Category Archives: History

An Arabian Tale

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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 announced. A lucky 4-H’er will go home with a dream horse, as another fine Arabian gelding is sold at a unique auction held at entertainer Kenny Rogers’ Beaver Dam Farms in Georgia.

At the 1984 sale, only 4-H members had the privilege to bid. They had the opportunity to purchase animals at well below their real value, since all the horses offered for sale had been donated to the Georgia 4-H Foundation by Rogers and several other Arabian owners. Proceeds of the sale went directly to the Foundation.

Arabian horses are important to Kenny and Marianne Rogers and so are young people. Its position as the largest youth organization in the state made 4-H the perfect means for channeling Rogers’ interest in providing opportunities for youngsters.

“It’s our way of giving something back,” said Rogers. “We are glad we can support 4-H in this way. It is a worthwhile organization that deserves support.” The sale provided 4-H’ers an opportunity to buy horses at prices they could afford, and, for Rogers, it also was a way to encourage youngsters to develop an interest in the breed. There were 18 geldings for sale at the auction and more than a hundred young 4-H’ers bidding on the animals, and hundreds of others cheering them on, so competition was stiff. Based on the responses from the horse breeders, this first sale of its kind will probably not be the last in Georgia; and, perhaps some other states.

A Simple Sign by the Gate

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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/
Sign: 4-H Club Member Lives Here

A Simple Sign by the Gate

From a promotional standpoint, perhaps the most effective item the National 4-H Supply Service (4-H Mall) has ever offered is the small, rectangular sign which simply states “4-H Club Member Lives Here” – seen across America on fences and gates and posts by the driveway for decades… and still tremendously effective. It simply conveys that a 4-H kid lives in this house… and that is good; the home of a 4-H family.

In addition to the “4-H Club Member Lives Here” driveway signs, welcoming signs were prevalent across America… and still commonly seen in rural areas today. These vary in wordage but always carry the 4-H emblem and a message. Upon entering a town or village the sign might read “4-H welcomes you to Crescent City” or if it is located at a county line it might say “Rock County 4-H Clubs Welcome You – Drive Safely” or something similar.

Texas Boys go to England

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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 livestock judging team receives congratulations from President Warren G. Harding enroute to England in 1921.

Texas livestock judging team receives congratulations from President Warren G. Harding enroute to England in 1921.

Texas Boys go to England

In 1920, perhaps a little earlier, livestock judging was not only becoming popular, but serious. Teams would travel to multiple states judging livestock at the state colleges of agriculture and other locations. After several months of hard work, the lucky Texas team of boys won the International judging honors at the Southeastern Fair in Atlanta, Georgia in 1920.

The team, comprised of Gilbert Wieting from Falls County, Jack Turner of Hill County, and Alva Debnam, Dawson County, Texas won first place. Their prize – eight weeks of touring England in the summer of 1921 –  including participating in the Royal Livestock Show against their British counterparts. The boys were sent off with appropriate fanfare, stopping in Washington, D.C. on their way to England where they met their Texas Senators and Congressmen and were greeted by both Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace and President Warren G. Harding.

Unfortunately, the Texas team did not win at the Royal Livestock Show but they let it be known that the Brits would be having serious competition in judging in years to come.

4-H World Broadcast

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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/

1945 College All-Stars vc Green Bay Packers Ticket

4-H World Broadcast

On August 30, 1945 4-H Club work got into the spotlight during the broadcast of the College All-Stars vs. Green Bay Packers’ annual football classic known as the College All-Star game. The game was aired over Mutual’s coast-to-coast network of 239 stations, and short waved to the Armed Forces over the world.

The broadcast was a service of Wilson Sporting Goods Company. It included a short talk by Thomas E. Wilson. While Mr. Wilson, long time chairman of the National Committee on Boys and Girls Club Work (now National 4-H Council), was widely known as chairman of Wilson Meat Packing Corporation, one of the top meat packers in the country, it was much less known that he was also the founder and chairman of Wilson Sporting Goods Company.

In paying tribute to the nation’s youth and to the benefits of competitive sports during the broadcast, Mr. Wilson said: “I have seen America’s youth in competitive action many times. I have seen them in the 4-H Clubs where, in friendly but spirited competition, they fight for leadership in farm and home projects.

