In what year was the Smith Hughes National Vocational Education Act passed, contributing to agricultural education?

The Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act was passed in 1917, marking a significant milestone in the support of agricultural education in the United States. This legislation aimed to promote and fund vocational education, including agricultural training, at the state level. It established a framework for federal funding to support vocational programs, ensuring that students could receive practical training that was directly applicable to careers in agriculture and other fields.

The act was vital for the development of formal agricultural education programs, leading to the establishment of vocational agricultural courses in high schools across the nation. This legislation laid the groundwork for the future growth of organizations such as the Future Farmers of America (FFA), which focuses on developing leadership, career, and technical skills among students in agricultural education. The passage of the Smith-Hughes Act marked a turning point, emphasizing the importance of vocational training, particularly in the agricultural sector, which was essential for the economy during that period.