Astronauts, Space and 4-H

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BSBMF_LogoThere is a new history segment just posted in the National 4-H History Section of  our history website entitled “Astronauts, Space and 4-H.”

The 4-H involvement with space –  from Amelia Earhart and Admiral Richard Byrd… Neil Armstrong and James Lovell… Ellison Onizuka and the Challenger disaster… a 4-H space television series with NASA… to National Space Camp, 4-H National Youth Science Day and the  National 4-H Engineering Challenge events… space, indeed, is an important part of both 4-H history and 4-H today.

Be sure to visit this new section at: http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/Space/

To contact the National 4-H History Preservation Program: Info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com

“Voices of 4-H History” will be a major Feature of Filmfest 4-H 2014

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FilmFest_Logo_SmallMissouri is pleased to announce that FilmFest 4-H, the national 4-H film festival, has been GREENLIGHTED for 2014! This year’s FilmFest will take place at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac in St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis is home to countless film productions, one of the nation’s top zoos, amazing museums, and of course the world famous Gateway Arch.

Now is the time to get started! The Film Submission form has been posted, and films will be accepted until July 1, 2014. As with last year, there is a 10-minute time limit on films, so that we can screen as many as possible in the most interesting ways. We continue to request that filmmakers avoid scenes that involve youth pointing guns at each other! This will help us give your films the widest possible exposure through 4-H channels, without creating unnecessary complications.

This year’s confirmed categories are:

  • Narrative
  • Animation
  • Documentary
  • 4-H Promotional
  • “Voices of 4-H History”

This special event connects young filmmaking enthusiasts with film industry professionals and with other youth who share those same interests. Like any national film festival, FilmFest 4-H is a “commuter event.” Festival-goers are free to make the arrangements for travel, lodging, and meals that best fit their needs. Your $129 “All access Pass” is your ticket to the entire event. This includes film screenings, field trips, festivities, meetings, exciting workshops with film industry professionals, and other special opportunities. Registration will be online at the FilmFest 4-H website in the weeks ahead. For more information about the event click on: http://is.gd/9Aeb92.

Youth filmmakers from across the nation will present the products of their film making labor on August 3, 2014, in St. Louis. In 2013, youth filmmakers from more than a dozen states exhibited 38 films that they had produced. Finalists’ films from the 2013 FilmFest 4-H can be seen at: http://4h.missouri.edu/go/events/filmfest/2013/films/ror-wy.htm/.

During 2014, the 100th anniversary of the passage of the Smith-Lever Act, we are hopeful that youth film makers will assist Cooperative Extension in celebrating this centennial by helping capture 4-H history in their state and counties. Youth filmmakers that complete their productions in time to submit them prior to the July 1 judging deadline, will be considered for FilmFest 2014. Films not submitted by July 1, will be considered for FilmFest 2015.

We hope that 4-H alumni, staff, volunteers, club leaders and supporters will reach out, get involved and encourage 4-H’ers to start up “Voices of 4-H History” media projects for sharing at FilmFest 2014.

4-H and Radio: Early Days, Growing Together

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N4HN_193711_Pg20When the National Committee on Boys’ and Girls’ Club Work (now National 4-H Council) was started in late 1921, it basically consisted of a staff of one person – Guy Noble – working at a ‘desk on loan’ in the Chicago headquarters offices of the American Farm Bureau, with the assistance of a part-time secretary (also on loan). In addition to the overwhelming burden of raising funds in unchartered waters and planning and managing the major national 4-H event, National 4-H Congress, Guy Noble also knew that it was critical to promote the concept of 4-H to broaden audiences if it was to grow.

As early as 1922, before it was even a year old, the National Committee on Boys’ and Girls’ Club Work became a radio pioneer. Arrangements were made that year with the Westinghouse Radio Service of Chicago for news of Boys’ and Girls’ Club Work to be presented each Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6 pm. In 1922 there were only 30 radio stations in the country and a quarter million receiver sets scattered across the nation.

The decades of the 1920s and 1930s became a growth period for both radio and for 4-H together. At one point all the major radio networks were carrying 4-H radio programs. And, there was the National 4-H Music Hour on NBC which featured the United States Marine Corps Band and highlighted music appreciation for young people. The National 4-H News magazine carried a regular column of upcoming radio programs in their monthly publication.

