

Albert Wegnes' Farm Cadet Essay, World War I, ca. 1918
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B3_F053_Wegnes
Description
In 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote an account of their time spent as a Farm Cadet.
This is a Farm Cadet essay written by Albert Wegnes of Rochester, NY that talks about how he initially thought that “any man with a little experience and who was not afraid of work” could run a farm until he began his four month long tenure as a cadet and realized how wrong he was.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives & History. Administrative records & manuals relating to military training enrollments & the Farm Cadets, 1917-1921. NYS Military Training Commission. Series A3112-77, Box 3, Folder 53.





Charlotte Avery's Farm Cadet Essay, World War I, ca.1918
Identifier
New York State Archives, NYSA_A3112-77_B3_F088_Avery
Description
Farm Cadet essay by Charlotte Avery of Syracuse, New York, World War I, 1918.



Donald Jamieson's Farm Cadet Essay, World War I, ca. 1918
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B3_F088_Jamieson
Description
In 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote an account of their time spent as a Farm Cadet.
In this essay entitled, “How I Spent My Summer,” Donald Jamieson tells of his time working as a Farm Cadet.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives & History. Administrative records & manuals relating to military training enrollments & the Farm Cadets, 1917-1921. NYS Military Training Commission. Series A3112-77, Box 3, Folder 88.


Dorothy Gould's Farm Cadet Essay, World War I
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B2_F020_Gould
Description
In 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote essays about their experience.
In her essay, Dorothy talks about working on her father's farm.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives & History. Administrative records & manuals relating to military training enrollments & the Farm Cadets, 1917-1921. NYS Military Training Commission. Series A3112-77, Box 2, Folder 20.





Elsie Blum's Farm Cadet Essay, World War I, September 12, 1918
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B3_F088_Blum
Description
In 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote an account of their time spent as a Farm Cadet.
In this essay entitled, “Farm Cadet Work,” Elsie Blum talks about her experience working with her father and about her initial hesitance to leave school for farm work.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives & History. Administrative records & manuals relating to military training enrollments & the Farm Cadets, 1917-1921. NYS Military Training Commission. Series A3112-77, Box 3, Folder 88.
Farmer Friend, Ontario County Emergency Farm Labor Application, World War I, ca. 1917
Identifier
NYSA_A0226-78_B3_F3_FarmLabor
Description
A form for farmers in the Canandaigua area to fill out for labor assistance.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives and History. Food Supply Commission. Scrapbook, 1917-1918. Series A0226-78, Box 3, Folder 3.




Francis Paretta's Farm Cadet Essay, World War I, September 10, 1918
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B2_F082_Paretta
Description
In 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote an account of their time spent as a Farm Cadet.
In this essay, Francis Paretta talks about his experience tending to tomato plants, picking fruit, hoeing and weeding.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives & History. Administrative records & manuals relating to military training enrollments & the Farm Cadets, 1917-1921. NYS Military Training Commission. Series A3112-77, Box 2, Folder 82.


George Baker's Farm Cadet Essay, World War I, December 10th, 1918
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B2_F020_Baker
Description
In 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote essays about their experience.
In his essay, George Baker discusses his service work and talks about planting and fertilizing.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives & History. Administrative records & manuals relating to military training enrollments & the Farm Cadets, 1917-1921. NYS Military Training Commission. Series A3112-77, Box 2, Folder 20.
Governor Whitman's Proclamation about the New York State Boys Working Reserve, March 14, 1918
Identifier
New York State Archives, NYSA_13035-79_B2_1918_37
Description
Governor Charles S. Whitman's Proclamation calling for boys to join the New York State Boys Working Reserve (Farm Cadet Program) to assist the war effort by working on farms to keep production levels high while adult men are away fighting in World War I, March 14, 1918.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Dept. of State. Bureau of Miscellaneous Records. Proclamations by the governor, 1893-2002. Series 13035-79, Box 2, 1918.
"Keep Old Glory Waving" Palladium Times, Oswego, June 26, 1918
Identifier
NYSA_A0226-78_B3_F2_PublicDuty
Description
A newspaper cartoon issued by the New York State Food Commission, showing workers doing their "public duty".
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives and History. Food Supply Commission. Scrapbook, 1917-1918. Series A0226-78, Box 3, Folder 2.



