Some of you may be reading this Footnote in Indianapolis at the National FFA Convention. One of the aspects of the national convention that I always found fascinating was looking at the backs of the FFA jackets and wondering what it would be like to teach agriculture in Tucumcari, New Mexico or Narragansett, Rhode Island or Blackduck, Minnesota, or etc., etc., etc.
During my career I have been privileged to have taught or spoken to agricultural education/FFA/agricultural groups in 42 states. So I have some idea of what it would be like to live and work in those states. However, it might be more informative to learn about individual FFA members and their experiences and that is basically what our guest columnist for this Footnote has done.
It is a pleasure to welcome back Dr. Jim Connors, Associate Dean and Director of Academic Programs in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at South Dakota State University as the guest columnist for this Footnote. Take it away, Dr. Connors.
If This Jacket Could Talk….
You may have heard about a television show called “If Walls Could Talk.” This Friday Footnote is titled “If This Jacket Could Talk.” In the 96-year history of the Future Farmers of America, millions of young men and women have worn the FFA jacket. Each one of those FFA members has a story to tell. Today, I’m going to introduce you to four young men. By chance, I’ve come to own the FFA jackets they wore during their time in the FFA. If only these jackets could talk.
Claude Gifford – Iowa FFA State President
An entire footnote, or even an entire book, could be written about the accomplishments of Claude Gifford. Claude grew up on a farm in Illinois City, Illinois. However, he didn’t attend high school in Illinois. He would travel across the Mississippi River to attend Muscatine High School in Muscatine, IA. He was very active in school and community activities including Boy Scouts, 4-H club, Baptist Young People, Literary Society, National Forensic League, and Speech Club. Some of his accomplishments in the FFA include:
- Muscatine FFA Chapter – Reporter (1935-36), Secretary-Treasurer (1936-37)
- Iowa Farmer State Degree Recipient – 1936
- Iowa FFA Public Speaking Contest Winner – 1936
- FFA North Central Region Public Speaking Contest – 5th Place in 1937
- Elected State President of the Iowa FFA Association – 1937
- National FFA Convention Delegate – 1937
- Star Farmer of America Judge – 1972
- Honorary American Farmer Degree – 1973
Claude’s FFA jacket is unique because it is from 1937, before FFA jacket styles became standardized. It has “arrow” pockets, blue snaps, name on the left breast, and IOWA – CHAPTER on the back, instead of the standard STATE ASSOCIATION for state officers.
After his time in the FFA, Claude Gifford rose in the ranks of agricultural communications. He became Associate Editor of the Farm Journal Magazine. In 1968 he was President of the American Agricultural Editor’s Association. He then moved into the public sector by accepting the position of Director of Communications in the U.S.D.A. Office of Communications. This position brought him in contact with high level government officials including the Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz. He was Head Speech Writer for USDA Secretary Hardin and Butz and later served as Assistant to USDA Secretary John Block.
The photograph shows Claude Gifford receiving the Honorary American Farmer Degree at the 1973 National FFA Convention.
Earnest R. Knight – Addison FFA Chapter – Michigan
Earnest Knight was a local farm boy from Hillsdale County, Michigan. He was a member of the Addison FFA Chapter at Addison High School. As a member of the Addison FFA chapter, Earnest earned the State Farmer degree from the Michigan Association of FFA in 1946. The embroidery on Earnest’s jacket indicates he served as the Addison FFA Chapter Secretary in 1944-1945 when he would have been a senior at Addison High School.
After graduating he enrolled in the Dairy Production Short Course at Michigan State College (now Michigan State University) in East Lansing, MI. In the fall of 1945, Earnest enrolled in the First-Term General Agriculture program.
In 1949, Earnest began work at Michigan Producers Dairy Company in Adrian, MI. Earnest’s obituary indicates he worked for the company from 1949 until his retirement in 1987, a total of 38 years. He was a Purchasing Agent for the company when he retired. Earnest Knight passed away on February 6, 2006, at 79 years of age. He is buried in Church’s Corner Cemetery, Wheatland Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan.
Jack Gehre – National FFA Band
Leonard D. (Jack) Gehre was born on March 26, 1935. He attended Gibbon High School in Gibbon, Nebraska. While in high school he was a member of the Gibbon FFA chapter and participated in numerous other school and community activities. Some of his accomplishments include:
- Sports (Basketball, Football, Baseball, Track)
- Fine Arts (Band & Orchestra, Band President, Boys Glee, Dramatics)
- School Annual Staff
- Honor Roll & Perfect Attendance
- FFA (State Convention delegate, parliamentary procedure, Dairy co-op officer)
- FFA Dairy Judging Team – Blue Ribbon at the FFA Contests in Minden, NE in March 1954
- Government (Boys State, Class Officer)
- Boy Scouts of America – Eagle Scout
Jack played French Horn in the Gibbon High School Band all 4 years. He graduated from Gibbon High School in 1954. In the fall of that year, he was selected to play in the National FFA Band at the 1954 National FFA Convention.
After high school graduation, Jack attended Nebraska State Teachers College and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 1957 and played in the 8th Infantry Division Band. Following his service, he became a high school math teacher in the Los Alamos School District in Los Alamos, NM. Leonard D. (Jack) Gehre passed away August 8, 2023, at the age of 88 years. He is buried in Santa Fe, NM.
Thomas Roberson – National FFA Chorus
Thomas Roberson was born in 1940 in Seymour, TX. He attended Cardwell High School in Cardwell, MO and was a member of the Cardwell FFA chapter. While in high school he played the French Horn in the school band and sang in the choir. In 1956, when he was a junior in high school, he was selected to participate in the National FFA Chorus. He graduated from Cardwell High School in 1958.
After high school he attended Arkansas State University studying music education. While at Arkansas State he marched in President Kennedy’s Inauguration Parade on January 20, 1961, in Washington, DC. After completing his undergraduate degree, he joined the U.S. Army and played in the U.S. Army Band from 1962 to 1965. After his service, he continued his music education at the University of Illinois. During his music studies at Illinois, he was a member of the University of Illinois Concert Band. While serving in the Army Band he lived in the Washington, DC area. After completing his studies at Illinois, he returned to Virginia and taught band in several schools in Fairfax County, VA. Thomas Roberson passed away on May 23, 2022, at the age of 81 years.
Conclusion
These four gentlemen are like hundreds of thousands of other FFA members over the years. They were active in their FFA chapters, school and community activities, and professional careers. They had careers in agricultural industry, agricultural communications, education, and government.
Two of these gentlemen were very musically gifted, both playing the French Horn and playing for bands in the U.S. Army. Both ended up as teachers, one a life-long music teacher and the other a mathematics teacher. Were their music interests buoyed by their participation in the National FFA Band and National FFA Chorus?
The FFA organization brings together youth of different backgrounds, interests, and aspirations. The FFA may lead these students into careers in agriculture, education, or other career fields. No matter where FFA members end up, they all benefit from wearing the FFA jacket. The FFA jackets that these four individuals wore during their short time in the FFA are testaments to their lives well lived.
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank the family of Claude Gifford, most notably Tom Watson, of Illinois City, IL. Tom shared with me a wealth of documents, photographs, and artifacts from the life of Claude Gifford. I’d also like to thank Dr. Susie Whittington, Distinguished Professor, from The Ohio State University. Dr. Whittington is a relative of Mr. Giffords and put me in contact with his family.