Cal State Polytechnic College - El Rodeo Yearbook (San Luis Obispo, CA)

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 DIVISION OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION The objective of the agricultura! courses is to prepare the student to enter a farming vocation, either as owner, manager or foreman, or as a skillful agricultural worker. The keynote of the method of instruction em- ployed is the opportunity for the student to work with the livestock, poul- try or agricultural enterprises in which he is interested, carrying it thru the entire cycle of purchase, production and marketing, under conditions similar to those which would be met in actual farm operations. The class instruction in the lower division course deals with the rela- tive importance of major farming enterprises. It provides study in selec- tion and management of livestock, poultry, fruit and field crops. Regular class time is devoted to supervised instruction and practice in doing the common farm jobs involved in carrying on these enterprises. Additional practical experience is gained by pupils who find part-time employment with the general farm work, the herds and flocks, the poultry unit, and the management of the fruit and field crops. This course deals with beef and dariv cattle, sheep, hogs, horses, poultry, related field crops and horticul- ture. The instruction in the upper division is given on three levels, namely: (1) course based on projects; (2) course based on advanced supervised practice; and (3) instruction based on supervised commercial farm practice. 1. Courses based on projects: The instruction is based on the study required and the experience gained in planning, carrying on and analyzing the student-owned individual projects. The student will normally carry one or more major projects with additional minor projects in related en- terprises. 2. Courses based on advanced supervised practice: After a successful completion of the project courses the student will be given an opportunity to carry on an advanced supervised practice program based on production, management and marketing of the livestock and products from the school units now in operation. Students are assigned to farm units according to their major interest and keep accurate records of the transactions involved. 3. Supervised commercial farm practice: As a final check on the abil- ity of the student to successfully carry on farming under typical California conditions, arrangements are being completed to provide opportunity for students to work under supervision on a typical commercial meat animal, dairying, poultry, field crops or horticultural farm. Satisfactory completion of this supervised work as evidenced by the recommendation of the farm owner or manager is helpful in placing students upon completion of their instruction. Related subjects including agricultural mechanics, farm business management, farm English and agricultural science are given. Insofar as possible the content of related subjects is based directly on subject matter supplied by the major course in which the student is enrolled. The agricultural mechanics course is designed to fit the prospective farmer to economically care for and operate the machinery on the typical California farm. To do this, students carry on construction projects as well as farm machinery repair work on a large scale.

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MEAT ANIMALS DEPARTMENT Instruction in the Meat Animals department has been designed to fit the individual needs and problems of the prospective meat producer. Instruction in the feeding, care and management of the meat breeds is given in the class room and actual practice is gained from the student- owned project animals. Each boy is allowed to choose the type of project he wishes to conduct; whether it be fattening feeders for the market or the management of breeding stock in sheep, swine or cattle. Some of the meat produced by the projects is butchered and sold at the cafeteria by the students, but the majority of the produce is sold on the open market at San Francisco and Los Angeles, where, because of its reputation, Poly stock always tops the market. An intensive study of the opportunities for meat production in Cali- fornia is made. The locations most fitted for the production of meat ani- mals in California and the various feeds and climatic conditions are care- fully considered. The Poly herd records and registrations of the Hereford and Short- horn cattle, Duroc-Jersey and Poland-China hogs, and Rambouillet, South- down and Hampshire sheep are managed by the classes. Following the third year of work, and as modern California farms are available, the student is placed to complete his fourth year or the “Super- vised Commercial Farm Practice” year. An enviable record has been established by this department in the various livestock shows. Some of the outstanding winners of the 1932-33 season were: F. F. A. champion steer at Sacramento, F. F. A. champion steer and reserve grand champion of the Junior Livestock Show at San Francisco, champion Shorthorn at the same show, champion Shorthorn in the open class at the Great Western Livestock Show in Los Angeles; cham- pion Angus steer and grand champion pen of lambs at the spring show at South San Francisco. Although they did not win championships, many other project animals won prize money. The total amount of prize money won at these three shows amounted to $800, an average of $33 per student. Sales of student-owned stock total $9000. These pictures are for the school year of 1932-33. Many entries were made by the department in the First Annual Poly Royal Agricultural Show, held March 31. D. T. Batchelder, manager of the Rosemary Farms, was the judge of all livestock. The judging was based on the ability of the showman to fit and show his animals, rather than on the excellence of the animal, to give every stu- dent an equal chance. Because of this fact, each animal was judged twice, at the beginning of the fitting period and on the day of the show. Blue Boy, the reserve national champion Hampshire boar owned by the state associ- ation of Future Farmers and cared for by the local chapter, was exhibited but did not compete. Following the Poly Royal, many of the project animals were entered in the South San Francisco Junior livestock show held April 10-13.