Article Index

Please help us preserve 4-H History . . .

… and we’re back! ( 15-Mar-2021 ) - If you thought the 4-H History Preservation newsletter was history, you were wrong! It's ABOUT history, but it, as a newsletter, is alive and well! Dorothy Emerson told us that it is the pause that refreshes, so we paused, got refreshed,… (Read more ... )

“Greatest Jockey” started Out in 4-H ( 16-May-2016 ) - Like many other kids, when Steve Cauthen turned nine years old he joined the local 4-H club. He and his family lived on a small 40-acre horse farm in the small Kentucky town of Walton. His main 4-H project was… (Read more ... )

“Hands-On 4-H History” – Clothing and Fashion ( 24-Nov-2013 ) - Clothing and fashion projects have been a part of practically all of 4-H history. From the early 4-H uniforms for boys and girls to the Fashion revues that are still common today, thousands of 4-H members learned skills in sewing… (Read more ... )

“Map Your 4-H History” Goes Public –
Seeking your input on locations in your county/state ( 23-May-2015 ) - Ever wonder about . . . Where the first 4-H club or camp in your county or state was located? What communities in your state are home to celebrities who were 4-H members? Which 4-H Camps in your state served… (Read more ... )

“Their Fightin’est Indian 4-H Club Called the Most Patriotic Outfit in Oklahoma” ( 09-Aug-2014 ) - A new section on Native America 4-H History has been added to the National 4-H History Preservation website. It is located in the National 4-H History section at: http://4-HHistoryPresevation.com The section includes a number of feature stories out of National… (Read more ... )

“Voices of 4-H History Introduced at NAE4-HA ( 27-Dec-2012 ) - In October, 2012, "Voices of 4-H History" was introduced to those attending the 2012 meeting of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents in Orlando, Florida. Over 1,000 4-H agents, volunteers and program leaders had the opportunity to see a… (Read more ... )

“Voices of 4-H History” Becomes New Competition Category at FilmFest 4-H ( 30-Dec-2012 ) - Young filmmakers from across the country will soon have yet another way to add to the scope of 4-H history, through the new "Voices of 4-H History" competition category at FilmFest 4-H, the national 4-H film festival. Through early 2013,… (Read more ... )

“Voices of 4-H History” Becomes New Competition Category at Filmfest 4-H. ( 22-Dec-2012 ) - Young filmmakers from across the country will soon have yet another way to add to the scope of 4-H history,through the new "Voices of 4-H History" competition category at FilmFest 4-H, the national 4-H film festival. Through late 2012 and… (Read more ... )

“Voices of 4-H History” Opens Doors for Hawaii 4-H ( 22-Feb-2015 ) - In 2014, two Youth-Adult Partnership teams consisting of two teens and one adult participated in the "Voices of 4-H History" project for Hawaii. According to Joan Chong, HI Extension service, the teams from Kona and Maui participated in a basic… (Read more ... )

“Voices of 4-H History” will be a Major Feature of 2015 National 4-H FilmFest ( 03-Mar-2015 ) - This year's FilmFest will take place in St. Louis, Missouri on June 14-17, 2015 at the Hilton Fontenac. For the third year, the National 4-H History Preservation Program is sponsoring the 4-H history category of the competition. For more information… (Read more ... )

“Voices of 4-H History” will be a major Feature of Filmfest 4-H 2014 ( 23-Feb-2014 ) - Missouri is pleased to announce that FilmFest 4-H, the national 4-H film festival, has been GREENLIGHTED for 2014! This year's FilmFest will take place at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac in St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis is home to countless… (Read more ... )

“Yard-long Photos” a Popular 4-H Souvenir ( 19-Apr-2016 ) - Panoramic pictures - commonly called "yard-long" photos - became popular in the early 1900's and were a World War I craze. They were popular through the 1950s and are still being made today. Scenic panoramas were not the best seller.… (Read more ... )

“Ye Olde (4-H) Beauty Shoppe” on Display 85 Years Ago ( 23-Feb-2015 ) - The front cover of the April, 1930, issue of Extension Service Farm News, issued by the Extension Service, A & M College of Texas, features a photo of a 4-H Beauty Shop exhibit at the Fort Worth Fat Stock Show.… (Read more ... )

“Yes, Virginia, National 4-H Congress was Once Held in Chicago” ( 19-Nov-2017 ) - At a recent NAE4-HA conference two 4-H Extension agents were having a discussion. One was overheard posing a question to her colleague, "Did you know a 4-H Congress was once held in Chicago?" For those of us old enough to… (Read more ... )

"Mulligan Stew" Made 4-H Television History ( 21-Aug-2015 ) - (Read more ... )

100 Likes! ( 16-Feb-2016 ) - The 4-H History Preservation Program page on Facebook has just received it's 100th Like! Thanks to all of you out there that like our page and are interested in 4-H history preservation. Don't know what we're talking about? Check us… (Read more ... )

1890 4-H History Initiative Started ( 09-Apr-2014 ) - On Wednesday, March 5, 2014, Dr. Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University, and L. Washington Lyons, Administrator of the 1890 Association, met with staff at the National 4-H Council to review the rich history of the 1890 Land Grant Institutions.One… (Read more ... )

1890 Land-Grant Institutions to Document 4-H Youth Development History ( 26-May-2015 ) - 2015 marks the 125th year of the passage of the Morrell Act of 1890, which established U.S. Congressional authority for the 1890 Land Grant Institutions of Higher Education. Youth development has been an important part of the 1890 mission since… (Read more ... )

1890 Universities Celebrate 125 Years ( 24-Feb-2015 ) - There is a proud history of human development that 1890 institutions will be celebrating during this year’s 125th anniversary of the founding of those colleges and universities created to serve America’s black population. During 2015, many impressive moments and accomplishments… (Read more ... )

1904 World’s Fair Boys’ Corn Pyramid ( 26-Aug-2015 ) - (Read more ... )

1908 Country Life Commission a Key Beginning to Success of Smith-Lever Act ( 12-Oct-2013 ) - The Smith-Lever Act of 1914, establishing the Cooperative Extension Service, celebrates its centennial next year. President Theodore Roosevelt's Country Life Commission, a group of educational leaders who made a thorough study of rural life in 1908 stated that the country… (Read more ... )

1935 History Book by Hinshaw now digitized on 4-H History Website ( 13-Oct-2010 ) - The book, "4-H: A Story" by Kenneth Hinshaw, written in 1935, has been digitized and now apperas in the Book and References section on the 4-H History Preservation website at: http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com The book, which is nearly 300 pages in le... (Read more ... )

1975 National 4-H Calendar Art Given to National 4-H Council ( 17-Dec-2014 ) - Jim Kahler, founding member of the National 4-H History Preservation Leadership Team, recently presented to National 4-H Council an original painting produced for a National 4-H Calendar in 1975. Receiving the gift were Jennifer Sirangelo, Council President and CEO, and… (Read more ... )

2015 Launches National 4-H History Map ( 30-Jan-2015 ) - Every county and state in the country has a "first" or "most famous" 4-H event, person or place to commemorate and this is your opportunity to "Put it on the Map!"For years, 4-H History Team members have been asked "Where… (Read more ... )

2019 Fall Back! ( 01-Nov-2019 ) - Yep. It's that time again. When anyone living somewhere that uses daylight saving time to adjust how life is lived. At 2:00AM on Sunday, November 3, 2019, Daylight Saving Time, or DST, comes to an end here in the United States… (Read more ... )

4-H a ‘Career Starter’ for TV Program Host ( 15-May-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ During a major 4-H push with urban programming in the 1960's, a local television station in Indianapolis - Station… (Read more ... )

4-H Alumni Distinguished Themselves in World War II and Beyond ( 04-Jan-2016 ) - As we celebrate Veterans' Day this month we would like to remember and share short stories about some of the many 4-H alumni that served their country proudly in the Armed Services. The following excerpt comes from "Wartime 4-H Support… (Read more ... )

4-H and 1-Room Country Schools ( 17-Jan-2014 ) - Boys and Girls Club Work (4-H... or, 3-H) was an integral part of the public school system in many counties during the early 1900's. While county school superintendents are credited with starting the 4-H program in many parts of the… (Read more ... )

4-H and PBS in Montana Cooperate on History Project ( 06-Sep-2014 ) - In 2011, Montana 4-H began the process of celebrating its 2012 Centennial. The Montana team developed a Centennial Guide for the counties, including a 4-H Heritage Family program. Each county prepared a Centennial Display documenting their county's 4-H History, and… (Read more ... )

4-H and Radio: Early Days Growing Together ( 11-Feb-2017 ) - When the National Committee on Boys' and Girls' Club Work (now National 4-H Council) was started in late 1921, it basically consisted of a staff of one person - Guy Noble - working at a "desk on loan" in the… (Read more ... )

4-H and Radio: Early Days Growing Up Together ( 30-Sep-2015 ) - When the National Committee on Boys' and Girls' Club Work (now National 4-H Council) was started in late 1921, it basically consisted of a staff of one person - Guy Noble - working at a "desk on loan" in the… (Read more ... )

4-H and Radio: Early Days, Growing Together ( 20-Feb-2014 ) - When the National Committee on Boys' and Girls' Club Work (now National 4-H Council) was started in late 1921, it basically consisted of a staff of one person - Guy Noble - working at a 'desk on loan' in the… (Read more ... )

4-H and the Great Depression of the 1930s ( 24-Apr-2015 ) - Wisconsin State 4-H Band and Chorus in 1939. Learn more about 4-H programs developed to cope with the Great Depression in this new segment. One of the major objectives during the Depression years for the 4-H Extension office of USDA… (Read more ... )

4-H Audio-Visual Directory Now on 4-H History Website ( 10-Apr-2012 ) - The first 4-H films were produced before the 1920s. A new directory on the national 4-H history preservation website lists all types of audio and visual recordings and the 4-H history preservation team is currently in the process of locating… (Read more ... )

4-H Beanie Babies – CLOVER the 4-H Bear (4-H Club Exclusive) ( 31-Jan-2017 ) - In 2004 through 2006, in keeping with the Beanie Babies craze which was sweeping across the collectors' world, Ty Beanie Babies produced "Clover, the 4-H Bear" as a 4-H Exclusive, sold only through the 4-H Mall (not at retail stores)… (Read more ... )

