North Putnam students harvest tradition by restoring old tractor

A fully restored McCormick Farmall tractor from the 1940s currently sits at North Putnam High School. Students enrolled in the agriculture power structure class restored the antique farm implement with assistance from local farmer Jeff Coffman. Coffman provided his time and supplied all the materials needed to restore the tractor, including the classic red paint, which was made in Greencastle.

North Putnam High School students restored a cherry-red, 1946 McCormick Farmall tractor over the course of the 2013--14 school year with a little help from Jeff Coffman.

Coffman is a third-generation Putnam County farmer with a love affair for antique tractors that spawned this project.

Being a farmer, Coffman's workload slows significantly in the winter, affording him the opportunity to donate his time, money and effort into teaching kids how to restore antique tractors, and while this year was the first year of the project, it already has the hallmarks of a tradition-in-the-making.

Attendance for the agriculture class, specializing in power structure, is already at capacity for next year, surpassing the school's projected enrollment figures, thanks largely to the project.

"I want to take the class where I work on the tractor," a number of students have told incoming NPHS Principal Jason Chew.

A classic Allis-Chalmers tractor is lined up for next year and a vintage green John Deere tractor might possibly be in the works the year after that.

With any luck, and no small amount of hard work, the tractor project at NPHS will take on new depths in the coming years as Coffman attempts to enter students in Future Farmers of America competitions.

Coffman also hopes that through the work accomplished with tractor restoration, high school students will learn to use their hands and acquire new skills that can be put to use after graduation.

Coffman gives credit to the students and the students give credit to Coffman.

"They learned quickly, showed me what they can do," Coffman said of the class. "I'm just glad I could help the boys. I really enjoyed it."

The North Putnam chapter of the FFA presented Coffman with an honorary chapter degree on May 21 for his work with the high school.

Overall the restoration has been a labor of love for both parties.

Coffman will store the completed tractors at his farm, located about a mile from the high school, so that the school will not have to worry about proper care and storage.

NPHS will have access to the completed tractors at any time, especially if it wants to wheel them into the front entrance to show them off for various events.