§§ l HH 1 IHH HI I I

OSCU?ATTON¢L DISTRIBUTION OF FORMER
NEGFU S ’I‘LDEN'IS OF IKEATIONAL
AGRICULTURE IN.ALABAMA

By; Joseph ’1‘. Hudson

 

OCCUPATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF FORMER NEGRO STUDENTS
OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA,
FROM 1938 TO 1943

By
JOSEPH THOMAS HUDSON

A PROBLEM

Submitted to Dr. Harold M; Byram of Michigan State College
of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the
.degree of ’

MASTER OF ARTS

Department of Education

1949

11

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to express appreciation for the
help received in making this study. Useful suggestions
and constructive criticism were given by Dr. Harold M.
Byram and Professor H. Paul Sweany of the Education Depart-
ment. Splendid cOOperation was obtained from eleven teachers
of vocational agriculture in Alabama. 'lithout this assist-

ance, the successful completion of this study would have

been impossible.

TABIE OF CONTENTS

CHAPI'ER

I. INI'RODIDTION . . . . . .. . . . . . . .
Background of the study . . . e . . . . .

Purposes of the study . . . . . . . . .

Definition of terms. used . e e- . . . . e

Prmedure followed . e . e e e e e e e

Limitations of the study . . . . . . . .

II. REVIEW OF THE W . . . e . . e . .
III. mmmm‘xm or um . . . . . . . . .. . .. 16

Former pupils from old and new departments of
vocational agriculture . e .. . e . . . 22

Former pupils who graduated or left school with-
out graduating e e e e e e .e e e e 28

Former pupils. fran departments of vocational
agriculture with teachers of long and short

tonur. e 0 e e e e e e e e e e e 33

Former pupils of vocational agriculture with

three or more years of vocational agriculture

contrasted with those of less then three years

- of vocational agriculture . . g. . . . . 37
Occupations of fonner Negro pupils of vocstionelc.

agricultm'e from large and small departments

of vocational agriculture . . . e- . . . 11.3

Iv. summmnconcusmns . . . . . . . . . .h9

3mm e e e e e e e e e e e e e 0 “-9
0011011131011. e: e e e e e e e e e e e 50

Recanmendations e e e e e e e e e e e .52

\‘O‘slr'k'kor-owg

111

CHAPTER

Suggestions for using the findings

Suggestions for further studies

BIBIIWRAPHY

APPENDIX

.-

.53
55

II.

III.

XII.

XIII.

LIST OF TABIE

PAGE

Sane Characteristics of ll Departments of Vocational
Agriculture in Alibfiml e e e e e 0- e e e O 1.,

status in taming of Former Negro Pupils of Vocational
Agriculture from ll Departments of Vocational Api-
culture in Alabama e o e e. e e e e e e e e 16

occupations. of A99 Former Negro Pupils of Vocational
Agriculture in Alabama e e e e e e e e e e 20

status in farming of 129 Former Negro Pupils of
Vocational Agriculture in Alabana . e . . . . 21

Sue Characteristics of the Old and New Departments
of Vocational Agriculture inAlabama. . . . . e 23

occupations. of Former negro Pupils from Old and New
Departmentn e e e e e e e e e. e e e e o 2..)

status in farming of Former Negro Pupils; from old
and New. Departments; of Vocational miculture . . 2']

occupations of A99 Iormer Negro Pupils of Vocational
Agriculture who Graduated or Left School without
Wednfitin‘ e- e e e 0 e e e e e e e o o 30

status in Taming of tumor Negro Pupils of Vocational
Agriculture Iho Graduated or Left School without
Graduating e o e e e e e e e- e e e e e e 32

sons Characteristics. of Departments: of Vocational
Agriculture with Teachers. of Long and Short Tenure . 3h.-

occupatione of Former Negro Pupils form Departnentss of
Vocational Agriculture with Teachers of Long and of
gut TCHUI'B 0 e o O O 0 e e 0 e e e e e 36

Status in taming of Former Negro Pupils Frat Den
partme nts of Vocational Agriculture with Teachers
oprngandShcrtTeere .. e-OO . e . . . 36

occupations of Power Negro Pupils of Vocational
Agriculture with Three or More Years of Vocational
Agriculture and Less than Three Years- of Vocational

micult W. e e e e O O O O O 0 e e e O 13.0

TABLE

XVII.

vi
PAGE

status in Farming of Former Negro Pupil-s. of Vocational
Agriculture with Three or More Years of Vocational
Agriculture and Less than 'Bhree Years of Vocational
Agriculture 0 e e e e e- e e e e e e e e “-2

sale Characteristics; of the Shall and large Departments-
0: Vocational Agriculture e e e e e e e e e M

occupations of I’raner Negro pupils from large and
mu Departments. of Vocational Agriculture . . . ho

Status; in Farming of lower Negro Pupils. from Large: .
and anal}. Departments- of Vocat ional Agriculture . . Ab

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
I. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Establishment in farming is the main purpose of
vocational agriculture, and studies have proven that this
purpose has been more completely realized where the en-
rollment process takes into consideration the interest and
aptitude of the student. Vocational agriculture is a
required course in the curriculum for all boys enrolled in
high school in the majority of the Negro high schools in
Alabama. Because of this it should be ascertained to what
extent boys who take vocational agriculture can be eXpected
to be farming or working in related occupations. Also, due
to the fact that many of the pupils who are taking vocation-
al agriculture are from homes of sharecrOppers and tenants,
many of the boys will or may have a dislike for farming
before and after they enroll in the vocational agriculture
course. This attitude may have been deveIOped as a result
of the conditions found on the home farm or plantation.

Most peeple will agree that each American youth regard-
less of his background or economic status should have the

Opportunity to pursue the field of study he desires. ‘lith

the present policy in most Negro high schools in Alabama
little, if any attention is given to the desires or interests
of the boys when the curriculum is planned. Too often
vocational agriculture is taught as a service to the school
and not to the individuals taking the course.

One realistic approach to the evaluation of vocational
agriculture now operating under such conditions is to de-
termine the occupational distribution of former pupils from
these departments. Therefore, it is in the interest of the
pupils now taking vocational agriculture that this study is
made, in hOpes that it will aid in bringing about better
guidance and facilities for the Negro pupils of vocational
agriculture in Alabama. Results from this study can also
serve the former pupils of these departments, in that such
results can be used to show the educational attainment of
former pupils now farming and to show the status former
pupils are now holding in farming. With such information a
better Job can be done in planning courses that will meet
the needs of former pupils of vocational agriculture in
Alabama.

This study is based on the present occupations and
status in farming of former Negro pupils of vocational
agriculture from certain high schools in Alabama. The

former pupils had one or more years in agriculture and

3
had graduated or had left school without graduating between

1938 and 1943.
II. PURPOSES OF THE STUDY

An effort was made in this investigation to get some
indication concerning the proportion of Negro former pupils
of vocational agriculture in Alabama who are actually
farming, or are in occupations related to agriculture; to
get some indication concerning the farming status of former
Negro pupils of vocational agriculture in Alabama; and to
discover some facts that may aid in setting up guidance
programs and curricula for vocational agriculture for the
Negro pupils in the high schools in Alabama.

This investigation tested the hypothesis that differ-
ences with regard to the length of time the department of
agriculture has been established, the time the teacher of
vocational agriculture has been working in the department,
the size of department, and the educational attainment of
pupils at the time of leaving school are associated with
difference in the present occupations and status in farming
of former Negro pupils of vocational agriculture in Alabama.
The hypothesis that the majority of the former pupils are

not in farming or related occupations was also tested.

