Last week’s Footnote examined many of the “Educational Firsts” that occurred in Massachusetts. With the numerous “firsts” it was somewhat surprising to learn that Massachusetts was one of the last to affiliate with the National FFA Organization. They were the 47th state to be chartered by the National FFA in 1931 (September 21).
In 1931 there were only 48 states, so Massachusetts, at 47, was one of the last states to affiliate with the National FFA. Even the territory of Hawaii was chartered before Massachusetts. So why was Massachusetts one of the last states?
I do not have a definitive answer to the question but do have some ideas.
The 1929 Summer Ag Teachers Conference
Figure 1. Headline in The Boston Globe, July 31, 1929, p. 9.
In July of 1929 the 18th (yes, the 18th) annual summer conference of agriculture teachers in Massachusetts was held at the Norfolk County Agricultural School. The Boston Globe reported on the conference. Dr. C. H. Lane, Chief of Agricultural Education for the Federal Board for Vocational Education, spoke to the teachers about “Organizing Agricultural Pupils” into the Future Farmers of America. He emphasized the importance of the organization (See Figure 2).
What was the reaction of the agriculture teachers? It was reported (July 31, 1929, p. 9):
In the discussion…following Dr. Lane’s talk, the audience seemed rather strongly opposed to Massachusetts adopting the organization. It was felt that already there are sufficient strong and active clubs and associations to care for the needs of the young Bay State farmers.
Figure 2. Excerpt from The Boston Globe, July 31, 1929
What were the “strong and active clubs” the teachers referred to? If you remember the Peas and Carrots Footnote from several weeks ago, we learned that the three county agricultural schools (Bristol, Essex, and Norfolk) also housed the Extension Service. Stimson and Lathrop reported that (1942, p. 192):
Incorporation of the farm bureau (more recently known as the county extension service) as a department of each county school makes for the most harmonious and efficient organization of all phases of agricultural instruction.
The extension service in each county agricultural school had specialists in boy’s and girl’s club work on staff. The agricultural and home economics students in the county agricultural schools participated in club work. In counties with regular high schools that had agricultural education programs, there was also a close relationship with the county extension service in regard to club work.
In the Massachusetts chapter of the History of Agricultural Education of Less than College Grade in the United States there is a section titled “Teamwork: Vocational Education and Extension Service.” Stimson and Lathrop (1942, p. 206) stated that extension agents have “…been valuable to vocational agriculture directors and instructors.” The relationship between “Smith-Hughes” and “Smith-Lever” was described as “mutually supportive.”
In the 1920s the Norfolk Country Agricultural School published a monthly report. Typically the people serving on the editorial board of the monthly bulletins were listed on the first page of the report. The April 1923 Bulletin shows both the agriculture (and other) teachers along with the extension staff (see Figure 3). Note the two youth club agents.
Figure 3. April 1923 report of the Norfolk County Agricultural School
Since the agriculture teachers and extension agents were located together, it made sense for them to work together, especially as it related to clubs for the students. There is an old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That might have been the thinking of the agriculture teachers in Massachusetts after hearing from Dr. Lane. Agricultural students in the state had ready access to numerous club activities. So, why was there a need for an FFA club?
Agricultural Clubs in Massachusetts
In 1914 the Massachusetts Agricultural College published a 32 page bulletin on Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs. The authors were William Hart, Professor of Agricultural Education and Orion Morton, Associate Professor of Agricultural Education and State Agent in Charge of Club Work.
Figure 4. The Boys’ and Girls’ Club Bulletin,
Some of the key points in the Bulletin were:
- Club work was started in Massachusetts in 1908 with a potato club in Hampshire County (p. 5).
- Corn clubs were started in 1910 (p. 5).
- By 1911 10,000 youngsters were in potato or corn clubs (p. 6)
- In 1912 a bean club was started (P. 6).
- The General Court of Massachusetts granted $200 to local agricultural societies to use as premiums for agricultural products raised by youth club members in 1912 (p. 7).
- In 1913 numerous additional clubs were started – tomato, market garden, canning, poultry, home economics, and school ground improvement (p. 7).
The history of the club work was summarized with this statement (p, 8):
…nearly every town in Massachusetts has felt the influence of the work of the clubs, that thousands of homes have received material benefit, and above all that more than 50,000 boys and girls have been given some elementary instruction in the planting and care of plants and the tillage of the soil during the past six years.
In view of these facts, one can see why the agriculture teachers in Massachusetts were not overly receptive to Dr. Lane’s presentation about the need for the FFA. The existing agricultural clubs were meeting the needs of the students.
Perhaps, There Was Another Reason for the Push Back!!
If one searches for reports of club activities in Massachusetts it is easy to see that females were involved in club activities. In last week’s Friday Footnote we learned that the state champion potato raiser in 1916 was Maud Amsden. Ruth Wood, a student at Essex County Agricultural School placed 2nd in dairy cattle judging at the National Dairy Show in Springfield in 1916. Viola Albee exhibited her poultry (Barred Plymouth Rocks and White Leghorns) at shows in Boston, Amherst, Northampton, Greenfield, and Springfield and won numerous ribbons.
In the January 4, 1923 issue of The Boston Globe we learn that females were poultry judges at the Boston Poultry Show. (See Figure 5).
