New York State Education Department Division of Agricultural and Industrial Education Enlistment Papers and Reports of the New…

To alleviate a shortage of farm labor caused by mobilization during World War I, the Board of Regents authorized the release of certain high school students (boys and girls) from school in 1917 and 1918 to serve as farm laborers in a program sponsored by the New York State Food Commission. In 1918 the Department allowed school credit for time spent working, required weekly and final reports of all participants, and provided for on site supervision by district superintendents of schools.

The series consists mostly of narrative final reports of participants in the State Boys' Working Reserve, also known as Farm Cadets.

Also included are occasional daily logs of cadets' activities, a few enlistment forms by which high school students joined the cadets, and correspondence by district superintendents transmitting reports to the Department.

The final reports submitted by cadets give: period of service; location of service; number of hours per day worked; general type of work completed; and a statement of the cadets' impressions of the value and usefulness of the work. The occasional daily logs usually describe in detail the type of work and hours spent by a cadet. The enlistment forms included provide a cadet's name, address, height, weight, age, religious preference, prior farming and mechanical experience, a personal reference, location and type of work preference, and signed approval of parent or guardian.

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