Agricultural education was recognized as an essential ingredient to the building of this province, and vital steps were taken to develop schools and demonstration farms to meet this need. The Honorable Duncan Marshall, the minister of agriculture in the early 1900s, responded with the creation of Alberta's Demonstration Farms. Vermilion was chosen as one of the sites. In 1911, land was purchased near the community for creating a demonstration farm. From the onset, the demonstration farms were intended as forerunners for agricultural schools. MP Duncan Marshall stated the value of the demonstration farms would be fully realized with the placement of schools on site. A key ingredient in the government decision to create agricultural schools in rural areas was to draw students from the immediate community. The Vermilion demonstration farm was chosen as one of the first sites for a school. With much enthusiasm, the institution opened its doors to students in the fall of 1913 as the Vermilion School of Agriculture. Along with other schools, Vermilion School of Agriculture opened the way for education at the grassroots level and had a profound influence on the people of rural Alberta. From the beginning, the Vermilion School of Agriculture's goal was to create an educational facility to meet the needs of the people, community and society. Lakeland College has remained true to this mission.