Nothing runs pranksters to school like a Deere

Belleville News-Democrat ^ | 5-14-2003 | Carolyn Smith

[Cagey]

O'FALLON - It was next to the last day of school, and some O'Fallon seniors wanted to be wild and crazy, so they drove six tractors to high school Tuesday.

Some were big and others small. The roar from the tractors could be heard before they were visible. And then, there they were -- sitting on the front lawn of O'Fallon Township High School.

Students peered at the tractors and at the "farm boys," as the group who drove the tractors were called.

Some girls yelled at the young men and shouted their support for the cool thing the senior boys did.

"It is the second-to-last day of senior year. We wanted to have some fun. So, we drove tractors to school," said Nicholas Poepping.

Craig Kombrink, Corey Hagarty, Josh Gillum, Andrew Rice and Jason Helldoerfer were among the pranksters. All wore huge grins and talked excitedly about how much fun Tuesday was for them.

When they arrived at school about 7:30 a.m., they said the number of people standing around taking pictures or just looking at them was unbelievable.

The normal five-minute drive to school took 30 minutes on the tractors. And the group went through the Hardee's drive-through near the school before they drove onto the school lot.

Of course, the reaction was the same. "People were laughing at us," Poepping said.

Brad Mersinger drove a 1937 John Deere Model A tractor.

"My dad collects antique tractors," he said.

Seeing the reaction of his classmates and the teachers "was fun," he said.

Mersinger called what he and his friends did "a harmless, good senior prank."

"And the city kids need to learn about the country and farmers. We should have an agriculture class at school or a Future Farmers of America club," Mersinger said.

[Cagey]

Thug!

[xsrdx]

Brad Mersinger drove a 1937 John Deere Model A tractor.

Now that's cool.

Much cooler than filling the Principal's convertible with shaving cream.

[Iowa Granny]

"And the city kids need to learn about the country and farmers. We should have an agriculture class at school or a Future Farmers of America club," Mersinger said.

Young Mr. Mersinger is absolutely correct. They should have Ag classes in their school. If we don't want to eat imported food, we've got to encourage these kids to investigate the possibility of entering Agriculture as a profession.

The members of the FFA drive their tractors to school every year on Ag Day in this community. It's no Prank! It's school sponsored (by the FFA) and they bring the grade school children out to the parking lot to discuss the big tractors, growing food, and let the kids climb on the tractors and sit in the seat up high in the cab.

[Luna]

Bwahahahahahaha!!!

That is so funny. Way to go, boys! Very clever.

[Cagey]

I agree with you and I think most "city" kids are very interested in learning about farming. I posted this because it's just such a contrast to what happened in Illinois recently. You know, that story about the senior girls beating on the juniors.

[Cuttnhorse]

Boy does this make me homesick for my Deere...once you own a tractor you can't imagine living without one.

[Chemist_Geek]

Young Mr. Mersinger is absolutely correct. They should have Ag classes in their school. If we don't want to eat imported food, we've got to encourage these kids to investigate the possibility of entering Agriculture as a profession.

That's right. Too many children (and even adults!) nowadays believe that meat and milk and bread come from plastic...

[MotleyGirl70]

Just about as bad as our senior pranks when I graduated. Shaving cream fights on the last day of school.

These kids need to be put in jail!!!! : )

[Iowa Granny]

I posted this because it's just such a contrast to what happened in Illinois recently

Thank You for the post. I think it's important to remind our FRiends about the wholesomeness in Fly Over country. Quite frankly, I didn't really consider this Tractorcade thing a prank or a stunt. Those kids were just having some fun! Harmless fun!

I REALLY LIKE young people,,, and it's kids like this that make me like 'em.

[TC Rider]

We picked up our English teachers Fiat 850 and put it sideways between the two flag poles with about an inch to spare. She had to beg our help to get it out again.

(She would have been better off if we had torched it or rolled it into the river. Like all 850s it rusted away in another year)

[TheBattman]

What's so unusual about this? There is a longstanding tradtiion at the school in which I teach. The seniors, primarily guys, drive to school their last day of school in the wackiest thing they can think of. - All sorts of tractors make up the majority of transportation, followed by dump trucks, lawn mowers, ATVs (squelched by police in recent years), combines, etc. It gets pretty interesting.

As long as these guys don't present a danger to others or themselves, then I think it's kind of fun.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

We keep chickens on our (small) orchard. I told my boss (who is a city boy) that our chickens give us pink, white, rose-colored, brown and green eggs. He still thinks that I'm putting him on.

[FNU LNU]

Nothing Runs Like a Deere


But Nothing Smells Like a John

[UlmoLordOfWaters]

LOL. I used to have an MGB. That car must've had a bulls-eye that I couldn't see because the guys would love to pick it up and move it around. There were times when I wouldn't have any idea where it'd end up.

[EagleMamaMT]

This makes me long for the good ol' days of my youth when I was a member of FFA. My Ag "brothers" were always dreaming up some harmless prank.

Once, we had a herd of very young show pigs in the FFA shop, waiting to be distributed to those of us who had purchased them. While the teacher was out of class for a few minutes, the Ag boys let the pigs out and drove them up the hall of the school to the principal's office, all the while trying to make it look like they were trying to stop them and herd them back to the Ag shop. The principal was a good guy, and actually got a kick out of it, but he was ordered by the superintendent to give the boys licks. I believe the principal decided one lick apiece was an appropriate punishment. Nowadays, they'd be suspended for the whole semester. Times have changed!