III. DEFINITION OF TERMS USED

Certain terms are used in the pages which follow and
the way in which they are interpreted in this study should
be understood at the outset.

The terminology for occupational distribution includes
"farming", ”related", “unrelated", and "others". Those
engaged in farming at the time the data were collected as
owner-Operator, partner, renter or sharecropper, or farm
hand were classed as farming. All former pupils who were
not farming, but in occupations in which use was being made
of knowledge, adlls, and/or eXperience in farming gained in
the study of vocational agriculture, were classified as
being in occupations related to farming. "Werk unrelated to
farming" was taken to mean employment in which the knowledge
or experiences in farming gained from the study of agriculture
was not used or was not essential. The former pupils who

were farming as laborers were classified as being farm hands.
IV. PROCEDURE FOLLOWED

On February 12, 1949, a letter was sent out to all 42
Negro teachers of vocational agriculture in Alabama. This
letter attempted to eXplain the purpose and importance of
the study. Along with the letter a postal card was sent

5

to allow the teachers to check their willingness to coOper-
ate in the study.1 Postal cards were returned from 31 of

the 42 teachers of vocational agriculture in Alabama.

Thirty of the teachers stated that they would be willing to
cooperate in the study. One teacher stated that due to a
fire in his department he could not cooperate in the study.

A questionnaire was develOped and sent to the 30 teachers
who had checked their willingness to cOOperate in the study.2
The teachers who received the questionnaire were asked to
secure the names of all pupils with one or more years of
vocational agriculture who left school, either by graduating
or by quitting school without graduating, between July 1, 1938
and June 30, 1943. Information was requested in the ques-
tionnaire concerning the present occupations and status in
farming of the pupils found to have left school during the
period of the study. Along with the questionnaire a second
letter was sent to re-emphasize the importance of the study.

A third attempt was made to get a larger percentage of the
teachers to coOperate in the study by sending out a follow-up

card three weeks after the questionnaire had been mailed out.

 

1. See Appendix "A" for the copy of letter and postal
card mailed to the 42 teachers of vocational agriculture in
Alabama.

2. See Appendix "B" for a cOpy of the questionnaire
mailed to 30 Negro teachers of vocational agriculture in
Alabama.

The data received in the 11 questionnaires included
the occupational distribution and status in farming of 499
former Negro pupils of vocational agriculture in Alabama,
and these data were transferred from the questionnaires to

IBM cards.

V. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

It was not practical to make personal interviews nor
to provide for other means of securing a representative
sampling. Hence the findings of this study may apply only
to the communities from which adequate data were received.

Also, the findigs of this study may not be representa-
tive of normal peacetime trends since the last three years
of this study, 1941, 1942, and 1943, include data concerning
students subject to the abnormal influences prevalent during
these war years.

The teachers of vocational agriculture were allowed to
determine what occupations should be included as related to
farming and unrelated to farming and for that reason there
might be a difference as to the classification of each group

of former pupils.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

No reports have been made concerning the occupations
of former Negro pupils of vocational agriculture in Alabama.3
Many reports of occupations of former students of vocational
agriculture have been made, but these deal principally with
white pupils of vocational agriculture and have been made for
other sections of the country. These reports have been made
on occupational distribution, entrance into farming, and
Opportunities for farming of former pupils of vocational ag-
riculture. The studies have been made independently, so a
great lack of uniformity exists as to meaning, terminology,
and classification of occupations. Consequently, the results
are not directly comparable.

The reports given here are not for comparison, but to
call attention to some of the work that has been done and to
note some of the conclusions drawn from these studies.

In 1947, Byrd4 published a study of the occupational dis-
tribution of former Negro pupils of vocational agriculture in
Mississippi who had left school between July 1, 1940 and
-_—__§T—I3??;;_from State of Alabama, Department of Education,
dated January 28, 1949.

4. Willie H. Byrd, “Occupations of Negro Former Pupils

of Vocational Agriculture in Mississippi.“ Thesis, M. 8.
Iowa State College, 1947, pp. 48-53.

and June 30, 1941. It was reported that of 831 former
pupils of vocational agriculture 594 or 71.5 per cent of
the total number was in farming, 69 or 8.3 per cent of the
total number of former students were in occupations related
to farming. Only 113 of the total number of former students
or 13.6 per cent were reported to be in occupations not
related to farming. Byrd also, found it a significant
tendency for former pupils from.new departments to enter
farming in larger proportions and to attain a higher status
in farming than former pupils from old departments of
vocational agriculture. Former pupils from large high
schools and from large departments showed a significant
tendency to enter farming in larger proportions and to attain
a higher status in farming than students from small high
schools and from small departments. No significant differ-
ence was found in the tendency of former pupils who were
graduates and former pupils who were not graduates to enter
farming.

The study reported by DeyoeS in 1943 showed that in
the case of the Negro former pupils of vocational agricul-
ture in the South, a larger percentage was in farming than

of any other group for which a report was given. The data

3. G. P. Deyoe. éunsr1ised_zarniaa_in_!§eaiiegal
‘Ag_igyltgzg. Interstate Printers and Publis ers, anville,

1'
Illinois. 1940. Pp. 368-369.

showed that the total number of Negro pupils in the South
who were in farming constituted 55.2 per cent of the total
number of Negro pupils who were included in the report.

The report gave data concerning five groups of former
pupils of vocational agriculture from four different regions
of the country. In the North Atlantic regions, 7,488 former
pupils were included in the study, with 47.6 per cent in
farming. In the South, 47.0 per cent of 8,473 white pupiis"
and 55.2 per cent of 2,588 Negro pupils were reported to be
in farming. In the North Central region, 7,931 former
pupils were included in the study, with 51.8 per cent in
farming. In the Pacific region, 6,803 pupils were included
in the report, with only 42.8 per cent in farming.

From several studies made concerning factors associated
with establishment in farming, Deyoe reported the following
indications concerning persons most likely to farm:

Boys who conduct average or better than average pregrams
of supervised farming.

Boys from small families, especially those with no
brothers or with only one brother.

Boys from average or better than average farms in
average or better than average communities.

Boys with parents who are able and willing to render
assistance in establishment or boys with other relatives
who have farms and are willing to render assistance.

Boys who continue their study of vocational agriculture
for two or more years.

Boys who come from medium to large size farms.

10

Boys who have investments in farming at the time of
leaving high school.

Boys who have been given considerable reaponsibility
on the home farm during the high school period.

Deyoe concluded:6

"Since studies in certain regions are not in perfect
agreement relative to percentages of former students of
vocational agriculture who engage in farming and the factors
associated therewith it is important for each teacher of
agriculture to note the results of studies in areas where
conditions are similar to his community and to make periodic
check-ups of these types for former students in his own
community."

After making a study of 106 separate investigations,
Wright7 reported the following findings:

"Great differences exist in the occupational distri-
bution of former students of vocational agriculture in
various sections of the country; likewise between specific
areas within states. The largest preportions of former
students entering farming and all other phases of agricul-
ture are found in the agricultural states of the Central
West. The preportion of former students entering farming
in the southeastern and the northeastern sections of the
cougiry and the entire Atlantic seaboard is relatively
sma . '

"many factors affect the differences in preportions of
former students entering farming in various sections of the
country. lhere the proportion of all land in farms is
great, where farm tenancy is great, where farm tenancy is
high, or above the state average where farms are of medium
size or larger, and where the value per farm is high, more
former students tend to enter farming than where these
conditions do not obtain. 0n the other hand, present
evidence indicates that in some sections where the value of

 

6° EDIE-e P0 3690

7. Carlton E.‘Wright, "Occupational Distribution,
Entrance into Farming, and Opportunities for Farming of
Former Students of Vocational Agriculture," Aggig‘_§gug‘
,gag. 16: 14-15, 17-18. July, 1943.

