by George J Elbaum

Norfolk County Agricultural High School is a public high school with enrollment of 550 students from Norfolk County and many out-of-county towns.  The school is situated on 365 acres in Walpole and offers specialty training to students who are interested in Animal and Marine Science, Plant Science, Environmental Science, and related Mechanical Technology.  Students attend vocational and academic classes every day.  Grade 9 students explore all programs during their Freshman year, Grade 10 students can narrow their interests during their Sophomore year, and Grade 11 students choose their major prior to the beginning of their Junior year, completing major requirements till graduation.  About 80% of students attend a 2 or 4-year college.

The school’s academic studies include English Language Arts, Social Studies, Sciences and Mathematics.  As part of Social Studies, teacher Wendy Harlow (who organized both my 2017 visit and this one) teaches civil rights, Holocaust and Human Behavior, and Genocide in the Modern World.  My talk was attended by the entire Freshman class of 150 who have all read Eli Weisel’s Night and 22 Seniors taking the Genocide in the Modern World elective.  Also attending it were teachers Jessica McGarry and assistant principal Sean Crowley.

My visit was arranged by Judi Bohn, Special Projects Coordinator for Facing History and Ourselves