| 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 Hall, in close proximity, have been selected for the pilot. Based on the interest and feedback from the teen delegates attending Conference, the program will be expanded to other areas throughout the 4-H Center campus. For more information on the 4-H History QR Codes, or the history preservation program, contact Info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com or visit the history preservation website at http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com |
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Category Archives: History
J. C. Penney 4-H Mural Added to Website
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 the evolution of 4-H and the J. C. Penney Company during the 20th Century.
A new segment in the National 4-H History Section of the 4-H History website features this impressive 16 ft. mural which was created in the 1970s when J. C. Penney Hall on the 4-H campus was dedicated. For more information visit the section at:
4-H Electrification Projects: Then and Now
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 to participate in the 4-H Rural Electrification Project. Members and clubs were “encouraged to study wiring plans, safety practices, and operation of electrical equipment.” Members were encouraged to complete activities to help them learn to make basic electrical repairs and additions at home and on the farm. Project records were submitted to compete for county medals, trips to National 4-H Congress, and $200 scholarships.
Early electrical club work even inspired a novel to be written. “Dynamo Farm” by Adam Allen, and published by J. B. Lippincott Company, NY in 1942 tells the story of a boy from the city who moves to a farm and learns to love being there because he gets involved in an electrification project in 4-H and saves the family poultry business.
Electricity is still an important 4-H project. Members learn the principles of electricity, circuits, magnetism and safety. These days, energy conservation is also emphasized.
You and your club members can learn about electricity like the 4-H members did in the 4-H Rural Electrification Project many years ago. A club member or guest speaker can do a demonstration or lead a club activity to learn about electricity. Club members can do a home energy audit and share their results at a future club meeting. Or you could try to find a copy of the novel mentioned above and share a report about it or act out some of the scenes for the club.
Multi-County 4-H History Clubs Working Together in Maryland
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 leaders are representing the two counties.
The leaders are currently putting together a statement to share with the youth clubs and agreed to make the announcement to the counties’ 4-H volunteer and club leaders who will attend the upcoming Leaders’ meeting scheduled for late February. It was decided to encourage a “Voices of 4-H History” project, and to challenge each club to have their 4-H’ers design, script and produce 15-30 minute videos of their work for the project. A follow-up planning committee meeting is scheduled in early March. The submitted films and film concepts, will be reviewed by the adult/youth planning committee, who will then decide how to proceed from there. The team plans to submit some films to national FilmFest 4-H in June. Several adult leaders know and are recruiting individuals that have expressed interest in working with the young film producers and are willing to critique, edit and help with production.
Astronauts, Space and 4-H
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 Lovell… Ellison Onizuka and the Challenger disaster… a 4-H space television series with NASA… to National Space Camp, 4-H National Youth Science Day and the National 4-H Engineering Challenge events… space, indeed, is an important part of both 4-H history and 4-H today.
Be sure to visit this new section at: http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/Space/
To contact the National 4-H History Preservation Program: Info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com
“Voices of 4-H History” will be a major Feature of Filmfest 4-H 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 film productions, one of the nation’s top zoos, amazing museums, and of course the world famous Gateway Arch.
Now is the time to get started! The Film Submission form has been posted, and films will be accepted until July 1, 2014. As with last year, there is a 10-minute time limit on films, so that we can screen as many as possible in the most interesting ways. We continue to request that filmmakers avoid scenes that involve youth pointing guns at each other! This will help us give your films the widest possible exposure through 4-H channels, without creating unnecessary complications.
This year’s confirmed categories are:
- Narrative
- Animation
- Documentary
- 4-H Promotional
- “Voices of 4-H History”
This special event connects young filmmaking enthusiasts with film industry professionals and with other youth who share those same interests. Like any national film festival, FilmFest 4-H is a “commuter event.” Festival-goers are free to make the arrangements for travel, lodging, and meals that best fit their needs. Your $129 “All access Pass” is your ticket to the entire event. This includes film screenings, field trips, festivities, meetings, exciting workshops with film industry professionals, and other special opportunities. Registration will be online at the FilmFest 4-H website in the weeks ahead. For more information about the event click on: http://is.gd/9Aeb92.
Youth filmmakers from across the nation will present the products of their film making labor on August 3, 2014, in St. Louis. In 2013, youth filmmakers from more than a dozen states exhibited 38 films that they had produced. Finalists’ films from the 2013 FilmFest 4-H can be seen at: http://4h.missouri.edu/go/events/filmfest/2013/films/ror-wy.htm/.
During 2014, the 100th anniversary of the passage of the Smith-Lever Act, we are hopeful that youth film makers will assist Cooperative Extension in celebrating this centennial by helping capture 4-H history in their state and counties. Youth filmmakers that complete their productions in time to submit them prior to the July 1 judging deadline, will be considered for FilmFest 2014. Films not submitted by July 1, will be considered for FilmFest 2015.