4-H Brand Products from the Farm Highly Promoted a Century Ago ( 02-Aug-2014 ) - Almost from the creation of the term "4-H" -- and before the use of the 4-H emblem -- enterprising young girls and boys were using the term "4-H Brand" as a "stamp of quality" on their home-grown farm products resulting… (Read more ... )

4-H Centenarian is Still Making News ( 08-Apr-2016 ) - You may have seen the Story in USA Today late last month about a 4-H alumna who participated with her students of 57 years ago to tell about the first day they were involved in the integration of the first… (Read more ... )

4-H Club Members in Spokane, Washington Become Radio Pioneers ( 06-May-2016 ) - Club members from the Sunset community, Spokane County, Washington, organized the first radio club in the state with Claude Senge local leader. The Sunset Radio Club was composed of 12 members including Jack Adams, Gordon Brown, Helen Brown, Edward Gassman,… (Read more ... )

4-H Collectors Club Website Goes Live ( 02-Feb-2010 ) - The 4-H Collectors Club website - 4-HCollecting.com - went live on February 1, 2010. As part of the National 4-H History Preservation Program, the 4-H Collectors Club promotes education, research and preservation regarding the history of 4-H through th... (Read more ... )

4-H Council’s Board Visits The White House ( 21-Apr-2016 ) - The annual board meeting of National 4-H Council in 1984 was a special day with multiple highlights. Harold A. Poling, executive vice president, North American Automotive Operations, Ford Motor Company, was elected the new chairman of the board of trustees… (Read more ... )

4-H Electrification Projects: Then and Now ( 01-Mar-2014 ) - Many of us take electricity for granted at home, at work, and at local stores and businesses. But that wasn't the case seventy-five years ago, especially in rural areas. An article in the 1939 National 4-H News invited 4-H members… (Read more ... )

4-H Films Needed for Digitizing ( 22-Dec-2012 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation leadership team has over 100 4-H films currently listed in our A/V Archive on the 4-H History Preservation Website at http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/Media_AV.asp but we have only a very few of these films that ... (Read more ... )

4-H Girls Exhibit at First Woman’s World Fair in 1925 ( 05-Nov-2015 ) - On April 25, 1925, the First Woman's World Fair closed a successful 8-day run at the Furniture Mart on North Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. The fair, which highlighted women's achievements in art, commerce and industry, attracted more than 200,000… (Read more ... )

4-H Hands-on History: 4-H Entrepeneurship ( 28-Aug-2015 ) - Peter Drucker, author and management consultant, once said, "Entrepreneurship is neither a science nor an art. It is a practice." The Uncle Sam's Helping Nieces 4-H Club in Philadelphia, NY, started practicing at a young age by opening a store… (Read more ... )

4-H Hijacking – A Promotion Program ( 21-Jun-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History Website at http://4-HHistory.com/?h=4-H_Promotion Technically, this wasn't a national promotion program, but doing research on 4-H promotion history, the story was featured in… (Read more ... )

4-H History – We Need Your Help ( 17-Apr-2012 ) - 4-H has a rich history - an important history. For those who have worked in Extension or had an affiliation with 4-H in some other way over the years, we need your assistance and your recollections. For those just getting… (Read more ... )

4-H History and Christmas in the Nation’s Capital ( 15-Dec-2013 ) - The National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, which began on Christmas Eve in 1923, is one of America's oldest holiday traditions. At the time, President Calvin Coolidge lit a Christmas tree in front of 3,000 spectators on the ellipse in President's… (Read more ... )

4-H History at 2015 NAE4-HA Conference ( 06-Jan-2016 ) - 4-H History was a prominent part of the exhibit area during the National 4-H Agents' Association meeting last month in Portland, Oregon. Not only were we busy talking with people in our booth but throughout the exhibit hall with invitations… (Read more ... )

4-H History Newsletter
April 2012 ( 12-Apr-2012 ) - The April 2012 4-H History Newsletter is available on the 4-H History Preservation Website - http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com - by "clicking" on the Home and News Section of the menu bar and then on Newsletter. You may also subscribe to the free… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation News Feed Now Available ( 20-Sep-2013 ) - The link information for the 4-H History Preservation News has been added to all pages on the 4-H History Preservation Site at http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com. When you visit one of the pages, your web browser should automatically detect that the feed is… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
April 2016 ( 20-Apr-2016 ) - It's April Already! For some that means sunny spring is well underway; for others it's time for one last snow storm; for still others, it's the proverbial month of showers which bring May flowers. Whichever it is for you climatologically,… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
August 2015 ( 11-Aug-2015 ) - Most Washingtonians (DC types) leave town in August because of the heat, but your 4-H History Team is still here! The sweltering heat is not a deterrent; 4-H continues to build and honor its history! Enjoy this issue. (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
December 2015 ( 14-Dec-2015 ) - Head, Heart, Hands, Health and Holidays! Between November 1 and January 15, there are about 29 holidays observed by seven of the world's major religions. 4-H'ers don't take a holiday, as many of them are busy bringing holiday happiness to… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
February 2016 ( 09-Feb-2016 ) - February is Black History Month and the 15th is Presidents' Day Before 4-H was racially integrated, Extension Youth Development programs for African American youth emanated from the 1890 universities, which celebrated their 125 anniversary last year. North Carolina started 4-H… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
January 2016 ( 13-Jan-2016 ) - Happy New Year! January is traditionally the time to make New Year's resolutions. If you don't want to commit to a year-long struggle to lose weight, or the life-style change required to adopt a pet, or have time to volunteer… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
July 2015 ( 08-Jul-2015 ) - Unusual summer rains didn’t dampen the 4th of July crowd’s spirit on DC’s National Mall! The July 4th fireworks are over in this marvelously independent country and the 4-H summer season is underway. Amid the hard work and… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
June 2015 ( 11-Jun-2015 ) - Summer officially starts in just a few days, typically the busiest season for 4-H. The run-up to summer is just as busy, as you’ll see in this issue. 4-H Travel Travel has long been a key part of the 4-H… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
March 2016 ( 09-Mar-2016 ) - March is Women's History Month In 1978, Sonoma County (CA) Council on Women established a US Women's History Week, tied to March 8, International Women's Day. In 1987 Congress established Women's History Month. Fortunately for 4-H, women and girls make… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
May 2015 ( 14-May-2015 ) - It feels like the summer season of 4-H has already started and it’s only May! FilmFest 4-H 2015 The fifth annual national 4-H film festival – FilmFest 4-H – will be held next month in St. Louis. Read some of… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
November 2015 ( 18-Nov-2015 ) - November is Thanksgiving, Veterans' Day, voting, and Christmas/Holiday Prep. We're all thankful for 4-H and we remember with honor the veterans who helped guarantee our many freedoms, including the freedom to vote (did you?). Christmas/Holiday Prep, well, let's push that… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Newsletter
October 2015 ( 22-Oct-2015 ) - 'Tis the season for pumpkins, goblins, corn mazes and (apparently) pumpkin-spiced lattes. Whether your 4-H Club is in a rural area or in town or city, these long-honored traditions can be a part of your October. Even corn mazes are… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Program January 2011 Newsletter Available ( 12-Jan-2011 ) - http://4-hhistorypreservation.com/HPP_Newsletter/4HHPP_Newsletter_V02_n01_2011-01.pdf (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Website and My Welcome to the World of 4-H ( 31-Aug-2014 ) - Credit: Story by Chad N. Proudfoot, WV State 4-H Staff In the spring of 2012, I was still relatively new to the Extension Service and very new to the world of 4-H as I had originally been hired in Extension’s… (Read more ... )

4-H History Preservation Website Update ( 12-Jan-2011 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation team reports that "our history website - http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com - went live in March of 2010 and continues to grow. The 4-H History Books and References section, starting out with six books listed, now h... (Read more ... )

4-H History Project Comes to Life for Missouri Youth ( 01-Sep-2014 ) - Story and Photo: Linda Geist, University of Missouri Extension; Story Source: Velynda Cameron Fourteen-year-old Michaela Higginbotham of Bolivar expected to learn about the history of Polk County 4-H when she began working on a national 4-H history project. But she… (Read more ... )

4-H History Website has Visitor Counter ( 02-Oct-2011 ) - The 4-H History Preservation website added a visitor counter to the site on September 10, 2011 so now at the bottom of all main pages you can see how many visitors came to the site from each state, as well… (Read more ... )

4-H History Website Visitors ( 20-Sep-2014 ) - Three years ago on September 10, 2011, the National 4-H History Preservation website started using a visitor counter. This counter does not tally up “hits” on the site, but displays the actual number of visitors to the site. Your History… (Read more ... )

4-H Human Formations ( 18-Jan-2016 ) - (Read more ... )

4-H in the Movies ( 11-Apr-2014 ) - The following is from the July, 1960, monthly column, "Washington News and Views," by the federal Extension 4-H staff, which appeared in National 4-H News. This particular column was written by Dr. E. W. Aiton, Director,, 4-H and Young Men… (Read more ... )

4-H is Now Part of National History Day ( 20-Feb-2014 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation Program will be supporting National History Day (NHD) starting in 2014. The 2014 theme is "Rights and Responsibilities." The NHD national contest is June 15-19, 2014 at the University of Maryland in College Park,… (Read more ... )

4-H Makes Contemporary History ( 17-Jan-2011 ) - 4-H isn't always old. Sometimes a current event is history-in-the-making; sometimes the significance is a link between past events and a new situation which highlights the importance of tracking 4-H History. We can call it "current history" or "contemp... (Read more ... )

4-H Novels Have a Popular History ( 23-Jan-2017 ) - 4-H novels and children's books may not be well known in today's 4-H; however, starting in the 1920s and in every decade since then, new ones have appeared. Several dozen titles are documented and, at one time, Miss Gertrude Warren… (Read more ... )

4-H Oral History Project to Capture Stories of Former 4-H Members ( 31-May-2012 ) - Looking for an exciting idea for 4-H Youlth? Engage them with interviewing former 4-H members. Cooperative Extension will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act in 2014. The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 is a United States federal law that… (Read more ... )

4-H Photo Fun Club ( 20-Apr-2016 ) - A more thorough history of 4-H Photo Fun Club can be found on the 4-H History website in the segment on National 4-H Television Series in the National 4-H History Section. (Read more ... )

4-H Pigs Visit South Pole ( 04-Jan-2011 ) - A herd of 4-H Club pigs are now dining aboard one of Commander Byrd's South Pole expedition vessels. The herd consists of six gilts and one boar which are kept aboard the ship for breeding purposes in order to supply… (Read more ... )