Figure 5. The Boston Globe, January 4,1923. The girls judging the hen at the Boston Poultry Show are Helen Bourne, Thelma Robinson, and Helen Smith.
Rufus Stimson, the state supervisor of agricultural education in Massachusetts wrote the following in the Vocational Education Magazine (Stimson, 1922, p. 95):
We may feel that a man is better muscled than a woman to meet the physical stresses and strains of farming; and that, for this reason, vocational agriculture is more appropriate for a boy than a girl. And we may feel that mixed classes in some phases of project teaching are not desirable. Nevertheless, now and then a woman owns a farm upon which she is dependent for a living, and now and then a girl has an unmistakable bent for farming. Year after year, girls have demonstrated that they can profit from our vocational agricultural education. Under such circumstances, we must, of course, agree, that there can be no discrimination as to sex in our entrance privileges.
It was clear that the agricultural education leadership in Massachusetts believed that there was a place for females in agriculture.
The national FFA constitution adopted in 1928 stated that “Any student of vocational agriculture… is entitled to active membership in Future Farmers of American.” However, the actions and words of the adult leaders of the FFA indicated that any student actually meant boys. Immediately prior to the 1929 FFA convention, the national FFA advisor, Dr. Lane stated in opening the meeting of state leaders “…that State Advisors have a wonderful opportunity to influence the boys (underline mine) for good.” A close reading of the 1929 convention minutes finds nineteen references to boys. It is clear that the FFA is an organization for boys in spite of what the constitution stated.
It did not take long for the membership “mistake/oversight” to be rectified. At the 1930 FFA convention, it was proposed to amend Article III, Section B to read “Any male student …is entitled to active membership…” (FFA Convention Minutes, 1930, p. 6). This amendment was unanimously adopted.
If we had a transcript of Dr. Lane’s presentation at the 1929 ag teachers conference in Massachusetts it would be interesting to see if there was a mention of females in agricultural education. Perhaps the reluctance of the agricultural teachers to join the national FFA might have been because of their stance on female members.
Concluding Remarks
It is my belief that there were two factors that were in play that resulted in Massachusetts being one of the last states to join the FFA. The first factor was the participation of agricultural students in the club work operated by the extension service. There was a close working relationship between the extension service and the agricultural teachers. Why was the FFA needed when Massachusetts had strong agricultural clubs that had many of the same goals and objectives as did the National FFA?
The second factor was the attitude of the national FFA leaders regarding the participation of females in the FFA. They believed girls didn’t belong in the FFA. Finally in 1969, with prodding from the federal government, girls were allowed to be FFA members. I wish the early federal agricultural education officials were alive today to see the impact of females on the FFA. Massachusetts is one of those “belled wether” states mentioned in the last Footnote about being a leader, especially as it relates to female participation in agricultural education.
So what lesson can we learn from this Footnote? Primarily, each state (and school) has their own concerns and policies regarding agricultural education and the FFA. What works in Ohio or Montana might not work in Massachusetts. The “one size fits all” approach in clothing often results in some clothes being too tight on some and in being too loose on others. The same is true of agricultural education and the FFA. Do we allow some flexibility in our programs and processes, or do we mandate, from on high, what is to be done?
I can still remember the opening sentence in Hamlin’s 1949 book Agricultural Education in Community Schools. It reads (p. 11) “All agricultural education in the public secondary schools is conducted in and for communities.”
PS – The Massachusetts FFA is Called to the Principal’s Office
At the June 1933 meeting of the FFA Board of Trustees, the Executive Secretary of the FFA [W. A. Ross] reported that the Essex FFA chapter in Massachusetts had entered the National Chapter Contest. In the application, there was a list of members and there were five names that belonged to girls. This was a shock to the national FFA. There was considerable discussion as to what action should be taken.
It is likely that Dora Winchester was one of the Essex girls on the list. In 1933 she was the Massachusetts state FFA secretary and had received the state degree. See Figure 6. If the national FFA leaders saw this newspaper article, they might have had a “conniption fit”.
Figure 6. From the October 7, 1933 Daily Item newspaper of Lynn, Massachusetts
What ensued was a prolonged series of events stretching over several years. Nasty letters were sent back and forth between Rufus Stimson, the state supervisor and the national FFA (read excerpts from the letters at this link), The FFA threatened to kick Massachusetts out. Stimson said it was against Massachusetts law to exclude girls from membership. A federal Ag Ed agent went to Massachusetts to study the situation. At the 1935 FFA convention the delegates went behind closed doors to discuss the Massachusetts situation. At the 1937 FFA convention the constitution and bylaws were amended. The revised bylaws stated:
“Whenever this constitution [referring to the FFA constitution] is found to be in conflict with State law and constitutional provisions of any of the states, The Board of Trustees is empowered to make adjustments found necessary, to the end that no State association or local member be barred by reason thereof from the enjoyment or his rights and privileges.”
This provision allowed Massachusetts to have girls as FFA members, but the girls could not compete in national events. To learn more about the situation and solution refer to the January 18, 2009 Footnote.
Next week’s Friday Footnote will wrap up our visit to Massachusetts by looking at Ag Ed/FFA in Massachusetts today.
References
Stimson, R. & Lathrop, F. (1942). History of Agricultural Education of Less Than College Grade in the United States. Vocational Division Bulletin No. 217. Federal Security Agency. U. S. Government Printing Office.