LONGVIEW -- Perry Mason admits he's kind of tough on his agriculture students.
Mason, who lives in Longview and commutes to Pea Ridge (Ark.) High school each day, holds them accountable for late or missing assignments, he demands respect in the classroom and he sets the bar high when he asks students to think about career selection.
So, when he asked his students to write an essay on, "What has agriculture meant to me?" during his agriculture classes, he was a little stunned.
The effort -- as part of National FFA Week -- brought in some interesting answers.
"It took me by surprise," he said, sitting on the front porch of his house with the setting sun beginning to become a warm pink-orange.
"Everyone said Ag was their favorite course," he said.
Mason is a firm believer in hands-on training. One of the greatest aspects of FFA entails helping students to learn more about mechanics, leadership skills, keeping a journal and public speaking skills.
"Agriculture is unique in that we are not bound by a classroom," he said.
He tries to impart that to his students as they judge livestock or participate in public speaking competition.
He feels extremely fortunate that he has a very supportive principal and superintendent who believe in career-tech education and encourage FFA members to travel to various competitions.
Now in his 27th year at Pea Ridge High School, he feels like he made the right career choice after transitioning from McDonald County High School, where he taught the first five years of his career.
"It seems like home to me," he said.
Opening New Doors
The agriculture program at Pea Ridge High School has two main programs of study: ag power and natural resources. Mason recently was awarded a $24,000 grant and will spend two weeks at the University of Kentucky this summer to learn how to teach the transition program of study: animal science.
The grant will also help fund lab materials and equipment. Mason hopes to have business partners such as the Pea Ridge Veterinary Clinic and Oak View Animal Clinic teach the classroom labs.
At the end of the study, a student could then become a vet apprentice.
Mason is dedicated to helping his students choose a good career path.
"Of course, I try to sell my profession," he said, smiling.
Students begin in eighth grade, listing about six careers in which they are interested. Mason believes that studying those careers -- in addition to having real-time exposure to the work -- helps students realize their areas of talent.
Mason himself floundered for a little while after high school. He grew up on a farm for most of his younger years, living in Stella, Sulphur Springs and Gravette. In fourth grade, his teacher, Miss O'Brian, asked him what he would do in his future career. He said, "Shoot craps and play poker."
By the time he was older, however, it was kind of understood that he might follow in his dad's footsteps as a bricklayer. At the time, he was involved in 4-H in high school and grew to love and appreciate going to fairs and judging livestock.
After graduating from high school, he wasn't finding much luck in the construction business. Interest rates were high and construction was at an all-time low. By that time, he had an old pickup truck and a girlfriend and realized he needed money for insurance and gas. He thought, "There has to be more to life than this."
He didn't want to struggle, so he thought he might get a good paying job working an oil rig. He went to numerous oil companies in Oklahoma but couldn't get a job. Mason thinks they didn't want to hire a skinny boy but were looking for men with strength who could do hard work. About that time, his 4-H teacher suggested that Mason would be a great ag teacher.
"So the redneck from McDonald County went to the University of Arkansas," he said.
A friend, Jerry Douglas, talked to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College about judging livestock. The two went on to win five national contests.
"He taught me everything I need to know about judging livestock," Mason said.
After college, he took his first teaching job at McDonald County High School (in Anderson) and teamed up with John Hobbs, a former county extension agent. They built a very successful program together and, five years later, Mason began to wonder if he could replicate that elsewhere.
He took the Pea Ridge job in the fall of 1990. The following year, the high school had 30 graduating seniors. This year, they will have 150.
During his first year, they only had 13 students in FFA; this year, they have 140.
FFA has the largest youth organization on the campus of Pea Ridge High School, Mason said. That success, he said, is a result of the student-led organization that enables the youth to learn the program and take great ownership.
Seeing students succeed is rewarding. After a couple of years post-graduation, he sometimes loses track of the students' career paths. However, he knows of eight former students who are now ag teachers, some who are doctors and others who have gone into the military.
After 32 years of teaching, Mason is not ready to slow down. He's not tired, so he sees no reason to retire.
His wife has been a family and consumer science teacher for 36 years and is still actively teaching. Their daughter, 34, manages a hotel just south of Joplin and her husband is the technology coordinator at the East Newton High School.
Mason is a little worried about when grandchildren might grace their lives but, other than that, he keeps busy with raising 24 head of cattle, playing golf, predator hunting for coyotes and raising annual grasses.
His Blue Heeler dog, Ivan, keeps him company as he goes about his chores on the 80-acre farm just outside Longview's city limits.
The view from the front porch is amazing. As the sun sets, Mason looks forward to possibly taking on a new challenge should the requested school millage increase pass.
"If we have a new high school, the ag program will be a big part. The animal science program will be unbelievable. It will be the talk of the state.
"I'd kind of like to hang around."
Community on 03/30/2017