“I have seen them on our play fields and in our stadiums, engaged in the rugged sports and games of our country. I have seen them at work and at play in modern industry. And I, for one, have supreme faith in them.”

[It may also be noted that the game ended as Green Bay Packers 19, College All-Stars 7.]

National 4-H Promotion Compendium is Launched

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N4-HC_AR_2013_Pg6A 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 alone. Many are stories of significant 4-H promotion or visibility at the national level over the past century. Others are examples that relay an impactful or heart-warming story covered in the media and a part of 4-H promotion simply because they should not be “lost to history.”

While there are well over 100 stories represented with this initial launch, the Promotion Compendium will be an ongoing project, adding stories as they are researched or come to our attention.

The national 4-H history leadership team encourages all our readers to take some time… scroll down through these stories for your reading pleasure. Some may bring back memories, while others we’re sure you’ve never heard about before. You can go to the Compendium directly at http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/4-H_Promotion/

We will also be highlighting some of these stories in the 4-H History News Service during the weeks and months ahead.

2015 Launches National 4-H History Map

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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 was the first 4-H club in the U.S.? Where is the longest continuously-active club in the country? Where was the first African American 4-H camp in the country? Where was the first Native American 4-H swine club in America?” and so on.

Now those 4-H History Landmarks can be recorded and tracked as a result of the National 4-H Geospatial Leadership Team’s National 4-H History Map project. This will give every county a chance to nominate the “first” and “most important” 4-H places, people and events (we’re calling all of these “sites”).

 4-H History Map Poster

How do you nominate a historically significant 4-H location/person/event in your community? Since July, 2014, the 4-H Geo-spatial Leadership Team has established a website where you can access information about the project. Right now there is a promotion poster and data collection sheet on the site at: http://goo.gl/vGF9nt.

Fill out the data collection form right on the website. If you don’t have all of the data requested, fill out what you can and a Geo-spatial Team member will contact you.

The vision of the 4-H History Map team is a national atlas of the United States to be posted on the Internet early in 2015. This map can then be accessed using desk top computers, as well as portable units such as laptops, smart phones and tablets. As a 4-H family travels, they can search in advance for locations near where they will travel or use their portable device when on the road.

Curious as to where this idea cam from? Every July, a team of youth and adults known as the 4-H Geo-spatial Leadership Team work together for a week in San Diego, California. Each year, this team provides guidance and recommendations to 4-H National Headquarters and National 4-H Council for new efforts to advance learning about GIS, GPS and Remote Sensing technologies. as a part of this recommendation, the youth/adult team suggests a project that will help introduce the use of geo-spatial technology to 4-H families. Jim Kahler and Tom Tate, of the National 4-H History Preservation Team, also serve as members of the 4-H Geo-spatial Team.

The 2014 4-H Geo-spatial Team’s recommended two-year project is this 4-H History Map, which would provide members, leaders, alumni, staff, and volunteers a tool for documenting historically significant 4-H locations/people/events in their own community, county or state.

1975 National 4-H Calendar Art Given to National 4-H Council

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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 Paul Koehler, SVP and General Manager of the 4-H Conference Center. It is now one of 36 such paintings in the collection being preserved and displayed at the Center.

The newest calendar art painting in the National 4-H Collection features 4-H’ers in the very popular photography project.

The newest calendar art painting in the National 4-H Collection
features 4-H’ers in the very popular photography project.

About two years ago the History Team was documenting and cataloging the original calendar art at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center. We know there are pieces that were produced but never given to the Center. as we were trying to date some of the pieces Jim went online to see if he could find any information about one of the undated pieces. He related the following to National 4-H Heritage Club members and 2014 Hall of Fame Laureates at a recent Council luncheon: “I came across this 4-H calendar painting for sale on e-bay; I shared it with the team, but no one had known about this particular piece. The sale price was quite high, so I continued to check it for months hoping the seller would lower the price. At one point, the painting disappeared from the web, and I thought perhaps it had been sold, but I continued to check the site just in case.

Before long it was back as an auction item at a much lower starting price. I again notified the team, and we discussed how we might be able to bid on it. In the end, I decided that this would be my opportunity to make a personal contribution to our cause, as others on the team had already made significant donations. I placed a bid just as the auction was closing and was successful — I was the only bidder! The art was painted for the 1975 4-H Calendar produced by Brown and Bigelow.”

