Federal Legislation Impacting Agricultural Education and Extension Era I

1
Federal Legislation Impacting Agricultural
Education and Extension -Era I
2
Precursors

• Burkett-Pollard Bill (NE) (1906)
• sought federal aid for the teaching of
  agriculture in normal (teacher training) schools
• Clay-Livingston Bill (GA) - 1907
• sought federal aid to establish an agricultural
  high school in each congressional district in the
  United States

3
Precursors

• Nelson Amendment (1907)
• Amendment to the Morrill Act of 1890
• provided 5,000 for five years, 25,000 annually
  after five year to land-grant colleges for
  general support.
• One special provision of the amendment opened
  the door to prepare teachers of agriculture . .
  .

4
Nelson Amendment

• money could be used for providing courses for
  the special preparation of instructors for
  teaching the elements of agriculture and the
  mechanical arts.
• summer school sessions for teachers were utilized
  extensively (especially elementary teachers)
• some 4 year teacher training in agriculture
  started

5
Precursors

• Davis Bill (MN) (1907)
• sought federal support for secondary school
  instruction in agriculture, home economics and
  the mechanical arts and branch experiment
  stations

6
Precursors

• McLaughlin Bill (1909)
• sought federal support for extension work
• Dolliver (IA)-Davis (MN) Bill (1910)
• sought federal support for extension work and
  secondary vocational education (Dolliver
  submitted two bills one for extension, one for
  vocational education but they were combined by
  the Senate Ag Committee. Things looked good for
  the bill but Dolliver unexpectedly died)

7
Precursors

• Page Bill (1911, 1912, 1913)
• sought federal support for extension work, branch
  experiment stations and secondary vocational
  education (this was basically the Dolliver bill)
• The bill never passed for a variety of reasons
• bills tried to accomplish too much, which divided
  the support
• Page was not very skilled as a legislator

8
The Incompetent Senator!

• Carroll S. Page (VT)

9
Senator Page
The Morrill Act has proven to be the beginning
for really carrying vocational education to the
masses of our people.
10
Precursors

• Smith-Lever Bill (1912)
• goal was to establish the extension service
• This competed with the Page Bill

The Great Compromise The supporters of vocational
education would support the Smith-Lever Bill. In
return, a Commission on National Aid to
Vocational Education would be created to study
the need for federal funding for vocational
education.
11
Finally!!

• Smith-Lever Act (1914)
• established the extension service
• Smith-Hughes Act (1917)
• provided federal funds to support vocational
  education in the public schools

12
The Smith Acts
13
Smith-Lever Provisions

• there may be inaugurated in connection with the
  (land-grant) college or colleges...agricultural
  extension work which shall be carried on in
  cooperation with the United States Department of
  Agriculture

14
Smith-Lever Provisions

• ...in any State in which two or more such
  colleges have been or hereafter may be
  established, the appropriations hereinafter made
  to such State shall be administered by such
  college or colleges as the legislature of such
  State may direct

15
Smith-Lever Provisions

• That cooperative agricultural extension work
  shall consist of the giving of instruction and
  practical demonstrations in agriculture and home
  economics to persons not attending or resident in
  said colleges in the several communities, and
  imparting to such persons information on said
  subjects through field demonstrations,
  publications, and otherwise

16
Smith-Lever Provisions

• Each state was to receive ...10,000 of which
  shall be paid annually
• Additional funds were to be disbursed to states
  on the basis of the rural population of each
  State bears to the total rural population of all
  the States
• Note Legislators in the Midwest wanted the act
  to say farm population. The South had a much
  larger rural population than farm population.

17
Smith-Lever Provisions

• A state could not receive the additional funds
  ...until an equal sum has been appropriated for
  that year by the legislature of such State, or
  provided by State, county, college, local
  authority, or individual contributions from
  within the State, for the maintenance of the
  cooperative agricultural extension work provided
  for in this Act.