11

land and buildings per acre is lower, more former students
appear to enter farming; but further study, however, is
needed to provide conclusive evidence since other factors,
for example, tradition in the South, affect the prOportion
of students that farm . . . .”

"Larger proportions of former students enter farming;
who leave school before graduation who study vocational
agriculture, who receive lower grades, who attend fewer
years of high school, whose fathers are farmers, who attend
small schools, who attend special schools of agriculture,
who study more years of vocational agriculture, who have
larger and more successful supervised farming programs, and
who participate in extra-curricular activities of an agri-
cultural nature, than those who do not meet these conditions

”Entrance into farming in greater prOportions is found
among boys who come from farms; from medium-size or larger
farms; and from farms of good quality where opportunities
for establishment and success are greater . . . ."

"Former students who attend smaller schools in rural
areas, who drOp out before finishing high school, and who
receive lower grades regardless of the courses taken in high
school, enter farming in greater proportions than those not
meeting these conditions . . . .'

”The prOportion of former students found in farming
decreases, but the status of those in farming increases,
the longer they have been out of school . . . .”

By using a questionnaire form deveIOped and tested in
Pennsylvania, Myers,8 in cOOperation with the Federal Board
for Vocational Education, made a random sample of former
pupils in departments of vocational agriculture from various
high schools to determine the occupational distribution of

the persons in this group. Some of the conclusions drawn

 

8. Charles E. Nyers Effectizenegs of Vggatigpal Edgpgtigp
in Agricyléprg. Federal Board for Vocational Education
Bulletin, 2 Agric. Series No. 13. Govt. Print. Off.
Washington, D. C., 1923, pp. 6..

12
were as follows:

1. "In general, sixty to seventy per cent of the
pupils given vocational training in agriculture
will do agricultural work".

2. ”Usually high school graduates and those studying
agriculture three or four years will have as great
or greater tendency to farm than those who drOp
out of school before graduation after taking agri-
culture for only one or two years".

3. "The pupils enrolled in vocational agriculture have
a significantly lower student mortality rate than
high school students in general”.

4. "Boys vocationally trained in agriculture who go to
college constitute a very small percentage of the
total number of boys who are vocationally trained in
that field".*

5. "A larger proportion of agriculturally trained boys
in rural schools go into farming than boys who have
not been agriculturally trained."

The same group of former pupils studied by Myers in 1922

was re-checked by LathrOp9 in 1933 to determine their present

9. Frank N. LathrOp, ct v as V ca 0

Education in Agriculture, Federal Board for Vocational
Education Bulletin, 2, Agric. Series No. 13. Govt. Print.
Off. thhington, D. C., 1933, pp 19.

13
occupational distribution. In his study LathrOp added a
third group of former pupils which was made up of a random
selection of 6,229 former students in 47 states. Some of
the findings reported were as follows:

1. "The longer former pupils in vocational agricul-
ture have been out of school, the smaller the
percentage to be found in farming".

2. "The longer former pupils have been out of school,
the greater percentage of boys who are farm
owners".

3. "The percentage of boys in farming immediately
after leaving high school drOpped materially from
1922 to 1932".

4. "The percentage engaged in non-agricultural occu-
pations increased from 1922 to 1932".

In 1929, Stimsonlo conducted a survey to determine the
present occupations of all former students of agricultural
education in the high schools of Massachusetts.

The number whose occupational status was known was 6,157.
This was 74 per cent of the number sought, leaving 629, or
26 per cent unfound. The group not found was assumed by
Stimson to have the same occupational distributions as the
group found, so 6,157 was selected as a base number for the

10. Rufus W. Stimson, "The Occupational Status of
Vocational Agriculture Graduates in Massachusetts," Agrig,

Educ, Mag,l:12. April, 1929.

14
study. Only the students who had completed one or more
years of agriculture were included in this study.

Stimson found that 60 per cent of the former students
studied were connected with agriculture. Persons farming
full time constituted 40 per cent of the former students
who were connected with agriculture, those farming part
time constituted five per cent, those in agricultural
education constituted one per cent, those in business re-
lated to agriculture four per cent, and those in agricul-
tural colleges three per cent of the students studied.

In working with former students of vocational agricul-
ture of Oregon, Adam11 found that 28 per cent went into
farming while 41 per cent chose occupations unrelated to
agriculture. He says, "we can't stop when beys are through
high school". He is implying that the responsibility of
the school for encouraging establishment in farming should go
beyond the high school age.

Dobervich12 listed the following factors as being im-
portant in getting established in farming:

l. "Farming status of boy's immediate family”.

2. "Number of years boy enrolled for project work in

vocational agriculture".

3. EXperience received in farming on home farm".

11. R. M. Adam, ”Follow-up Study of Former Students",
Agrig, Educ, Mpg. 13:95, November, 1940.

12. Sam Dobervich, FProblems Encountered in Becoming

Established in Farming," Thesis, M. S. Iowa State College
Library, Ames, Iowa, 1940. P. 146.

15

4. "Possession of about $600 in cash as capital".

From these studies it is quite evident that there is
considerable range in the prOportion of vocational students
who become established in farming. The exact percentages
range from 28.0 to 70.0. At the same time evidence shows
that a larger percentage of the former students who grad-
uate will be found in related occupations than of the former
students who did not graduate.

Many of the studies present facts to show that the
longer the former pupils have been out of school the smaller
the percentage to be found in farming, but the percentage
found in farming as owner-Operators will increase with the
length of time out of school.

In several of the studies the importance of vocational
agriculture teachers' noting results of studies in areas
where conditions are similar to those in their communities
was stressed. It was also pointed out that teachers of
vocational agriculture should make periodic check-ups of
former students of vocational agriculture as an aid in im-
proving the service of their present programs to students.

In many of these studies the writers pointed out the
implications of the data for future guidance in the training
of prOSpective farmers. They insist that since establishment
in farming is the primary aim of vocational agriculture,
every effort should be made to increase the prOportion of

students entering farming.

16
CHAPTER III
PRESENTATION OF DATA

This is a study of former Negro pupils in Alabama who
received one or more years of vocational agriculture between
July 1, 1938 and June, 1943.

A postal card was received from 30 of the 42 Negro
teachers of vocational agriculture in Alabama stating their
willingness to cooperate in this study. A questionnaire was
mailed to the 30 teachers who promised to cooperate in this
study. Eleven returned the questionnaire after completing
it, giving a return of 36.7 per cent of those who promised
their cOOperation, or 26.1 per cent of the 42 Negro teachers
of vocational agriculture in Alabama.

Table I shows the general characteristics of the eleven
departments included in this study. There is a wide range
of differences in the schools as to the year in which the
department was established, year the present teacher started
working in the department, and the occupational distribution
of the former pupils. Three of the schools reported as few
as three former pupils farming; while some of the schools
had as many as twenty-five former pupils farming.

The status in farming by schools is shown in Table II.
Three cf the eleven schools had no former pupils now farming

as owner-operators, and four of the schools had no former

fin

1?

SEABIJB I

VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF 11 DEPARTMENTS OF

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18

TABLE II

 

 

 

 

 

 

OF VWATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA

 

STATUS IN FARMING OF FORMER NEGRO PUPILS OF
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE FROM 11 DEPARTMENTS

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19

pupils farming as partners. Nine of the schools had former
' pupils working as farm hands, while eight of the eleven
schools had former pupils farming as renters or sharecrOppers.