4-H Postage Stamp ( 15-Mar-2016 ) - To mark the 50th anniversary of 4-H, a commemorative three cent stamp was produced. The stamp went on sale at Springfield, Ohio on January 15, 1952. An initial order of 110 million stamps were authorized. The central design of the… (Read more ... )

4-H Presidential Winners ( 28-Mar-2016 ) - Considered by many to be the most prestigious awards in 4-H, the National 4-H Presidential Awards Winners - the top girl and the top boy in the Achievement, Citizenship and Leadership programs - began in 1924 with a single winner… (Read more ... )

4-H Promotion and Visibility Compendium Becomes a Popular “Read” ( 01-Apr-2016 ) - One of the most recent segments added to the National 4-H History Preservation website is the 4-H Promotion and Visibility Compendium. This is a collection of short stories - currently numbering over 170 - highlighting 4-H promotion and visibility over… (Read more ... )

4-H Quote – 4-H Contributes More ( 22-Dec-2012 ) - "I'm not aware of any youth program anywhere that contributes more to the training for future leadership and to give constructive activity to young people than 4-H" - Joseph "Joe" Robbie, General Manager and Owner of the Miami Dolphins and… (Read more ... )

4-H Quote – Will Rogers 1934 ( 22-Nov-2010 ) - 4-H Quote - Will Rogers, 1934 "I was down to the Los Angeles Livestock Show, and saw these hundreds of farm boys that had fattened and cared for acalf, or pig, or sheep, themselves. It's a thing called the 4-H… (Read more ... )

4-H Report to the Nation Team History – We Need Your Help ( 26-Sep-2013 ) - President Kennedy looks at the 1963 Annual 4-H Report to the Nation as the team looks on. L. To R. - Alice Todd, Tony Mellor, Veronica Vamosy, Faye Craig, Larry Pressler and Don Weeks. For over four decades the National… (Read more ... )

4-H Sheet Music Compilation Added to 4-H History Website ( 15-Sep-2013 ) - Dr. Danny Crew has recently sent the National 4-H History Preservation team a copy of his illustrated bibliography, "Collection of 4-H Related Sheet Music, Song Books and Song Sheets" which was added today to the Sheet Music section of the… (Read more ... )

4-H Uniforms a Part of 4-H History ( 16-Oct-2012 ) - National 4-H uniforms, although currently not used widely throughout the country, bring a visual message about the time when they were created and worn. In 1976 a number of states recreated 4-H uniforms to show how 4-H had grown with… (Read more ... )

4-H World Broadcast ( 01-Feb-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ 4-H World Broadcast On August 30, 1945 4-H Club work got into the spotlight during the broadcast of the… (Read more ... )

4-H: An American Idea 1900-1980 and The 4-H Story ( 13-Jul-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ There have been two major authoritative history books published at the national level on 4-H during the first 100… (Read more ... )

4-H’er Created NASA’s ‘Chix in Space’ Project by Larry Krug ( 11-Apr-2016 ) - The Challenger disaster of January, 1986 was a tremendous loss for NASA and for the United States in many ways. The science project of 4-H alumnus (and Purdue University senior) John C. Vellinger was part of the payload aboard the… (Read more ... )

4-H’ers Love for Western Movie Stars and Vice Versa ( 11-Apr-2016 ) - While it perhaps wasn't as easy for rural youth to get into town to see the latest matinee performance of their favorite western idols at the local movie theater as it was for their big city cousins, they were true… (Read more ... )

4-H’ers Honor Smith and Lever During Second World War ( 14-Aug-2014 ) - During this centennial year of the passage of the Smith-Lever Act creating the Cooperative Extension Service, it is appropriate to recall one 4-H activity recognizing the creation of that legislation from 70 years ago. Midway in the Second World War,… (Read more ... )

70 Years Ago in 4-H History: National 4-H Calendar Program Begins Calendars and Helps Build National 4-H Center ( 29-Nov-2017 ) - Calendars Helped Build National 4-H Center The 4-H program enjoys a "national home" and focus of its citizenship education right outside of Washington, DC, the center of our country's democracy. 4-H'ers themselves contributed money to this proposed center but, also,… (Read more ... )

A `Night to Remember’ Results in Decades-Old Tradition ( 01-Dec-2013 ) - The famous International Livestock Exposition in Chicago was the largest expo of its type in the country. The event coincided with the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago. In fact, state delegations made trips to attend the International for several… (Read more ... )

A Century of VIPs Support for 4-H ( 14-Nov-2013 ) - 4-H has been fortunate in having the personal support of literally thousands of successful and noted people over the past century. Historically, these individuals lent their support in many different ways, from serving on committees and boards and speaking at… (Read more ... )

A Dinner to Remember… Words Never to Forget ( 24-Aug-2015 ) - (Read more ... )

A Place in the Sun – the First Performance ( 31-May-2012 ) - When the girls attending the 1948 National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago boarded buses to travel up to the famous Edgewater Bach Hotel on Chicago's Lake Shore for the luncheon sponsored by Montgomery Ward they really thought that was a… (Read more ... )

A Simple Sign by the Gate ( 10-Feb-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ A Simple Sign by the Gate From a promotional standpoint, perhaps the most effective item the National 4-H Supply… (Read more ... )

Add the 4-H History News Feed to Your Site ( 20-Sep-2013 ) - Adding the 4-H History Preservation News Feed to your site is as easy as putting the following code on your site where ever you want the feed to appear. Goto http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/Connect/ or http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/Feed/ to grab the code! Once you add… (Read more ... )

African American 4-H in Black History Month ( 23-Feb-2016 ) - You can map significant people, places, and events that help to tell the story of African American 4-H programs in your state by participating in the 4-H History Map Project at http://4hhistorypreservation.com/History_Map/ and by getting involved in "Voices of 4-H… (Read more ... )

America’s Highest Scoring Air Ace in World War II was a 4-H’er ( 29-Nov-2015 ) - Major Richard I. Bong grew up on a farm in Poplar, Wisconsin, as one of nine children, a member of a strong 4-H family, as noted in a feature in National 4-H Club News. While at Superior State Teachers College,… (Read more ... )

American Dairy Association, 4-H and Disney Film Studios in Partnership ( 22-Mar-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ The American Dairy Association sponsored a serial shown on the “Mickey Mouse Club’s” second season called “Adventure in Dairyland.”… (Read more ... )

American Oil Company Provides World Globes to 4-H ( 07-Mar-2016 ) - In 1962 the National 4-H Service Committee worked with the national 4-H donor of the 4-H Tractor program in supporting an activity to enhance 4-H's international exchange programs, including shipping the globes out across the country. During the first six… (Read more ... )

An Arabian Tale ( 11-Feb-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ An Arabian Tale The fast-paced sing-song voice of the auctioneer... a scream... a cheer... and the winning bidder is… (Read more ... )

Another Walt Disney Film, “So Dear to My Heart” ( 30-Mar-2015 ) - “So Dear to My Heart” by Walt Disney Productions rightly belongs in our 4-H film history archive. No, “4-H” is never mentioned in the full-length feature film... but, for good reason. The time period of the story presented was the… (Read more ... )

Astronauts, Space and 4-H ( 23-Feb-2014 ) - There is a new history segment just posted in the National 4-H History Section of our history website entitled "Astronauts, Space and 4-H." The 4-H involvement with space - from Amelia Earhart and Admiral Richard Byrd... Neil Armstrong and James… (Read more ... )

Beginning of IFYE (International Farm Youth Exchange) ( 19-Jul-2015 ) - As reported in the Wessel book, 4-H: An American Idea, in the fall of 1946 Ed Aiton (a member of the National 4-H Staff at USDA) had been assigned to look into the possibility of international farm youth exchange programs.… (Read more ... )

Blue Sky Below My Feet ( 21-Dec-2015 ) - "Blue Sky Below My Feet - Adventures in Space Technology" was the name of a popular 4-H television produced in 1986 by National 4-H Council, Extension 4-H USDA, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) and Arthur Young and Company. It… (Read more ... )

Boy Sends Calf to Egypt ( 14-Jan-2011 ) - Thomas Rich, from Hobart in Delaware County, New York, has the distinction of being the first person in the United States to introduce a purebred calf into Egypt. His 4-H calf, "Sophis Sons Voila" was purchased by Professor M. C.… (Read more ... )

Can You Identify… Joint Staffs ( 04-Aug-2014 ) - This picture is the only photo existing of the joint staffs of the National 4-H Service Committee and National 4-H Foundation during their merger as National 4-H Council. It was taken at the National 4-H Center (which was being remodeled)… (Read more ... )

Canning Girls Head for France ( 28-Apr-2016 ) - In 1922 Guy Noble, director, National Committee on Boys and Girls Club Work, and Bernice Carter Davis, educational director of the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, arranged a trip to France for the national champion canners of the United States, the expenses… (Read more ... )

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Danforth Court’s Girl Statue ( 17-Sep-2013 ) - At the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland, stroll out of J. C. Penney Hall from the Farley Lobby (named after George L. Farley, Massachusetts State 4-H Leader, 1916-1941, step down a few steps and you're in Danforth Court.… (Read more ... )

Changing 4-H History Leadership Team ( 17-Apr-2012 ) - We are very sad to announce that one of our charter members of our team, Sue Fisher, lost her fight with cancer late last year. Her enthusiasm and "can do" attitude are sorely missed by our team. a copy of… (Read more ... )

Cherished Charters ( 20-Aug-2022 ) - by Sue Benedetti (This article first appeared in the August/September 2017 4-H History Newsletter.) They stand among the most cherished, if not THE most cherished, possessions of many a 4-H Club. In fact, 4-H Clubs have been known to request… (Read more ... )

Cherry Pies and 4-H History ( 27-Jul-2014 ) - Food and nutrition projects were a mainstay of early 4-H. After all, Health was one of the four H's represented in the organization's name and emblem that were adopted back in 1911. Articles about food and nutrition projects and programs… (Read more ... )

Clean-Ups, Gardens and Earth Day ( 09-May-2016 ) - We've been celebrating Earth Day on April 22 for 46 years. For the early "Soldiers of the Soil", April meant preparing for the growing season. The March-April 1919 magazine had many articles about the gardens and crops grown by 4-H… (Read more ... )

