History of 4-H
History of 4-H
It all began around the start of the 20th century in the work of several people in different parts of the United States who were concerned about young people. The seed of the 4-H idea of practical and “hands-on” learning came from the desire to make public school education more connected to country life. A.B. Graham started one such youth program in Ohio in 1902. It is considered the birth of the 4-H program in the U.S. When Congress created the Cooperative Extension Service at USDA in 1914, it included boys' and girls' club work. This soon became known as 4-H clubs - Head, Heart, Hands, and Health.
4-H began to undergo several changes. In 1948, a group of American young people went to Europe, and a group of Europeans came to the United States on the first International Farm Youth Exchange. Since then, thousands of young people have participated in 4-H out-of-state trips and international exchanges. 4-H began to extend into urban areas in the 1950's. Life skills development was built into 4-H projects, activities and events to help youth become contributing, productive, self-directed members of society. The organization changed in the 1960's, combining 4-H groups divided by gender or race into a single integrated program.
Virginia 4-H History
Work with rural Virginia boys started in 1908 with the first boys’ corn club organized. F.S. “Southall” Farrar was hired in October 1907 and became the first club agent in the state. He spent the fall months of 1907 and the winter months of 1908 securing the interest and support of farmers in his group of counties and started his demonstrations in the spring 1908. The decision was made to start efforts in Virginia to support boys’ corn club. Boys’ corn clubs were organized by Farrar in 1909 with 100 boys in counties of Dinwiddie (75 boys) and Chesterfield (25 boys), using the one by-one acre corn plots. The next year, Ella G. Agnew the first home agent in the state, worked with 46 girls in Halifax and Nottoway counties. This work was done individually, each girl growing 25 tomato plants and canning the fruit. These soon became known as “girls’ canning clubs.”
Lizzie A. Jenkins was appointed in May 1913, at Hampton Institute, to begin demonstration work with African American families. Her assignment was to organize and conduct canning programs and organize canning clubs among African American girls in the counties of southeast Virginia. The first club work with African American boys in the Commonwealth began in 1915 at a meeting of African American agents at Hampton Institute.
The first community club organized in Virginia was the Sunnyside Club in Dinwiddie County in 1913. In 1918, the policy of organizing boys and girls into the same clubs was supported and promoted statewide. Between the years 1918-1920, these clubs were known as agriculture and home economics clubs. Since 1920, however, they have become known as 4-H clubs. Today, 4-H clubs may be found in each of the 107 counties and cities of Virginia.
4-H Timeline
1901 A.B. Graham began to promote vocational agriculture in rural schools by way of “out-of-school” clubs. These clubs were structured with officers, meetings, projects, and record requirements. These clubs were considered the founding of 4-H. The club concept was then taken from there by many other states, who utilized the same structure.
1904 Corn clubs and corn-growing clubs were introduced. Cap. E. Miller organized more boys and girls educational clubs in Iowa. His plans for the club fostered many of the principles that are used today, including life-skills and learning by doing through projects, group meetings, and exhibits. He also implemented community service, which encouraged active learning between youth and adults and assisted them on setting and accomplishing goals.
1909 A proposal was made to start a girls’ canning club. The first canning club was established in Virginia by Ella G. Agnew.
1912 By this year, over 23,000 canning clubs had been established across the US. In these clubs, young girls practiced canning, sewing, baking, and other home-economics
1914-1917 The Smith-Lever Act was passed, which created the Cooperative Extension System, which then county and local agents began to organize actual 4-H clubs.
1919 One of the most important meetings was held in Kansas City. Here the 4-H clubs’ structure, requirements, club to school relations, and the general initiative were established.
1948 The first International Farm Youth Exchange began. A group of Americans were switched with Europeans for a short period of time.
1950 4-H moved to urban areas.
1960s The basic purpose of 4-H in these years is about the personal growth of the member and learning life skills, such as communication, self-esteem, decision-making, citizenship, leadership, and adaptation.
Present 4-H offers youth opportunities in communications, leadership, career development, livestock, home improvement, and computer technology for over 7 million American youth. Programs are found in rural and urban areas throughout the country and similar programs around the world. 4-H will continue to grow and develop with the head, heart, hands, and health of youth.
http://4-h.org/groups/large/ABOUTUS/13147591
Robert Ray Meadows