HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION CHAPTER 4

PURPOSE Dr. Charles Prosser is recognized for his role in establishing the foundation on which today’s programs have been built. Dr. Prosser advocates that “ the purpose of vocational education is to help a person secure a job, train him so that he can hold it after he gets it, and assist him in advancing to a better job.”

EARLY AMERICAN AGRICULTURE SQUANTO ( ) Patuxet Indian i.Considered the first agriculture educator in North America ii.He befriended the Pilgrims in 1621 in areas of Massachusetts iii.He provided instruction in how to plant corn and where to fish and hunt.

SELF-SUFFICIENT VERSUS COMMERICAL AGRICULTURE Around the mid-1800s, agriculture began to metamorphose from a self sustaining to commercial agriculture. -Meaning people went from raising or gathering of food strictly for themselves(had no money, mostly bartering for other products) to raising or gathering more food than individual can consume. Markets begin to emerge in towns and cities. Therefore, agriculture products were sold with monetary value.

TECHNOLOGIES EMERGE New technologies were being developed in the late 1700s and early 1800s. a.First cotton gin developed by Eli Whitney in b.First reaper developed by Cyrus McCormick in 1842, c.First steel moldboard plow developed by John Deere in 1837.

CONFLICTS AND CHAOS The early 1860s nation was embroiled in a great civil war. With every able-bodied man on the front line or engaged in running the war industries, agriculture on both the North and South had to adopt new technologies for production. A change from hand-powered agriculture to horse-powered agriculture. To export ag products, transportation became very important. The era saw the great expansion of railroads across the nation. In 1862, the Homestead Act granted 160 acres of land in the West.

RECONSTRUCTION After the Civil War ended in 1865, the nation’s industrial machinery switched from meeting military needs to industrial production. Major efforts were made in the production of steel and iron for railroads. Human population began to shift across North America. To protect the interest and to improve commercial agriculture, a number of farm organizations were formed. In 1860, almost 1000 agricultural societies in US were formed or created.

THE CREATION OF LAND-GRANT COLLEGES Today, the land-grant colleges are major forces shaping education and research in the United States. These were established and have prospered as the result of legislation known as the Morrill Acts.

THE MORRILL ACT OF 1862 On July 2, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln, signed the Morrill Act of a.This act created a system of higher education that would establish the United States as the leader among all nations in agricultural production. b.This act kindled the expansion for agriculture and industry in the US. c.Justin Morrill, US Congressman shepherd this legislation through the U.S. Congress. d.This act set aside 30,000 acres of land for each member of Congress and upon the sale, proceeds were to be used for the creation in each state at least one college where the leading subjects would be agriculture, mechanical and military arts.

THE MORRILL ACT OF 1890 This act set aside funds for teacher education in agricultural and mechanical arts. Funds were restricted to those colleges where no distinction made on the basis of race or color in student admissions. Funds were generally used to establish African-American agricultural colleges This act did not create black land-grant colleges. The first act could be used for such institutions. Alcorn State University, 1871 and Hampton University, 1872 used the funds for that purpose.

THE IMPROVING AMERICA’S SCHOOLS ACT OF 1994 This act was considered the 3 rd Morrill Act This act provided funds for Native American Tribal Colleges and Universities. The passage of this act provided land-grant funding for 29 tribal colleges.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS Hatch Act of 1887 —established agricultural experiment stations and educated the public about the implications of the research conducted at these experiment stations. Smith-Lever Act of 1914 – it created the Cooperative Extension Service. This law established a partnership between the federal government and the land-grant colleges for the purpose of extending knowledge about the best practices in agriculture to rural communities.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS Vocational Education Act of 1917 (forever known as the Smith-Hughes Act) a.It provided funding to the states for the purpose of training teachers in agricultural education, industrial arts education and home economics education. b.It created a State Board of Vocational Education in each state receiving funding under this act. c.It also created the Federal Board for Vocational Education to see that the provisions of the act were carried out according to the law.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS Federal Legislation from1918 to 1963: (Considered the “George Acts”) George-Reed Act of 1929 —It increased federal support for vocational education and gave home economics independent status as a division. George-Ellzey of 1934 —Repealed the George-Reed Act. This legislation provided additional funding for vocational education and implemented new funding for distributive education. George-Deen Act of 1936 – It increased funding for vocational education in the four areas: agriculture, home economics, trade and industrial, distributive education. George-Barden Act of 1946 —It significantly increased annual appropriation for vocational education and altered the formula for distributing funds in favor of agricultural education.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS National Defense Act of 1940 – this act was enacted because of the need for highly skilled workers as America prepared for war. It provided funding for vocational education for citizens engaged in war industries. The Vocational Education Act of 1963 – it was created to meet the changing needs of the American economy. It provided instruction in non-farming areas of agriculture. a.It was amended in 1968 and 1976

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS Carl D. Perkins Vocational Act of 1984 —passed to improve the quality and accessibility of vocational education for all student, with half the funding earmarked for special student populations. Carl D. Perkins Vocational Act of 1990 —passed to provide more vocational education funding to meet technological advances in business, industry, promote curriculum integration and establish articulation agreements between secondary schools and institutions of higher learning.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS President William J. Clinton signed the Improving America’s School Act of 1994, which provided expanded higher education opportunities for Native Americans. Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Acts of 1996 & 1998 —reauthorized funding for vocational education with increased emphasis on curriculum integration and hold voc.ed. students to the same rigorous standards as all other students. Elementary & Secondary Education Act of 2001 —known as the No Child Left Behind Act, emphasized high-achievement test scores. It was signed by President George W. Bush.