Clover Cinema Club to Produce Voices of 4-H History Films for Virginia ( 03-Nov-2013 ) - The Clover Cinema Club, based in Prince George, Virginia, has formed a team of 4-H youth filmmakers who will be traveling to the southeast, southwest, and northern Virginia to interview former 4-H members, leaders and supporters about their 4-H memories.… (Read more ... )

Coke and Georgia – A Promotion & Fund Raising Campaign ( 02-Mar-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History Website at http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ . In 1984-85, 4-H'ers in Georgia were selling Coke bottles as part of a fund raising campaign. However, these… (Read more ... )

Connect to 4-H History News ( 06-May-2016 ) - The 4-H History News site has a feed set up that you can link to from your browser. In techie terms, we have an RSS feed. When you add the 4-H History Preservation News to your favorites, your browser creates… (Read more ... )

Connect with 4-H History… ( 20-Aug-2013 ) - If you manage a website related to 4-H, we would greatly appreciate a link on your site pointing to 4-HHistoryPreservation.com. Images, complete with the HTML code, may be found at http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/Connect/ (Read more ... )

Connecting with 4-H History ( 25-Sep-2015 ) - The 4-H National History Preservation website, located at http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com, contains historical information on 4-H from its' beginning at the start of the 20th century through today. The History Program uses multiple social media sites to help make it easier to… (Read more ... )

Contemporary 4-H History – 4-H Club Helps to Save and Display History using GIS ( 28-Oct-2013 ) - University of Maryland Talbot County 4-H volunteer, Cathy Cooper (far right) is shown guiding members of the Chapel District 4-H Club, plus the Director of the History Society of Talbot County, as they learn Geographic Information Systems for various types… (Read more ... )

Contemporary 4-H History:
History Website Supports 4-H National Youth Science Day ( 12-Sep-2014 ) - National Youth Science Day celebrates 4-H’ers across the nation taking part in a single-themed series of scientific experiments and tasks; this year it focuses on aerospace engineering. Taking place on October 8, the 4-H NYSD 2014 National Science Experiment will… (Read more ... )

Contribute to the National 4-H History Preservation Program ( 28-Dec-2012 ) - To make a contribution to the National 4-H History Preservation Program, please go to the history website - http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com and "click" on the Donate button in the left hand menu bar on the home page; or mail a check payable… (Read more ... )

Contributors Send Materials for 4-H History Preservation ( 26-Oct-2013 ) - History team members, Sue Benedetti, Larry Krug and Eleanor L. Wilson take a look at early national 4-H panorama photo and 4-H pins and medals sent by Jim Potts from his father’s long history with 4-H. The National 4-H History… (Read more ... )

Corn Clubs Spread Through the South ( 08-Mar-2016 ) - Following the successes in the midwest, by 1909 corn clubs were spreading through the South at a rapid rate. In Virginia that first year, 10,543 boys joined corn clubs and while many of them merely went along with the crowd,… (Read more ... )

Country Living Features 100 Years of 4-H Memorabilia ( 08-Feb-2018 ) - The March 2018 issue of Country Living carries a great 4-color photo feature on 100 years of 4-H memorabilia. Written by Natalie Schumann and photographed by Brian Woodcock, the National 4-H History Preservation Program assisted with obtaining items to be… (Read more ... )

County Grows Local Participation in Voices of 4-H History Effort ( 28-Oct-2013 ) - Prince George County (Maryland) 4-H Agent, Lisa Edwards, first introduced the idea of discovering and preserving the history of 4-H in her county during the county fair in 2013. Since then, interest has grown with youth and volunteers. There has… (Read more ... )

Daylight Savings Time, Did you know? ( 11-Mar-2021 ) - US inventor and politician Benjamin Franklin first proposed the concept of DST in 1784, but modern Daylight Saving Time was first suggested in 1895. At that time, George Vernon Hudson, an entomologist from New Zealand, presented a proposal for a 2-hour… (Read more ... )

Digitization of 4-H History Materials ( 03-Jan-2011 ) - While efforts continue to document 4-H history materials available at the national level, much of this information is in repositories not accessible to the general public without making a physical visit. The National 4-H History Preservation team feels... (Read more ... )

E. T. Meredith
Early Supporter of 4-H Brings Visibility ( 23-Nov-2015 ) - (Read more ... )

Early 4-H History with the Schools ( 07-Sep-2014 ) - September is here... kids are back in school. And, in many areas 4-H is a big part of this. There are school projects supported by 4-H, some areas where 4-H is held in the schools, and thousands of youth served… (Read more ... )

Early Motion Pictures in 4-H Club Work ( 26-Apr-2016 ) - In Louisiana, club work was promoted by one of the earliest known instances of the use of motion pictures. In Baton Rouge, the enterprising E. S. Richardson, who had succeeded V. L. Roy as state club leader, braved the office… (Read more ... )

Early Roots of 4-H Education Philosophy ( 13-Aug-2015 ) - (Read more ... )

Extension Leaders Learn About 4-H History and FilmFest 4-H 2014 ( 20-Feb-2014 ) - In February, Extension leaders from all 50 states, including agents from 200 counties, who attended the JCEP (Joint Council of Extension Professionals) Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, learned about 4-H History Preservation projects and youth film making opportunities. Materials developed by… (Read more ... )

Fannie Buchanan
Writer of 4-H Songs ( 02-Dec-2015 ) - Fannie Buchanan earned a degree in music from Grinnell College, Iowa. During World War I, she organized music and recreation activities with War Camp Community Service. Eventually she joined the Victor Talking Machine Company as a Rural Specialist. As she… (Read more ... )

Father Flanaghan’s Boys’ Town and 4-H ( 16-Jan-2016 ) - During this same period, Father Flanagan's Boys' Town 4-H Club was an active part of the activities. The 1939 National 4-H Club News magazine lists Denny O'Brien as president of the club and also herdsman of 60 Brown Swiss dairy… (Read more ... )

Filmfest 4-H Brings Imagination To Life ( 16-May-2015 ) - Active learning can change dreams to success stories, and teens from across the country will soon gather at “FilmFest 4-H” to do just that. Those who enjoy acting, filmmaking, and stagecraft will learn techniques from a unique group of professionals… (Read more ... )

First 4-H History Newsletter of 2011 Now Available! ( 13-Jan-2011 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation team has posted their January 2011 National 4-H History Preservation newsletter on the http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com website. You can find the live link at the top of the homepage. Not only does this newslette... (Read more ... )

First 4-H History Preservation Newsletter Available ( 28-Aug-2010 ) - The August 2010 National 4-H History Preservation Program Newsletter is now available on the 4-H History Preservation website. Go to: http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com and the link shows up near the top of the homepage. Or, you can go to the newsletter... (Read more ... )

First Phase of National Calendar Art Project Accomplished ( 26-Jul-2014 ) - Twenty-one pieces of the 35 original National Calendar Program paintings in the National 4-H Council's collection needed repair, cleaning, re-framing, varnishing or sometimes all of these. These paintings represent nearly 50 years of 4-H history through their contemporary illustrations from… (Read more ... )

Five Years Old and Growing Strong! ( 22-Jan-2014 ) - This month marks the fifth anniversary of the National 4-H History Preservation Program, and what an invigorating period it’s been! We look back at some of the program’s accomplishments during that time and marvel at the outstanding cooperation we’ve received… (Read more ... )

Folks who Helped Make 4-H Great
R. A. Turner ( 06-May-2016 ) - This is the ninth in the series of 10 articles, reprinted from 1962 National 4-H News, which featured people identified by Extension Service professional staff members as "folks who helped make 4-H great". R. A. Turner To witness the effect… (Read more ... )

Folks who Helped Make 4-H Great
Thomas E. Wilson ( 23-Jan-2017 ) - This is the tenth and final article in the series, reprinted from 1962 National 4-H News, which featured people identified by Extension Service professional staff members as "folks who helped make 4-H great." It is entirely fitting that this alphabetical… (Read more ... )

Folks Who helped Make 4-H Great
A. G. Kettunen ( 07-Jan-2016 ) - This is the fifth in the 1962 series published in the National 4-H News highlighting the work of 4-H professionals who, in the judgement of surveyed Extension workers, contributed significantly to the growth and development of the 4-H program nationwide.… (Read more ... )

Folks Who Helped Make 4-H Great:
Gertrude Warren ( 18-Mar-2016 ) - This is the eighth in the series of 10 articles, reprinted from 1962 National 4-H News, which featured people identified by Extension Service professional staff members as "folks who helped make 4-H great." Gertrude Warren "Guardian Angel of 4-H." That's… (Read more ... )

Folks Who Helped Make 4-H Great
A. B. Graham ( 05-Jan-2016 ) - Rural one-room schools in this country were, at the birth of the 20th century, the gathering place of youth without a great deal of hope. Or so many educators such as A. B. Graham thought as they observed the attitude… (Read more ... )

Folks Who Helped Make 4-H Great
C. B. Smith ( 14-Mar-2016 ) - This is the seventh in the series of 10 articles, reprinted from 1962 National 4-H News, which featured people identified by Extension Service professional staff members as "folks who helped make 4-H great." C. B. Smith Many 4-H workers have… (Read more ... )

Folks Who Helped Make 4-H Great
Dr. E. W. Aiton ( 23-Dec-2015 ) - In coming months we will feature short bios of ten people who were selected by professional Extension workers in 1962 as having made significant contributions to the 4-H program: people who "helped make 4-H great." The original series was first… (Read more ... )

Folks Who Helped Make 4-H Great
Guy L. Noble ( 16-Mar-2016 ) - This is the sixth in the series of 10 articles, reprinted from 1962 National 4-H News, which featured people identified by Extension Service professional staff members as "folks who helped make 4-H great." Guy L. Noble One of the unique… (Read more ... )

Folks Who Helped Make 4-H Great
O. H. Benson ( 10-Nov-2015 ) - When an accident claimed two fingers from Oscar H. Benson's right hand while he was sawing wood as a boy, it proved to be a cloud with a silver lining for 4-H Club work. The occurrence spurred Benson's desire to… (Read more ... )

Folks Who Helped Make 4-H Great
T. A. Erickson ( 11-Nov-2015 ) - Looking back on the early days of rural youth work from our present vantage point of well-developed programs and clear lines of operation, it's hard to realize the bewildering array of choices that faced the pioneers of this great 4-H… (Read more ... )

From a 4-H Clover Poster to . . . ( 10-Sep-2015 ) - For those who shop on the 4-H Mall, you'll be happy to hear that this 90-year-old 4-H institution has created a "mini-store" called the 4-H StoreFront that now accepts PayPal as well as other major credit cards. The 4-H StoreFront… (Read more ... )

