HISTORY
OF 4-H IN VERNON COUNTY
4-H, as we know it, began around 1900 as a means of reaching
parents with improved farm and home practices. American farmers
had experienced poor economic times for 30 years. It was risky
business for them to try a newly recommended farm practice. In
1902, a few midwestern school teachers developed some crop demonstrations
with their students who in turn shared their successes with their
parents.
These school projects developed small groups covering a single
topic such as beef, corn, gardening, or canning. By 1909 some
of these groups were called 3-H clubs, and in 1911 the name of
4-H was adopted. There were corn clubs in Wisconsin as early
as 1904.
The first county agents were hired about 1915 and the first
Wisconsin State 4-H Leader was hired in 1914. A plan of organizing
boys' and girls' agricultural clubs in Wisconsin was later adopted.
This plan called for definite organization with the usual club
officers, an adult leader, regular meetings, and a series of
projects. Clubs were organized in schools and rural communities
under the direction of the local teachers.
Have 4-H objectives changed since its early days? Yes!
Today the objective is the development of young people by providing
a wide variety of learning opportunities in which all youth can
participate. 4-H is for all youth, whether they live in the city
or in the country.
Vernon County 4-H History
The 4-h program has been a part of the lives of
thousands of youth and adults in Vernon County since 1922 when
Agricultural Instructor R. A. Power traveled to rural schools
and enrolled youth in garden, corn, dairy, and pig projects.
In March 1924, Miss Elizabeth Salter, Assistant
State 4-H Club Leader, talked to the entire high school assembly
in Viroqua. After the assembly, 65 girls enrolled as members
of the first Girls Ag Club. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Power organized
a Boys Ag Club and also assisted the girls club.
Mrs. Bertha Lauder, the wife of a Viroqua doctor,
volunteered as the first general leader for the girls club with
the help of Mrs. Phoebe Schelling and Mrs. Vic Shaeffer as project
leaders of the new club. The president of that first Girls Ag
Club was Olga Bennett who went on to become a prominent Viroqua
attorney and judge.
The first year these two clubs organized, they held several social dances and
sponsored a school fair.
The first community 4-H club organized outside
of the school was the Bishop Branch Sewing Club organized in
1925 or 1926. One of this club's first members, Merle Fish, now
Mrs. Guy Primmer, was recognized in 1993 for having completed
50 years as a volunteer 4-H leader in Vernon County. She was
recognized at the 1993 State 4-H Congress in Madison.
The 4-H program is a part of the educational mission
of county-based University Extension staff who are employed jointly
by Vernon County, the University of Wisconsin, and the United
States Department of Agriculture. The Vernon County Board of
Supervisors hired its first 4_h club county leader in the summer
of 1928 for a three-month period. A full time 4-H and Youth Agent
has been a part of the University Extension staff in the county
since the mid 1940's.
The first 4-H Leaders Association was organized
in 1935 with R.A. Power as president, a position he held for
many years. The 4-H Leaders Association was organized by those
serving the 4-H program as adult volunteers to help promote and
raise funds to further the program in the county.
Interest in the 4-H program continued to grow.
A probable high point in terms of number of members was about
1963 when Vernon County has 834 4-H members in 38 different community
clubs. Projects and activities which members became involved
with continue to change and expand and currently youth decide
to become involved with 4-H have over 100 projects and activities
from which to choose in an area that meets interest.
Today there are approximately 640 youth and 200
adult volunteers involved in the 4-H program in the county each
year. The 4-H Leader/Parent Federation, through various fund-raising
activities, operates on a budget of several thousand dollars
to help youth develop their Head, Heart, Hands, and Health.
The strength of 4-H as a program for youth can
be attributed to the research base provide by University Extension
professional staff and the strong community support by the citizens
of the 30 plus communities in the county who currently support
a local 4-H program.
VERNON COUNTY 4-H AGENTS
Colleen B. Pulvermacher 9/1/04 to present
Susan R. Marino 04/10/89 to 05/14/04
Robert S. Fredrick 01/01/57 to 07/01/88
Judith Gates, interim 10/01/65 to 06/30/66
Alfred J. Hornby, interim 09/15/73 to 08/15/74
Alfred L. Finger 01/15/53 to 11/14/56
Lester E Glewen 03/25/47 to 11/30/52
Neilus R. Larson 02/15/46 to 12/31/45
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