As the Sarah Palin fascination pushes on in our election-saturated media, we have to remember there were so many other ladies out there who came before her.  So many women down through the years organized and rallied for the rights which women enjoy in our country today.

If you ponder all the male-dominated organizations that had to adjust to women members, it’s staggering. One such organization was the FFA. “Back in the day” it was the Future Farmers of America and the farmers were the sons who were expected to come back to the farm – the daughters were not even given a second thought.
But today we have thousands of women who farm on their own or who are in charge of farming operations. In fact, just recently the International Forum for Women in Dairying met in Madison, Wis., to network, learn about their industry and listen to speakers present topics on everything from media relations to technology on the farm.

Recently I was sent an e-mail from a man who witnessed firsthand the admission of women in FFA and has an interesting perspective. So, let’s open the mailbag …

Hi Melissa,
I really enjoyed your recent “Truth from the Trenches” about lipstick. I have to share a story about the strength of the females. When I was a junior in high school (1958), my agriculture teacher and FFA advisor coaxed me into writing and presenting a speech on “Why Girls Should Not Be Allowed Into Vocational Agriculture.”

I took the challenge and wrote and memorized an eight-minute speech on this subject. You have to understand at that time no females were allowed to join Vo-Ag and FFA. About this time, ‘57-‘58, the males were making a push to enroll into Home Economics and the gender gap was being pushed to the limit.

Wow, was I ever surprised with my speech, “Why Girls Should Not Be Allowed to Join Vocational Agriculture and FFA.” I won the County and District FFA Public Speaking Contest and earned the privilege to compete at the State Contest. I was on a roll!

At the State FFA Public Speaking Contest in the spring of 1958, I placed second and received a trophy. This was great!

What a DUMB thing to do; and I always questioned, just how smart were the public speaking judges.

As I look and think back over the past 50 years, where would the agriculture education and FFA be if it were not for the ladies? The FFA and agriculture programs across the nation would be extinct if it were not for the girls.

The National FFA just announced that there are 507,400 FFA members and 7,480 FFA Chapters that are active in the U.S.A. The largest membership in the history of the FFA and agriculture education programs is now on record.

Great work, gals! It takes all of us to make good and prosperous things happen. It is very rewarding to see FFA boys and girls work together and achieve success.

My conclusion is: Keep the lipstick coming, and young ladies take note, work hard, keep high morals, build integrity and use sound work ethics and we’ll all prosper and build a strong nation. I support leadership from the ladies as well as the gentlemen.

Remember, it takes a lifetime to build integrity, high morals and good work ethics, but it only takes a stupid three-second decision to destroy it all. Lipstick is great, and men need to get used to it.
-Duane Knisely, FFA Old Geezer

Readers with questions or comments for Melissa Hart may write to her in care of this publication.