FFA Chapter Histories

Gettysburg FFA Chapter History

Wessington Springs

Eastern Chapter

Yes, there was an Eastern Chapter of the South Dakota FFA.  Madison, South Dakota had two High Schools. Madison High School, located one block off of west Main Street and a second High School, named Eastern High School. Eastern High was on the General Beadle College campus (now known as Dakota State University).  The campus high school served the purpose of hosting student teachers. The rural students living in the country around Madison attended Beadle, while those students living in the City of Madison attended Madison High School. A vocational agriculture program was offered by Eastern High School. The name was changed to General Beadle High School when the college name was changed to General Beadle State Teachers College. At that time, the FFA Chapter was identified as the Madison-Beadle Chapter. A fire during the 1962-1963 school destroyed Beadle High School. Rather than rebuilding, the two high schools merged into Madison High School. An outgrowth of the school resulted in Agricultural Education classes being offered at the “new” Madison High school.

Canton FFA

The book, Profitable Farm Management was published January 1, 1957 by James E. Hamilton and W.R. Bryant. Mr Bryant was the Ag Teacher at Canton from 1937-1973.  Click here to view the dedication page to him from a 1963 annual.