David Sarnoff, president of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), and one of the corporate giants in the communications industry, partnered with 4-H. He became a board member of the National Committee on Boys’ and Girls’ Club Work and RCA would become a national sponsor, funding a new activity for 4-H Club leaders and members. It was the National Program on Social Progress which helped to train and encourage 4-H members and adults in their communities to make the community more pleasant and improve the quality of living. This included: being more “neighborly,” and more resourceful, as well as stressing more education and creative community social activities. The program placed heavy emphasis on using the radio for communications.

By the 1930s, many rural stations were hiring farm broadcasters; first to announce the grain and livestock markets each day, but then to support rural community activities and events. Four-H fit nicely into this pattern as well; with farm broadcasters becoming strong friends of 4-H. At the same time Extension at every level – federal, state and county – were embracing the use of radio. A decade later, by the end of the 40s, over half of the radio stations in the country were regularly carrying Extension programs, including much coverage of 4-H. The radio was playing in the house, the barn, the car; no longer a novelty, it was a part of our everyday lives.

A new segment – 4-H and Radio – has just been posted in the National 4-H History section of the 4-H History Preservation website. We hope you enjoy it. Take a look at it at: http://4-HHistorypreservation.com/history/Radio/. If you have comments about 4-H and radio please contact: Info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com.

Extension Leaders Learn About 4-H History and FilmFest 4-H 2014

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In February, Extension leaders from all 50 states, including agents from 200 counties, who attended the JCEP (Joint Council of Extension Professionals) Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, learned about 4-H History Preservation projects and youth film making opportunities. Materials developed by the National 4-H History Preservation Team and the FilmFest 4-H leadership team were shared with all professionals in attendance. Four-H agents and leaders from Missouri and Maryland provided the lead.

4-H is Now Part of National History Day

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NHD_LogoThe National 4-H History Preservation Program will be supporting National History Day (NHD) starting in 2014. The 2014 theme is “Rights and Responsibilities.”

The NHD national contest is June 15-19, 2014 at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD, and two or three thousand teens are expected to come to this event. NHD is in critical need of help with the judging events both in College Park at the nationals and at the state level. Most of the state contests are held between late March and early May. We urge all State 4-H Offices who have an interest to visit the National History Day website, http://nhd.org and locate your state contact. You can also email: judges@nhd.org for this information.

4-H’ers are welcome to participate and complete in the contests according to Lynne M. O’Hara, NHD Director of Programs. The usual requirement is that the student’s entry form must be signed by a teacher, however she says county 4-H extension agents are certainly considered qualified as teachers and can vouch for a participant.

Some state 4-H offices already participate in National History Day. If you plan to have some 4-H’ers compete or you would like to help as a judge, please let us know at: info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com.

History Preservation Newsletter
February 2014

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WOW, What an Issue!

Paul_Hutchcroft

Report card of the father of a former National 4-H Foundation (now 4-H Council) staff member demonstrates the close tie between 4-H and One-Room schools.

National History Day this year offers 4-H’ers and leaders the opportunity to highlight different aspects of 4-H History under the theme of “Rights and Responsibilities.”

“Voices of 4-H History” captures memories of alumni, leaders, donors and others in audio/video records. That’s the oral “History Preservation” part. At the same time, having “Voices” as part of FilmFest 4-H 2014 is very current, so it’s the “Contemporary History” part. In the “Voices” bit, there’s a rather detailed explanation of how two MD counties are approaching the project; just consider it a “how-to” example if you’re not already involved. In the “FilmFest 4-H” part, you’ll find necessary details for this year’s national 4-H film festival and how you can participate.

Four-H Repositories, History of 4-H Radio, 4-H and One-Room Schools: all of these and more lead to new and ever growing sections of the National 4-H History Preservation Program website:
http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com.

“Hands-On History” highlights 4-H Electricity projects and how you can bring awareness into your 4-H club meetings.

A very special Happy Birthday wish to National 4-H Hall of Fame Laureate and Centenarian C. J. Gauger; send him a card!

And a Happy Centennial year to all Smith-Lever Act beneficiaries.

Enjoy this issue.

Smith-Lever Act Centennial

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The signing of the Smith-Lever Act by President Woodrow Wilson May 8, 1914, was the result of over six years of work by Land Grant Colleges and many organizations nationwide to get aid and support for Extension work at the State and County levels. The act was introduced by Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia and Representative A. F. Lever of South Carolina to expand the vocational, agricultural, and home demonstration programs in rural America. This particular law met with a wide approval in the existing Extension community because it built upon the programs that were already working at the local level and gave them additional funding which allow them to continue and grow.

