RAINES NAMED TO PENDLETON FARMERS SOCIETY
CLEMSON, SC…Fred Raines, Agricultural Education Teacher at Abbeville High School, was installed as a member of the prestigious and historic Pendleton Farmers Society on April 20, according to John W. Parris, state director of public affairs for Agricultural Education in South Carolina. He was nominated for membership by Blake Berry, a senior at Clemson University majoring in Agricultural Education and a member of the Society.
Organized in 1815, the Society meets at the Farmers Hall constructed in 1828 on the square in Pendleton and is the oldest farmers' hall in continuous use in the nation. It was in this Hall that Thomas Green Clemson, a former president of the Society, first discussed plans for establishing a land grant institution which became Clemson University.
“Mr. Raines is most deserving of this distinguished honor because of his superb career as an agricultural educator,” Parris said. “He will be a valuable member of the 191 year-old agricultural society,” he added.
A graduate of Abbeville High School, Raines was awarded the prestigious American FFA Degree in 1971 and received his BS Degree in Animal Science from Morehead State University in 1973. He has received a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Education at Clemson University and completed 30 hours of additional graduate credit above the requirements for the MS Degree. In 2001, Raines was one of the first Agricultural Education teachers in South Carolina to become National Board Certified.
Raines, who first taught Agricultural Education at Calhoun Falls High School for five years, is in his twentieth year at Abbeville High School. During this time, he has coached seven first or second place state FFA Land Treatment and Soils Identification teams who have advanced to the National Finals. He has also coached a number of state champion FFA teams or individuals in Dairy Foods, Parliamentary Procedure, Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Creed Speaking. Raines has guided five of his students to become state FFA officers of which two served as state president.
A widely known and respected agricultural educator, successful farmer and conservation district commissioner, Raines is recipient of the Outstanding Agriculture Leadership Award from the Abbeville Lions Club.