 The purpose of the program was to educate farming communities
and develop best practices in agriculture.
The 4-H program actually began several years before the advent of
the Extension. History shows that in the 1800s there was a movement
to create youth organizations for rural and farm children. The clubs
were originally designed to focus on agriculture and home economics.
The programs were developed because universities across the
country discovered that while many old-time farmers were set in
their ways and leery of change, younger people were more willing to
"experiment" with agriculture. As universities studied and developed
advancements in growing crops, they found that teaching these things
to the youth was a better way to advance agriculture.
There is a mixed consensus on who formed the first actual clubs
for boys and girls, as there were several that sprang up across the
country at about the same time. However, the 4-H federation
recognizes the Tomato Club or the Corn Growing Club, formed in 1902
in Clark County, Ohio, as being the first official 4-H club.
In 1910, the clover was adopted as the official logo of the
clubs, with a dark green four-leaf clover and an "H" on each petal.
The "H's" stood for "head, heart, hands and health."
In 1912, the youth clubs were united under one umbrella and
became the 4-H program.
When the Extension or Smith-Lever Act was passed in 1914, 4-H
officially became part of the University Extension programs
throughout the country.
In 1923, 4-H programs in Illinois were officially organized and
identified as 4-H clubs.
As the Extension celebrates its 100th anniversary this year,
there have been hundreds of advancements made in agriculture that
can be attributed to the work of the Extension program.
The same is true with 4-H. While the program started in the very
early days as socialization for rural kids, it developed into an
educational program for young farmers. Then it began moving into
less rural settings and consequently evolved into the programs that
we see today throughout the country.
The 4-H program is an opportunity for every kid to be part of a
group, enjoy interacting with other kids and adults, and learn
valuable lessons that will help them as they grow into adulthood.
The offerings of 4-H have also evolved. While at one time the
focus was solely on agriculture and home economics, the programs
offered now include science, technology, arts and much more.
This year at the Logan County Fair, the 4-H arm of the Extension
will be sponsoring some great youth- and family-oriented events to
help celebrate the 100th anniversary of Extension.
On Tuesday and Thursday evenings, a 4-H booth will be set up on
the fairgrounds. On Tuesday it will be in the vicinity of the
livestock barns on the north end of the fairgrounds, and on Thursday
it will be in the 4-H exhibit barn behind the grandstand. The booth
will be open both evenings from 5 to 8.
According to Carissa Apkore, 4-H youth development Extension
educator, the booth will be manned by 4-H parents and volunteers who
will help promote 4-H in Logan County.
Each evening there will be activities for kids, including "make
and take" projects where youngsters can do a craft or visual art
project to keep. Apkore said these activities will be designed to
emphasize what 4-H has to offer in its wide variety of programs.
In addition she said there will be a "spin the wheel" game that
will have 4-H trivia questions and other topics that kids and adults
alike will enjoy.
The booth will also offer information on how to join 4-H, and the
volunteers will be able to share their knowledge and 4-H experiences
with visitors to the booth as well.
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 In addition, on these same two days there will be a "find the
clover" event where people can win special gifts from 4-H.
The clovers, which are large green pieces of paper about the size
of an adult hand, will be posted throughout the fairgrounds in plain
sight. When fairgoers see a clover, they are invited to retrieve it
and take it to the 4-H booth to claim their prize.
Apkore said 25 such clovers will be posted each of the two days.
She explained that the goal of the clover is to encourage folks
to not just enjoy the fair atmosphere but also to see and appreciate
all that is there. She is especially hopeful that folks will take in
the exhibit areas and see for themselves some of the great things
that Logan County 4-H'ers are doing.
Another special 4-H event being planned for Wednesday evening
will be the 4-H clover family photo. Apkore said the goal is to have
4-H members and family, both past and present, come to the track in
front of the grandstand for one massive photo. The group will
outline and fill in the four-leaf clover that symbolizes 4-H. With
everyone wearing their green 4-H shirts, the photo will be taken
from an aerial view so the clover shows up well.
Apkore said the 100th anniversary of Extension will be celebrated
throughout the year with various activities. She said for 4-H
specifically, the fair booth, "find the clover" and 4-H family photo
will be their primary contributions to the celebration.
However, they are doing one more thing. Throughout the year, they
are hoping to put together a digital scrapbook of the history of
Logan County 4-H. She said the Extension office will gladly collect
any photos folks wish to submit that represent their time in 4-H.
The office wants photos from all time periods.
If folks have pictures of themselves as kids in 4-H, their kids
or grandkids in 4-H doing a 4-H activity, the Extension would like
to have a digital copy of those photos. Apkore said folks can email
them to the Extension office if they are able, or they can bring the
photos to the office and Extension staff will scan them into their
computers.
Apkore said folks are also welcome to bring in photos of mementos
from 4-H, such as 4-H shirts, ribbons, whatever.
The University of Illinois Extension program currently has a
website devoted to its 100th year. There you will find photos of the
program's history as well as a digital scrapbook, a link to a
Pinterest page and a trivia quiz. To find all this, visit
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/100yrs/index.cfm.
To learn more about the Logan County Extension office, visit
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lms/.
And to learn more about Logan County 4-H, visit
http://web.extension.illinois.edu/lms/logan4h/.
[By NILA SMITH]
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