Bio: Perkins, John - Former Ag Teacher Honored (Dinner - 1982)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Perkins, Quast, Drescher, Opelt, Kluckhohn, Kurth, Harder, Seebandt

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 4/29/1982

Perkins, Former Ag Teacher Honored (Dinner - 1982)

Over 150 people filled the multi-purpose room of the Clark County fairground building Saturday, April 24, for a dinner honoring John Perkins, former agricultural education teacher at Neillsville High School. The Future Farmers of America (FFA) Alumni sponsored the event and presented Perkins with a plaque of appreciation.

Perkins, who came to Neillsville in 1929, taught vocational agriculture at Neillsville High School until 1964. His teaching career spanned the decades of some of the most rapid changes in farm life. From the depths of the Depression, through the war years, and into the post-war period, Perkins taught Neillsville students new agricultural methods enabling them to succeed in a rapidly changing environment.

When Perkins first came to Neillsville, the use of horses was common. Tractors came onto the scene through the 1930’s. In addition, most farm homes at that time did not have electricity. Such inventions as the milk machines were still in the distant future. Other changes that occurred during Perkins Teaching career was the use of chemical fertilizers, the development of hybrid corn strains and the increased use of artificial breeding on the farm.

After receiving his plaque, Perkins spoke for several minutes and reminisced about his life in Neillsville. He recounted how, as a young graduate of the UW-Madison college of agriculture, he came to Neillsville by train in the summer of 1929. “I arrived at the Neillsville depot,” he said, “And I am sure you all know where that is.”

After an interview with the school board, Perkins received his job and was told he would need a car to visit the families of his students. He purchased “a deluxe Chevrolet” for $685. Gasoline for his auto cost 20 cents a gallon, and the furnished apartment he shared with his wife, Esther, rented for $30 per month, utilities included.

Lest his audience yearn for the good old days, Perkins remined them that he worked for $10 a day. That salary was cut to $8 a day two years later in the depths of the Depression.

Perkins also told the crowd that his relatives thought he was a fool for not taking a better paying job in industry. However, the former agriculture instructor told the audience that the satisfaction gained from the “respect and cooperation of his students” more than made up for any loss in financial rewards.

Richard Quast, a former student of Perkins, served as master of ceremonies and recounted how Perkins earned the respect of his students. “I can think of no man who deserves more respect,” said Quast. “He never had to raise his voice to get your attention,” he noted, recalling his student days. “Usually, I don’t have any problems calling a former teacher by his first name,” added Quast, “but it’s different with Mr. Perkins.”

After dinner, a group of former FFA officers presented a parody of an FFA meeting. Acting as officers were Bob Quast, Sparta, president; Art Drescher, vice-president; Bob Opelt, treasurer; Jack Kluckhohn, secretary; Herbert Kurth, reporter; and Hans Harder, secretary.

Highlights from different years in Perkins’ teaching career were touched on in the brief skit. At one FFA convention, it was told that Perkins pulled up at the hotel and opened the door of his car only have it fall off. The audience also learned that life jackets became mandatory at FFA fishing trips only after Bob Opelt accidentally fell overboard while trying to hoist the anchor. Drescher gave a demonstration of Perkins’ style of free-throw shooting during his years as FFA basketball coach.

Herman Seebandt, a current agriculture instructor at Neillsville High School, presented a slide show which touched on the history of the Neillsville chapter of the FFA.

In expressing his appreciation, Perkins told the crowd that the dinner was a complete surprise to him. The Perkins live in Florida during the winter months which made that job a little easier. However, Perkins noted that “my wife got a lot of phone calls from men” during the planning stages of the event.

After the dinner, many friends of the Perkins took the time to express their arm wishes to the couple.