Here's how a four-leaf clover became the bedrock emblem of rural America, spreading from rural New York and Ohio across the nation - and even to 63 other countries.

4-H, a 100 percent, made-in-America youth movement, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. It's trying to get the message out that 4-H isn't just pigs and lambs and corn anymore. It's also model rocketry and computer clubs, photography and cooking. 4-H isn't just farms, either, as there are clubs in suburbia and even cities.

Randy Owen, lead singer of the country group Alabama, is a 4-H enthusiast who remembers what the local club meant for him when he was growing up in post-World War II rural Alabama.

"4-H was a place where a kid like myself felt a sense of belonging," recalls Owen, 52, owner of a 2,000-acre Hereford cattle ranch on Lookout Mountain in Alabama, near the 40-acre farm where his father grew cotton, corn and peppers and raised livestock.

Other than the church, 4-H was the most important institution in his community, Owen says, and the place where his sister Reba and he raised and sold pigs and a bull so they could get the $315 they needed to buy a '55 Ford with a broken driver's door to ride to their high school.

"It had a belt around the window to keep the door shut, but that car meant a lot for us because we lived so far out away from the high school," he says.

For every item on a grocery-store shelf, there was a farmer out there using his skills to raise that food.

"You learn never to take for granted that tree you see, and you understand that crops fail, there are floods, there are droughts, and all kinds of things happen," he says. "And you learn that you are living not by going to the store, but because there's a person out there you can put a name on who is the source of the food chain."

But most importantly, Owen says, 4-H taught him that life wasn't just about Randy Owen and that Randy Owen wasn't going to get very far in life if farming skills weren't handed down from generation to generation.

"I don't think enough emphasis is put on the farm family. We've got the greatest food supply in the world, and they're paid less for what they do, and cared (for) less in legislation than perhaps Native Americans," he says. "We should thank them for what they are doing - and thank God someone is."

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman says 4-H taught her the confidence and leadership skills that helped her later in life as a lawyer and Cabinet secretary.

Veneman, who grew up on a peach farm in Empire, Calif., remembers that joining 4-H was just what children did. Her father helped build the local community hall, which served as offices for the Grange, the Farm Bureau and 4-H.

"It was the thing to do when you were a kid," she says. "Girl Scouts (weren't) big in farm communities." She worked on cooking and sewing projects, and gained confidence presenting her work before groups and working with other children. "I'll never forget how nervous I got," she recalls. "It's a valuable experience as you go forward. It gives you a framework that helps you later in life."

How 4-H was launched, and who launched it, is in dispute.
Some link the modern-day clubs to late-19th-century agricultural reformers like Cornell University's Liberty Hyde Bailey, one of the founders of modern horticulture.

Others contend the 4-H movement grew out of efforts by hybrid-corn manufacturers in Illinois who found ways of advertising the advantages of their seeds to reluctant farmers by creating "corn clubs" of youngsters who would experiment with hybrid corn at home to demonstrate to their parents the results they might get if they switched to the new seed.

Ohio insists that 4-H clubs were the brainchild of Arthur Graham, a Springfield, Ohio, school superintendent who gathered some 85 children ranging in age from 10 to 15 in the basement of the local courthouse on Jan. 15, 1902. Their first projects: food preservation, testing for soil acidity, and growing corn and potatoes.

Within three years, there were 20 clubs in the state, with 1,038 members. Today, there are about 8 million school-aged children involved in 4-H clubs in the United States, plus an estimated 2 million more in 63 other countries.

Among 4-H alumni are Dolly Parton, Sissy Spacek, Reba McEntire, "Garfield" cartoonist Jim Davis, Olympic gold-medal wrestler Rulan Gardner and Olympic track-and-field star Stacy Dragila.

In 1952, Ohio persuaded U.S. postal officials to print a 50-year anniversary stamp commemorating Graham as the father of 4-H, which is why 2002 was picked as the official centennial of the clubs.

"It's a U.S. model, a 100 percent American idea," said Virginia Gobeli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's national 4-H program coordinator.

4-H started out as three H's. In his 1904 annual report, Graham wrote that "not only must provision be made for the three R's, but for the three H's as well: the head for wealth of information and knowledge, the heart for moral and spiritual strength, and the hand for manual dexterity."

A fourth H - for "hustle" - was added in 1908, but changed to "health" in 1911, when the club's official green four-leaf clover emblem was adopted.

