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Logan County 4-H'ers join in the 100th anniversary celebration of Extension

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[July 29, 2013]  In 1914, Sen. Hoke Smith of Georgia and Rep. A.F. Lever of South Carolina authored and introduced to Congress an act that would establish a Cooperative Extension program that would be administered through state universities.

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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