School Farm Withers From Indifference : Education: Costa Mesa High program loses its funding because few students are interested in agriculture.

Marking the passage of an era, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District has decided to drop funding for the 20-acre farm at Costa Mesa High School next school year because of a lack of student interest.

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“I guess kids are not interested in farming anymore,” said Jerilyn Kapus, the teacher who has nearly single-handedly run the farm, fed the animals and watered the crops. “We are an urbanized society now.”

The farm has been a part of the Costa Mesa High campus since 1958, according to school board member Rod MacMillian, who can remember when the farm was originally located at Newport Harbor High School in the 1930s and 1940s.

“I remember when it was mostly chickens and rabbits,” MacMillian said. “There were a lot of kids in the farm program back then. They grew crops, beans (and raised) chickens and rabbits.”

Today, a few head of cattle, horses, sheep and pigs can be seen from Fairview Avenue grazing in the field. But most of the stables and pens are empty and deteriorating.

Because of the $110,000 in annual operating expenses and low student interest, the farm has been on the district’s budgetary chopping block for the past several years but has managed to hold onto its funding. Two years ago, school officials decided that the farm could stay open through the end of this school year only if it was able to produce enough food and plant sales to meet about half of its annual expenses.

But during the 1992-93 school year, no money was returned to the district by the farm program, according to Robert Francy, director of student services. And this year there are only 14 students in the Introduction to Shop class, which emphasizes the skills of farming.

For those reasons, the district Board of Education last week voiced its intention to stop funding the farm.

“The prime interest in Newport-Mesa is not agriculture,” said Francy.

Not one parent or student attending the board meeting spoke in favor of keeping the farm.

School officials said they can remember buying fruit and vegetables from the farm many years ago.

“When I was a young staff member at Costa Mesa High School, I bought eggs and chickens from the farm,” said Francy. “It was wonderful for my family.”

Forrest Werner, a school board member whose four children went to Costa Mesa High School, said that in the late 1960s the farm--like the basketball court or the football field--used to be “a hangout spot” for some students.

“They assumed the whole posture,” Werner said of the agriculture students. “They wore bib overalls and boots and came to school dressed that way. After school they would go over to the farm.”

In those days, students purchased baby farm animals to be raised until the animals reached full size. As that happened, students would keep track of the time and expense of raising their animals before taking them to the county fair or selling them.

“It gave some kids something to attach themselves to,” Werner said. “They took pride in the appearance of their animal. But that does not exist anymore. The idea of a farm and farm animals just doesn’t appeal to kids anymore.”