SIMPLE THINGS

Julie

Smiley, National FFA Vice President, Western Region

Simple things mean

alotto

me. And when

^I

say "simple,"

I

don't mean worth-

less,

meaningless

items. I

don't mean a substandard place or a

naive,

thoughtless person. But

rather, a

simple

thing, like

a

smile,

a word

of

encouragement, going out

of

the way

to

do the

little

things

that

mean so

much

^to us.

You

see, ^it's

those simple

things,

those

little

things you have done,

that

have made

^this

year so special

for

me.

Oh,

I

know we

all

dream

of

being someone ^great and important, and doing the unusual.

Let's

not

for- get,

however,

that

on the way

to

the important and the unusual,

it's

the simple things

that

count. To achieve your goals

will

require a commitment on your

part to

complete, with

perfection,

the simple things

set

before you

in

everyday

life.

For

^itis

those simple things

that

are the stepping stones

to

your dreams.

Look

at

a

rose.

We see one

of

the most

beautiful

and sought-after

flowers.

Look

a bit closer,

and notice the

velvet petals,

thesharp,

prickly

thorns and the strong stem. How wonderfully

itallfits

together

to

form such

intricate

beauty.

Yet, if

we look beyond the outer covering, the

part of

the flower we

notice,

and look

to

the chlorophyll and process beneath, we

realizethat

water, sunlight and

air

cause the chloro-

phyll to

work. We have the process called photo- synthesis,

better

known as

life.

Three very simple, taken-for-granted elements — water, sunlight and

air

—

vital,

necessary, and

life-givingto

the finished product

of this rose.

The process

of

photosynthesis and

lite

goes on

daily,

unnoticed by eyes.

Yet,

how could we

^live

without water, sunlight and

air?

It'scalled

teamwork.

All

the elements working together,

in

harmony,

to

produce the end product. Just as water,

sunlight,

and

air

are the

lite-giving

elements

for this rose,

you are the

life-giving

force

of

the FFA. You make the FFA work.

^I

have seen

life-giving activities

happen

for

the FFA: record keeping on

that project;

preparing the meeting room

for

the monthly chapter meeting; practicing

^that

Creed

ⁱⁿ front of

the mirror

at

home; writing

articles for

the

local

paper; and, FFA members, the simple things you know need

to

be done

in

your own chapter, day

in

and day

out. It's

these simple things

that

have made the FFA what

itis.

and has been

for

50

years.

The simple things you do not only help the people around you, but open the doors

for

the next steps

to

your bigger

responsibilities.

Just

a

year ago

a

young man from the Gilbert FFA Chapter

in

Arizona, brightened

a

day

for

me by sharing

his

guitar and song. A small

thing,

you

say,

but Glenn Morrison has brightened the

livesof

many members

ⁱⁿ

the Arizona Association. He has

offered

the simple

giftof

music and

laughter,

and today serves as

their

State FFA

President.

Even though the things you do seem

^small, insignificant

and simple, keep

in

mind

that

they are your stepping stones. There

is

no

activity,

no contribution too small

for

your FFA

Simple things never compromise. You have dreams,

goals,

plans

for

your career

in

the FFA, and

for

your

life.

The simple things you do

forothers,

and

for yourself, will

never make you compromise an exciting

future,

but

rather, will

prepare the way,

just

as preparing a

solid

foundation prepares the way

for a

permanent

structure. I

would venturetosay

that^if

you stopacharter FFA member and

ask,

you

will find that

the same simple things went on 50 years ago, as do today. FFA members are

still

preparing a

solid

foundation, through improvement

of agriculture;

community service and

pride;

communication through public speaking and working together as a team; and nourishing

a

deep and abiding respect and hope

in

the future

of

agriculture and the future

of

the United States

of

America.

It's

these simple, uncompromising purposes

that

have brought the Future Farmers

of

America through a Depression, World War

^II,conflictsin

Korea and

Viet

Nam, a questioning

of

values, and everything

else that's

taken place

in

the past 50 years.

I

am confident

that

you members, the

lifeblood of

the FFA.

will

never compromise.

Simple things

of

the earth don't

die.

The

living

organism and the

vitalityof agri-

culture

is

nothing more than the simple

act of

planting and caring

for a

seed.

