How We Began
On August 9, 1940, representatives from each area in Texas met in College Station during the state in-service training meeting. The result of this meeting was the formation of the Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas.
The Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas was established to promote and advance agriculture education in Texas and provide legislative representation to safeguard agriculture education programs. The Association informs agriculture teachers about the latest agricultural education practices, encourages higher standards of teaching agriculture and provides agriculture education a unified voice in the state legislature.
|
Facts, Events & Dates
- On August 9, 1940, the Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas was established.
- The first VATAT membership dues were set from $3-$5 based upon salaries of $1,800 to above $2,400 per year.
- VATAT Tenure Awards were established January 17, 1948.
- March 13, 1965, the Texas Association of Teachers of Vocational Agriculture (TATVA), merged with the VATAT to become one organization.
- The TATVA was organized in 1945 to serve African American agriculture science teachers.
- November 23, 1966, the VATAT office moved out of its rented space and into its new building at 307 East 14th Street in Austin.
- The second VATAT office was built in 1974 on 12th Street.
- In October 2002, the Texas Ag Ed Family moved into rented space at the Farm Credit Bank building, 6210 Hwy. 290 East, Suite 410 in Austin.
- A new facility built at the 12th Street location was completed and opened its doors in November 2003. It is named the Agricultural Education Ford Texas FFA Leadership Center.
- In December 2019, the board of directors voted to remove the word "vocational" from the association name.
- In March 2020, the Association logo was voted upon by the membership and changed to reflect the name change.
- The Association has had eight Executive Directors:
1948-1958, Lewis B. Taylor
1958-1960, John W. Holcomb
1960-1965, Alton D. Ice
1965-1990, Wilbert H. Meischen
1990-2001, Guy Finstad
2002-2011, Gerald Young
2011-2019, Barney McClure
2019-Present, Ray Pieniazek
|
Ford Agricultural Education Texas FFA Leadership Center
The Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas is headquartered at the Ford Agricultural Education Texas FFA Leadership Center two blocks east of the Texas State Capitol at 614 East 12th Street. The building, completed in 2003, was made possible by a gift from Ford Motor Company and Texas Ford Dealers and also houses other Texas Agricultural Education entities—the Texas FFA Foundation, Texas FFA Association and the VATAT Credit Union. You are welcome to visit the Leadership Center when coming to or passing through Austin. The conference room may be available for chapter officer training.
|