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Plant City High's Longest Serving Teacher Retires

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By PAUL CATALA

Tribune correspondent

Published: September 10, 2008

PLANT CITY - When Ray Clark began teaching agriculture classes at Plant City High, there was one tractor, all the planting records were written longhand and only eight girls took the time to learn farming skills.

By the time Clark retired from the school Aug. 29, he left an agriculture program and FFA with six tractors, computerized records and growth tracking - and 100 future female farmers honing their trades in the field.

Clark, Plant City High's longest-serving teacher at his retirement, said although development has altered Florida's farming, the desire of students to learn the trade keeps growing.

And as far as staff and students are concerned, Clark is one of the reasons for that.

Over 36 years, Clark, 58, brought the Plant City High agriculture and FFA programs into state and national prominence. He molded some of the area's former students - including Dennis Der, owner of Southside Farm Supply in Plant City - into outstanding farmers, ranchers and respected citizens. His students won numerous national awards from FFA, the organization formerly known as Future Farmers of America.

A Plant City native, Clark said he has taught the children of many former students, some of whom have gone on to local prominence. He said that's part of the job satisfaction he has gotten over his years in the classroom and field.

"I'm going to miss the fellowship I had with parents and students. I've really enjoyed all I've done here," said Clark, who worked under seven principals at Plant City.

He was the last teacher who was on staff when Plant City High moved to its current campus off Alexander Street in 1972.

"I'm the last of the originals. They're all gone. I'm the only one left since it started."

A 1967 graduate of Kathleen High in Lakeland, Clark joined Plant City High's faculty shortly after graduating from the University of Florida in 1972. He continued to teach while earning a master's degree from the University of Tampa in 1976, keeping a hand in the sand by tending 100 acres of citrus south of Pinecrest. He has also spent time on his 640-acre, 300-head cattle ranch, helping him bring hands-on expertise into his classroom.

One of the local beneficiaries of Clark's know-how is business owner and Plant City Mayor Rick Lott.

From 1977 to 1979, Lott was president of the Plant City High FFA, and Clark was his adviser. Lott said Clark made learning interesting and fun.

"He was a great leader and was more than a teacher; he was a father figure to a lot of us," Lott said. "I can look throughout our community today, and I'm constantly dealing with people in business or politics, you know, who reflect back to when we had Ray Clark as our ag teacher."

Clark said although the basics of agriculture haven't changed much, the way growing and harvesting is done has. Until the late 1980s, tracking planting and harvesting was plotted with pen and paper. Now, students use the Internet and software. Tractors with air-conditioned cabs and GPS satellite tracking are the norm, a far cry from open-air machines guided by ruts in the dirt.

"They didn't have the technology we have today when I first started. The way you teach agriculture has really changed," he said.

Clark, who was the head of the agriculture department at Plant City High, is the second longtime agriculture educator to retire this year. In June, Jim Jeffries, who was based in Plant City, retired as supervisor of agribusiness instruction for Hillsborough County schools, capping a 39-year career.

Clark's position at Plant City High was filled by Elizabeth Pierce, who taught agriculture education at Turkey Creek Middle for the past two years. Clark stayed on a few days to ensure a smooth transition.

Clark's last students said they'll miss their teacher.

Sara Beth Newsome, 2008-09 Plant City FFA president, said Clark has given her outstanding advice as she prepares to start college.

"We have a really great agriculture program here, and he's the main reason why," she said.

Since stepping off the school tractors for the last time, Clark said he plans to spend more time traveling with his wife, Phyllis, and hunting and fishing on property he owns east of the Green Swamp in Polk County, which he hopes to improve for game and fish management. He also plans to have more free time with his son, Jeremy, daughter Sylvia and three grandchildren - Cody, 10; Maggie, 7; and Kaydee 5.

Clark said it has been a fun run at Plant City High, but he was looking forward to retirement.

"I wanted to thank God I've been blessed working with the school and the community. I've had the chance to work in something I love," he said.

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