Vocational agriculture and the FFA has a simple purpose —

to

meet the needs

of

students preparing

for

careers and leadership

in all

phases

of

the industry

of

the

earth.

FFA members, a decisive move on your

part for

greater involvement and participation

in

the simple

activities

available

to

you,

will

determine our future as Agriculture's New Generation.

In this

industry

that shall

never

die,

you are the

future.

It's

exciting

to

imagine what

^lies

ahead

for

each

of us. It all

begins with the simple things you choose

to

become a

part of

the simple things you give away

in daily ^life.

And

that

begins now, and your team

is righthere.

You, an uncompro- mising foundation,

shall build for

the 50 years

to

come,

a solid

base

for

the simplest

industry, that tillage of

the

soil, that

simple industry

of

the

earth.

Because you are special

to

me,

I

share these simple thoughts with you.

I

pray

that

Jesus, the simplest Man who walked on the

earth,

would hold you

ⁱⁿ

^{the palm}

of

His nail-pierced hand, and draw you

to

stand by His pierced

side,

and keepyou

insimplicity, until

we meet again.

God bless you

^all,

and thank you so much

for

the simple

things.

Agricultural Career Show

The Agricultural Career Show was established as

a part of

the National FFA Convention

in

1966, adding a new dimension

to

the week-long

activities.

Profes- sional

societies,

trade associations and educational

institutions

provide career materials and counseling

in all

areas

of

agribusiness. During

its

twelve year existence, thousands

of

FFA members and advisors have been able

to

assemble the

latest

information available on career opportunities

in

the broad

fieldof agri-

business and renewable

natural

resources:

In addition,

high school counselors and school administrators become more

familiar

with the industry

of

agriculture through personal contact with the professionals manning the

attractive

career

show

exhibits.

This

year's

Agricultural Career Show was bigger than ever and the addition

of

the

Hall of

States

to

the

exhibit

area made

it better

than

ever.

A

^listof

the Agricultural Career Show

exhibitors,

with

their

addresses,

is

main- tained

at

the National FFA Center, and made available

to

vocational agriculture teachers. These exhibitors make career materials available throughout the

year.

EXHIBITORS

ACTION/Peace

Corps

Ag

Communicators:

AmericanAssociationof Agricultural College Editors

AmericanAgricultural Editors' Association National Agri-Marketing Association National AssociationofFarmBroadcasters AmericanAssociationofNurserymen,Inc.

AmericanFarm Bureau Federation American^FisheriesSociety

AmericanInstituteofBiologicalSciences American

Morgan

HorseAssociation,Inc.,

The

AmericanPhytopathological Society

American

Sheep

Producers Council,Inc.

AmericanSocietyof AgriculturalEngineers AmericanSocietyof

Agronomy

Crop ScienceSocietyofAmerica SoilScienceSocietyofAmerica AmericanSocietyforHorticulturalScience AmericanVeterinary Medical Association Associated Milk Producers,Inc.

Census

ofAgriculture

Central Missouri State University

Consumer

ProductSafety

Commission

Cooperative Extension Service

DivisionofStudent FianancialAid,

USOE Employment

andTraining Administration, U.S.

DepartmentofLabor Entomological SocietyofAmerica Environmental Protection

Agency

Farm andIndustrialEquipmentInstitute Farmers

Home

Administration,

USDA Food

and DrugAdministration

Food and EnergyCouncil,Inc.

Jackson(Minnesota)AreaVocational- TechnicalInstitute

Mid-America NazareneCollege NationalAssociationofAnimalBreeders NationalGrainand FeedAssociation NationalSocietyofLivestockRecords

Associations

NationalVocationalAgriculturalTeachers Association

NationalWeatherService

North CentralKansas AreaVocational- Technical School

OccupationalSafetyandHealth Administration, U.S.DepartmentofLabor

ParkCollege PiattCollege

Production Credit Associationsofthe U.S.

ProfessionalGround's

Management

Society RockhurstCollege

Self-Help

SocietyofAmericanFlorists SocietyofAmericanForesters TarkioCollege

U.S.AirForceEducationalAffairs U.S.

Army

U.S. MarineCorps U.S.Navy

U.S. BeefBreedsCouncil U.S. DepartmentofEnergy WildlifeSociety,

The

YouthforUnderstanding

Committee Reports