Pioneers in an Emerging Field: Who Were the Early Agricultural Educators?

Abstract

Agricultural education in the United States has a rich history over the past century. A number of innovative individuals were responsible for developing the program of agricultural education we ascribe to today. These individuals had little from which to lay a foundation, however their work proved to be beneficial to the success of the field. This historical research study examined the background of early teacher educators in agriculture and early secondary teachers of agriculture. Early teacher educators in agriculture were well educated scholars who recruited qualified individuals to serve as teachers of agriculture and to meet the demands of vacancies in high school vocational agriculture programs. Today, we are faced with a demand for secondary teachers of agriculture. As we work to fill these vacancies, we must look at the work and characteristics of our predecessors in meeting this need.