18
Smith-Lever Provisions

• That before the funds herein appropriated shall
  become available to any college for any fiscal
  year, plans for the work to be carried on under
  this Act shall be submitted by the proper
  officials of each college and approved by the
  Secretary of Agriculture

19
Smith-Lever Provisions

• ...no portion of said moneys shall be applied,
  directly or indirectly, to the purchase,
  erection, preservation, or repair of any building
  or buildings, or the purchase or rental of land,
  or in college-course teaching, lectures in
  colleges, promoting agricultural trains, or any
  other purpose not specified in this Act

20
Smith-Hughes Provisions

• The first paragraph of the Smith-Hughes Act
  contained four statements
• 1. to provide for the promotion of vocational
  education
• The word promotion is misleading, a more
  correct word would be establishment.

Tidbit Since the person (Charles Prosser) who
wrote the bill was Director of the National
Society for the Promotion of Industrial
Education, the word promotion might allude to
this organization
21
Smith-Hughes Provisions

• 2. to provide for cooperation with the States in
  the promotion of such education in agriculture
  and the trades and industries
• This statement defined what made up vocational
  education. Why is home economics not mentioned?
  The word home economics appears 17 other times in
  the Act. It is believed by some that home
  economics was not included in the earlier drafts
  of the bills. Legend has it that Prossers wife
  made him include home economics. The fact that it
  is missing here gives credence to that legend.
• Trades and industries covered a broad range of
  jobs.

22
Smith-Hughes Provisions

• 3. to provide for cooperation with the States in
  the preparation of teachers of vocational
  subjects
• There was much concern over the supply of
  qualified teachers. Two different paths were
  taken in regards to vocational teacher training
• Agriculture and Home Economics went with a 4 year
  college degree as a requirement. At that point in
  time, few public school teachers had four year
  degrees. This was designed to assure a quality,
  well-educated teacher and enhance the status of
  of the field.
• Trade and Industries chose to pull teachers out
  of industry. The belief was the master craftsman
  made the best teacher.

23
Smith-Hughes Provisions

• 4. and to appropriate money and regulate its
  expenditure.
• This wording as to the purpose of an act is a
  little strange. It should be self evident.

24
Smith-Hughes Funds

• Provided money to pay salaries of
• teachers, supervisors, and directors of
  agricultural subjects
• Tidbit Director is an unusual word until one
  notes that agricultural schools had been
  established prior to Smith-Hughes in
  Massachusetts. The person in charge of these
  schools was a Director. Since Prosser had been
  associate superintendent for vocational education
  in Massachusetts, this wording isnt that strange
  at all.

25
Smith-Hughes Funds

• Provided money to pay salaries of
• teachers of trade, home economics and industrial
  subjects (but no more than 20 of the total money
  allocated for this purpose could be spent in the
  area of home economics)
• Question Why could Smith-Hughes funds be used to
  pay salaries of supervisors and directors in
  agriculture but not in home economics or trades
  and industries?
• Question 2 Why was home economics limited to
  20?

26
Smith-Hughes

• Tidbit Teachers who received their salaries from
  the Smith-Hughes Act were often called
  Smith-Hughes teachers to distinguish them from
  teachers in schools not receiving Smith-Hughes
  funding. Agriculture and home economics was
  taught in many other schools but not all schools
  received Smith-Hughes monies because of limited
  funds.

27
Smith-Hughes Funds

• Providing money for teacher training

Tidbit State supervisors of each vocational
subject were given authority over the teacher
trainers. Federal level supervisors checked the
qualifications and approved of the hiring of
teacher educators. Many universities became very
dependent upon federal funds to pay vocational
teacher educators. When this funding was
abolished it created shock waves in many states
and institutions of higher education.
28
Smith-Hughes Funds

• The states did not have to use all the provisions
  of the act. For example, if there were no
  agriculture programs, it didnt have to ask for
  the agriculture money. However
• Before a state could receive monies for salaries
  for any vocational teacher, it must first accept
  the teacher training monies. This indicates the
  federal government was serious about training
  teachers.

