Article 1: Education for Agricultural Improvement: Teacher Certification at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas

Texas A&M University has long been known for its engineering and agricultural programs. Only in the last 50 years has its reputation included the preparation of teachers for general education in the public schools of Texas. However, agricultural education has been an integral part of the institution’s mandate since early in the 20th century. In 1912, the College offered Correspondence Course in Agriculture, Short Summer Courses for Farmers, Educational Demonstration Trains, a Local Short Course around the state and cooperated with public school teachers (AMC 1913). However, there was not a degree or certification plan to prepare teachers for the public school. By the late 1920’s this had changed however. The 1928–30 Bulletin of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (Marrs 1931) reports that during the 1929–30 academic year, 78 teachers received teaching certificates as a result of their study at the A&M College of Texas. While only two certificates were for elementary grades, 22 of them were permanent secondary certificates (91). The 1934 Commencement Bulletin from the Agricultural and Mechanical College lists eleven graduates receiving Bachelor of Science degrees in the School of Vocational Training; seven in agricultural education, three in Industrial Education and one in Rural Education (Dugan 1982, 173f).