You can learn more about the history of the creation of the Smith-Lever Act and how it relates to 4-H by reading chapter 11, pages 118-132 in “The 4-H Story” by Franklin M. Reck. This is available in digital format at: http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/books

To learn more about the Smith-Lever Centennial celebrations and see the celebration tool-kit: http://www.extension100years.net/en/administration/about_us/chancellors_office/extension/toolkit/

Five Years Old and Growing Strong!

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This month marks the fifth anniversary of the National 4-H History Preservation Program, and what an invigorating period it’s been! We look back at some of the program’s accomplishments during that time and marvel at the outstanding cooperation we’ve received from all organizations we’ve worked with, and the collaborative efforts of the nearly 100 volunteers whose dedication continues to inspire us.

History Flashbacks: 1919 and 1938 news articles document career moves of important 4-H pioneers, O. H. Benson and A. B. Graham. Another article in the Farm Boys’ and Girls’ Leader recognized a Montana club, as the first in the state to meet national requirements for a “Standard Club.” Did you know there was such a thing?

And a look to the future: since history is made every day, the future of the 4-H History Preservation Program is never-ending. What do we see ahead? What do you see ahead?

“Hands on History” raises the importance of 4-H record-keeping, and “Voices of 4-H History” brings us up-to-date on various state activities, as well as plans for the 2014 National 4-H FilmFest.

2014, a year of notable anniversaries, is off to a rousing start for the History Team; we hope it’s the same for you! Happy New Year and enjoy this issue.

One of the first known visual aids trucks that helped extension workers take farm and home science to the youth and adults in rural areas following the passage of the Smith-Lever act and for years to come. Note that the movie projector behind the truck ran off of the car’s generator to show educational movies in the darkened school buildings. This project combined the two wonders of automobiles and moving pictures to awed youngsters and adults alike. This pioneering venture in visual education was a success from the start!

4-H and 1-Room Country Schools

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Old Country School, circa 1905

Boys and Girls Club Work (4-H… or, 3-H) was an integral part of the public school system in many counties during the early 1900’s.

While county school superintendents are credited with starting the 4-H program in many parts of the country, it truly was a grassroots movement which seemed to start in a number of different locations. While the “process” was quite different from one location to another, the “players” were often the same – county school superintendents, 1-room country school teachers, the state land-grant colleges and experimental stations. We are basically talking here about the history of one brief decade – from 1900 to 1910.

The land-grant colleges and the national educational groups were already on board since the 1890’s, but for different reasons. The colleges wanted to disseminate their latest research and improved practices to the farmers by exposing and training their young sons and daughters to hybrid seed corn, milk sanitation, more safe canning procedures and so on. The educators wanted to involve teachers in training more than the 3 R’s (reading, writing and arithmetic), involving more practical education and manual training.

In fact, M. Buisson of the French Ministry of Education, speaking at the International Congress of Education at Chicago on July 26, 1893, said: “Let the school teach, we say, what is most likely to prepare the child to be a good citizen, an intelligent and active man… Not by the means of the three R’s, but rather by the means of the three H’s – head, heart and hand – and make him fit for self government, self control and self-help, a living, a thinking being.”

From an educational standpoint, this was an exciting decade at every level, but perhaps no more exciting anywhere than to the early pioneers promoting the 3 H’s. This new segment – 4-H and 1-Room Country Schools – just posted on the National 4-H History website in the National 4-H History section, tells the stories of many of these early efforts. We welcome your comments at: Info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com.

Read more at http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/1-Room_Schools/
 

Montana 4-H Member Lights U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree in 2008

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In 2008, as in many previous years, the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree checked in for a three-night stay at National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. On November 21, the 70-foot tree from Montana’s Bitterroot Forest stopped at National 4-H Youth Conference Center before traveling to the U.S. Capitol to become the Capitol Christmas Tree (on the Capitol grounds, not the White House Ellipse). Chris Gabrielson, a 4-H member from Havre, MT, joined Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, to host the official lighting ceremony on December 2, 2008.

Each year, hundreds of students from the Capitol Christmas Tree’s home state enter the Capitol Christmas Tree drawing to receive a free trip to Washington, D.C. and assist the Speaker in lighting the tree. Gabrielson was the lucky winner of the 2008 drawing.

However, Gabrielson wasn’t the only 4-H’er involved with the Capitol tree that year, he and other students in the state of Montana (65 percent of whom were 4-H members) used recyclable materials to create over 5,000 handmade ornaments that decorated the tree. The ornaments reflected the theme “Sharing Montana’s Treasures.” Mountains, Moons and Stars, Big sky Country; Montana wild flowers, Montana’s Wildlife, and some included the 4-H Clover.