Table III gives the occupational distribution of the
499 former pupils reported by the eleven schools as having
had one or more years of vocational agriculture and as
having left school between July 1, 1938 and June 30, 1943.

Of the 499 former pupils in the study, 129 of the total
number were reported to be in farming. (Table III). In
occupations related to farming were 72’or 14.4 per cent of
the total number of former students, In occupations not
related to farming were reported 248, or 49.7 per cent of
the former pupils. Only 4.8 per cent of former pupils were
unemployed. Four of the former pupils, or 0.8 per cent,
were deceased. Of the 499 former pupils reported, only 22,
or 4.4 per cent, could not be located or accounted for.

The status in farming of the 499 former Negro pupils
of vocational agriculture who were found to be in farming
is shown in Table IV. Of the total number farming’49, or
38.0 per cent, were farming as owner-Operators. Farming in
the status of partner were 20, or 15.5 per cent, of the
total number in farming. Farming as renters and sharecrOppers

were 27 or 20.9 per cent of the 129 former pupils. Farming

20
TABLE III

OCCUPATIONS OF 499 FORMER NEGRO PUPILS OF
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA

 

Occupations Iggfiigi Per Cent
Farming 129 25.9
Related occupations 72 14.4
Unrelated occupations 248 49.7
Unemployed 24 4.8
Deceased 4 0.8
lhereabouts unknown 22 . 4.4

 

Totals 499 100.0

 

-0

a“...

9-0

--. -7-

TABLE IV

STATUS IN FARMING OF 129 FORMER NEGRO PUPILS
OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA

 

 

 

 

No. of Per Cent
Status in Farming Pupils
Owner-operator 49 38.0
Partner 20 15.5
Renter or sharecropper 27 20.9
Farm Hand 33 25.6
Totals 129 100.0

 

21

22
as farm hands were 33 or 25.6 per cent of the former pupils
of vocational agriculture.

1. Former pupils from old and new depprtments of vocational
agriculture

The IBM cards on the 11 departments of vocational
agriculture were sorted according to the length of time the
department of vocational agriculture had been established.
All departments established after 1935 were designated as
"New" departments.

The six departments selected as old departments had
been in existence from 17 to 29 years. The median age for
these departments was 23 years (Table V). Other character-
istics of the departments of agriculture selected as old
departments included the following:

a. The average number of boys enrolled in the voca-
tional agriculture departments during the period
studied ranged from 31 to 72 with 51.5 the median
number of boys enrolled.

b. Teachers in old departments ranged in tenure from
2 to 15 years, with a median tenure of 8.5 yearsi

The five departments selected as new departments ranged
in age from 8 to 14 years from the time of establishment until
1949. The median age was 11 years. Other characteristics of

the new departments were as follows:

23
TABLE V

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OLD AND NEW
DEPARTMENTS OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA

 

 

 

 

Characteristics Old Departments 1 New Departments

 

Range Median Range Median

 

No. of years depart- 17-29 23 8-14 11
ments had been in
existence

Average No. of boys 31-72 51.5 20-60 40
enrolled in the de-
partments, 1938-43

No. of years teach- 2-15 8.5 3-11 7
ers had been employ-
ed in the depart-
ment

 

 

 

 

 

24

a. The average number of boys enrolled in the voca-
tional agriculture departments during the period
studied ranged from 20 to 60, with 40 the median
number of boys enrolled.

b. Teachers in the new departments ranged in tenure
from 3 to 11 years, with 7 the median number of
years spent in the department.

The old departments reported a total of 309 pupils of
vocational agriculture who left school between July 1, 1938
and June 30, 1943; the new department reported 190
(Table VI).

0f the 309 former pupils from old departments of voca-
tional agriculture, 70, or 22.7 per cent, were found to be
in farming. Of the 190 former pupils from new departments,
59, or 31.0 per cent were in farming. The smaller prOpor-
tion of former pupils from old departments found in farming
' was found to be not statistically significant. (Wherever
differences have been tested fer significance in this study
the following formulas have been used: ”(1.9% +9152 and
(p: .)

Forty-six, or 14.9 per cent, of the 309 pupils from
old departments were found in related occupations. The dif-

ference between the per cent found in ndated occupations in

TABLE VI

OCCUPATIONS OF FORMER NEGRO PUPILS
FROM OLD AND NEW DEPARTMENTS

Old Departments

25

New Departments

 

 

 

Occupations
No. of Per Cent No. of Per Cent
Pupils Pupils
Farming 70 22.7 59 31.0
Related occupations 46 14.9 26 13.7
Unrelated occupations 164 53.1 84 44.2
Unemployed 22 7.1 2 1.1
Deceased 2 0.6 2 1.1
Ihereabouts unknown 5 1.6 17 8.9
Totals 309 100.0 190 100.0

 

 

 

 

 

26
the old and new departments of vocational agriculture was
found to be not statistically significant.

One hundred and sixty four or 53.1 per cent of the
pupils of vocational agriculture from old departments were
in unrelated occupations. Eighty four or 44.2 per cent of
190 former pupils of vocational agriculture from new depart-
ments were in unrelated occupations. The difference in the
number of former pupils from old departments and the number
of former pupils from new departments in unrelated occupa-
tions was found to be not statistically significant.

Twenty-two of the former pupils of vocational agricul-
ture from old departments or 7.1 per cent were found to be
unemployed. Two or 1.1 per cent of the former pupils of
vocational agriculture from the new departments of vocation-
al agriculture were unemployed. The statistical significance
was not computed due to the small prOportions of former
pupils unemployed.

The status in farming of the former pupils of voca-
tional agriculture from old and new departments of vocational
agriculture is shown in Table VII. Of the 70 former pupils
from old departments who were farming, 26, or 37.1 per cent,
were farming as owner-Operators. Of the 59 former pupils
of vocational agriculture from new departments who were farm-

ing, 23, or 39.0 per cent, were farming as owner-operators.

TABLE VII

STATUS IN FARMING OF FORMER NEGRO PUPILS FROM
OLD AND NEW DEPARTMENTS OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE

27

 

 

01d Departments

New Departments

 

 

 

Status in Farming No. of x No. of %
Pupils Pupils

Owner-operator 26 37.1 23 39.0

Partner 12 17.1 8 13.6

Renter or sharecrOpper 16 22.9 11 18.6

Farm hand 16 ‘22.9 17 _28.8

Totals 70 100.0 59 100.0

 

 

 

 

 

28
The difference in the prOportions of former pupils from
old and new departments of vocational agriculture farming
as owner-Operators was found to be not significant.

Of the 70 pupils from old departments of vocational
agriculture 12 former pupils, or 17.1 per cent, were :
farming as partners. Of the 59 former pupils from new
departments of vocational agriculture, eight former pupils,
or 13.6 per cent, were farming in status of partner. The
difference between the numbers farming as partners from old
and new departments of vocational agriculture was not sta-
tistically significant.

From the old departments, 16, or 22.9 per cent, of the
former pupils were farming in the status of renter or share-
crOpper, whereas, from the new departments only 18.6 per
cent of the former pupils were farming in this status.

Farming in the status of farm hands there were 16, or
22.9 per cent from old departments and 17, or 28.8 per cent,
from the new departments. The difference was not statisti-

cally significant.

2. Eprpep pupils who graduated or left scpopl witpopt
gpaduatipg

The former Negro pupils of vocational agriculture from
the 11 departments which furnished data for this study were

grouped according to whether the persons graduated or left

29
school without graduating. The total number who graduated
was 224. The total number who left school without graduating
was 275. The occupations of the two groups are shown in
Table VIII.