GALAXY IV pan-Extension conference in Pittsburgh, September 15-19, ( 14-Aug-2013 ) - If you’re going to the GALAXY IV pan-Extension conference in Pittsburgh, September 15-19, look for us there; come by and say “Hi.” We have an exhibit and two Poster Sessions: “Voices of 4-H History” and “Voices of Extension History (based… (Read more ... )

George Washington Birthplace National Monument 4-H Club Interprets U.S. History ( 27-Feb-2011 ) - Through the cooperation and ingenuity of two governmental agencies, Virginia 4-H'ers are helping to save and interpret U.S. history. This unique club (based in Colonial Beach, Virginia) was formed three years ago by National Park Service Ranger Dick La... (Read more ... )

Goecke Takes International ( 18-Feb-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ Goecke "Takes" International Clarence Goecke, a 12-year-old 4-H member from State Center, Iowa exhibited the grand champion steer at… (Read more ... )

Hands-on 4-H History – 4-H Mechanical Engineering ( 30-Mar-2016 ) - Engineering has been a 4-H program area since the early years of the program. Maintaining engines in farm machinery and equipment has been a valuable skill for youth to learn for many decades. In more recent years, projects like small… (Read more ... )

Hands-on 4-H History – The Birds of Spring ( 06-Apr-2016 ) - (Read more ... )

Hands-On 4-H. 4-H Electrification Projects: Then and Now ( 02-Oct-2015 ) - Many of us take electricity for granted at home, at work, and at local stores and businesses. But that wasn't the case seventy-five years ago, especially in rural areas. An article in the 1939 National 4-H News invited 4-H members… (Read more ... )

Hands-on History. 4-H’ers Help Fight Hunger ( 10-Mar-2016 ) - At the start of 1919, much of the world was still recovering from World War I which had ended nearly fourteen months earlier. The January issue of Junior Soldiers of the Soil (predecessor to National 4-H News) had a number… (Read more ... )

Hands-On History
Promoting the Health H ( 28-Oct-2015 ) - In the last issue we featured an article about O. H. Benson as one of the people selected by State and National 4-H Leaders as having "made 4-H great". That article explained that he was instrumental in getting the clover… (Read more ... )

Help Needed with History of Urban 4-H Programs ( 22-Dec-2012 ) - The 4-H History Preservation Program Team for Urban 4-H Programs really needs your help! You can do it directly, or suggest someone else who can help, and provide their contact information to us. We are writing the general history of… (Read more ... )

Help Preserve 4-H History: The Foundation of Our Future. ( 22-Jul-2014 ) - Become a Contributing Member of the 4-H History Preservation Program. The National 4-H History Preservation Team is five years old. To strengthen this rich foundation for youth today and tomorrow, this volunteer team has been working to capture the history… (Read more ... )

Historic 4-H Calendar Art on Display at National 4-H Conference ( 12-Apr-2012 ) - The 85th annual National 4-H Conference was recently held at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Washington, DC; Conference is the current rendition of National 4-H Camp, started in 1927 when it was held in tents on the Mall.… (Read more ... )

Historical 4-H Quote: Calvin Coolidge ( 16-Oct-2012 ) - "Probably no activity is of more importance to the future standing, prosperity and social position of agriculture than the Boys' and Girls' Farm Clubs. Their activities warrant the belief that they will greatly aid in the solution of many of… (Read more ... )

Historical Stories of 4-H Promotion ( 26-Oct-2015 ) - The National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility is a history project started a year ago and placed on the National 4-H History Preservation Program website earlier this year. It is one of this year's priority activities for those National… (Read more ... )

History of 4-H Club Work in Alaska added to Print Archive ( 15-Sep-2013 ) - Boys and girls 4-H club work in Alaska began on July 1, 1930 when W. A. Lloyd of the Extension Service, U.S.D.A., Washington, D.C., visited Alaska and organized the Extension Service of the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines.… (Read more ... )

History of 4-H Postage Stamp Online ( 15-Aug-2010 ) - To mark the 50th anniversary of 4-H, a commemorative 3 cent stamp was produced and first offered for sale on January 15, 1952 in Springfield, Ohio. On initial order of 110 million of the stamps were authorized. It was in… (Read more ... )

History of National 4-H Camp Now on Website ( 13-Oct-2010 ) - The history of the National 4-H Camp, 1927-1956, is now in the National 4-H History section of the website: http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com This is a very thorough history of the Camp, along with photos and links to several scrapbooks that had bee... (Read more ... )

History of National 4-H Supply Service now Online ( 22-Nov-2010 ) - The 4-H History Preservation website has a new section on the history of the National 4-H Supply Service. Located at: http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/Supply_Service the section provides the history of the Supply Service starting with the ear... (Read more ... )

History of National 4-H Youth Conference Center Added to Website ( 18-Mar-2015 ) - History of National 4-H Youth Conference Center Added to Website The first Draft of the History of the National 4-H Center was recently added to the 4-H History Preservation Website. Please take a look at http://4-HHistory.com/?h=4-H_Center There are many pieces… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
April 2015 ( 14-Apr-2015 ) - Washington DC’s Cherry Blossoms are in bloom for National 4-H Conference! It’s going on this week at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center. This is the 85th gathering of 4-H’ers in DC since National 4-H Camp started in 1927. 4-H… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
March 2015 ( 12-Mar-2015 ) - March is supposed to come in like a lion, right? Well in DC, it’s been doing that! Thanks to you and others, your 4-H History website hit the 100,000th US visitor! We’re delighted and you should be too! If you’ve… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
April 2014 ( 15-Apr-2014 ) - The last few days of balmy spring weather brought DC’s cherry blossoms bursting forth in all their frothy pink splendor to highlight the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. This painting captured that spring ritual in the c. 1975 National 4-H calendar… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
April 2017 ( 19-Apr-2017 ) - In 1969 National 4-H Week launched a year of Learning to Serve. Learning to Serve through 4-H is older than the pledge itself. This month our newsletter explores 4-H Service at several junctures in 4-H History. If you're interested in… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
August 2016 ( 24-Aug-2016 ) - Labor Day Floats? It seems that 4-H is always up for a parade. With Labor Day coming, how many 4-H History floats will we see in the country's community parades? Read More … It's Fair Season! Let us know about… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
August/September 2017 ( 25-Sep-2017 ) - National 4-H Week What started in 1926 was later modified in 1942 and again in 1945; in all iterations, it showcased the work and achievements of 4-H members nationwide. This year, it's October 1-7. Do you know what other years… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
December 2013 ( 12-Dec-2013 ) - How about a Happy Holiday History Newsletter edition? (Sorry, couldn’t resist!) This short issue highlights the National 4-H Center’s hosting of the National Capitol Christmas Tree. Did you know it rested in Chevy Chase a few days before being strung… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
February 2014 ( 19-Feb-2014 ) - WOW, What an Issue! National History Day this year offers 4-H’ers and leaders the opportunity to highlight different aspects of 4-H History under the theme of “Rights and Responsibilities.” “Voices of 4-H History” captures memories of alumni, leaders, donors and… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
February 2015 ( 19-Feb-2015 ) - February is National Black History Month, so what better lead than a feature on the 125th anniversary of the creation of the 1890 Universities, those educational institutions created to serve the country’s African-American population. Important 4-H programs were delivered from… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
January 2018 ( 17-Jan-2018 ) - It's a New Year . . . ... and because history is made every day, it's the start of another historical era for 4-H. How many of your New Year's resolutions have to do with 4-H? Setting new individual and… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
January/February 2017 ( 15-Feb-2017 ) - Enjoy the winter and this Issue! (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
July 2016 ( 28-Jul-2016 ) - While the US plunges into the Presidential Election, 4-H'ers are plunging into preparations for their fairs. That's not to say that 4-H members are not involved in their citizenship responsibilities; just check with those who have been to Washington, DC,… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
July 2017 ( 22-Jul-2017 ) - Letters to the Editor A new feature. A 1957 IFYE Alumna shares the inspiration she received from Kathleen Flom, long-time 4-H international staff member. We'd also love to hear from you! We hope you enjoy this issue. (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
July/August 2014 ( 14-Aug-2014 ) - UGH! August in Washington, DC, is miserable. If it weren’t for our loyal readers (probably in air-conditioned offices), we’d be at the beach. Not totally true: 4-H is always “non-miserable” and there are some real success stories in this month’s… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
June 2014 ( 17-Jun-2014 ) - 4-H History Activities Accelerate in the Summer 2014 FilmFest 4-H, August 3-6 in St. Louis features a professional director who started making movies at age 12; she’ll share film-making from a youth perspective. A six-time Emmy-nominated make-up artist of Star… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
March 2017 ( 16-Mar-2017 ) - These are examples of National 4-H Charters that were cherished by many 4-H members and families for the things that were learned and projects completed by countless youth through loving guidance of dedicated adult volunteer leaders. Both charters were… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
May 2014 ( 21-May-2014 ) - <H2>It’s official: Extension turned 100 years old on May 8!</H2> The Smith-Lever Act providing federal funding to Cooperative Extension was signed into law on May 8, 1914 by President Wilson. On May 8, 2014, USDA, 4-H and the Extension Committee… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
May-June 2017 ( 20-Jun-2017 ) - (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
May/June 2016 ( 05-Jul-2016 ) - Summer is officially here and 4-H history is being made every day. This is the season traditionally ultra-busy for 4-H'ers, and so it has been whether members were from 1916 or 2016. Your 4-H History Preservation Program is here… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
November 2013 ( 11-Nov-2013 ) - November 2013 4-H History Newsletter After the rush of fairs, summer activities and achievement programs, now is a good time to focus on 4-H History (contemporary and past), documenting memories and making plans for history-related activities for next year. This… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
November/December 2016 ( 07-Dec-2016 ) - Montana 4-H'er assists official lighting of US Capitol Christmas Tree in 2008 Each year, hundreds of students from the Capitol Christmas Tree's home state enter the Capitol Christmas Tree drawing to receive a free trip to Washington, D.C. and help… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
October 2017 ( 17-Oct-2017 ) - 70 Years of Congress in Chicago The premier 4-H program almost every fall since 1922 started in Chicago and stayed there for 70 years before moving south. Some will recall the glamour, mystique and exhilaration of those early years. 4-H… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
October 2017 ( 19-Nov-2017 ) - Enjoy this Issue! (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
September 2014 ( 10-Sep-2014 ) - Fall is Always Busy in 4-H National 4-H Week, once held in the spring, is now held in the fall. Read the history of this commemorative event. 4-H has long featured aeronautics and space exploration; there was even a 4-H… (Read more ... )

