MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
RELATIVE TO
SMITH-HUGHES AND SMITH-LEVER RELATIONSHIPS
I N
AGRICULTURE
December, 1928
Washington, D.C.
INTRODUCTION
In 1918 conferences were held between representatives of the -Federal Board for Vocational Education, responsible for the administration of the Smith-Hughes Act, and representatives of the United States Department of Agriculture, responsible for the administration of the Smith-Lever Act, looking toward cooperation between these two agencies in promoting an effective system of agriculture. The respective fields of work of the two groups were defined and the relationships of the groups outlined. About three years later a joint committee, representing several groups more or less directly interested in the Smith-Hughes and the Smith-Lever Acts prepared a report, the purpose of which was to interpret this memorandum and to set out more fully what were thought to be desirable relationships and objectives.
These two memoranda have served in considerable degree as guides to both Smith-Hughes and Smith-Lever workers in carrying on their respective activities. When they were prepared, both vocational teaching and extension work were comparatively new. With the development of these two closely related and rapidly expanding lines of public service, problems have arisen which make desirable a restatement of the respective fields of Smith-Hughes and Smith-Lever workers and of the relationships between the two groups.
In conformance with a suggestion of the Secretary of Agriculture, approved by the Federal Board for Vocational Education at its meeting of January 19, 1928, the following memorandum has been prepared to supersede all earlier memoranda.
TEXT OF MEMORANDUM
EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE
The United States Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the landgrant colleges, has organized an agricultural extension system which extends throughout the United States including the Territory of Hawaii. This has been done in accordance with a series of acts of Congress authorizing the establishment of such work and making appropriations therefor. This extension work consists of practical demonstrations, and the dissemination of information among men, women, and children through the personal work of county agents, home demonstration agents, boys' and girls' club workers, and technical specialists in various fields of agriculture and home economics. This work covers the various branches of agriculture and home economics, including marketing and rural organization. It is supplemented by the widespread distribution of publications of the United States Department of Agriculture, the experiment stations, the agricultural colleges, and State departments of agriculture. The instruction and information used in this system of popular education is based chiefly on the work of the United States Department of Agriculture, the State agricultural colleges, and the experiment stations.
This extension work is not a systematic course of instruction, but deals with problems of practice and business on the farm, in the home, or in the rural community. This is expressed in the following quotation from the Smith-Lever Act: "To aid in diffusing among the people of the United States useful and practical information on subjects relating to agriculture and home economics, and to encourage the application of the same."
As the extension system develops and becomes established it deals more and more with special problems of the farm and rural community rather than with the details of practice with which the farming people are generally familiar. Backed by the research system of agricultural colleges and the United States Department of Agriculture, it brings to the people the new things which have been found worthy of broad trial In actual practice.
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION.
The creation of the Federal Board for Vocational Education and a State board for vocational education in each State, under the provisions of an Act of the 64th Congress, approved February 23, 1917, makes possible a nation-wide organization for the administration of vocational education. The act carries an appropriation for salaries of teachers, supervisors, and directors of agricultural subjects. The money so appropriated is to reimburse schools for expenditures for salaries of teachers to carry on instruction in vocational agriculture or for the salaries of supervisors of such instruction.
Certain standards must be set up by the State board for vocational education and approved by the Federal Board for Vocational Education for schools in which Federal funds are to be used. These standards include, among other things, qualifications of teachers, minimum amount for maintenance, minimum plant and equipment, directed or supervised practice in agriculture, methods of teaching, and type courses of study. In case any of the fund is to be used for salaries of supervisors or directors, a plan of supervision for the State must be set up by the State board with approval of the Federal Board.
This act makes provision for courses of systematic instruction in agriculture, carried on in schools or classes, for those "who have entered upon or who are preparing to enter upon the work of the farm or of the farm home," under a definite plan of cooperation between a State board and the Federal Board. This systematic instruction in agriculture, however, under the terms of the act. "shall in every case provide directed or supervised practice in agriculture, either on a farm provided for by the school or other farm, for at least six months per year."
RELATIONSHIPS
In many counties of the various States there will be the cooperative agricultural extension system conducted by the State agricultural college in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture and the county under the provisions of the Smith-Lever Act and under other Federal and State legislation. There will also be vocational agricultural instruction carried on by the State board for vocational education in cooperation with the Federal Board for Vocational Education and the county or the local school district under the provisions of the Smith-Hughes Act. The extension service and the vocational service will deal with both adults and youth.