James Tobin, director of biotech projects at agribusiness giant Monsanto, says that 4-H helped him develop a world view of agriculture, and gave him the chance to go on an exchange program to the Soviet Union in 1978.

Tobin grew up on a corn, soybean and cattle farm in New Market, Iowa, and raised cattle and hogs for show at 4-H, where he also took photography courses. The money his brothers and he raised went to their college funds, while Tobin's photography project helped him document the Soviet Union visit for a National Geographic story on the program.

"It was a chance to learn everything from organizational skills to managing a project and working with people," says Tobin. "It was very, very beneficial."
 

The History of 4-H in Nebraska

With more than 6.8 million members nationwide, 4-H is the largest non-formal youth education organization in the United States. It is also a part of the Cooperative Extension Service and the selected youth organization of land-grant colleges and universities across the nation.

So, how and when did 4-H begin? What does it look like today? We'd like to tell you our history.
 

The Beginning … Corn-Growing Clubs and Head, Heart and Hands

In the late 1890s and early 1900s, 4-H programs began across the country in response to young people and their need for a better agricultural education. No one individual is credited with establishing the 4-H program nationally. Rather, the program was founded through the efforts of several individuals over the course of a few years.

In Nebraska, E. C. Bishop, a teacher and county superintendent, is credited as introducing Boys and Girls Club Work in German Town near Garland in Seward County in 1895 and near Bradshaw in York County in 1898.

Bishop organized school clubs and provided youth with educational materials. In 1903, he and his fellow Lincoln Normal classmate, W. C. Brokaw, organized a corn growing competition for boys from York, Fillmore and Seward counties. This resulted in a State Corn Show in 1904.

By 1905, Boys' and Girls' Club Work had expanded to several counties, with more than 500 youth attending the Nebraska Girls' Domestic Science Association and the Nebraska Boys' Agricultural Association. The first mention of three of the four H's in Nebraska is in a phrase Bishop included in the Boys' and Girls' constitution at these events. 4-H had officially arrived in Nebraska.

In 1907, Bishop appealed to the readers of Nebraska Farmer magazine: "Can we find a name or emblem that can be used to refer to both boys and girls?" The answer came from a national source shortly thereafter. The first 4-H emblem came into use
nationally in 1907 or 1908 and was designed as a three-leaf clover, standing for head, heart and hands. Hustle was added as the fourth H in 1911 but was later changed to health. In 1908, more than 8,000 boys and girls participated in county contests.

In addition to 4-H's growing popularity in Nebraska, much was happening nationally to strengthen the program. By 1912, 73,000 boys and 23,000 girls nationwide were enrolled in club work. Also in 1912, the USDA created a charter for 4-H. In 1914, Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act, which established the Cooperative Extension Service, of which 4-H is a part. Nebraska was ready. By 1913, county youth workers were already in place. A note from a Gage County youth worker in 1913 talked of Boys' and Girls' Club picnics with lessons in livestock judging, milk testing and more.

The World War I years added a new dimension to 4-H. Club work became even more important as food and other resources
became less abundant. Young people in clubs contributed to the war effort through food production and conservation, canning
demonstrations and other efforts. In Nebraska, youth also raised victory gardens and adopted "wheatless" flour and "sugarless"
recipes.
 

The 1920s, 30s and 40s … Global Expansion and National Conferences

Following the war, 4-H crossed the Atlantic and became established in Great Britain, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway. It also became more culturally diverse in the United States. By 1923, more than 55,000 African American boys and girls were involved in 4-H clubs. In the late 1920s, the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs established its own Extension Service and promoted 4-H. Today, youth from all cultures still find opportunities to thrive in 4-H.

The 1920s also were the birth of the 4-H national conferences. National 4-H Club Congress grew out of the Annual National Tours, which began in 1923. The first National Club Camp was held in Washington, D.C., in 1927. The delegates were housed in tents near the US Department of Agriculture. The National 4-H pledge and 4-H Motto were officially adopted at this camp.

In the 1930s, the Great Depression again proved the validity of 4-H. Food production and conservation skills learned in 4-H continued to be an asset to youth, their families and communities. When the U.S. became involved in World War II, 4-H youth rose to the cause. They canned, conserved, adopted special recipes and were at the forefront of the war movement with patriotic pledges and more.
 