The artist is the well-known American illustrator, Mayo Olmstead, who also produced the art of Olympian Bruce Jenner that appeared on Wheaties boxes across America several years ago. Olmstead was hired by Brown and Bigelow Calendar and Advertising Company of St. Paul, Minnesota to paint 4-H calendar art. The Council collection has two other undated calendar paintings done by him for Brown and Bigelow.

If you know of any old National 4-H Calendars or original art pieces, please contact the History Team  at info@National4-HHistoryPreservation.com

Information on National Collegiate 4-H Organization Sought

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700_000036_001Can 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. Clearly, Collegiate 4-H Clubs are guardians of troves of 4-H history; hence our interest in establishing a working relationship.

The National 4-H History Preservation Team is interested in receiving any recently-updated history of Collegiate 4-H Clubs, including its national organization. The written description that currently appears on your National 4-H History Preservation website under this heading is a PDF copy of part of the material appearing on the Nation Collegiate 4-H Organization website when it was closed in 2010.

If you have a Collegiate 4-H Club on your campus (or parents/agents/leaders, if you know of one), please share our contact information with its leadership so that they can help reclaim the history of this important group. We welcome any 4-H Collegiate groups to help us update and expand the significance of Collegiate 4-H Club history on your National 4-H History Preservation website. Contact the National 4-H History Preservation Team at info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com if you have ideas or wish to volunteer for this project.

Using 4-H History to Strengthen the Future of the Program

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Round_History_LogoWhen 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, the better you can understand your current position and do a better job in the future.” Most of our 80+ volunteers in the national history preservation program are retired from a career in 4-H and all sincerely believe this to be true.Throughout the 100+ years of 4-H, professionals have always been out there on the cutting edge with experiential learning. The programs may be new. The audiences may be more diverse. The needs may be different. But the underlying principles of 4-H in many ways have remained the same and will continue because they have been time-tested and they work!

The history preservation team has a goal of making accessible as much of the national 4-H history as possible to everyone through the 4-H history preservation website and 4-H history outreach programs. Coupled with this is our hope that an understanding of the importance of 4-H history – and of history itself – will become an integral part of every state and county orientation program for new Extension 4-H staff, 4-H Foundation staff and other program supporters. Hopefully, the information provided through the National 4-H History Preservation program will help you to accomplish that goal.

Please let us know what information on the history website you have used and whether there is information you are seeking that does not yet appear on the site. Share your stories of how you’ve used the website to conduct new staff training in your state or county at info@4-HistoryPreservation.com .

Taken from the “Preserving 4-H History” section of the 4-H history website:

http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/Preserving.asp

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Contemporary 4-H History:
History Website Supports 4-H National Youth Science Day

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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 be “Rockets to the Rescue!” developed by the University of Arizona. In support of the 2014 theme, the National 4-H History Preservation Program has researched and written a new segment on “Astronauts, Space and 4-H” for National 4-H History Preservation website at http://4-HistoryPreservation.com/History/Space/.

The famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart (center left) was one of the major guests and handed out awards to delegates attending the 1932 National 4-H Club Congress.

The famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart (center left) was one of the major guests and handed out awards to delegates attending the 1932 National 4-H Club Congress.

The 4-H program’s involvement with space can be traced from Amelia Earhart and Admiral Richard Byrd through astronauts Neil Armstrong, James Lovell, Ellison Onizuka, Jerry Ross and Peggy Whitson (a few of the NASA astronauts who were 4-H members) ; from a 4-H space television series with NASA – “Blue Sky Below My Feet” – to National Space Camp, National Youth Engineering Challenge events and now, 4-H National Youth Science Day. Space, indeed, is an important part of both 4-H history and 4-H today.

We would love to hear if and how you used 4-H History in space in your science day program this year at: Info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com.

With the 2015 theme, thousands of youth will focus on one scientific mission: feed a community plagued by natural disaster. Youth will be responsible for building an aerodynamic food transportation device that can develop large amounts of food to disaster victims. While participants will learn STEM concepts like previous NYSD experiments in past years, they will also learn a powerful and valuable lesson in nutrition and how to help solve current, global issues such as providing relief services in the wake of natural disaster.