Of the 224 former pupils of vocational agriculture who
graduated, 38 or 17.0 per cent, were farming. Of the 275
former pupils of vocational agriculture who left school
without graduating, 91 or 33.0 per cent, were farming. The
difference between the two grOUps was not found to be sta-
tistically significant.

In occupations related to agriculture were 50, or 22.3
per cent, of the former pupils who graduated from the
schools, and 22, or 8.0 per cent, of the former pupils of
vocational agriculture who left school without graduating.
The difference between the two groups was statistically
significant. _

In occupations unrelated to farming were 111, or 49.6
per cent, of the former pupils of vocational agriculture who
graduated, and 137, or 50.0 per cent of the former pupils of
vocational agriculture who left school without graduating.
Yet, the difference between the two groups was not statisti-
cally significant.

0f the 224 former pupils of vocational agriculture who

graduated, six or 2.6 per cent, were reported unemployed.

30
TABLE VIII

OCCUPATIONS OF 499 FORMER NEGRO PUPILS OF
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE WHO GRADUATED
OR LEFT SCHOOL WITHOUT GRADUATING

W

 

 

 

Graduated Did not Graduate
No. of i No. of f
Occupations Pupils Pupils

Farming 38 17.0 91 33.0
Related occupations 50 22.3 22 8.0
Unrelated occupations 111 49.6 137 50.0
Unemployed 6 2.6 18 6.5
Deceased 2 0.9 2 0.7
'hereabouts unknown 17 7.6 5 1.8
Totals 224 100.0 275 100.0

 

 

 

 

 

31
0f the 275 former pupils of vocational agriculture who left
school without graduating, 18 or 16.7 per cent, were un-
employed.

The status in farming of the former pupils of vocation-
al agriculture who graduated or left school without graduat-
ing are shown in Table IX.

Of the 38 former pupils of vocational agriculture who
graduated and were farming, 18 or 47.4 per cent, were farm-
ing as owner-Operators. 0f the 91 former pupils who left
school without graduating, 31 or 34.1 per cent, were farming.
The difference between the two groups farming as owner-
operators was not statistically significant.

Farming in the status of partner were seven, or 18.4
per cent, of the former pupils who graduated, and 13, or
14.3 per cent, of the pupils who left school without grad-
uating. The difference between the groups was not statis-
tically significant.

Farming as renters or sharecrOppers were four, or 10.5
per cent, of the former pupils who graduated, and 23, or
23.2 per cent, of the pupils who left school without grad-
uating. The difference was not statistically significant.

Of the 38 former pupils of vocational agriculture who

graduated, nine, or 23.7 per cent, were found in the status

TABLE IX

STATUS IN FARMING OF FORMER NEGRO PUPILS OF
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE WHO GRADUATED OR
LEFT SCHOOL WITHOUT GRADUATING

 

 

 

 

 

Graduated Did not Graduate
Status in farming NO- Of 5 N0. of 5

Pupils Pupils
Owner—Operator 18 47.4 31 34.1
Partner 7 18.4 13 14.3
Renter or sharecrOpper 4 10.5 23 25.?
Farm hand 9 23.7 24 26.4
Totals 38 100.0 91 100.0

 

 

 

 

 

'I‘

 

33
of farm hands. 0f the 91 former pupils of vocational
agriculture who left school without graduating, 24, or
26.4 per cent, were found in the status of farm hands.

The difference found between the two groups was not sta-

tistically significant.

3. Egzm§z_pppi1§ {ppm depppppents of vocationpl pgricultppe
witp tgpcpers of long gpd spogt tepure

The IBM cards on the 11 departments of vocational

 

agriculture were sorted according to the length of time the
teacher had worked in the department. All departments that
had a teacher that had been in the department for eleven or
more years were designated as departments with teachers of
long tenure. All departments where the teacher had been in
the department less than eleven years were designated as
departments with teachers of short tenure.

The six long-tenure teacher departments had teacher-
tenure ranges from 11 to 17 years, with 14 years as the
median (Table X). Other characteristics of the long-tenure
teacher departments were as follows:

a. The number of years the department had existed
ranged from 11 to 29 years, with 20 years as the
median length of time of existence.

b. The number of boys reported ranged from 32 to 100,
with 71 boys as the median for the period studied.

34
TABLE X

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPARTMENTS OF
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE WITH TEACHERS
OF LONG AND SHORT TENURE

 

 

 

Departments with Departments with

Long-Tenure Teachers Short—Tenure Teachers
Characteristics A

Range Median Range median
No. years teach- 11-17 14 2-10 6

ers have been
working in dept.

 

 

No. years depts. 11-29 20 8-20 14
were in existence

No. of boys re-

ported 32-110 71 28-39 33.5

 

 

k

35

The vocational agriculture departments with teachers of
long tenure reported a total of 342 pupils who had left school
between July 1, 1938 and June 30, 1943; the departments with
teachers of short tenure reported 157 (Table XI).

Of the 342 former pupils from departments with teachers
of long tenure, 91, or 26.6 per cent, were found to be in
farming. Of the 15? former pupils from departments with
teachers of short tenure, 38, or 24.2 per cent, were found to
be in farming. The difference in percentages found to be
farming from the departments with teachers of long and short
tenure was not statistically significant.

From departments of vocational agriculture with teachers
of long tenure, 54, or 15.8 per cent, were found to be in
occupations related to farming. From departments with teachers
of short tenure, 18, or 11.5 per cent were found in such
occupations. The difference was found not to be statisticalv
significant.

In occupations unrelated to farming were 159 or 46.5 per
cent, of the former pupils from the departments with teachers
of long tenure; and 89, or 56.7 per cent, of the former
pupils from departments with teachers of short tenure. The
difference was found not to be significant.

The status in farming of former Negro pupils from depart-

ments of vocational agriculture who were found in farming are

36
TABLE XI

OCCUPATIONS 0F FORMER NEGRO PUPILS FROM
DEPARTMENTS 0F VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE
WITH TEACHEIS OF LONG AND OF SHORT
TENURE

 
 
     

 

 

 

Departments_with Long- Departments with
Tenure Teachers Short-Tenure Teachers
Occupations No. of Per Cent (No. of Per Cent
Pupils Pupils
Farming \ . 91 " ' 26 .6 38 24.2
Related occupations 54 15.8 18 11.5
Unrelated occupations 159 46.5 89 56.7.
Unemployed 22 6.4 2 1.3
Deceased 2 0.6 2 1.3
‘Whereabouts unknown 14 4.1 8 5.0
Totals 342 100.0 157 ‘100.0

 

 

 

 

 

37
shown in Table XII. Of the 91 former pupils from depart-

ments with teachers of long tenure, 40, or 44.0 per cent,

were owner-Operators. 0f the 38 former pupils from departments
with teachers of short tenure, nine, or 23.7 per cent were
owner-Operators. The difference was not statistically
significant.

From departments of vocational agriculture with teachers
of long tenure, 15, or 16.5 per cent, of the 91 former pupils
were farming as partners, whereas only five, or 13.1 per cent
of the 38 former pupils from departments with teachers of
short tenure were farming as partners. The difference was
not statistically significant.

Farming as renters or sharecrOppers were 15, or 16.5
per cent, of the former pupils from departments with long-
tenure teachers; and 12, or 31.6 per cent of the former pupils
from departments with teachers of short tenure. The differ-
ence was not statistically significant because of the small
number of cases.

The percentage differences were not statistically sig-
nificant between the former pupils who are farming as farm
hands from the departments with long or short-tenure teachers.

