4-H History | 4-H in the Panhandle

Exploring the Origin of 4-H

by Marie Arick | Jul 5, 2021

Have you ever wondered how 4-H came to be? 4-H has a rich history that started in the late 1800’s (around the time of the civil war). The Morrill Act of 1862 gave each state in the US land for agriculture research and teaching. This established the land grant university system. The second Morrill Act in 1890 made racial discrimination illegal for land grant universities receiving federal funds….unless a separate institution was established and maintained. This second Morrill Act gave rise to many of the historically black colleges. However, university researchers struggled to get these new practices adopted by farmers. Adults just didn’t trust new technology, but young people were. So researchers took these new practices into public schools and provided hands on lessons in the hopes that the new concepts would be shared at home and adopted on the farm. These early 4-H clubs were known as Tomato or Canning Clubs for girls and Corn and Pig clubs for boys.

National 4-H Historic Preservation Project. Marius Malmgren , a member of a corn club in Virginia, grew 209 bushels of corn on one acre in 1912 when national corn yields averaged only 45 bushels per acre.

Before there was 4-H, agriculturally based youth clubs began in 1902 as a result of these hands on agricultural learning experiences, years before Cooperative Extension was created! Specifically in Clark County, Ohio and Douglas County, Minnesota, youth clubs were born. The Corn Growing Club for example, was an after-school club. Fairs also began in this same year allowing a venue for youth to share what they had ‘learned by doing.’ To honor youth’s efforts, Jessie Field Shambaugh created a four-leaf clover pin to honor the efforts of the youth. In 1910, the H was added on each leaf of the clover and shortly thereafter the title ‘4-H Club’ was born.

The original mission of the 4-H club was to introduce school aged youth to the agricultural community in which they lived with the intent of helping youth to gain practical, hands on experiences and aid with becoming productive members of their communities. These clubs empowered youth by teaching them valuable life skills enabling them to be better prepared for their transition to adulthood.

Cooperative Extension was born as a result of the Smith-Lever Act in 1914. As a result, 4-H became a nationwide club opportunity, and the clover emblem was adopted. Otis Hall, a state leader from Kansas created the 4-H pledge that was adopted in 1927 at the very first National 4-H Camp held in Washington DC. The motto ‘to make the best better’ was also proposed by Miss Carrie Harrison and adopted that same year. The 4-H pledge is still used today with one small addition in 1973, the words ‘and my world’ added to the end.

In less than 50 years, specifically in 1959, the National 4-H Center was opened and provided trainings and experiences for volunteers, youth, and professional staff. Eventually, the National 4-H Foundation and the National 4-H Service Committee merged to create today’s National 4-H Council. This rapid growth is a testament to the important positive youth development role 4-H has provided. Sadly,

4-H will celebrate it’s 120-year anniversary in 2022! Today, 4-H proudly serves youth from rural to urban areas and everything in between. Experiences still include school enrichment, agriculture, and livestock related projects, but have also branched out to include science, robotics, food safety, healthy living and more. From such humble beginnings, 4-H has grown and adapted to remain relevant while continuing to offer educational opportunities to teach concepts and skills guiding today’s 4-Hers to become productive citizens.

4-H and Extension have had (and continues to have) a huge impact on our country. Teaching today’s 4-her’s about the rich legacy of our organization can help develop a sense of belonging and connection. Focusing on 4-H history can also build excitement and anticipation for our 120th anniversary next year. Here are a few ways you can incorporate some 4-H history into your club meetings this fall:

Share this video at your next club meeting. What was different about 4-H back then? What is the same?

2. Design a fair booth highlighting 4-H History in your county

3. Ask 4-H alumni from different decades to come speak with your club. Ask them to bring photos, record books, and memorabilia to share with youth. Help youth prepare questions in advance about what alumni did and learned when they were in the program. Talk about what is different, and what is the same.

4. Host a 4-H history quiz bowl. The National 4-H Historic Preservation Project has lots of information. You can also refer to Florida 4-H: A Century of Youth Success (your local 4-H office or library most likely has a copy you can borrow).