Lulu Wagar, Farm Cadet Essay, World War I, ca. 1918
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B4_F029_Wagar
Description
n 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote an account of their time spent as a Farm Cadet.
In this essay entitled, "Report on Cadet Service," Lulu Wagar talks about her experience as a “farmerette” and how successful and capable girls are at doing farm work.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives & History. Administrative records & manuals relating to military training enrollments & the Farm Cadets, 1917-1921. NYS Military Training Commission. Series A3112-77, Box 4, Folder 29.







New York State Boys' Working Reserve Pamphlet
Identifier
NYSA_A0226-78_B2_F5_BoysReserve
Description
A pamphlet about the Boys' Reserve work program, used as a way of recruiting males between the ages of 16-21 to work on farms and issued by the NYS Food Commission.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Food Supply Commission. Scrapbook, 1917-1918. Series A0226-78, Box 2, Folder 5.
New York State Food Supply Commission Poster, May 8, 1917
Identifier
NYSA_A3167-78A_B5_WWICommittee_PatriotismThroughEducation
Description
A food supply poster, released by the New York State Food Supply Commission for Patriotic Agricultural Service, that has a brief section on the Farm Cadets.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives and History. Historical research working files, 1795-1945. Series A3167-78A, Box 5.
Patriotic Emergency Farm Labor Enrollment Card, 1918
Identifier
New York State Archives, NYSA_A0226-78_B2_F3_FoodCard
Description
A Patriotic Emergency Farm Labor Enrollment Card was to be completed by students interested in enrolling in the Farm Cadet Program. The cards were issued by the New York State Food Commission during World War I, February 7, 1918.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Food Supply Commission. Scrapbook, 1917-1918. Series A0226-78, Box 2, Folder 3.


Peter C. Kelly's Farm Cadet Essay, World War I
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B2_F020_Kelly
Description
In 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote essays about their experience.
In this essay, Peter Kelly writes about his average work day during his time as a Farm Cadet.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives & History. Administrative records & manuals relating to military training enrollments & the Farm Cadets, 1917-1921. NYS Military Training Commission. Series A3112-77, Box 2, Folder 20.



Ruth Shaw, Farm Cadet Essay, World War I, Cortland High School, ca. 1918
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B1_F098_Cortland
Description
In 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote an account of their time spent as a Farm Cadet.
In this essay entitled “Cadet Service,” Ruth Shaw talks about working with her father on his eighty-five acre farm.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives & History. Administrative records & manuals relating to military training enrollments & the Farm Cadets, 1917-1921 NYS. Military Training Commission. Series A3112-77, Box 1, Folder 98.
"Wake Up Men of Canandaigua!" Broadside, World War I, ca. 1917
Identifier
NYSA_A0226-78_B3_B3_Canandaigua_FarmLabor
Description
A poster created by the Canandaigua Patriotic Emergency Farm Labor Committee calling for men to volunteer their labor for farmers in need of assistance.
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Archives and History. Food Supply Commission. Scrapbook, 1917-1918. Series A0226-78, Box 3, Folder 3.




"What the Education Department has Undertaken," Farm Cadet Program, Agriculture and Training, World War I, ca. 1917
Identifier
New York State Archives, NYSA_A0412-78_B33_F10a
Description
Document describing measures enacted by the New York State Education Department during World War I concerning the Farm Cadet program, agriculture, and military training, c. 1917.



William Sogg's Farm Cadet Essay, World War I, 1918
Identifier
NYSA_A3112-77_B3_F088_Sogg
Description
In 1917, the New York State Education Department began a program that allowed students between the ages of 16 and 18 in good academic standing to sign up and become Farm Cadets. Many teens jumped at the chance to become a Farm Cadet, and to leave their homes in the cities and towns and to assist with the war effort by replacing the laborers who had enlisted in the military and gone to fight overseas. From April-September, students worked on farms throughout the state and, in order to receive academic credit for their contribution, wrote an account of their time spent as a Farm Cadet.
In this essay, William Sogg talks about the time he spent as a cadet, working on a farm in Marcellus, New York.