Past Friday Footnotes have featured early or unique agricultural schools such as the Idaho Industrial Institute, Cal Farley’s Boy Ranch, the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, and the Baron de Hirsch Agricultural School. This week we will learn about several early agricultural schools in Wisconsin. Our guest editor is David Laatsch, retired Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor at Beaver Dam High School in Wisconsin.
Before Smith-Hughes – Wisconsin’s County Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy
By David Laatsch
High schools with a subject matter focus are operating today across the country as “magnet” or “technical” schools. But the concept is not new! Over 120 years ago, agriculture high schools led the way in drawing one-room country school students to high school to create “Better days, through better ways!”
Origin of the County Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy
At the turn of the 20th Century, Wisconsin’s Progressive Republican Governor Robert M. La Follett and the Legislature recognized that agriculture was changing rapidly, and that education needed to change to meet the needs of a changing population. At that time, only about 150 public high schools and a handful of religious preparatory high schools served the state. (Today, there are 673 public and 158 private high schools in Wisconsin). At that time, less than 6% of rural boys attended school above the country school level.
In 1899, the Wisconsin State Legislature commissioned Dr. L.D. Harvey, State Superintendent of Public Instruction “to investigate and report upon methods of procedure in this and other States and countries, in manual training and in the theories and arts of agriculture in public schools.” Harvey also researched the University of Wisconsin Farm and Industry Short Course and the popular Farmer Institutes to develop his report.
At the conclusion of the report, Dr. Harvey recommended that, “through legislative enactment, authority be given to county boards of supervisors to establish and maintain schools for instruction in agriculture and domestic economy, and that State aid be given to these schools.” He found other such public schools in the U.S. that were organized under congressional districts and judicial districts, but they lacked the ability to generate sustaining funds because they were not taxing units. Initially, two schools were authorized by legislation in 1901 but shortly thereafter eight additional schools were added. But only eight became functional.
As a result of the report, Wisconsin education leaders forged the County Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy to make high school education available to farm boys and girls. Besides career skill development the schools prepared students for entrance into Normal School (Teacher Preparatory), College or University. This concept and curriculum were duplicated shortly thereafter in other states and became the model used in the formation of Smith-Hughes Legislation.
The Schools Take Root
The first county in Wisconsin to organize and open their School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy was Dunn County, followed closely by Marathon County (Wausau).
Figure 1. The Dunn County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy was constructed in 1901 for $20,000 paid mostly by donations from Senator J.H. Stout. The building was designed to have shops and laboratories on the basement level, classrooms and a meeting hall on the second level. The third floor was dedicated to Normal School (Teacher Preparatory) instruction.
The list of county schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy is found in Table 1. The reason for the short life of several of the schools is covered later on in this Footnote.
Table 1. Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy in Wisconsin
| Location | County |
Organized |
Size in Acres |
Closed |
| Menomonie | Dunn |
1902 |
0 |
1957 |
| Wausau | Marathon |
1902 |
7 |
1918 |
| Marinette | Marinette |
1907 |
7 |
1938 |
| Winneconne | Winnebago |
1907 |
11 |
1914 |
| Onalaska | La Crosse |
1909 |
30 |
1925 |
| Rochester | Racine |
1911 |
128 |
1959 |
| Wauwatosa | Milwaukee |
1911 |
236 |
1929 |
| Grand Rapids | Wood |
1914 |
0 |
— |
| Viroqua | Vernon |
1914 |
Voted not organized |
|
The involvement of three men deserves additional discussion. Stout had been involved in his father’s lumber business in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The lumber company harvested 85 million board feet of White Pine per year (1871-1896) and employed over 2,000 men. In 1891, he established the Stout Institute, company-owned school for (adult) Manual Training and Domestic Education. The school eventually became the University of Wisconsin-Stout and today focuses on Technology Education and Family and Consumer Education Teacher Training. Over his lifetime (September 25, 1848 – December 8, 1910) it is estimated that Stout donated more than $600,000 to education.
After leaving his state post in 1903, Harvey became the Superintendent of the Menomonie Public School System and later President of the Stout Institute (1908-1922). He was a strong advocate for manual arts, domestic economy and agriculture education in the public-school districts across the state.
W.D. Hoard started the Farmer Institutes in Wisconsin and promoted the establishment of the College of Agriculture at the University of Wisconsin and the Farm and Industry Short Course at U.W. He educated Wisconsin farmers in the art of Dairy Cattle Husbandry by publishing the Hoard’s Dairyman magazine, making Wisconsin “America’s Dairyland”.
All three of these men were at one time or another, members of the University Board of Regents for the State of Wisconsin. All three were committed to the education of rural youth beyond the 8th grade! These Agricultural High Schools received substantial support from former Governor W.D. Hoard, founder and publisher of the Hoard’s Dairyman magazine as he spoke at the Farmer’s Institutes across the state. Senator J.H. Stout, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, gave special emphasis and personally financed the establishment of these high schools.