4. ormer u ils f vocat on 1 a ricul e wit t re or

more years of vocational agriculture contrasted with
those of less than three years of vocational agriculthgeI

The IBM cards were separated according to the number of

years the former pupils had taken vocational agriculture.

TABLE XII

38

STATUS IN FARMING OF FORMER NEGRO PUPILS FROM
DEPARTMENTS OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE WITH
TEACHERS OF LONG AND OF SHORT TENURE

 

Departments with
Long-Tenure

Departments with
Short-Tenure

 

 

 

, Tgachers ngghers
Status in Farming N0. Of % NO- 0f 5

Pupils Pupils
Owner-Operator 40 44.0 23.7
Partner 15 16.5 13.1
Renter or sharecrOpper 15 16.5 12 31.6
Farm hand 21 23.0 12 31.6
Totals 91 100.0 38 100.0

 

 

 

 

 

39

All former pupils with three years or more of vocational
agriculture were separated from the group that had had less
than three years of vocational agriculture before leaving
school.

Of the 499 pupils included in this study 207 former
pupils were found to have left school with two years or less
in vocational agriculture. or the 207 former pupils 64, or
30.9 per cent were found to be farming (Table XIII). 0f the
292 former pupils with three years or more of vocational
agriculture only 65, or 22.3 per cent, were reported to be
farming. The percentage difference was significant.

From the group with two years or less of vocational
agriculture 14, or 6.8 per cent, were in occupations related
to agriculture. From the group with three years or more of
vocational agriculture 58, or 19.9 per cent, were in
occupations related to agriculture. The difference was
statistically significant.

Former pupils with three years or more of vocational
agriculture included 292 of the 499 pupils reported in the
study. Of this group 147 or 50.3 per cent were reported in
unrelated occupations, while ohly 101 or 48.3 per cent of
the group with two years or less of vocational agriculture
were reported in this OCCUpation. The difference was not

statistically significant.

TABLE XIII

4O

OCCUPATIONS OF FORMER NEGRO PUPILS OF VOCATIONAL
AGRICULTURE WITH THREE OR MORE YEARS OF VOCATIONAL
AGRICULTURE AND LESS THAN THREE YEARS OF VOCATIONAL

AGRICULTURE

 

Two years or less
of vocational

Three years or more
of vocational

 

 

 

agriculture agriculture
Occupations

No. of % No. of %

Pupils Pupils
Farming 64 30.9 65 22.3
Related occupations 14 6.8 58 19,9
Unrelated occupations 101 48.8 147 50,3
Unemployed 15 7.3 9 3.1
Deceased 3 1,4 1 0,3
Whereabouts unknown 10 4.8 12 4.1
Totals 207 ‘100.0 292 100.0

 

 

 

 

 

41

The difference found between the group that had three
or more years of vocational agriculture over the group that
had had only two years or less of vocational agriculture
and is now unemployed, deceased or whereabouts unknown did
not prove to be significant.

Of the 64 former students with two years or less of
vocational agriculture, 16, or 25.0 per cent, were owner-
Operators (Table XIV). 0f the 65 former pupils in farming
with three years or more of vocational agriculture 33 or
50.8 per cent were farming as owner-Operators. The differ-
ence is significant.

Farming as partners were 11, or 17.2 per cent, from
the group that had two years or less of vocational agriculture;
and 9, or 13.8 per cent, from the group that had three years
or more of vocational agriculture. The difference was not
statistically significant.

Farming as renters or sharecroppers were 16, or 25.0
per cent, of the group that had two years or less of voca-
tional agriculture and from the group with three years or
more there were only 11, or 16.9 per cent. The difference
was significant.

Of the 64 former students with two years or less of
vocational agriculture farming, 21, or 32.8 per cent, was

in the status of farm hands. Of the 65 former pUpils in

42

TABLE XIV

STATUS IN FARMING OF FORMER NEGRO PUPILS OF
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE WITH THREE OR MORE
‘YEARS OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE AND LESS
THAN THREE YEARS OF VOCATIONAL
AGRICULTURE

W

 

 

 

Two years or less Three years or

of vocational more of vocational

agriculture agriculture

Status in Farming ww

No. of i No. of I

Pupils Pupils
Owner-Operator 16 25,0 33 50.8
Partner 11 17.2 9 13.8
Renter or sharecrOpper 16 25.0 11 16,9
Farm hand 21 32.8 12 18.5
Totals 64 100.0 65 100.0

 

 

 

 

 

43
farming 12, or 18.5 per cent, were farming in the status
of farm hand. The difference was significant.

5. O u at O s or e u ls oca

ggriculture from large and small departments of
vocational agriculture.

The questionnaires from the 11 departments of vocation-
al agriculture were arranged in a frequency distribution
according to the size of the departments of vocational agri-
culture. All departments reporting 43 or more as the
average enrollment over the five years studied were desig-
nated as large departments Of vocational agriculture. The
departments with an average enrollment of 40 or below were
designated as small departments.
The five large departments of vocational agriculture
ranged in size from 43 to 72 boys (Table IV). The median
size for the large departments was 57.5. Other characteris-
tics of these departments were as follows:
a. The number of years these departments had been in
existence ranged from 8 to 29. The median number
of years was 18.5

b. The tenure of teachers in these departments ranged
from 3 to 17 years. The median number of years was
10.

The six small departments of vocational agriculture

ranged in size from 20 to 40 boys. The median size was 30

44

TABLEIIV

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SMALL AND
LARGE DEPARTMENTS OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE

 

 

Large Departments Small Departments
Characteristics

Range median Range Median
Average No. of boys 43-72 57.5 20-40 30
enrolled in Voc. Agri-
culture (1938-43)
No. of years depts. 8-29 18.5 11-20 15.5
had been established
No.of years teachers 3-17 10 2-15 8.5
had been employed in
the departments

 

 

 

 

 

.45
boys. Other characteristics of these departments were as
follows:

a. The number of years these departments had been in
existence ranged from 11 to 20 years. The median
number of years was 15.5.

b. The tenure of the teachers in these departments
ranged from 2 to 15 years, with 8.5 as the median
number of years.

The large departments of vocational agriculture gave
data on a total of 289 pupils of vocational agriculture who
left school between July 1, 1938 and June 30, 1943; the
small departments of vocational agriculture gave data on
210 (Table XVI).

Of the 189 former pupils from the large departments of
vocational agriculture 72, or 24.9 per cent, were farming.
Of the 210, 57 or 27.1 per cent, were farming. The differ-
ence between the numbers farming from large and small de-
partments of vocational agriculture was not significant.

In occupations related to farming were 41, or 14.2 per
cent, of the former pupils from large departments of voca-
tional agriculture and 31, or 14.8 per cent, of the former
pupils from small departments of vocational agriculture.
The difference between the two groups was not statisticaIV

significant.

OCCUPATIONS OF FORMER NEGRO PUPILS FROM LARGE

TABLE XVI

AND SMALL DEPARTMENTS OF VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE

46

 

 

Large Departments

Small Departments

 

 

 

Occupations
No. of X No. of f
Pupils Pupils
Farming 72 24.9 57 27.1
Related occupations 41 14.2 31 14.8
Unrelated occupations 132 45.7 116 55.2
Unemployed 21 7.3 3 1.4
Deceased 3 1.0 0.5
Whereabouts unknown 20 6.9 2 1.0
Totals 289 100.0 210 100.0

 

 

 

 

 

47

From the large departments of vocational agriculture,

132 or 45.7 per cent, were in unrelated occupations. From
small departments of vocational agriculture 116, or 55.2 per
cent, of the former OUpils were in such occupations. The
difference between the two groups was significant.