We hope that 4-H alumni, staff, volunteers, club leaders and supporters will reach out, get involved and encourage 4-H’ers to start up “Voices of 4-H History” media projects for sharing at FilmFest 2014.
4-H and Radio: Early Days, Growing Together
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 Chicago headquarters offices of the American Farm Bureau, with the assistance of a part-time secretary (also on loan). In addition to the overwhelming burden of raising funds in unchartered waters and planning and managing the major national 4-H event, National 4-H Congress, Guy Noble also knew that it was critical to promote the concept of 4-H to broaden audiences if it was to grow.
As early as 1922, before it was even a year old, the National Committee on Boys’ and Girls’ Club Work became a radio pioneer. Arrangements were made that year with the Westinghouse Radio Service of Chicago for news of Boys’ and Girls’ Club Work to be presented each Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6 pm. In 1922 there were only 30 radio stations in the country and a quarter million receiver sets scattered across the nation.
The decades of the 1920s and 1930s became a growth period for both radio and for 4-H together. At one point all the major radio networks were carrying 4-H radio programs. And, there was the National 4-H Music Hour on NBC which featured the United States Marine Corps Band and highlighted music appreciation for young people. The National 4-H News magazine carried a regular column of upcoming radio programs in their monthly publication.
David Sarnoff, president of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), and one of the corporate giants in the communications industry, partnered with 4-H. He became a board member of the National Committee on Boys’ and Girls’ Club Work and RCA would become a national sponsor, funding a new activity for 4-H Club leaders and members. It was the National Program on Social Progress which helped to train and encourage 4-H members and adults in their communities to make the community more pleasant and improve the quality of living. This included: being more “neighborly,” and more resourceful, as well as stressing more education and creative community social activities. The program placed heavy emphasis on using the radio for communications.
By the 1930s, many rural stations were hiring farm broadcasters; first to announce the grain and livestock markets each day, but then to support rural community activities and events. Four-H fit nicely into this pattern as well; with farm broadcasters becoming strong friends of 4-H. At the same time Extension at every level – federal, state and county – were embracing the use of radio. A decade later, by the end of the 40s, over half of the radio stations in the country were regularly carrying Extension programs, including much coverage of 4-H. The radio was playing in the house, the barn, the car; no longer a novelty, it was a part of our everyday lives.
A new segment – 4-H and Radio – has just been posted in the National 4-H History section of the 4-H History Preservation website. We hope you enjoy it. Take a look at it at: http://4-HHistorypreservation.com/history/Radio/. If you have comments about 4-H and radio please contact: Info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com.
Extension Leaders Learn About 4-H History and FilmFest 4-H 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 the National 4-H History Preservation Team and the FilmFest 4-H leadership team were shared with all professionals in attendance. Four-H agents and leaders from Missouri and Maryland provided the lead.
4-H is Now Part of National History Day
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, MD, and two or three thousand teens are expected to come to this event. NHD is in critical need of help with the judging events both in College Park at the nationals and at the state level. Most of the state contests are held between late March and early May. We urge all State 4-H Offices who have an interest to visit the National History Day website, http://nhd.org and locate your state contact. You can also email: judges@nhd.org for this information.
4-H’ers are welcome to participate and complete in the contests according to Lynne M. O’Hara, NHD Director of Programs. The usual requirement is that the student’s entry form must be signed by a teacher, however she says county 4-H extension agents are certainly considered qualified as teachers and can vouch for a participant.
Some state 4-H offices already participate in National History Day. If you plan to have some 4-H’ers compete or you would like to help as a judge, please let us know at: info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com.
History Preservation Newsletter
February 2014
WOW, What an Issue!
Report card of the father of a former National 4-H Foundation (now 4-H Council) staff member demonstrates the close tie between 4-H and One-Room schools.
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 others in audio/video records. That’s the oral “History Preservation” part. At the same time, having “Voices” as part of FilmFest 4-H 2014 is very current, so it’s the “Contemporary History” part. In the “Voices” bit, there’s a rather detailed explanation of how two MD counties are approaching the project; just consider it a “how-to” example if you’re not already involved. In the “FilmFest 4-H” part, you’ll find necessary details for this year’s national 4-H film festival and how you can participate.
Four-H Repositories, History of 4-H Radio, 4-H and One-Room Schools: all of these and more lead to new and ever growing sections of the National 4-H History Preservation Program website:
http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com.
“Hands-On History” highlights 4-H Electricity projects and how you can bring awareness into your 4-H club meetings.
A very special Happy Birthday wish to National 4-H Hall of Fame Laureate and Centenarian C. J. Gauger; send him a card!
And a Happy Centennial year to all Smith-Lever Act beneficiaries.
Enjoy this issue.