Figure 2. From left to right – Senator J.H. Stout, Dr. L.D. Harvey, Governor W. D. Hoard
Governing Bodies
According to law, the governing bodies of these schools consisted of three members, who form the County School Board, two of them being elected by the county board of supervisors for a period of three years. The county superintendent of schools was ex officio secretary of the school board. The emphasis on local control of the schools gave local communities special ownership of the educational program.
The county and local community would need to raise the funds for the school building while the state provided a maximum of $4,000 per year for operations. The balance was paid by the county. Tuition was free to all students, eliminating the customary assessment of $75 per student to each township—which was a major deterrent for any farmer to send their children to high school, in those days. Book rental was $2.00 per year and boarding costs ranged from $2.00-$4.00 per week.
Dunn and Racine County Schools had a long-lasting impact because of local commitment to the schools and the delayed development of district high schools in the area. Both schools incorporated the County Normal School (Elementary Teacher Training) into the same building! Dunn County had the advantage of utilizing the facilities of Stout Institute for instructional purposes and availability of teaching staff from Stout as well as the Normal School. Both schools incorporated Smith-Hughes instruction and performed University Extension work under Smith-Lever. Racine County had a 128-acre school farm while Dunn County utilized the entire County Farm, including the livestock facilities. Following World War II, the faculty of these schools were involved in Veteran Farmer Training.
Figure 3. Racine County School of Agriculture and Domestic Arts
Richard Rossmiller, Racine County class of 1949 stated, “We regularly had students from Kenosha, Waukesha, Milwaukee and Walworth Counties attending the school. Many stayed during the week at the dormitory operated as part of the school. Their tuition was paid by their county of residence, so their attendance was not a cost to Racine County taxpayers.”
Points in Common with Other High Schools
- The County Agricultural Schools were coeducational
- The course of instruction covered a four-year curriculum
- Students were required for entrance to have completed work equal to eighth grade
- A full scope of co and extra-curricular activities were offered
- Prepared students for potential careers or entrance into college or university
- Teachers were required to have proper certification and education in their subject matter. Many ag school instructors had completed their PhD (The first superintendent of the Racine Co. School, John James, left after a few years to accept a position at UW-Madison where he established the Ag Education program in the College of Agriculture.)
Points of Difference with Other High Schools
- The County Agriculture Schools offered room and board opportunities. This was essential for many farm students because of transportation challenges to and from school, whereas regular high schools were city-centered.
- Academic instruction maintained the rigors of Civics, English, Bookkeeping, Arithmetic, Physiology and Physical Education, but differed in the lack of “Classical Education” in Greek and Latin that was common in high school curricula.
- Because the Agriculture Schools were “Boarding Schools” much more emphasis on school-centered Social Life and Religious Life was available.
- The Agriculture Schools offered extensive outreach programs including the County Dairy Testing Association
- Classes at the Agriculture High School began on October 1st and ended on May 23rd.
- The Agriculture High School offered a Short Course program to students of any age, focusing strictly on farming practices.
- The principal and five or six teachers taught all of the coursework, coached all of the sports and led all of the clubs in the County Agriculture High Schools.
Curriculum
The curriculum of the Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy was practical and in depth and would be familiar to any high school today. When Smith-Hughes Agriculture programs began, they adopted the proven curriculum that was already successful in the County Schools.
Subjects in Agriculture that were offered included: Crops and Soils; Horticulture and Gardening; Animal Husbandry; Feeds and Feeding and Dairying; Poultry; Agricultural Economics; Mechanical Drawing; Forging; Woodwork; and Farm Mechanics.
Home Economics Subjects included: Clothing I; Clothing II; Foods I; Foods II; Home Making and Child Care; Home Care and Child Care; Home Care for the Sick and Infant Hygiene; Advanced Foods and Nutrition; and Advanced Clothing and Costume Design.
Boys and girls were allowed and encouraged to enroll in both Agriculture and Home Economics courses throughout their high school careers.
Academic Courses included: English I, II, III, & IV; General Science; Chemistry; Physics; Algebra; Plane Geometry; Commercial Arithmetic; Citizenship; United States History; Modern European History; Industrial Geography and Spelling & Penmanship. Each of the Academic Courses were designed to relate agriculture to the core subject.
Clubs
The 1927-1928 Catalog of the Dunn County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy or “Aggie” as it was called, lists “three clubs, one for boys, one for girls and one for both boys and girls.”
Farmercy Club
The “Farmercy Club” was the name of the agriculture club at “Aggie” before the Future Farmers of America was formed in 1928. “Programs consisting of discussions on current agricultural Topics, debates, etc. are given at each meeting. Parliamentary practice…forms an important work of this organization.”
The Dunn County and Racine County Future Farmer Chapters were very successful chapters. They were blessed with very dedicated advisors and members that earned top state awards and held state-wide offices. The FFA programs merged into the local public high school systems upon closure. Dunn County’s last advisor became the first advisor of the newly formed Menomonie FFA Chapter.