History Preservation Newsletter
September/October 2016 ( 30-Oct-2016 ) - What Led to 4-H Congress? A 1919 tour of Armour Meat Packing Company is considered the spark that led to creation of National 4-H Congress, held annually in Chicago for over seven decades. Whose idea was it? And then there's… (Read more ... )

Hot August Summer – “Cool” 4-H Happenings! ( 14-Aug-2013 ) - Hot August Summer – “Cool” 4-H Happenings! One of the “coolest” happenings this hot August was the National 4-H FilmFest in Branson, MO; something we can legitimately call “Contemporary 4-H History.” For the first time, this year’s line-up of 38… (Read more ... )

How it came about that the Conyngham Valley Historical Society celebrated National 4-H Week. ( 05-Sep-2021 ) - Have you ever been to the Conyngham Valley Historical Society (CVHS) Museum in Conyngham, Pennsylvania? NO? Well, me neither until recently! Even though I'd called Conyngham/Drums "home" all my life, I'd only ever driven past the museum. I'd wonder if… (Read more ... )

How to Start a 4-H Collection ( 06-Feb-2010 ) - Starting a collection of any type - no matter whether we are talking about pottery, dolls, books, autographs, vintage automobiles or sea shells - is a tremendously personal thing. Even with coins and stamps, where we can get directories that… (Read more ... )

HTTPS Comes to the 4-HHistoryPreservation Web Site ( 15-Apr-2018 ) - The 4-H History Preservation site at 4-HHistoryPreservation.com was switched over to use the HTTPS protocol effective April 12, 2018. What does this mean? There are two primary ways to view information on a web site: HTTP and HTTPS. HTTP transfers… (Read more ... )

Information on National Collegiate 4-H Organization Sought ( 17-Dec-2014 ) - Can anyone tell us what (if anything) has happened to the National Collegiate 4-H Organization? We know that Collegiate 4-H Clubs still exist on some university campuses. But we're having trouble locating and hooking up with the once-active National Organization.… (Read more ... )

Invitation to Friends of 4-H History ( 11-Sep-2013 ) - 4-H History will be featured at the Galaxy IV Conference in Pittsburgh Sept 17-19, 2013.Please join us and visit the National 4-H History Preservation Program’s booth #814, Tuesday Noon - Thursday noon, September 17-19, in the David Lawrence Convention Center Exhibit… (Read more ... )

It’s a Great Year for 4-H Calendar Art! ( 25-Mar-2016 ) - Seward also was one of 100 artists from around the country picked for the National Arts in the Parks Competition. He was also commissioned for portraitures by many organizations. His paintings grace the walls of such companies as the General… (Read more ... )

J. C. Penney 4-H Mural Added to Website ( 07-Apr-2014 ) - Gracing the spacious lobby of J. C. Penney Hall at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland is the mural -- Head-Heart-Hands-Health. Painted by the eminent muralist, Dean Fausett, in the American genre, the mural captures… (Read more ... )

James Cagney’s Fondness for 4-H ( 04-Apr-2016 ) - The actor promoted soil and water conservation wherever he saw an opportunity. In 1956 he appeared in a 4-H film encouraging young people to take care of their natural resources. The previous year James Cagney attended the 1955 National 4-H… (Read more ... )

June 2012 4-H History Newsletter Available ( 28-Jun-2012 ) - The June 2012 4-H History Newsletter is available on the 4-H History Preservation website - http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com - by "clicking" on the HOme and News Section of the menu bar and then on Newsletter. You may also subscribe to the free… (Read more ... )

Largest 4-H Girl’s Club Convention ( 27-Feb-2011 ) - Historical 4-H Trivia. As reported in the July 1928 National Boys' and Girls' Club News. Not to be out done by the recent large 1928 political conventions, the 4-H club girls of Iowa under leadership of Miss Josephine Amquist, State… (Read more ... )

Latest Updates to 4-H Promotion Compendium ( 04-Mar-2016 ) - The following articles have recently been added to the 4-H Promotion Compendium. The Compendium contains over 170 stories on how 4-H has been promoted on a national level over the past 100+ years. 4-H Novels Have a Popular History 4-H'er… (Read more ... )

Living in a Nuclear Age ( 18-May-2016 ) - The series was planned and designed by the National 4-H TV Development Committee on Civil Defense, and The Kansas State University Development Committee. Films were produced by Extension Film Production, Kansas State University and promotional materials by KSU Extension Service.… (Read more ... )

Local Leaders! Without you … ( 14-Aug-2013 ) - “Local Leaders! Without You, 4-H Club Work as we Know it Would Not Exist!” proclaimed the July/August, 1938, National 4-H Club News, as it honored the contribution of 4-H volunteers. In the July, 1919, Farm Boys’ and Girls’ Leader and… (Read more ... )

Looking for Fletcher the 4-H’er ( 03-Nov-2015 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation team is looking for information and graphics relating to Fletcher the 4-H'er comic strip appearing in the 1960s and 1970s and written by Joe Bursch, cartoonist initially with Walt Disney. We are seeking the history… (Read more ... )

Make a 4-H Heritage Quilt ( 02-Jan-2011 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation team is planning to have a section on the 4-H Collecting website - http://4-HCollecting.com - relating to 4-H Heritage Quilts. If you have already made a 4-H Heritage Quilt, we'd like to hare your suggestions… (Read more ... )

Making History – 4-H Alumna Peggy Whitson ( 12-Jun-2017 ) - NASA astronaut Dr. Peggy Whitson embarked on her third mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in mid-November. Peggy grew up on a farm in Iowa, and was an active 4-H member. In a recent video produced by NASA and… (Read more ... )

March 2012 4-H History Newsletter Available ( 09-Apr-2012 ) - The March 2012 4-H History Newsletter is available on the 4-H History Preservation Website - http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com - by "clicking" on the Home and News Section of the menu bar and then on Newsletter. You may also subscribe to the free… (Read more ... )

May 2012 4-H History Newsletter Available ( 31-May-2012 ) - The May 2012 4-H History Newsletter is available on the 4-H History Preservation website - http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com - by "clicking" on the Home and News Section of the menu bar and then on Newsletter. You may also subscribe to the free… (Read more ... )

Minnesota County Plans 4-H History Book ( 15-Jan-2011 ) - by Bill Svendsgaard, Former Hennepin County 4-H Agent. For nearly 100 years, 4-H Youth Development has been conducted in Hennepin County. It is Minnesota's most populous county, including Minneapolis, Bloomington, and Edina. It also includes many rura... (Read more ... )

Mississippi 4-H Invites Visitors to Museum ( 29-Dec-2010 ) - In 2007, Mississippi opened the doors on the Mississippi 4-H Learning Center and Pete Frierson 4-H Museum located on the grounds of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Museum complex in Jackson, Mississippi. Susan Holder, Mississippi Youth Deve... (Read more ... )

Missouri Recruits Additional Counties for History interviews ( 27-Oct-2013 ) - During the last week of October, Missouri 4-H agents are introducing the Voices of 4-H History Process introduced at the Galaxy Conference in September. At a statewide conference in Missouri, Voices of 4-H History pilot counties will share their lessons… (Read more ... )

Mobile 4-H History Map Shared with Huge International Audience ( 19-Aug-2015 ) - To see what the conference attendees saw you can visit http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History_Map For more information, please contact: Tom Tate TateAce@aol.com Jason Rine Jason.Rine@mail.wvu.edu (Read more ... )

Modeled for Norman Rockwell Painting ( 28-Sep-2015 ) - The artist used real people as models, and in this case it was a real County Agent named Herald K. Rippey who served as agent in Jay County, Indiana. A Nebraska 4-H Development Foundation pamphlet written by Clarice Orr provides… (Read more ... )

Montana 4-H Member Lights U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree in 2008 ( 15-Dec-2013 ) - In 2008, as in many previous years, the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree checked in for a three-night stay at National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. On November 21, the 70-foot tree from Montana's Bitterroot Forest stopped at… (Read more ... )

Multi-County 4-H History Clubs Working Together in Maryland ( 28-Feb-2014 ) - On Monday, February 10, 2014, adult leaders from Prince Georges and Montgomery counties of Maryland met to share their 4-H History club plans for 2014. They had a very productive meeting and completed action planning sheets for the year. Five… (Read more ... )

NAE4-HA Attendees Map Their 4-H History ( 22-Dec-2015 ) - 4-H educators nominated new locations for the National 4-H History Map at the recent National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) meeting in Portland, Oregon. Visitors to the 4-H History Preservation Program Exhibit viewed the 119 locations currently posted to… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Alumni Survey – 1985 ( 09-Mar-2016 ) - The year 1985 was a significant year for National 4-H Council regarding how former participants of the 4-H program felt about the program... the impact. At that time 4-H had 40 million living alumni. This is an overwhelming figure, but… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Camp Comes to D.C. ( 15-Jun-2015 ) - National 4-H Camp, an annual event since 1927, was held in Washington, DC 26 times before being replaced by National 4-H Conference in 1957; no 4-H Camps held during World War II. For those 26 years, National 4-H Camp made… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Center Becomes a Reality ( 21-Jun-2015 ) - http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Center/June 16, 1959 is a date etched high up on the calendar of 4-H history. It was on that day that President Dwight D. Eisenhower stepped onto the portico of then-Smith Hall and cut the green and white ribbons hanging… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Conference (Continued from National 4-H Camp since 1959) ( 20-Apr-2015 ) - Over 300 delegates and chaperones from 47 Land Grant Universities, Puerto Rico and Canada are attending the 2015 National 4-H Conference from April 11th to16th, at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center. This is the 85th gathering of 4-H’ers in… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Council’s Legacy Awards – Honoring 4-H Youth ( 25-Apr-2015 ) - On Thursday, April 23, 2015, National 4-H Council hosted our 6th Annual Legacy Awards. On this special evening we were joined by dignitaries, community leaders, philanthropists, advocates and entertainers to celebrate the 4-H mission and most importantly our youth… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Donor Support Added to History Website ( 12-Mar-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ Over the past year the history of the private sector and 4-H donors at the national level has been… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Music Hour ( 17-Feb-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ National 4-H Music Hour During the 1930s the National Committee on Boys and Girls Club Work negotiated with the… (Read more ... )

