Title: South Dakota 4H History
1South Dakota 4-H History
- Celebrating 100 Years of
- Helping South Dakotans Grow
- South Dakota State University
- Cooperative Extension Service
- Winter 2002
2Early Beginnings
- 4-H Began with boys and girls clubs
- The first organized clubs were in Ohio
- or Iowa
- The earliest South Dakota record is in Minnehaha
County in 1906 or 1907
3Creating the Clover Emblem
- In 1907- 08, O.H. Benson designed a 3-leaf
clover (Head, Heart, and Hands) - In 1911, the 4th leaf was added to stand for
hustle (later changed to Health)
4Green and White Club Colors
- White symbolizes purity
- Green is natures most common color
- It is emblematic of
- Youth
- Life
- Growth
5Growth of the Program
- The program originally grew through the schools
- In 1914, 4-H became part of the Cooperative
Extension Service - Volunteers have always been essential to the
programs success
6Origins of the State Fair Club Events
- 1917 State Fair Boys Camp
- Beginning of State Fair club events
- Girls club dormitory completed in 1919
- By 1928, 377 members at state fair
74-H Pledge Composed
- The 4-H Pledge was composed by Otis Hall, a
native of Indiana - The pledge was adopted in June 1927 and my
world was added in 1973
84-H Mottos and Slogans
- To Make the Best Better was the 4-H motto
- This was not only a club goal, but also an
individual goal - Club slogans found through the years were
- Be your own best exhibit
- Learn by doing
- Win without boasting lose without frowning
- Plan your work work your plan
94-H Grows in the 20s
- Volunteer leader meetings
- Rally Days
- 11,000 members carried over 12,000 projects
- 2,089 State Fair exhibits
- Junior Leaders started
- 32 county and 15 home agents
10Strengthening Leadership Highlight of the 30s
- Leader trainings were held in 39 counties
- September 17, 1931
- 1,239 4-H clubs in 67 counties
- 1,299 leaders attended training
- Handicraft project introduced
114-H Instrumental in 1940s War Effort
- 4-H members participated in Food For Freedom
- -Planted Victory Gardens
- -Preserved food by canning, drying, and storing
- -Used substitutes
- -Gave demonstrations
- Camping program grows
- IFYE in 1947
1250s Period of Growth and Challenge
- 4-H membership rebound
- More adults became leaders
- State Club Week
- Junior Leader Camps established
13The 1960s Changes and Challenges
- 4-H membership tops 20,000
- The South Dakota 4-H Foundation established
and incorporated in 1963
144-H Continues to Reach Out in the 70s
- The traditional program continues to flourish
- Activities were expanded to all youth (EFNEP, TV,
Urban projects) - Emphasis on individual and personal growth
- Livestock Industry Trust Fund
1580s Were Period of Adjustment for 4-H
- There were cuts in Federal support
- First 4-H Agent Hired
- New programs were added
- Restated vision, mission and goals
161990s Focused on Safety and Security
- Societal changes required policy changes
- -ABE forms
- -Safety/Security
- Curriculum revamped
- Character Counts!
- Youth Development/4-H Educators
17 4-H Has Helped South Dakotans Grow!
- 4-H has touched the lives of millions in your
own community - Farmers, doctors, teachers, secretaries, others
- Famous folks were 4-H members too
- -Jim Davis (creator of Garfield)
- -Orville Redenbacher
- -Jane Pauley
- -Jackson Five
18South Dakota 4-H in the New Millennium
- Provides a strong youth development program
- We utilize a variety of settings
- Caring, capable, contributing adults
19The End!
Optimizing Your Potential as a 4-H Volunteer
Winter, 2001 South Dakota State University
Cooperative Extension L.J. Osborne, Ph.D.,
Extension Specialist Adapted from Purdue
University
20For Additional Information Please View These Items
- http//4h.sdstate.edu/2005ncrvf/Insight/SouthDakot
a4HHistory.pdf - http//4h.sdstate.edu/2005ncrvf/Insight/HowToUse.p
df - http//4h.sdstate.edu/2005ncrvf/Insight/Evaluation
.pdf
21References
- John F. Younger. July 1, 1977. History of the
4-H Program in South Dakota - V. Joseph McAuliffe. 1984. South Dakota 4-H
July 1, 1977-October 1, 1984 - Howard, R.K. 1986 Trends in South Dakota 4-H from
1977-1985 - 4-H Centennial History. On-line at
http//www.4hcentennial.org/history/main.asp - Indiana 4-H/Youth Program Policies and
Procedures. 2000. Purdue Cooperative Extension
Service. West Lafayette, IN, 47907.