29
Smith-Hughes Funding

• Specific amounts of money were allocated to each
  vocational discipline
• Agricultural appropriations were based on each
  states rural population
• Home economics appropriations were based on each
  states urban population
• Trade and industrial appropriations were based on
  each states urban population
• There was to be a 50-50 federal-state match on
  all salaries

30
Smith-Hughes Act - Agriculture

• ...under public supervision or control...
• ...controlling purpose...shall be to fit for
  useful employment
• ...shall be of less than college grade
• ...meet the needs of persons over fourteen years
  of age who have entered upon or who are preparing
  to enter upon the work of the farm or of the farm
  home
• Question Does the previous phrase also mean
  adult education?

31
Smith-Hughes - Agriculture

• ...that such schools shall provide for directed
  or supervised practice in agriculture, either on
  a farm provided for by the school or other farm,
  for at least six months per year
• This was interpreted to mean that each student
  (including adults) is to have a project (crops
  or livestock).
• If the teacher is to supervise it, then the
  teacher will need to be employed during the
  summer. This is the basis for 12 month employment
  of agriculture teachers.

32
Smith-Hughes Funds

• Provided money to create a Federal Board for
  Vocational Education for the administration of
  this act and for the purpose of making studies,
  investigations, and reports to aid in the
  organization and conduct of vocational education
• Question Why did Congress create a special board
  to administer vocational education?
• Answer They were afraid to turn vocational
  education over to the entrenched education
  bureaucrats who had been classically educated.

33
Federal Board for Vocational Education

• The Board Consisted of
• Secretary of Agriculture
• Secretary of Commerce
• Secretary of Labor
• Commissioner of Education
• Three citizens appointed by the President
• agriculture
• manufacturing and commerce
• labor

34
Federal Board

• The Commissioner of Education may make such
  recommendations to the Board relative to the
  administration of this act as he may from time to
  time deem advisable.
• It shall be the duty of the chairman of the
  board to carry out the rules, regulations, and
  decisions which the board may adopt.

35
Federal Board

• The Federal Board hired a staff to handle the
  daily operations and do the real work.
• Charles Prosser was hired as the Executive
  Director
• Federal supervisors were hired in the areas of
• Agriculture (N7)
• Trades and Industries (N7)
• Home Economics (N3)
• Commercial Subjects (N3) (see next slide)
• Research (3)

36
Federal Board

• Tidbit One of the areas of investigation the
  Federal Board could pursue (as specifically
  mentioned in the act) was commercial education.
  Also, a division of commercial education was
  established with three federal supervisors, but
  no Smith-Hughes money was allocated to salaries
  of teachers of Commercial Education. A little
  strange.
• Today we would call Commercial Education
  Marketing Education and Business Education.

37
Original Federal Regions
North Atlantic
West Central
North Central
Pacific
Southern
Ag and TI had regional offices.Two Ag
supervisors worked the South one was for Black
schools.
38
Federal Regions -1920
North Atlantic
Pacific
North Central
Southern
In 1920 one region was eliminated and all the
regional people moved to Washington.
39
Federal Board

• Because of the depression, the federal government
  was restructured in the 1930s.
• In 1933 the administrative responsibilities and
  staff of the Federal Board were transferred to
  the Department of the Interior, Office of
  Education.
• The Federal Board continued to operate as an
  advisory board until 1946 when it was abolished.
  (Clarence Poe was a member)

40
Memorandum of Understanding

• In 1918 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was
  established between federal officials responsible
  for vocational agriculture and for extension.
• This MOU was revised from time to time.
• A brief description of each program was provided,
  then specific duties of each were outlined.

41
Memorandum of Understanding

• Unless the activity is specifically related to
  classes taught, the agriculture teacher is not to
  do extension activities. However, it is
  recognized there may be isolated instances where
  the agricultural teacher is called upon by
  farmers in the school district. This should
  represent a small and incidental part of the
  job.

42
Memorandum of Understanding

• Teachers of vocational agriculture or
  representatives of vocational agricultural work
  should be invited to participate in all meetings
  conducted by the extension service for the
  formulation of county and State agricultural
  programs.

43
Memorandum of Understanding

• The extension service should not enroll
  vocational agriculture students in 4-H.
• Services should not overlap.