National 4-H News… Reaching the Local Level ( 07-Mar-2016 ) - The only national magazine devoted exclusively to the 4-H program, National 4-H News, was created by the National Committee on Boys and Girls Club Work, serving as an exchange of information and fresh ideas and resources for volunteer adult and… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Poster Program ( 11-Mar-2016 ) - National 4-H posters were popular visibility tools in 4-H for decades. The first national poster was created as a sales item by the National Committee on Boys' and Girls' Club Work in 1924, a year before the National 4-H Supply… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Promotion Compendium is Launched ( 31-Jan-2015 ) - A project that has been a year in the making is now up on the National 4-H History Preservation website... A National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility. It is comprised of a number of selected short stories which stand… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Report to the Nation Program ( 17-Mar-2016 ) - The National 4-H Report to the Nation Program was initiated in 1950. The intent of the program was to utilize a team of outstanding 4-H members as spokesmen for the 4-H program with important national officials and presenting them with… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Sunday ( 11-Jul-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ Throughout much of its history, and particularly during the mid-20th century, 4-H had celebrated National 4-H Sunday and Rural… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Week, October 5-11, 2014 ( 11-Sep-2014 ) - Why was it started? When and why did it change from spring to fall? The Federal Extension Service at USDA developed a “4-H Mobilization Week” which was held annually in the spring from 1942 through 1945 as a means of… (Read more ... )

National 4-H Youth Conference Center History ( 17-Sep-2015 ) - Did you know that there is a rustic garden at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center where small groups can hold a quiet meeting or closing ceremony? The "Daddy Jenks" Meditation Area was dedicated on Audust 30, 1959 by the… (Read more ... )

National Archives Historical Materials ( 14-Aug-2013 ) - National Archives has 70 boxes of historical 4-H materials which need to be further reviewed and cataloged, with many items digitized. These boxed treasures range in topics from “Music in 4-H” to “4-H and War Programs” to “Urban 4-H.” The… (Read more ... )

National Collegiate 4-H History ( 07-Sep-2014 ) - We need your help! Collegiate 4-H groups are active on a number of university campuses. Many of these chapters launch their "new" program year in September with the incoming group of freshmen. While the National 4-H History Preservation Program website… (Read more ... )

National Theatre of Ireland Contacts 4-H History Team ( 23-Sep-2011 ) - Dublin's Abbey Theatre, the National Theatre of Ireland, asked the National 4-H History Preservation Program for details of 1950s 4-H for its production of American playwright Sam Shepard's "Curse of the Starving Class." The 1978 play, considered one o... (Read more ... )

New 4-H History Newsletter Now Available ( 18-Mar-2011 ) - The latest 4-H History Newsletter has just been posted on http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com Read how local 4-H alumni clubs are being formed and about the National Park Service joining forces with Virginia Extension to reenact history at the George Wa... (Read more ... )

New 4-H History Section on Website ( 08-Dec-2010 ) - A new general 4-H history section has been added to the 4-H History Preservation website. To get to the section directly go to: http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/Hist_Nat/ The section gives a brief overview of 4-H history with photos, plus ... (Read more ... )

New Directory Lists 4-H Repositories ( 23-Sep-2011 ) - There are many locations which contain significant archival collections of 4-H history - records, artifacts and other historical 4-H memorabilia. They include 4-H history museums and websites, and other collections housed at national repositories, stat... (Read more ... )

New Film Directory on 4-H History Site ( 20-Sep-2011 ) - Films documenting 4-H projects and events, and telling the personal stories of 4-H members, go back before the 1920's. Even at the earliest stages, these efforts provided a variety of purposes. Some simply were produced to promote the 4-H movement...… (Read more ... )

Newest National 4-H Publication Already Considered 4-H History ( 01-Oct-2013 ) - Last week National 4-H Council announced the availability of the new 2014 National 4-H Supply Catalog. The colorful catalog offers hundreds of items displaying the 4-H name and emblem to help support and enhance the 4-H program with greater visibility… (Read more ... )

News Article Index Now Available ( 16-Mar-2017 ) - A complete listing of all articles on the 4-H History Preservation News site is now available. To view the index, look for the 'Article Index' link at the top of the page. It is the fourth link to the right...… (Read more ... )

No Triple Crown at Belmont this Year; “The Kid” Still Rules ( 08-Jun-2012 ) - After winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, `I'll Have Another' was favored to win tomorrow's horse race at Belmont becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years. However, he has been pulled from the race due to a… (Read more ... )

Nov National 4-H History Preservation Newsletter Now Out ( 22-Nov-2010 ) - The November 2010 issue of the National 4-H History Preservation Newsletter is now available. Read the feature about Kathleen's Corner at the National 4-H Center, the active program underway to digitize hundreds of books and other materials, and featur... (Read more ... )

October 2013 Newsletter Now Available. ( 09-Oct-2013 ) - The October 2013 edition of the 4-H History Preservation Newsletter is now available at http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/Newsletter/ (Read more ... )

Oklahoma Interviews Extension and 4-H Participants During Homecoming Weekend ( 01-Nov-2013 ) - During Homecoming 2013, the Ag Communications Unit of Oklahoma State University invited Extension and 4-H Program participants to stop to record a memory of their Extension and 4-H experiences. This effort will help OSU build an audio visual record of… (Read more ... )

Partner with Us to Design a 4-H History Staff Development Component ( 13-Mar-2015 ) - 4-H has been at the forefront of experimental and experiential youth education since its very inception. Understanding the evolutionary history of 4-H has been shown to enhance the knowledge of this educational youth development base for both professional staff and… (Read more ... )

Peter Max and 4-H ( 05-Dec-2015 ) - (Read more ... )

Photos Preserve 4-H History ( 14-Sep-2015 ) - In the digital age we can easily capture a special moment with a smart phone, tablet, camera or even a watch. At the turn of the 20th century when 4-H was starting, amateur photography was gaining popularity thanks to recent… (Read more ... )

Popular TV Show Honored 4-H Annually ( 30-Jan-2016 ) - The Lawrence Welk Show - aired nationally for nearly 30 years on the networks and in syndication - was one of the most popular entertainment shows during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Bandleader Lawrence Welk grew up in rugged North… (Read more ... )

Promote a 4-H History Dance Night ( 26-Nov-2013 ) - At the local club or county level, you may want to consider planning and holding a 4-H Dance Night based on history as a special activity. This could be fun for current 4-H members and leaders, parents and grandparents, and… (Read more ... )

RCA National 4-H Program on Social Progress ( 08-Jan-2016 ) - The awards structure for the program was generous, including both individual and club awards along with county, state, sectional and national recognition. The top 4-H boy and girl in the United States were awarded $500 scholarships at National 4-H Congress,… (Read more ... )

Receive the National 4-H History Preservation Newsletter ( 23-Dec-2012 ) - If you enjoy reading about 4-H history, or know someone who would be interested in receiving the National 4-H History Preservation Newsletter, it now is very easy to sign up for it. Go to the history website - http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com and… (Read more ... )

Rotary Club Honors National 4-H Center with Strong Partnership ( 20-Jan-2016 ) - (Read more ... )

Searching for 4-H Heritage Quilts ( 10-Apr-2012 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation team is interested in learning about existing 4-H heritage quilts that have been produced for a specific purpose - quilts which depict the 4-H history of a club, a community, county, state or a multi-generational… (Read more ... )

Self-Guided 4-H History Tour Initiated ( 22-Jul-2014 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation Leadership Team introduced a self-guided history tour of the National 4-H Youth Conference Center during National 4-H Conference this past spring. This is the first step of a planned Center-wide tour to cover many places… (Read more ... )

Service Committee History ( 01-Mar-2011 ) - Recently, http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com added the history of the National 4-H Service Committee (originally National Committee on Boys and Girls Club Work), one of the predecessors of National 4-H Council. In the early 1900's, as a new concept of ... (Read more ... )

Sir Thomas Lipton Honors Top 4-H Achievement Winners ( 20-Dec-2015 ) - In parallel to the top National 4-H Leadership boy and girl awards, in 1928 a top 4-H boy and a top 4-H girl were selected at National 4-H Congress for overall high honors in 4-H Achievement. The program was created… (Read more ... )

Smith-Lever Act Centennial ( 11-Sep-2013 ) - 2014 is the Centennial of the Smith-Lever Act, which provided federal funding for the Cooperative Extension Service and, thereby, 4-H programs nationwide. To mark this significant milestone, the National 4-H History Preservation Program is debuting “Voices of Extension History,” drawing… (Read more ... )

Smith-Lever Act Centennial ( 24-Jan-2014 ) - The signing of the Smith-Lever Act by President Woodrow Wilson May 8, 1914, was the result of over six years of work by Land Grant Colleges and many organizations nationwide to get aid and support for Extension work at the… (Read more ... )

Smith-Lever Celebration Flash! ( 14-Nov-2013 ) - University of Florida has just initiated a blog on significant happenings which resulted from the Smith-Lever Act which will be celebrating it's centennial in 2014. Meet Mr. Smith and Mr. Lever, learn the facts about the act and what it… (Read more ... )

Somebody was Inspired When They Founded the 4-H Club ( 20-Jul-2015 ) - "With all the haywire ideas we have, ever once in a while we hit on a good one. I was down to the Los Angeles livestock show, and I saw these hundreds of farmer boys that had fattened and cared… (Read more ... )

Starting a 4-H Collection ( 27-Nov-2013 ) - The main reason people collect is for enjoyment. You collect in a category that you like. Perhaps your collection brings back pleasant memories of your childhood -- in this case, maybe that firs 4-H ribbon or the first pie you… (Read more ... )

Teen Filmmakers Exhibit and Learn at 2014 FilmFest 4-H ( 31-Aug-2014 ) - Teenage filmmakers from nine states exhibited 40 youth-produced films at the 2014 FilmFest 4-H in st. Louis, August 3-6. Sixty teens and leaders participated in the educational programs at the festival. Activities included viewing and discussing the teen-produced films and… (Read more ... )

Teen Filmmakers Exhibit and Learn at 2015 FilmFest 4-H – article plus photo ( 17-Jul-2015 ) - This national 4-H film festival, in its 5th year, and the new "Map Your 4-H History, described above," are examples of "Contemporary 4-H History:" programs which are now creating 4-H history. Teenage filmmakers from 14 states exhibited 24 youth-produced films… (Read more ... )

