History Feature: The Living Legacy of Asheville Farm School

Bill Smith awoke to a bugle call at 6 a.m. The sky over Swannanoa was still inky black, and the wind whipped cold. But Smith knew if he didn’t work the fields, he wouldn’t eat. That’s just how it went at the Asheville Farm School for Boys. Founded in 1894 on 420 acres of fertile soil, the school was an attempt by the Women’s Board of Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church to educate boys living in the hills and hollers of Western North Carolina.

According to Jeffrey Keith, a professor of global studies and history at Warren Wilson College (WWC), there was a “great deal” of missionary activity happening across Southern Appalachia in the late 19th century. These missionaries “felt a drive to focus their efforts on underserved communities,” especially the “poor mountain boys” who lacked access to a basic education.

Students at the Farm School learned more than reading and arithmetic. They were also expected to learn about farming practices, including baling hale, rotating crops, milking cows, gutting hogs, and other practical skills. In 1910, students even dammed Bull Creek to supply electricity to campus.

The Farm School evolved over the years. In 1942, it merged with other institutions to become the co-educational Warren H. Wilson Vocational Junior College and Associated Schools, which eventually developed into Warren Wilson College.

Today, Warren Wilson College continues the legacy of the Asheville Farm School, offering a unique approach to education through work, service, and academics.

Warren Wilson College is located at 701 Warren Wilson Road, Swannanoa.