The status in farming of the Negro former pupils from
large and small departments of vocational agriculture are
shown in Table XVII.

Of the 72 former pupils of vocational agriculture from
large departments who were farming 25, or 34.7 per cent, were
farming as owner-Operators. Of the 57 former pupils of vo-
cational agriculture 24, or 42.1 per cent, were farming as
owner-Operators. The difference between the two groups was
not statistically significant.

There was no significant difference between the groups
of former Negro pupils from large and small departments of
vocational agriculture with regard.to their status of partner,

renter or sharecrOpper, or farm hand.

TABLE XVII

STATUS IN FARMING OF FORMER NEGRO PUPILS FROM LARGE
AND SMALL DEPARTMENTS 0F VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE

 

 

 

 

Large Departments

48

 

Small Departments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Status in Farming No. of .1 No. of f
Pupils Pupils
Owner-Operator 25 34.7 24 42.1
Partner 12 16.7 8 14.0
Renter or sharecrOpper 17 23.6 10 17.5
_Farm hand 18 25.0 15 26.4
Totals 72 100.0 57 100.0

 

49
CHAPTER IV

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

This is a study of 499 former Negro pupils from 11 de-

partments of vocational agriculture in Alabama who left school

between July 1, 1938 and June 30, 1943.

1.

Only 25.9 per cent of the former pupils were reported to
be farming.

A total of 49.7 per cent of the former students were re-
ported in occupations unrelated to farming. 'Ehile, only
40.3 per cent were reported to be in farming and related
occupations.

Thirty-eight per cent of the former pupils reported to be
farming were farming as owner-operators.

The difference between the former pupils farming who came
from old departments and the former pupils farming who
came from new departments was not significant.

The difference between the former pupils farming who did
graduate and the former pUpils farming who did not grad-
uate was not significant.

There was no significant difference in status in farming,

between the former pupils who graduated and those who did

not graduate.

5O

7. Hith regard to pupils engaged in farming there was no
significant difference between the pupils coming from
departments with long-tenure teachers and those coming
from departments with shortgtenure teachers.

8. A significant tendency was found for former pupils tO'
enter related occupations in larger proportions if
they graduated, than if they did not graduate.

9. A significant tendency was found for more former pupils
with two years or less of vocational agriculture to be
farming than the former pupils with three years or more
of vocational agriculture.

10. It was found to be a significant tendency for former
pupils with three or more years of vocational agriculture
to be farming in a higher status than the former pupils
with less than three years of vocational agriculture.

11. With regard to pupils engaged in farming there was no
significant difference between the former pupils from

large departments and those coming from small departments.
CONCLUSIONS

The majority of the pupils from the 11 departments of
vocational agriculture in Alabama are not becoming established

in farming. The evidence suggests that the present program '

51
being used in Alabama might be studied to see if more emphasis
can be placed on guidance and the selection of pupils, in order
to better fulfill the aims of vocational agriculture as set up
by the leaders in the profession.

If the results found in this study are due to the fact that
teachers are not concerned with the problem of helping students
of agriculture to secure capital, equipment, and the necessary
land to become established in farming, to improve this condition
the teacher should concentrate on dealing with this problem.

Since the statistical evidence gathered indicates that
the size of the department, length of time the department has
been established, and the length of time the teacher has been in
the department had no effect on the prOportion of pupils enter-
ing farming, all departments should be examined to determine ways
and means of increasing the prOportion of students going into
farming.

If the results found in this study are due to the fact
that some of the schools require every boy to take vocational
agriculture when he enrolls in high school, then the schools are
failing to fulfill the purpose of vocational agriculture as set
up by the leaders in the profession.

If the schools that failed to cooperate in this study were
those that had insufficient records on former students, and if

the actualwhta on the former students from these schools were

52
known and included in this study, the results might have been

even worse than those reported here.
REC OMLEEN DAT I ON S

The recommendations include the following: (1) Various
ways in which the findings of this study may be used and (2)
suggestions which may be of value to persons or groups desiring

to repeat the same study or to plan related ones.

 

Shggestions for using the findings
It would seem that the picture drawn in this study has

many implications for the pre-service and the in-service pro-
gram of teacher eduCation. The study should serve as a valuable
aid in the pre-service education of teachenSby establishing a
clear picture of the results of the vocational agriculture
program for Negroes in Alabama. Such a picture should furnish
a basis for placing emphasis on guidance and selection in vo-
cational agriculture. The findings might be used to acquaint
the future teachers with the conditions at present in vocational
schools, and both the teacher of college classes and students
can plan COOperatively ways and means by which such conditions
can be improved.

With reference to Alabama, the findings indicate that the
program of vocational agriculture for Negroes might be checked

to see if it is fulfilling, as far as possible, the aims of

53
vocational agriculture. The findings also should cause the
teachers of vocational agriculture to re-examine their edu-
cational program to find ways and means of better realizing
the aims of vocational agriculture.

The findings of this study indicate that more emphasis
should be placed on guidance and selection of pupils in schools
where such is practiced, and schools which do not include this
in their program should give serious consideration to its‘
incorporation.

The study further indicates that an in-service trainingzrogram
should be organized for all Negro teachers of vocational agri-
culture in Alabama.

Also more emphasis should be placed on productive super-
vised farming programs by each of the local and state depart-
ments of vocational agriculture.

Suggestions for further studies

In view of the fact that such a study could serve as one
means of evaluating the program of vocational agriculture for
Negroes in Alabama, it would seem that a similar study should
be made to include other states with similar programs.

Since such a wide range was found between the 11 schools
studied in the number of former pupils farming, it would be

interesting to find the outstanding characteristics Of the
schools with a high per cent of former pupils farming. The

54
picture could be made even more nearly complete if a compari-
son could be made between the quality of teachers and home
background of former pupils from schools with a high per cent
of student farming and the quality of teachers and home back—
ground of former pupils where only a small per cent of former
pupils were reported to be farming.

The writer believes that further related studies might
prove to be very worthwhile and might contribute to a better
understanding of the problems Negro pupils of vocational agri-
culture face in becoming established in farming. Another
desirable study might be the comparison of students from de-
partments where student selection is practiced against an
equated group from departments where agriculture is required of
all boys enrolled in high school.

It also seems that all teachers of vocational agriculture
should make a related study of the former pupils of their de-
partment to see to what extent it has develOped the aims of
vocational agriculture. Such a study should prove worthwhile

~4:2 "SM
to Ihfand to the pupils now taking vocational agriculture.

’0'"

B IBLIOGRAPHY

)6

A. BOOKS

Deyoe, G. P., Supervised Farming in Vocational Agriculture.
Danville Illinois: Interstate Printers and Publishers,
1940. 36% Pp.

Roehl, Louis M., Young Men From the Farm, Milwaukee:
The Bruce Publishing Comp any, 1942. Pp. 23-125.

B. PERIODICALS

Adams, Russel M., "Follow-Up Study of Former Students."

The Agricultural Education Magazih . 13:95, November,
1940.

Anderson, C. 3., "Out-of-School Rural Youth Enter Farming."
The Agricultural Education Magazine, 13:16-17, July,
1940.

Byrd, Willie H., "Occupations of Negro Former Pupils of
Vocational Agriculture in Mississippi? Unpuhlishgg
Thesis, M. 8., Iowa State College Library, Ames, Iowa,

1947. 53 Pp.

Clark, Lloyd T., "How Fifty Young Men Became Established in
Farming." e A ricultural Education Ma azine, 12:132-
134. January, 1940.

