William H. Starnes - Agricultural Educator

Passage of the Vocational Education Act in 1917 brought agricultural training to high schools across the nation. Difficult terrain and poor roadways limited its success in southwestern Virginia. Pioneering educator William H. Starnes established a successful framework for the practice of scientific farming in the tri-state region, beginning in 1924. Founder of the Agricultural Department at nearby Thomas Walker High School and the Ewing Chapter of the Future Farmers of America, Starnes traveled extensively to remote farms and gave evening lectures that attracted many farmers from across the region, including parts of Tennessee and Kentucky.