In each case there are officials charged with the responsibility of administrating these acts. It is suggested that these officials determine upon a plan of cooperation for the State based upon the following general policies or principles:
1. It is understood that all agricultural extension work should be administered by those in charge of extension activities in the State, and that all vocational education in agriculture should be administered by those in charge of the vocational schools of the State.
2 Any work participated in by the teacher of vocational agriculture not included in all-day, day unit, evening or part-time instruction, should be done in accordance with the plans of the extension system for the State and in cooperation with the agent who is in charge of the extension work in the county. However, it is recognized that the agricultural teacher must respond to occasional calls for individual help on the part of farmers within the patronage area of his school, but this type of activity which is not systematic instruction should not be sought and should represent but a small and incidental part of his job. It is further recognized that all general community activities of an agricultural nature dealing with persons not enrolled in vocational agricultural classes are in the field of extension work and should be done in cooperation with the agent who is in charge of extension work in the county. Teachers of vocational agriculture or representatives of vocational agricultural work should be invited to participate in all meetings conducted by the extension service for the formulation of county and State agricultural programs.
3. In counties having vocational agricultural departments or schools it is recommended that the cooperative agricultural extension service do not enroll students of vocational agriculture for 4-H Club Work.
DISCUSSION
An elucidation of some of the matters touched upon in foregoing statements may be helpful in facilitating a clear understanding and harmonious adjustment of the two lines of work within the States.
EXTENSION WORK
The term "extension" work shall be understood to include, aside from special duties assigned by State laws in the several States, cooperative agricultural extension, as defined and provided for in the Smith-Lever Act of May 8, 1914, accepted by the legislatures in the several States. The law provides that such extension work "shall consist of the giving of instruction and practical demonstrations in agriculture and home economics to persons not attending or resident at said colleges in the several communities and imparting to such persons useful and practical information on said subjects through field demonstrations, publications, and otherwise, and to encourage the application of the same."
Methods or Types of Extension Teaching
Extension teaching is, as a rule, conducted by means of cooperative projects with local agencies or groups. These projects are agreed upon between local members of the farmers' organizations and the representatives of the extension service. They are then carried into effect, usually by the following methods:
(a) Cooperative demonstrations given in fields and barns and other appropriate places.
(b) Lectures and addresses before public meetings, including community meetings, meetings of general groups, and meetings of special groups.
(c) Extension schools, in which instruction in subject matter of immediate practical interest is given over a period usually from three to five days in length, and not exceeding two weeks, in the localities where the students reside.
(d) Exhibits at fairs, expositions, and other local and state-wide meetings, at which subject matter is graphically presented.
(e) Supplying technical subject matter through bulletins, leaflets, special memoranda, outlines, and other means.
(f) Junior extension, or boys' and girls' 4-H club work.
(g) Aid in meeting special problems of individual farmers.
(h) Conference with county officers and representatives to arrange. organize and supervise demonstration and other work.
(i) Assisting farmers with their marketing and other economic problems.
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Vocational Education act makes provision for courses of systematic instruction in agriculture, carried on in schools or classes for those who have entered upon or who are preparing to enter upon the work of the farm or of the farm home.
By systematic instruction is meant instruction in regular organized classes which meet at reasonably frequent intervals, at given centers, to pursue a consecutive series of lessons involving lectures, laboratory work, conference discussions on farm problems, occasional field trips and at least six months' directed or supervised practice correlated with the instruction. 1/Systematic instruction should specifically exclude general farmers' meetings, farmers' institutes, and extension classes of less than two weeks' duration.
In order to carry out the intent of the Vocational Education Act, there have developed and are now under way in the States, four types of vocational instruction:
(1) The-All-Day School. - These are schools composed of pupils who are pursuing; their education in regular public schools, who do at least six months' of directed or supervised practice in agriculture, and who are receiving not less than 90 minutes of actual instruction in agriculture per day.
(2) The-Day-Unit-School. - These are schools in which pupils, pursuing the usual public school course, take a minimum of 90 minutes a week in some short-unit course of instruction in technical agriculture and who do at least six months' directed or supervised practice in agriculture.
(3) The-Part-Time-School. - These are schools for persons who are not yet established in farming and who return to school and pursue short-unit courses in technical agriculture and in subjects which improve their civic and vocational intelligence, and who do at least six months' directed or supervised practice in agriculture.