5. Work with your 4-H agent to form a committee to plan your countywide 120th anniversary celebration.

It All Began with Ag…

by Heather Kent | Oct 1, 2015

4-H began with agriculture in 1902 and over the past 100 years has grown to help youth learn about everything from agriculture to aerospace.

4-H began with the seed of an idea. In 1902, America needed folks to embrace new advances in agriculture. But leaders with open minds, strong hearts and willing hands weren’t in abundance. Luckily, kids were. By empowering the next generation to lead, 4-H took root, and grew. 4-H grew kids who are confident and strong; who are curious enough to question and capable enough to find the answer. We grew kids who stick to a job until the job gets done; who know how to work with others and most importantly, how to lead.

Over the century, 4-H has kept right on growing. We grew out of the farms and into the towns, suburbs, and cities. Today, 4-H exists anywhere curiosity roams and confidence thrives; anywhere technology can be advanced and achievement is valued. 4-H is anywhere positive change is possible and giving back moves entire communities forward.

When you think about it, it makes perfect sense that we began with farming. After all, true leaders aren’t born- they’re grown. Next week (October 4^th-10^th) marks National 4-H Week. This year, to celebrate, our blog will highlight how 4-H is growing Confidence, Curiosity, Compassion, Character, and Responsibility by sharing the stories of real Florida panhandle 4-H members, volunteers, and alumni. We hope that you will enjoy this series and that you will be inspired to make a difference in your community by sharing your skills, talents, and passions with other 4-H youth and volunteers. We hope you are inspired to cultivate 4-H so that it can keep right on growing for the next 100 years! For more information about 4-H, visit http://florida4h.org or contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office.

Tales from Timpoochee: our Past, Present and Future

by Heather Kent | Jul 23, 2014

Physical exercise was an important component of 4-H Camp, even back in the 1930’s!

For many Florida 4-H members, attending a week-long overnight camp at one of the four Florida 4-H Camping centers is a rite of passage. For nearly 90 years, 4-H youth and volunteers have been making their way to the shores of the Choctawhatchee Bay, home to Florida’s oldest camp, Camp Timpoochee.

Camp Timpoochee was started in 1926 when Jackson County 4-H members auctioned off their poultry flocks at the train station in Marianna to raise money for the camp. During the early years, many 4-Hers paid for their week of camp by bringing chickens and other goods. In those days, camp was a vacation from working on the farm in the summer heat and a chance to meet other youth. Over the last decades, several 4-Hers have even met their future spouse at 4-H camp!

Youth still enjoy many of the same activities at Timpoochee, but they also have opportunities to build robots, rockets, and GPS units.

Today, camp is still a safe environment where youth feel like they belong, learn independence, mastery, and generosity towards others. It is also a vacation from the peer pressure and bullying that many youth experience at school. One camper shared “I love coming to 4-H Camp, because it is the one week where I feel like I belong and no one makes fun of me or puts me down.” Other campers look forward to camp because it is an opportunity to do things they don’t normally get to do, like fish, shoot a bow and arrow, build and launch a rocket, or paddle a kayak.

How do we ensure that Camp Timpoochee will be around for future generations? It pretty much all boils down to volunteers. As long as there are volunteers working with Extension to support 4-H clubs and youth, donors will continue to support the work they do to make sure that future generations can learn valuable life lessons at camp.

How many generations of your family have attended 4-H Camp Timpoochee or Cherry Lake? Let us know in the comment box below. Feel free to share your favorite thing about camp on our blog or on Facebook. The family with the most interesting story will be featured in a future blog post!

To learn more about the Florida 4-H camping program, visit http://florida4h.org/camps_/. If you have a special place in your heart for 4-H Camp Timpoochee, consider serving as a 4-H Camp Volunteer, or even making a donation so that youth can enjoy the same experiences as generations before them. Florida 4-H Camps are also available to host family reunions, church retreats, corporate functions, and other events. You can help support Camp Timpoochee by scheduling your next event there. For more information, contact Heather Kent at hckent@ufl.edu.