MS 523 - Sandusky County Cooperative Extension Office: 4-H Clubs
MLA Citation
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| Title | MS 523 - Sandusky County Cooperative Extension Office: 4-H Clubs |
|---|---|
| Subject | Agriculture |
| Introduction | The records of the Sandusky County Cooperative Extension Office - 4-H Clubs were donated and transferred to the Center for Archival Collections through the cooperation of Mervin Hall on October 30, 1996. The collection contains six linear feet of material related to the history and activities of the various Sandusky County 4-H Clubs from 1923 to 2008. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection and duplication is permitted for research purposes. This collection was arranged and described by Alexandra Hutchings, student intern, and Stephen W. Badenhop, archival assistant, in July 2008. |
| Agency History | 4-H is a non-formal educational, youth development program offered to individuals from age five to nineteen to encourage hands-on, experiential learning that allows learning by doing. This youth development program began in 1902 when Albert Belmont Graham, superintendent of Springfield Township Schools, in Clark County, Ohio, organized a youth program to further agricultural learning through applied involvement. The group became known as the "Boy's and Girl's Agricultural Club." Graham's program quickly spread to other counties through the influence and cooperation of the Ohio State University. In 1914, the Smith-Lever Act placed the agricultural clubs under the control of the Ohio State University Extension Office. Two years later in 1916 the organization formally became known as 4-H. Sandusky County 4-H Clubs began operating in 1923, making it one of the earlier organizations to form in the state, when fourteen clubs were organized with 29 advisors and 124 members. In 1922 the state of Ohio only had 4-H groups in eighteen counties. Some of the first clubs in the county from 1924 included the following:
From its meager beginnings in the early 1920s the 4-H program blossomed in Sandusky County, as it did on the state level. In 1952, the county organization had 65 clubs with 148 advisors and 981 members. Presently, in 2008 there are forty-four 4-H Clubs throughout Sandusky County. Sandusky County 4-H members have been very active. Youths have participated in 4-H camp since 1923 to the present day. In 1928, Sandusky County sent its first representatives to the 4-H Club Congress at the Ohio State University. Delegates to this first annual event included:
4-H has sponsored a variety of community events ranging from tree plantings to chicken barbecues. Members have been energetic participants in the Sandusky County Fair displaying livestock and home economics projects, while also operating diary bar facilities at the fairgrounds in the early 1970s. Other past activities have included soybean growing contests in 1965 and 1966 and certain members attended vegetable growing tours in California, Florida, New Jersey and New York. All of these efforts of the Sandusky County 4-H Clubs have helped realize the 4-H goal of fostering "a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills." |
| Scope and Content | The records of the Sandusky County Cooperative Extension Office 4-H Clubs contain membership records, subject files, reports, printed material and photographic material. The collection of six linear feet ranging from 1923 to 2008, with some gaps in the 1930s, 1940s and 1990s. There is extensive information about memberships, including lists of members, junior leaders, advisors, adult volunteers and clubs. Many of the subject files deal with 4-H projects, reports, score sheets, banquets and 4-H camp. Large groups of the subject files deal with both agriculture and home economics. Sugar beets, corn, and vegetables in general are some of the subject files dealing with agriculture. While the home economics subject files mainly deal with upcoming events, trips, irrigation workshops, electric programs, and even "how to" pamphlets designed specifically for young women to learn more about electricity (1957). There is also an extensive list of both boy and girl winners from the years 1962 to 1974, from the Sandusky County Fair. Another extensive group of subject files on clubs deals with their congress, facts, score sheets, and their history. Many clubs were mainly centered on the subjects of agriculture and home economics. Their club names including Blue Bird Sewing Circle (1924) and the Jolly Livestock 4-H Club (1929) are centered on what they do. Although the Sandusky County 4-H subject files vary from topic to topic, they are generally centered on agriculture and home economics. There is a large section of newspaper clippings, ranging from 1950 to 1980. The newspaper clippings include articles dealing with 4-H winners at the Sandusky County Fair; along with other articles dealing with up coming events that different 4-H clubs were hosting. The collection also has numerous reports dealing with enrollment status, fair premiums, project tally and statistics (1970-1980), which reflect how big 4-H had come to be in Sandusky County. Printed material includes manuals, booklets and programs, which discuss 4-H related activities and programs. Positive prints and slides make up the photographic material in this collection. The photographs are of various 4-H related events and activities, mainly the Sandusky County Fair. The slides highlight 4-H activities, meetings, programs, 4-H Camp, along with agricultural, livestock and home economic projects. Together the large quantity of membership lists and subject files reflect what 4-H has been and is in Sandusky County. |
| Series Description | PROCEEDINGS MEMBERSHIP RECORDS SUBJECT FILES SUBJECT FILES - MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS REPORTS SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS NEWSCLIPPINGS PRINTED MATERIAL PRINTED MATERIAL - MISCELLANEOUS PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL POSITIVE PRINTS SLIDES |
| Inventory | Box 1 Folders
Box 2 Folder
Box 3 Folder
Box 4 Folder
Box 5 Folder
Box 6 Folder
Box 7 Folder
Box 8 Folder
Box 9 Folder
Box 10 Folder
Box 11 Folder
Box 12 Folder
Box 13 Folder
Box 14 Folder
Box 15 Folder
Oversize - Box 16 Folder
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