44
America at War
45
The War Years (WWI)
Acres in crop production
46
The War Years (WWI)
47
Food Production Act -1917

• Signed into law on August 10, 1917
• This is the sleeper extension act

48
Livestock Production (885,000)

• Disease and pest control, enlargement of
  livestock production, conservation and
  utilization of meat

49
Seed Production (2,500,000)

• Procuring, storingand furnishing seeds

50
Crop Production (441,000)

• Prevention, control and eradication of insects
  and plant diseases

51
Extension (4,348,400)

• Increase food production and eliminate waste
  through educational and demonstration methods
  through county, district and urban agents and
  others

52
Impact on Extension

• By the end of October 1,600 emergency
  demonstration agents were hired
• Act was to terminate at the end of the War

53
Increase in Extension Agents 1917 to 1918
54
Extension Staff 1918
55
Yearbook of Agriculture, 1918

• Report of the Secretary of Agriculture
• The emergency through which the Nation has
  passed only served to emphasize the supreme
  importance of the Cooperative Agricultural
  Extension Service. It has become increasingly
  clear that no more important piece of education
  extension machinery has ever been created. It
  has been amply demonstrated that the most
  effective means of getting information to the
  farmers and their families is through the direct
  touch of well-trained men and women.

56
The Roaring 20s (for whom?)
57
The Roaring 20s??

• Agricultural Prices dropped 33 from 1919 to
  1920
• Agricultural Prices dropped 54 from 1920 to
  1921

58
Plumbing in the 1920s

• 1 out of 10 farm homes had water indoors
• 1 out of 2 farm homes had sinks
• 1 out of 64 farm homes had a water closet, the
  rest had outhouses
• Most laundry was done outside

59
Identifying the Problem

• Joint Commission of Agricultural Inquiry -1921
• National Agricultural Conference -1922
• Agricultural Conference of 1925
• Nothing much was accomplished by any of the
  conferences

60
The Farm Bloc

• A group of 12 senators who organized themselves
  in 1921 to promote and support agricultural
  legislation ranks eventually grew to include 22
  senators
• Non-partisan
• Similar group, though less effective, was formed
  in the House

61
Capper-Volstead Act - 1922

• Enabled the development of agricultural
  cooperatives

62
Clark-McNary Act - 1924

• Section 5 of the act provided for cooperative
  farm-forestry work

63
Purnell Act - 1925

• Authorized funds for economic research in
  agricultural experiment stations (this has
  implications down the road for extension)

64
Capper-Ketchum Act - 1928

• Providing additional funding for extension
• Specified 80 of the funds were to be used for
  salaries of extension agents
• Identified youth activities as being part of
  extension
• Equal number of men and women to be appointed as
  agents
• Money could support agriculture trains

65
George-Reed Act - 1929

• Provide additional financial support for
  vocational education
• Money was equally divided between agriculture
  and home economics
• Ag money based on farm population
• Home economics money based on rural population
• Funds were used to hire subject matter
  specialists in agriculture at the federal level

66
The Great Depression - 1930s
67
The Great Depression

• Gross Farm Income in 1932 was 1/2 of that of
  1929
• Net income per farm in 1932 was estimated by
  USDA at 230
• Between 1920-1933 15,000 banks suspended
  operation
• (The NC FFA lost 350 in a bank closure in 1931)
• 4,000 banks alone closed in 1933

68
Era of Farm Legislation

• Agricultural Adjustment Act - 1933
• Farmers agreed to reduce acreage in surplus crops
  in return for benefit payments
• Farm Credit Administration - 1933
• Soil Conservation Act - 1935
• Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act -
  1936
• Rural Electrification Act - 1936

69
Electricity in the 1930s
70
Farm Legislation

• Bankhead-Jones Farm Act - 1937
• Agricultural Adjustment Act - 1938

71
George-Elzy Act (1934)

• Provided additional funding for vocational
  education
• Money was evenly divided between
• agriculture
• home economics
• trade and industrial education (amount determined
  by non-farm population)

72
Bankhead-Jones Act -1935

• Title 1 - More money for basic agricultural
  research
• Title 2 - Further Development of Cooperative
  Extension
• 8 million the first year
• 2 million each year until 12 million is
  reached

