­ing support of at least one agricultural college in each state.2

During the 1890s, states had begun to appropriate funds for agriculture instruction in secondary public schools. Efforts for a more permanent arrangement for ag­riculture education in the public schools on the national level led to the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act in 1917. This act provided funds for salaries for agriculture teach­ers. The national funding was equally matched by state or local communities.3 The Smith-Hughes Act became the foundation for national funding for secondary agricultural education and is still in effect today.

There are currently 8,925 secondary vocational agricul­ture programs and 336 post-secondary vocational agricul­ture programs in the United States.4 The current programs are designed to help students achieve the following objectives:5

to develop agricultural competencies needed by individu­als engaged in or preparing to engage in agricultural production; to develop agricultural competencies needed by individu· als engaged in or preparing lo engage in (off-farm) agri· cultural occupations other than agricultural production; to develop an understanding of and appreciation for career opportunities in agriculture and the preparation needed to enter and progress in agricultural occupations; to develop the ability to secure satisfactory placement and to advance in an agricultural occupation through a pro­gram of continuing education; to develop those abilities in human relations which are essential in agricultural occupations, and to develop the abilities needed to exercise and follow effective leadership in fulfilling occupational, social, and civic responsibilities.

Eight instructional components were developed to meet these national objectives: agricultural production, agricul­tural supplies, agricultural mechanics, agricultural pro­ducts, ornamental horticulture, forestry, agriculture resources, and other agriculture.

Agricultural production subject matter and learning ac­tivities are concerned with the production of livestock, field crops, fruits and vegetables, fiber and other crops, on commercial and part-time farms. Emphasis is placed on animal science, plant science, farm mechanics, and farm business management.

Agricultural supplies describe businesses that furnish pro­duction needs to farmers in specialization and combina­tions of manufacturing, sales, and service. Major supplies include agricultural chemicals, livestock feeds, farm crop seeds, crop fertilizers, petroleum and supplies for small equipment.

Agricultural mechanics is that area of instruction which deals with sales and service of agricultural power ma­chines such as tractors, integrated machinery, and related equipment. Skills gained in agricultural mechanics aid stu­dents in gaining employment in such areas as machine service manager, machine salesman, mechanics deal­erships, and machine mechanics.

Agricultural products is the part of agriculture which per· forms the services and operations of assembling, sorting, testing, grading, processing, manufacturing, storing, and marketing of major food products. Specific food products are meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Ornamental horticulture is the agricultural businesses and services that produce, distribute, and use plants for ornamental values. It concentrates on floriculture, nursery management, landscaping, turf establishment and manage­ment, greenhouse production and sales, nursery produc­tion and sales, garden center sales, groundskeeping, and greenskeeping.

Forestry is the section of agriculture which prepares in­dividuals for the technical area of management of trees as a crop. Areas studied include forest protection, logging, wood utilization, special products production, conserva­tion, and recreation.

Agricultural resources is the subject matter designed for the study of principles and processes in the conservation and improvement of environmental resources. It focuses on forested and other natural areas, fish and wildlife, soil, water, and air with the establishment, management, and operation of outdoor recreational facilities.

Other agriculture is a miscellaneous category of agricul­ture not covered by the other seven agricultural areas. It primarily includes agricultural fields in industry, govern­ment, education, or other service areas.

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A major part of vocational agriculture which strength­ens the eight instructional components is the Future Farmers of America organization. This is a national or­ganization of, by, and for students of vocational agricul­ture in public schools. The FFA is designed to develop ag­ricultural leadership, cooperation, and citizenship.6

Vocational Agriculture in Hawai'i

The major objective of agriculture education in the public schools of Hawai'i is to help young people understand the role of agriculture as a necessary segment of the total society.7 Agriculture education in Hawai'i is very similar to agriculture education on the mainland United States; however, there is a difference in programs due to the state's agricultural products, the climate, and the local in­terpretation of the national objectives.

