Craven County Farm Life School in Vanceboro, the first farm life school in the state, is being commemorated with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker.
A ceremony is planned for 4 p.m. Thursday to dedicate the marker, located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 17 and Farm Life Avenue in Vanceboro.
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The North Carolina General Assembly in 1911 authorized an appropriation to build farm life schools, which were required to offer a standard high school education in addition to classes and practical experience in vocational agriculture and home economics, according to the state.
If a local governmental unit provided facilities, including dormitories for boys and girls, for $25,000 and then pledged $2,500 for operating expenses each year, the state would match the latter amount. By 1916, 21 farm life schools were in operation, with the first being the Vanceboro facility that opened Nov. 4, 1913.
Students within walking or horse-riding distances paid no tuition, but students staying in the dorms paid $12.50 a month. The boys cut wood for fires, and the girls cooked and waited tables. Crop rotation, contour plowing, selection of nutritious foods, and improved homemaking practices were emphasized along with the academic curriculum.
The Highway Historical Marker Program is a collaboration between the state departments of Natural and Cultural Resources and Transportation.