Tell Us YOUR 4-H Story ( 05-Jun-2015 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation Team and our expanding group of 4-H history volunteer consultants, are busy continuing to research and document all facets of 4-H history at the national level. While most of us are retired, and as a… (Read more ... )

Texas Boys go to England ( 02-Feb-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ Texas Boys go to England In 1920, perhaps a little earlier, livestock judging was not only becoming popular, but… (Read more ... )

The Early Years of 4-H and Space ( 24-Jul-2019 ) - Although it perhaps started somewhat earlier, the decade of the 1960s produced a love affair between Americans and space exploration. And particularly the astronauts that were involved in the space program. It undoubtedly started with the space race between the… (Read more ... )

The Frankie Welch 4-H Scarf ( 30-Jan-2016 ) - Frankie Welch was born Mary Frances Barnett in Rome, Georgia and graduated from Furman University in South Carolina where she met her husband, William Welch. She also studied at the University of Georgia and the University of Wisconsin. While at… (Read more ... )

The Greatest Story Ever Told ( 15-Jul-2015 ) - The following story is from the National Compendium of 4-H Promotion and Visibility on the National 4-H History website -- http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/ This traditionally is not a story about 4-H promotion. But it conveys the impact a story can have. Printed,… (Read more ... )

The Moses Trophy
Top Leadership Award ( 09-Dec-2015 ) - The Moses trophies (there were two) were travelling trophies with each of the annual winners getting to retain the trophy for one year before it was traditionally passed on to the new winners. The trophies were presented in the name… (Read more ... )

The National 4-H Club Song Book ( 13-May-2016 ) - If the gate sign "4-H Club Member Lives Here" was one of the most popular items offered through the National 4-H Supply Service, the National 4-H Club Song Book was in that same category. 4-H songs had traditionally been offered… (Read more ... )

The September 2021 Issue of the 4-H History Preservation Program Newsletter, The Bridge, is now available. ( 05-Sep-2021 ) - In this edition... NAE4-HYDP: The History and The Future So, THAT'S where it is! Mapping 4-H Points-of-Interest. Enroll for Victory: 4-H During WWII INTRODUCING: Caption Please! Tell Us Your 4-H History Story This edition, including all previous additions are available… (Read more ... )

The United Nations Flag and 4-H ( 29-Sep-2011 ) - United Nations Day is celebrated in October each year. A new segment has been added to the National 4-H History section of the 4-H History Preservation website telling about how 4-H helped "save the day" for UN Day back in… (Read more ... )

Thomas E. Wilson Day ( 04-May-2016 ) - For tens of thousands of 4-H delegates who journeyed to Chicago for National 4-H Congress and the International Live Stock Exposition, you needn't say anything more by way of explanation. Thomas E. Wilson Day says it all. The much anticipated… (Read more ... )

Time to ‘Spring Ahead’ ( 05-Mar-2015 ) - Yep. It's that time again. When anyone living somewhere that uses daylight saving time to adjust how life is lived. Here in the United States, Daylight Saving Time, or DST, begins at 2:00AM on Sunday, March 8, 2015. Daylight Saving… (Read more ... )

Training Session for Voices of 4-H History Volunteers ( 28-Oct-2013 ) - Ocean City, Maryland - November 22-24, 2013. The Voices of 4-H History Team will be sharing poster displays and workshops for the 2013 Volunteer and Teen Leadership Forum targeted to all faculty, staff, volunteers, and 4-H youth. Th conference focus… (Read more ... )

Traveling with 4-H – Hands-on 4-H History ( 08-Sep-2015 ) - Going to new places through 4-H was a highlight 70 years ago just as it is today. Through 4-H trips, members visit new places and meet other 4-H members who may be from a different county or state. The June… (Read more ... )

Twentieth Century-Fox Produces 4-H Film – Young America ( 20-May-2016 ) - "Young America," a Twentieth Century-Fox film produced in 1941, was dedicated by the studio to "the thousands of 4-H Club leaders throughout the country." It was considered the first major motion picture ever produced portraying the objectives of Club work.… (Read more ... )

Two 4-H’ers Share Their Experiences ( 21-Apr-2015 ) - Back in the early days of 4-H many of the top achievers had lofty goals and were true leaders among their peers. They took full advantage of the newly created 4-H events - the camps, the judging contests, and National… (Read more ... )

Two Major 4-H History Books Now Online ( 15-Aug-2010 ) - The two major 4-H history books - The 4-H Story: The History of 4-H Club Work by Franklin M. Reck and 4-H: An American Ideal 1900-1980, A History of 4-H by Thomas and Marilyn Wessel - have both been digitized… (Read more ... )

U.S. Presidents and 4-H ( 23-Apr-2015 ) - During the 2015 National 4-H Conference eight 4-H'ers were guests of President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House on April 13 to share what their 4-H clubs are doing to tackle hunger in their communities. The… (Read more ... )

U.S. Presidents and 4-H Photo Gallery ( 28-Oct-2013 ) - President Franklin D. Roosevelt talks with National 4-H Camp delegates on the Mall, 1940. (Courtesy USDA. During upcoming months the National 4-H History Preservation leadership team, working with staff at National 4-H Council, will be planning a photo gallery for… (Read more ... )

U.S. Presidents as Honorary 4-H Chairmen ( 21-Mar-2016 ) - In 1924, although only three years old, Guy Noble as the director of the National Committee on Boys and Girls Club Work apparently had enough faith in the little fledgling organization to boldly ask the President of the United States… (Read more ... )

Universal Pictures Distributes 4-H Film, Tom Boy and the Champ ( 23-Jan-2017 ) - "Tom Boy and the Champ," a 1961 Signal Pictures' production and released by Universal International-Films, starred Candy Moore, Ben Johnson, Jesse White and Rex Allen. Tommy Jo, a 13-year-old Texas ranch girl, wins a calf at the county fair and… (Read more ... )

Urban 4-H Clubs ( 16-Oct-2012 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation Team is beginning to research and write the history of Urban 4-H Programs. If you were (or if you know someone who was) involved in planning and development of an urban program, we would love… (Read more ... )

Using 4-H History to Strengthen the Future of the Program ( 21-Sep-2014 ) - When the National 4-H History Preservation leadership team explains why we are researching and documenting 4-H history to a current state or county Extension staff member, often we use the phrase: “the more you know about the history of 4-H,… (Read more ... )

Voices of 4-H History Moves Forward in Hawaii ( 26-Nov-2013 ) - Hawaii 4-H leader Joan Chong shared that Hawaii 4-H has two Youth-Adult partnership teams (one from Maui and the other from Kona) that came together the first weekend of November for a training. "We are working on going to other… (Read more ... )

Volunteers for 4-H History Needed ( 06-Jan-2013 ) - 4-H has a rich history - an important history. For those who have worked in Extension or had an affiliation with 4-H in some other way over the years, the National 4-H History Preservation leadership team needs your assistance and… (Read more ... )

Walking History Tour of National 4-H Center Using QR Codes ( 07-Apr-2014 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation team is testing a QR Code program for a walking history tour of the National 4-H Youth Conference Center this week during National 4-H Conference. Five areas on the ground level of J. C. Penney… (Read more ... )

We Need Your Help ( 26-Nov-2013 ) - 4-H has a rich history -- an important history. For those who have worked in Extension or had an affiliation with 4-H in some other way over the years... we need your assistance and your recollections. For those just getting… (Read more ... )

We’ve Moved . . . ( 01-Jul-2016 ) - The 4-H History Preservation and 4-H History Preservation News has moved to a new hosting provider. Our new provider offers better service and more options than the previous one. In general, you shouldn't notice any difference in site appearance. We… (Read more ... )

West Virginia Gets Grant for Voices of 4-H History ( 30-Aug-2014 ) - The West Virginia Voices of 4-H history team reports that they have received a grant and have been working during July and August to begin implementation of a youth filming project that will be done this fall. The project will… (Read more ... )

What did the 4-H Supply Service Sell 90 Years Ago? ( 29-Jul-2015 ) - The Handy Book continued to be produced by the National 4-H Supply Service until sometime in the 1940’s when it became only a catalog. PDF files of the contents of several of the handy books as well as more history… (Read more ... )

When Does Something Become “History”? ( 29-Dec-2010 ) - The National 4-H History Preservation team was recently asked to create a "Contemporary 4-H History" exhibit at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. this new exhibit was showcased at the National 4-H Hall of Fame and… (Read more ... )

Where Our 4-H History is Kept ( 03-Aug-2014 ) - There are many locations which contain significant archival collections of 4-H history -- records, artifacts and other historical memorabilia. They include 4-H history museums and websites, and collections housed at national repositories, state and university libraries and even some local… (Read more ... )

Why a National 4-H Film Festival? ( 08-Mar-2016 ) - As we think about harnessing "Voices of 4-H History," we know that today's young people must be prepared to live and work in a world that no one completely envisions. They must be prepared for jobs that don't yet exist,… (Read more ... )

Why U.S. Presidents Like 4-H ( 16-Nov-2015 ) - I just recently got home from the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents (NAE4-HA) Conference, held in Portland, Oregon this year. Just like so many others who attended, I ate too much, slept too little, and learned not nearly enough… (Read more ... )

Will Rogers on 4-H ( 02-Jan-2011 ) - 4-H Quote-- "I was down to the Los Angeles Livestock Show, and saw these hundreds of farmer boys that had fattened and cared for a calf, or pig, or sheep, themselves. It's a thing called the 4-H Club. Somebody was… (Read more ... )

Youth Busy Producing Films for 4-H FilmFest 2014 ( 20-Apr-2014 ) - All across the country, teams of 4-H youth are working to produce films for presentation at 4-H FilmFest 2014 in St. Louis. "Voices of 4-H History" will be one of the categories that youth produced films will be competing in… (Read more ... )

Youth Produced Multi-Media Projects to be Featured at National 4-H Film Festival in 2014 ( 05-Dec-2013 ) - During 2013, seven pilot test states (California, Connecticut, Missouri, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia) developed and tested a variety of methods for documenting the memories of 4-H members, staff, volunteers and supporters. Products developed ranged from poster and… (Read more ... )

Yowza! ( 27-Feb-2015 ) - 100,000 ! At roughly 10:00 on Friday, February 27, 2015, the 4-H History Preservation website received it's 100,000th visitor from the United States! When you add in the number of visitors from around the world, we've had 103,195! While we… (Read more ... )

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