—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 2.1970 30 A recent edition of Nation’s Agiiculture strongly denounced what is considered an effort to downgrade vocational agricul ture and FFA in schools. The aiticle, in part, is as follows: After more than half a cen tuiy of enviable achievement in equipping young people for meaningful careers in agricul tuie through training in high school, vocational agriculture is facing its most serious chal lenge. This challenge stems from an apparently deliberate effort on the part of policymakers in the U S Office of Education (USOE) to de-emphasize voca tional agriculture. In the case of the vo-ag pro gram, de-emphasis has become a two-edged sword. Along with downgrading agricultural edu cation, USOE administrators have taken a lusty swing at the Future Farmers of America, which over the years has be come an integral part of voca tional agriculture. Basis of this “Operation Dftwngradmg” is the Vocational Education Act of 1968, which authorized funds for vocational education This Act doesn’t mention vocational agriculture as has previous implementing legislation On top of this, it simply allocated “vocational ■Fulton Grange 66 Holds Semimonthly Meeting Fulton Grange 66 held its semimonthly meeting April 27 at Oakryn with Richard Hollo way, Master, presiding at the business session First and second degrees were conferred upon seven candidates. A $5 do nation was voted to the Arthritis Foundation, Lancaster County Chapter Some more work on improving the Giange hall grounds has been done, such as removing trees on the boundary line and planting moie shubbery James Huber and Cliffoid Holloway 111 will keep the lawn mowed this summer The trustees aie having a new septic tank installed Go-To Chmch Night will be held May 17 at the Giange Hall, preceded by a coveied dish supper Fulton Giange will present a piogiam on Japan at White Horse Fue Hall at 8 p m May 12. for the regulai meeting of Salisbury Giange Mrs Benja min Hen, Quanyville, will show coloied pictures of Japan Mrs W Harold Giaybeal is preparing a map of Japan which is pait of the visitation meetings this year .Coleram Grange officers will open and close the meeting A memoiial service will be held at the next meeting of Ful ton Grange May 11 and the dress es entered in the National Grange sewing contest will be judged and modeled The Junior Grange will also meet May 11 Guernsey Cow Produces Penn Del Darimost Maple a senior three yeai old, Register ed Guernsey cow, owned by Raymond F & Louise A Wit mer, Willow Stieet, has com pleted an official DHIR actual production recoid of 13,360 pounds of milk and 666 pounds of butteifat, in 305 days two times a day milking, according to The Amencan Guemsey Cat tie Club. Across the Editor’s Desk education” funds to the various states in a lump sum to be used for tiammg or retraining of people, either in or out of high school, so long as the pro gram is "realistic in the light of actual or anticipated op portunities for gainful emploj ment ...” Consequently, several states lowa to mention one arc leoiganizing vo-ag into oveiall tiaining programs known as ca reer education. The inevitable result Less money and time going into vo ag training. Evidently taking their cue fiom the 1968 Act, administra tors in the USOE have been hacking away at vo-ag in what appears to be a determined ef fort to cut it down to the size of piograms of training for other endeavors What formerly was the Agri cultural Education Branch, with a staff of 10 full-time people and headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Education, all but lost its identity in the re vamping The effoits to de-emphasizc vo ag did not go unchallenged by farmers and their organiza tions, including Farm Bureau. Response by supporters to maintain vo ag on a sound and Over 1,000 Amish farmers al ready have. They have found that Petter delivers all it pro mises. Our diesels provide long working life, dependability and good cold starting characteris tics. CEHMAN BROS. Gas and Diesel Engines Soles and Service East Earl, R. D. 1, Pa, Sunset Valley Electrical Service (Vz mile northwest of Bard’s Crossing, on Hunsecker Road, 4 miles east of Lancaster, off Route 23) Bird-in-Hond, R. 1, Pa. Phone: 397-4081 "Fetter Power Pays” A WORLD LEADERS IN X DIESEL ENGfNE DESIGN MAKE US PROVE IT! For Prompt and Efficient YOUR AUTHORIZED PETTER DISTRIBUTOR 1 Mile North of Terre Hill on Route 897 WE ARE AS CLOSE AS YCUR TELEPHONE * * * JOHN M. ALLGYER, effective basis was prompt am. vigorous. Efforts currently are being focused on three major points calling for the following* 1. Re-establishment of the identity of vocational agricul ture in the U S. Office of Edu cation and in the states. 2. Adequate staffing in USOF and in the state departments to conduct effective agricultural educational and FFA programs 3. Assurance by federal and state educational officials that vo-ag and FFA will have a place in the overall program Lines in the conflict over ic tention of vo ag and FFA iden tity are clearly diawn Once a bureauciatic mind is made up it’s hard to change Similarly, once faimers set their minds on an objective, their determina tion packs a powerful punch Both the USOE and the re spective state departments of education are involved, so sup port must be both nationwide and state-by-state. But, the stakes are high The outcome will determine whe ther proper training continues to develop the young leader ship essential for American agriculture and for the U S ; or whether vo-ag is shuffled to the bottom of the pile. li/2 to 45 H.P. Continuous Rating IT GOES MUCH BETTER POWERED BY PETTER Service Call Phone 215 445-6272 Prop. 17505 Try A Classified Ad It Pays! THE PEARSON "BETTER-BILT" LIQUID SPREADER "has no equal" Here's Why! • Heavier Tank • Heavier Frame • Larger Capacity Pump • 5,000 lbs. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers