4-H has deep roots, humble beginnings over a century ago

    As Phillips County 4-H members are knee-deep in project work and county fair preparations, many may wonder how 4-H even began. It is one of the oldest youth development programs in the country, and it just keeps evolving and changing with the times.
    The humble beginning of 4-H can be traced back to the late 1800s, when public universities noticed that many adults in farming communities were not receptive to new agricultural ideas and technologies being discovered at the universities. However, young people were open to new ideas and would often “experiment” with new ideas and approaches to agriculture (not unlike the youth of today!). They would then relay their findings on to adults in their communities. These groups of youngsters eventually evolved into rural youth programs.
    The birth of an actual 4-H club occurred in Clark County, Ohio, in 1902. The first club was called “The Tomato Club” or the “Corn Growing Club.” In 1910, the clover-shaped pin with an H on each leaf was developed, and by 1912, these rural youth programs became known as 4-H clubs. The Smith-Lever Act was passed by Congress in 1914, which created the Cooperative Extension System at the United States Department of Agriculture, and also included the work of boys’ and girls’ clubs involved with agriculture, home economics and other related subjects. By 1924, these clubs became organized as 4-H clubs, and the clover emblem was adopted.

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