73
George-Deen Act (1936)

• Provided additional funding for vocational
  education
• Recognized Distributive Education as a part of
  vocational education
• Federal funds could be used to support travel of
  vocational teachers
• President Roosevelt was reluctant to sign the
  bill because general education needed help also

74
During the Depression

• Extension affected the most
• Agents typically held 1-3 educational meetings
  in each township to explain AAA rules and
  regulations

75
Depression years

• Extension
• Assisted in making Federal Emergency Relief
  Administration feed and seed loans
• Tried to convince farmers to reduce acreage

76
Depression Years

• Lost employees (in 1938)
• SCS - 159
• Farm Security Administration - 154
• AAA - 97

77
The 1940s
78
World War II

• 4-H and FFA
• Collected scrap metal, rubber, burlap, rags and
  paper
• Sold war bonds
• Grew victory gardens (Feed a Fighter was the
  1943 4-H theme)
• Repaired and built farm machinery in the Ag
  Shop. Tractor and farm implement manufacturers
  were concentrating on war equipment.

79
Virginia FFA Activities
80

• 4-Hers sold old phonograph records in order to
  buy ambulances for the war effort.

81
4-H Victory Pins
82
WW II Posters
83
FFA Chapters sold War Bonds
84
WWII

• Many high school agricultural programs
  established food preservation centers
• They still exist in Georgia and Louisiana
• Primary emphasis was canning vegetables
• Some had slaughtering facilities also
• A number of schools in NC had these food
  preservation centers

85
WWII

• Served as Victory Farm Volunteers
• FFA considered buying a bomber but eventually
  decided not to
• National FFA Convention limited attendance to
  official delegates and award winners because of
  war time travel restrictions

86
A metal won by a 4-H member
87
Four-H

• 4-H members across the nation gathered scrap
  metal to build ships to transport war supplies
  and food to Europe. If members in a state raised
  enough funds, they could name the ship (called
  liberty ships)
• NC 4-H christens two liberty ships USS Tyrrell
  and the USS Cassius Hudson

88
(No Transcript)
89
4-H Scrap Drive
90
WWII

• After the war vocational agriculture launched
  major educational programs for servicemen under
  the provisions of the GI Bill of Rights
• Most agriculture teachers taught 3-4 night
  classes on farming to returning veterans to help
  them get back into farming and to learn shop
  skills.
• Teachers received extra pay and schools received
  substantial funds to buy equipment for classes.

91
Ag Ed Enrollments
92
Homemaking Enrollments
93
GI Bill of Rights

• The benefits of this act were later extended to
• Korean conflict veterans
• Viet Nam Vets
• Agricultural teachers conducted night classes for
  these vets also

94
Bankhead-Flannigan Act - 1945

• Increase funding for extension
• No more than 2 could be spent in the USDA

95
George-Barden Act (1946)

• Increased funding for vocational education
• Indicated federal funds could be used to support
  travel associated with the Future Farmers of
  America and the New Farmers of America
• Money could be used on vocational guidance

96
Agricultural Marketing Act (1946)

• Authorized extension programs in marketing,
  transportation, and distribution of agricultural
  products.

97
Clarke-McNary Amendment (1949)

• Authorized USDA to cooperate with land-grant
  colleges in aiding farmers through advice,
  education, demonstration, etc. in establishing,
  renewing, protecting and managing wood lots and
  in harvesting, utilizing, and marketing the
  products thereof.

98
Smith-Lever Act Amendment (1953)

• Consolidated all the previous extension
  legislation
• Inserted the words and subjects relating
  thereto after agriculture and home economics
• Established a new funding formula based on
  rural/urban population

99
Smith-Lever Amendment (1955)

• Authorized work with disadvantaged farms and farm
  families

100
End of Era 1

• The launching of the Sputnik by the Russians and
  the ensuing events of the 1960s heralded a new
  era in agricultural education and extension
  legislation.
• The times, they are changing.
• We are about ready to leave the sow, cow, plow
  and the stitching and stirring era.