The curriculum components set up nationally are modi­fied in Hawai'i to cover the areas of agricultural technolo­gy, plant and animal science, ornamental horticulture, aquaculture, and agriculture mechanics. These program areas stress knowledge of agriculture in the broad catego­ries of production, distribution, processing, and service. These programs are offered at two levels - at the basic level as practical arts and at the advanced level as vocational-technical education. 8

A typical agriculture education facility in Hawai'i used for instruction of basic agriculture includes a classroom, a greenhouse, an agricultural mechanics shop and a land laboratory. A program generally has three curriculum phases: vegetable crop production, ornamental horticul­ture, and agriculture mechanics. During the study of vegetable crop production, students are assigned a portion of land for which they have total responsibility. Students are involved from seedbed preparation to sales of the final product. This enables students to learn about record­keeping, plant growth, media preparation, planting, fertili· zation, irrigation, cultivation, plant care, harvesting tech­niques, vegetable grading and marketing.

Ornamental horticulture focuses on production of house plants, cut flowers and lei• flowers in a facility such as a lath house, shade house or environment house. Leaming activities emphasize participation in all phases of plant production from propagation to sales of the final product. Ornamental horticulture is related to the tourist industry through the sale of cut flowers for leimaking and flower arrangements for hotels.

Agricultural mechanics is designed to supplement in­struction in crop and ornamental plant production through construction, care and maintenance of equipment

• Lei (noun) garland. wreath, necklace of flowers given by the Hawaiian as a symbol of affection.

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and facilities. Students are involved in activities such as construction of metal pipe frames for shade houses; fab­rication of cement and wooden flowerpots for use in the greenhouse, and the operation, maintenance, and repair of crop production equipment such as sprayers and tillers.

The strength of the agriculture education program is the increased potential for learning through the combined educational process of classroom theory and laboratory activities. Technical information about traditional agricul­tural crops like sweet corn, green beans, and Maui onions is reinforced by practical experience on the land labora­tory when students actually grow and harvest the crops.

The most important factor contributing to the success of vocational agriculture programs is their local focus. Throughout Hawai'i, as well as the rest of the United States, vocational agriculture educators use learning activi­ties and projects which fit into the local agricultural com­munity. The programs stress realistic teaming activities which students can take pride in. The programs also help students understand theoretical information by experienc­ing practical application.

Footnotes

1True, A.C. A History of Agricultural Education in the United Stolts, 1785-1925, Washington DC: United States Government Printing Office, 1929.

25wanson, J.C. Dtvtlopmtnt of Ftdtral Legislation for Vocational Education, Chicago IL: American Technical Society, 1962.

3Stevens, G.Z. Agricultural Education, New York : Prentice-Hall Inc., 1967, p. 2.

4Henry, Sarah. Agriculture Teachers Dirtetory, Greensburg PA : Charles M. Henry Printing Co., 1984.

50bjtctives for Vocational and Technical Education in Agriculture, US 0£fice of Education Bulletin No. 4, Washington DC : United States Government Printing Office, 1965, pp. 4-5.

~tevens, op. cit., see Footnote 3. 1Hawaiian Association FFA: 50 Years of Agriculture Youth

Aclivilits in Hawai'i, Department of Vocational Education, Honolulu HI : Hawai'i State Department of Education, 1984.

8Agriculture Education Framework, Department of Vocational Education, Honolulu HI : Hawai'i State Department of Education, 1984, pp. 3-4.

Dalt E. Thompson is fonner Coordinator of Agricullurt Education rn /he College of Education, Univtrsity of Hawai'i at Man011. While at UH-Man011, Dr. Thompson was involvtd rn vocalional agriculture in Hawai'i ll1rough the University of Hawa1'1 Colleg1ale Future Farmers of America Chapter and vocational-agric11lturc curriculum development and revision. He is now al the Ur11versily of Arkansas.

The Department of Agricultural Engineering developed an exhibit, "Engineering Careers in Hawaiian Agriculture," displayed at a recent College of Engineering open house. Photo courtesy of CTAHR, UH·Manoa.

The silt pump developed by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CT AHR) agricultural engineers removes silt from shrimp ponds to improve harvesting efficiency. Photo courtesy of CTAHR, UH-Manoa.