Deyoe, G. P., "A Study of the Association of Certain Factors
with the Careers of Young Men from Michigan Farms."

The Agricultural Education Magazine, 12:112-13, 118,
December, 1941.

Dobervich, Sam, "Problems Encountered in Becoming Established

in Farming." Unpublished Thesis, M. 3., Iowa State
College Library, Ames, Iowa, 1940. 146 Pp.

Ekstrom, G. F., "How Graduates Become Established." The
Agricultural Education Magazine, 17:14-15, July,l944.

Faust, S. L., "Occupations of Former All-Day Pupils in the
Bridgeton, New Jersey Area." The Agricultural Education
Magazine, 12:95, 98, November, 1939.

2.",

57

Hill, J. M. "What Become of Vocational Agriculture Students?"
The Agriculturgl Education Magazine, 15:175, March, 1943.

Hoopes, L. B. "Factors Affecting Establishment in Farming."

The Agricultural Education Magazine, 10:194-195, April,
193 .

Martin, Howard. "Study of Out-of—school Young Men." The
Agricultural Education Magazine, 10:34, August, 1937.

Stimson, R. W., "The Occupational Status of Vocational
Agriculture Graduates in Massachusetts," The Agricul-
tural Education Ma az ne, 1:12, April, 1929.

Wright, Charles E., "Occupational Distribution, Entrance J
into Farming, and Opportunities for Farming of Former
Students of Vocational Agriculture." Th2 Agricultural
Education Magazine, 16:14-5, 17-18, July, 1943.

C . BULLETINS

Byram. H. M. Survey 9f Out-of-School.Young Men on Farms in

Certain Michigan Communities, Bulletin No. 274.
Lansing: Michigan State Board of Control for Voca-

tional Education, 1941. 47pp.

Deyoe, G. P. Young Men from Michigan Farms. Bulletin No.
256. Lansing: Michigan State Board of Control for

Vocational Education, 1939. 56 pp.

LathrOp, F. W., Effectiveness of Vocational Education in
Agriculthge. Bulletin No. 2. Agricultural Series No.
13. Federal Board for Vocational Education, 1933. 19 pp.
Myers Charles E. Effectiveness of Vocational Egucation ih
Agriculture. Bulletin No. 2. Agricultural Series
No. 13. washington: Federal Board for Vocational
Education, 1927, 61 pp.

 

 

APPENDIX

59

“32.Abhot H311
michigan State College
East Lansing? Michigan

February 129 1949

Dear Teacher of vocational Agriculture;

1 am writing to ask your cooperation in the solution of a problem
that is significant to the vocational agriculture program.in Alabaman As
a graduate student at Michigan State College and a preopectlve teacher of
vocational agriculture. I am deeply interested in what is happening to
former pupils of vocational agriculture in Alabamas How many of these
students go into fanniNg? How successful are they as farmers?

With the endorsement of Mr. In G, Cannon and the aid ard encouragement
of yr. As FloydD I an attempting to make a study of a group of former
puglla in vocational agriculture in Alabama? so that we can get sane
answers for the State as a whole. Reports from individual schools willn of
coursec be kept strictly confidential. The study will not be couplets or
truly representative unless I can get your cooyerationo Thereforeo 1 am
asking you to Check the enclosed postal card to indicate your willingness
to couperate in the study by filling out a questionnaire which will be
mailed to you upon the receipt of the enclosed postal cards Also0 your
indication of the number of pupils tasters shown by your records to have
dropped out or graduated between July 1. 1938 and June 30D 19A3 will be
greatly appreciatedo

I realize that this will take some of your very valuable tune; but
you will be doing it for the very good cause of improwing the vocational
agriculture program for the negro pupils in.Alabama. So please fill Out
the postal card today. or if not convenient today. will you try to get it
in the mails as soon as possible? I thank you in advance for your prompt
responseo

very sincerely yours.

Jbseph‘Ta Hudson

FT 1? 3;; L; ulJLEI; to cooperate in this study?
é;

Yes no __

attire 1.33713 hays who dropped out or graduated

t“? .42; x

setrcsa July lg 1930 and June 300 19h3c

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C‘ O P‘ Y
60

332 Abbot Hall
Michigan State College
East Iansing, Michigan

“rah 1?. 19149

Dear Teacher of vocational Agriculture:

on February 12,, 1919, you were mailed a letter attempting to explain
the importance of our knowing what is happening to former negro pupils
of- vocational agriculture in Alabazna. 1 sm non attempting to make such
information available on the group who left school between July 1, 1935
and Tune 30,: 19143. of course. I am aware that it is impossible unless: I
receive your hardy moperationo. Therefore. I am asking you to kindly
fill out. the enclosed; questionnaire and return it to me. The. first glance
at the questionnaire might give the impression that it I111 take a lot of '
your time. but I am sure that it will take less than thirty minutes of
your time.

my I again; assure you that in. m say sill the names of individuals
or the names: of individual schools be used in. the final. report. All
information from individual school: will be handled strictly confidential...

In order for me to canplsts this study and make s sumnary available
to you bgfor. the sshool term is over. it is very very important that
your report be returned in. the very near future. If you could kindly
fill out the questionnaire today, if not today, as soon as possible. I
shall be very grateful.

very sincerly yours ,

W

‘L

3‘ (a T. ‘. 11’." ’ l '12: ._ 5» 11:31-35:11-

 

 

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general Information
ygnr in wti‘a yoLr aohoolda Agricultural Bflpflrfinfiflt was Gfitabllfihfid 19 °
. rew-

Ycer you became teacher here 19 c

an!

average marker of heyn enriilo in the M ‘Wlulturel depnm meat o

v or; face... tzm ’22

vaef‘rekwptng’r‘ ft? f‘LIJiD;‘

-.-‘-LI ---—t—J." ””5?” 3:23.. w‘w -~uxn.~zr‘arwu. .".s =as ll ”'“'1'"—m~1-_1 ’-
1W Una Faur vocational agriaulture recerfifl text.“”a & 1151 Of 311 th°
atuflentm who left school with one Of fifi?$ 033$?“ in agriculture
113‘: .4. ‘ 1:; *1 on 13:51:21.3 two of t? 2-51 QL (1'11 1- 3 11111“ 1 11113 1111 151111 “p103 pro-1

egucd fer the name of aiuQflDtSv
oi will i; amix~n one two, three 0nd four for each student whoflo

urn. "1n .1 +‘ r
“-1.13. {'1' 3...: L153“. {:1 (7’3 591." g-JC‘-J.t.‘.b1n Q‘s-1111'“;

q, pfigwk only one (1) oi the eoiunna be.firon column five (5) and column
\u“trr~ I a) ghgflififi the present status of former pupils lietcd on
t.e 3.1 iG.e of page two {for exaMple; John Brown's name is lieted
with .elufirn one twoa three and four filled out on hbm and if Brown
in new u.-ning an a partner on b.1a home farm you uil 1 check number
eaten (A) to show Blown nts-tat.mam.p and all the other columns will he

left blank)o See sample on line one page taco

h. In eolwmn 9. *work aloeoly related to fanning' meane;emploqunt 1n
whiah uae is made of the knowledge and abilitiee gained in the etudy of
egrinulture though the percon ie not not farming (for example: in
aollege studying agriculture0 working in a dairyg teaching agriculture
etag)

fin is aoiumn 10g ”Work not related to farming9 meane employment in which
the knowledge gained in the atudy of agriculture in not need (for
example; working in.a.eteel plantfi construction work etc)

Signed

 

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