(4) The-Evening School. - These are schools in which persons over 16 years of age, who have entered upon work of the farm, are definitely enrolled for short-unit courses of not less than 10 lessons on one farm enterprise which will supplement their daily employment or will later lead to promotion and advancement in that work, and who do at least six months directed or supervised practice in agriculture.
BASES FOR AGREEMENTS IN RELATED FIELDS OF WORK
It is recognized that the functions, obligations, and responsibilities of the parties to this memorandum of understanding are closely related in the fields of --
(1) Boys' and girls' 4-H club work and the directed or supervised practice of students in vocational agriculture.
(2) Part-time and evening classes in vocational agriculture and the agricultural extension work of the college.
This memorandum presents a basis for differentiation of the functions of the respective agencies in these closely related activities. The work of these related fields should be made a matter of cooperative agreement in the several States. Such cooperative agreements should recognize the following facts and principles:
(1) It is clearly recognized and affirmed that the college of agriculture is the logical source of information in the State in technical subject matter in agriculture. If the college is unable to furnish technical specialists on request of State or local boards for vocational education these boards may employ special teachers to conduct regular all-day, day-unit, part-time, or evening classes in agriculture. Such employment may include as part-time or evening school teachers practical farmers, who have demonstrated clearly that they have outstanding ability in soma particular phase of agriculture, and whose judgment and opinions are universally respected. All instruction given by such teachers must be supplemented by at least six months' of directed or supervised practice.
(2) In most cases, it is undesirable for Smith-Hughes teachers to act as local leaders of 4-H club work.
(3) Extension forces, particularly those engaged in 4-H Club work, may well encourage boys and girls of suitable age to take the Smith-Hughes vocational training as good preparation for later becoming 4-H Club leaders and leaders of extension projects with adults.
Cooperation should be the watchword in all Smith-Hughes and Smith-Lever relationships. This means going beyond the letter of the law and doing what one is not obligated to do. Both these laws were instituted in the interests of all the people. Each group, while attending to its own task first, should lose no opportunity to promote, in all practical ways, the work of the other. With this spirit animating both forces good feeling is likely to prevail everywhere and the maximum accomplished in both lines of work.
It is recommended, therefore, that a committee representing the Association of Land-Grant Colleges and Universities, and one representing the National Association Directors of State Directors of Vocational Education, be called to convene in joint conference annually or as often as may be necessary by the administrative officers of the Federal Smith-Hughes and Smith-Lever organizations. It is further recommended that similar committees be appointed in every State to meet from time to time as may be necessary to promote mutual understanding. Such conferences between administrative groups would seem to be the normal way most effectively to meet the situation.
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I/NOTE; Interpretation of directed or supervised practice, "The term 'practice' implies the performing of the activities, operative or managerial or both, of the jobs taught a sufficient number of times to enable the pupil to reach a certain standard of proficiency. This interpretation should, of course, accord with the objectives set up by the instructor and the pupil. It allows for the training of the operator, the training of the manager or, as will be found in most cases, the training for both management and operation resulting from a well-organized farm practice program.
"DIRECTED PRACTICE is that practice which is done under specific direction of the supervisor. It implies the giving of definite directions by the supervisor and the carrying out of such directions by the pupil. Directed practice more commonly deals with operative training and is a common form of practice by vocational pupils on school farms.
"SUPERVISED PRACTICE is that practice performed by the pupil more largely on his own responsibility and over which the supervisor exerts an influence and power of approval. It implies the working out of plans and the carrying out of such plans by the pupil under the general guidance of the supervisor. Supervised practice deals with both managerial and operative training and is a common form of practice by vocational pupils on home farms." (Bulletin No. 112, pp. 4 and 5, Federal Board for Vocational Education).
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SIGNED:
U. S. Department Agriculture:
C. W. Warburton, Director of Extension.
C. B. Smith, Chief, Office of Cooperative Extension Work.
Federal Board for Vocational Education:
J. C. Wright, Director.
C. H. Lane, Chief, Agricultural Education Service.
APPROVED:
W. M. Jardine
Secretary, U. S. Department of Agriculture.
APPROVED:
Jas. J. Davis
Chairman, Federal Board for Vocational Education
Washington, D. C.,
Dec. 20, 1928.