Figure 4. (l) Mike Schwartz was the last Dunn County FFA chapter president. His mother, Mary Catherine, was also an “Aggie” graduate. His brother Bill was among the first FFA members of the Menomonie FFA Chapter. (r) James Moyer received the Wisconsin Farmer Degree as a member of the Racine County FFA in 1948.
Economy Workers Club
The Future Homemakers of America was not organized at “Aggie” until the fall of 1932. The Economy Workers Club served to “benefit the girls in the school both educationally and socially. Each program must consist of at least one constructive Home Economics number; talks on care of clothing; personal appearance, health, foods, and efficient home management are given by the members.”
The Rural Leadership Club
“The Rural Leadership Club membership is open to boys and girls. All students in the Agricultural Economics Class automatically are members and other students who are interested in community welfare work are eligible.”
School Activities
These schools had a variety of activities ranging from athletics to the yearbook. Instruction in vocal, orchestral, and instrumental music was offered at the schools and several musical programs were rendered throughout the year. Lectures were given on various agricultural and domestic science topics. These schools also had literary societies and dramatics (just like the large city schools). Two hours of physical training a week was required, and the “Aggie” students competed in the “Little Eight Conference” in basketball, football, baseball and track.
Figure 5. The Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy had all of the activities of a district high school in order to attract farm kids to high school. The “Purple Sage” and the “Agric” were the yearbooks of the Dunn and La Crosse County schools.
Alumni
The graduates of the Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Science developed a long-lasting love of their school, their fellow students and faculty. Annual Alumni gatherings continue to this day, though obviously, their number decreases with each passing year. Graduates boast of their two and three-generation families that had been educated in these schools. And, needless to say, numerous married couples shared their educational experience at these schools. Thousands of students completed their high school education at these schools. Dunn County celebrated 1,126 graduates in 55 years.
Figure 6. Dr. Richard Rossmiller (age 95), Racine County Graduate, Wisconsin FFA President 1949, Teacher, Superintendent, Professor Education Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of 2033 proud alumni of the Racine County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy!
Demise of the Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy
Not long after these schools were organized, changes in State education funding and school systems led to the demise of the Agricultural High Schools, much like it did to the one-room country schools. In 1911, the state legislature authorized State Aid under the regular funding formula, to high schools that offered courses in Agriculture. The emergence of Smith-Hughes Vocational Agriculture in 1917 and the difficulty of maintaining quality staff also contributed to the demise of these schools. .
None of these beautiful buildings (except for the Milwaukee County School which has been converted several times over the years for various municipal uses) survives to this day. The cost of building maintenance and accessibility as well as the development value of the associated farmland connected to the schools passed these community schools into mere memories.
Conclusion
The creation of the Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy in Wisconsin was envisioned by agricultural education leaders at the turn of the 20th century. Driven by the need for practical and academic education for a new century, these schools were developed by the collaboration of legislature, local communities and dedicated teachers. The schools achieved their goal of attracting farm students to high school. As Truman Torgerson, Dunn County ’35 recorded, “My dad had no inclination to send me to high school, possibly because he hadn’t sent my older brothers…It was probably because of the hard times…”
The curriculum and teaching methods in these schools laid the foundation for similar high schools in other states and for Smith-Hughes Vocational Education. In many ways it remains a model for learning today!
Teaching Activities
- Research the history of your own school and community to learn when Vocational Education was included into the curriculum.
- Seek out records of Trade Schools, Industry Sponsored Schools and other similar schools in your community and state to determine their impact on the current structure of schools.
- Record the stories of early students of your program.
Acknowledgements
I wish to thank the Schwartz, Torgerson and Holzhueter families for providing personal insight into the Dunn County School of Agriculture, also Richard Rossmiller and Jim Moyer for their memories of the Racine County School of Agriculture and Domestic Education. And I would like to thank the Lloyd R. Larson (the first instructor of agriculture at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin High School 1927-1946 and graduate of La Crosse County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy) family for sharing his high school yearbook
References
“Agric, The,” La Crosse County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy, June 1913 & 1922.
Dunn County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy Catalogues Volumes 10 & 25.
Johnson, A.A., “County Schools of Agriculture and Domestic Economy in Wisconsin.” U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Experiment Stations—Bulletin 242, November 9, 1911.
Laatsch, David. “The History of Vocational Agriculture in Wisconsin,” 2017.
Osman, Lauren, W. D. Hoard: A Man for His Time, W D Hoard & Sons Co, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, U.S.A. 1985.
“Purple Sage, The,” Dunn County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy, June 1934.
Schwartz, Mrs. Clarence (Mary Catherine Bridgeman) et al., “A History…Dunn County School of Agriculture and Domestic Economy 1902-1957.
Torgerson, Truman, Torgerson Autobiography, “Digging Up the Past.” 1994
Wisconsin Historical Society, “Historical Essay: Stout, James Huff 1848-1910” https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS13407