From Yesterday to Today … I.F.Y.E., Camps, and More

Following World War II, relief work in Asia and Europe became a major activity of U.S. 4-H clubs. The International 4-H Youth Exchange (I.F.Y.E.) program allowed U.S. youth to meet the people they were helping. The first Nebraska I.F.Y.E. delegate was Helen Oschner Stiling of Madison County who lived and worked with a farm family in Sweden in 1948. Today, nearly 1,000 Nebraska youth have participated in the program, traveling to more than 50 other countries. In addition, thousands of Nebraska families have opened their homes to youth from around the world. In 2000-01, Nebraska hosted youth from Japan, Ukraine, Armenia, Belarus and Muldova.

Since the earliest years, Nebraska 4-H'ers have experienced new adventures and developed lifelong friendships at 4-H Camp. The first organized Boys' and Girls' Camp in Nebraska was in 1912. Seventy-five youth attended the three-day camp at the State Fairgrounds in Lincoln. The first Conservation Camp was held at the Seward Park in 1931.

The "traveling camp crew" was popular with agents and 4-H'ers alike from 1947 to 1974. The three "camp crew" members would load 400 canvas cots, paper plates, craft materials, record players, luggage and more onto a truck and travel to eight locations during June and July.

Nebraska's first campsite, the Nebraska State 4-H Camp at Halsey, was dedicated in 1962. Friends of 4-H from nearly every community in Nebraska contributed to the campaign fund. Because of the importance of the camp experience, Nebraska didn't stop at one. The South Central 4-H Center near Alma was dedicated in 1976 and the Eastern Nebraska Camp near Gretna in
1982.

Today, approximately 2,500 youth attend traditional 4-H camp in Nebraska annually. Each location offers everything from canoeing and cookouts to nature studies and night hikes. Youth also participate in T.R.U.S.T. courses at each site that promote self-confidence and team-building skills. Because of the quality grounds and staff, nearly 10,000 adults and non-traditional youth campers also seek out Nebraska's camps for retreats and special programs annually.

In addition to traditional clubs and camps, 4-H impacts youth through School Enrichment. These short-term educational programs, covering topics such as embryology and conservation, may be taught by a teacher or an extension staff member. Because of the quality programs and hard work of extension staff, School Enrichment is one of the fastest-growing areas of 4-H-nearly 70,000 Nebraska youth participated in them last year.

And, no history of 4-H would be complete without a mention of the Nebraska State Fair, established in 1869. In the 1890s,
school-age youth were first encouraged to exhibit articles. By 1906, the Boys' and Girls' Statewide contest included: corn, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes, manual training, cooking, bread, preservation, needle work and house ornaments. Today, computers, heritage, forestry, rabbits and wildlife are the fastest-growing exhibit areas at the State Fair. In 2000, more than 7,000 young people brought 13,000 exhibits to the State Fair.
 

2002 … Still Making the Best Better

4-H has a most impressive history. From the corn-growing clubs of the early 20th century to the camps and after-school clubs of today, 4-H continues to help youth become competent, caring citizens of good character. Today, there are nearly 7 million 4-H members nationwide and more than 129,000 members in Nebraska, including youth from every county.

Judging from its past success and continuing commitment to youth, it is clear that 4-H will continue to do what it has done so well for the past decades … make the best better.

From: Nebraska 4-H Website http://4h.unl.edu/centennialinfo.htm#history
Sources: "The History of 4-H in Nebraska" by John Orr
The National 4-H Council's Centennial website: www.4hcentennial.org/
 

Survey Shows Benefits of 4-H Involvement

In 1999, more than 1,200 Nebraska 4-H members, alumni and
parents were polled as part of a National 4-H Impact Assessment.
Respondents said involvement in 4-H increased their:

Service to Others (86%)
Ability to Think on Feet (88%)
Leadership Skills (89%)
Appreciation of Diversity (89%)
Team Member Skills (90%)
Communication Skills (91%)
Organizational Skills (92%)
 

A Few Famous 4-H'ers
- Singer Faith Hill
- Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns
- Nebraska State Senator Marian Price
- Nebraska State Senator Jim Jones
- Nebraska State Senator Curtis Bromm
- Nebraska State Senator Roger Wehrbein
- Nebraska State Senator Ron Raikes
- Former Nebraska Secretary of State Scott Moore
- Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Clayton Yeutter
- Actress Florence Henderson
- Cartoonist Jim Davis
- Singer Reba McEntire
- Current Husker Football players: David Volk and Curtis Tomasevicz
- Current U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman