Geo and FFA

big tee

Well-known Member
Ihe other day there was a post by



The other day Geo. had a post about the FFA but I did not get involved for my phone quit working--But now have a new phone and can take pictures again. I asked my Wife for she was on the school board but she didn't remember either when FFA was dropped in our local school district but we think 35-40 years ago. I was a FFA member plus Voc. Ag. as well as my brothers all four years of High School-. We had the best Voc. Ag teacher you could ask for-was from Arkansas--I always said the two best things I learned in High Shool were--How to weld and run a cutting torch!! But now that my phone works I took some pics. The school had a sale 30?? years ago-chairs,tables,desks and other stuff and on one of the hayracks was a big cardboard box with all the FFA stuff-I bought it and made me a shelf in my shop and have displayed it since. I always said if they ever get FFA back in school I would donate it back--Slim chance though.---Tee



https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto146348.jp

<img src=https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto146349.jpg
Anybody remember the stations the officers sat by and what they meant??
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No owl
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The owl--the advisors symbol was not in the box..
 
In Rockville, In, the HS Ag room is now the Vocational Auto room that students from 4 different schools come to for a half day class.
20 years ago before I retired I was good friends with the Voc auto teacher. He was a great teacher..
 
Our local school still has FFA. My station was by the flag for 2 years My room mates at U.W. Madison had no Ag in their school and that was in the 1970,s
 

My students are currently working on opening and closing ceremonies. Don't want to end the questions soon, but if you don't know, I can fill you in on the symbols and offices.
 
I think ffa has morphed a lot into horticulture and such things, but change can be good and keeps the operation going. Nothing wrong with that.

A strong ffa in my community, it was when I was in it and still is. The new school built a few years ago has a big wing for the ag classes. And someone donated enough to have a good sized greenhouse on the grounds.

I sure enjoyed my 4 years of it, went to State convention all 4 years, 3 forestry and 1 soils, and got to National convention one year on some bus full of reprisentitive kids from the whole state, we had no official duties other than sight seeing I would call it, which was a fun trip.

Paul
 
We never had the FFA here.We had 4H,we met at the Grange hall.The first time I heard the term,FFA,was in a line in a Roger Miller song,4H and the FFA on a field trip to the farm.I knew what the 4H was because I was in it,but had no idea about the FFA.I can remember asking my mother what it meant.
 
I used to attend an event in Louisville every year and stayed at the old Executive Inn with a great many FFA kids. I did not see much to be proud of in SOME of those kids. I am certain that there were and are many very dedicated members, but also some really bad behavior for the public to witness. One memorable morning my family had breakfast in the dining room. The hotel had an excellent buffet. A table of 6 to 8 FFA kids in full uniform ate at the next table. When they were done they all went up to the buffet, filled plates with food, came back to their table and left the plates of food there and walked out laughing. No one was amused but them.
 
Our school has a strong FFA program. Probably about 10 years ago a former student came back to teach voc ag and be FFA advisor. The program was already healthy but she came in and turned FFA into the place to be in our school. She brought a ton of energy and good ideas to make it thrive. Great to see!!! I was a 4 year member and 1 year officer. Won first place in district soil judging my junior year. I can still hear Mr Calhoun say, Here by the owl, during role call. But there is too much rust in the noggin to remember all the symbols.
 
THANKS for the memories!

I was in FFA from the fall of '72 through the spring of '76.

Crop production.
Livestock production.
Crops judging.
Livestock judging.
Parliamentary procedure team.
Chapter treasurer for 3 years.
A couple of trips to Kansas City.

And last, but not least, lots of pretty girls in FFA jackets and Wrangler jeans!

(Back then, faded or ripped up jeans weren't in style!)
 
Our local FFA was going downhill for many years. We finally hired a new ag teacher (female) that has turned the program around. After many years of no backing, the school board has come onboard to support the ag program and FFA. The kids are really enthused and getting involved with the program. For the first time the kids organized a take your tractor to school day which was a big success. The equine group has many wins all the way to state. With the help of the alumni there was a team that went to the nationals in the ag mechanic competition finishing either second or third in the nation (I cannot remember). The real issue now is to get more male students involved. It's not like when I went to school when there were just a few girls involved. Now there are only a few males involved.
 
I know in Texas the FFA is alive and strong, just go to the San Antonio Stock Show web page and look up the junior ag mechanics section. We go every year and see restored tractors, and all the other things the students build. Trailers, bbq pits, gates, cattle guards, Dee feeders, deer stands , feral pig traps and I could go on and on if all the things they build.
 
My kids are currently in FFA. Program is only 3-4 years old. While FFA of today may have a broad base, it is very important for the young to learn how to operate in a civic meeting.

I wish I could have had the experience but my school was too good for such things.
 
My FFA teacher was going to give me the award my senior year.
I told him to give it to my neighbor and good friend. I told him I had no plans to become a farmer, my friend did farm his dad's land. I never told my friend or anyone why he got the award.
I was going to college to be a chemical engineer.
I ended up with a math and physics major.
I love the country. I respect farmers. I liked FFA and 4H.
I learned growing up on a dairy farm, farming wasn't in my future.
 

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