Letter: Honoring our ag instructors

Posted 6/2/21

To The Editor,

A story in Baxter Black’s column (On the Edge of Common Sense) “Here By The Owl,” caught my attention as to who had the greatest impact on my life.

For me …

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Letter: Honoring our ag instructors

Posted

To The Editor,

A story in Baxter Black’s column (On the Edge of Common Sense) “Here By The Owl,” caught my attention as to who had the greatest impact on my life.

For me it was my dad, Uncle Otto, Rev. Prietz and Raymond Barnhart. Mr. Barnhart (“Barney,” as we called him when he was not present) was my Vo Ag teacher in 1948 and 1949.

It had to be difficult to teach 14-year-old boys (it was only boys in those times). We had projects including sow and litter, sheep, show steers and some grew corn or wheat, which provided hands-on experience. He taught us that dirt is what is under your finger nails and soil is what grows food and fiber. We learned how to build a tool box, a hog house. How to weld and repair and build machinery, how to castrate a lamb, how to identify different cuts in a steer carcass, different kinds of plants and soil types.

Mr. Barnhart was always well dressed and enjoyed smoking his briarwood pipe (not in class). He was an example of honesty and integrity. He was not concerned about politics as Democrats and Republicans worked together for the good of America.

Hats off to all Vo Ag teachers. You are in a position to shape the lives of young people. It is no small responsibility, training them to enter an occupation or to continue their education in the agriculture field, the largest industry in the world.

Alvin Brandt
Warrenton
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