Jones County, Iowa 4-H History

The History of 4-H in Jones County, 1920 - 2009

4-H clubs began as project clubs to teach agriculture and home economics. Projects for girls were food and nutrition, clothing and home furnishings. Boys belonged to 4-H project clubs that included beef, swine, dairy, crops and gardens.

1920-29

• In 1922 there were seven 4-H clubs with 63 members. By 1925, there were twenty-one clubs with 191 members.
• A boy and girl were selected to go the State Fair Health Contest
• In 1927 the first annual 4-H club banquet was held for boys and girls
• Livestock workouts were started, beginning with beef and later with swine
• Girls 4-H clubs were organized by communities and townships A girls 4-H committee was formed to give direction to girls in 4-H. Girls county 4-H officers were elected
• Livestock was exhibited at both the Anamosa Fair and the Monticello Fair

1930-39

• Organized beef club tours were started to provided teaching and recognition. In later years, there tours included all boy's projects.
• Boys 4-H project clubs were organized into communities or township clubs. Some parts of the county had concerns.
• A county wide picnic for boys brought about the first election of boys county 4-H officers.
• Girls 4-H clubs had exhibit booths at the Jones County Fair
• Teaching was conducted in how to give a 4-H demonstration.
• 4-H camps were held at the Monticello fairgrounds

1940-49

• Livestock is now noted as 4-H projects not livestock clubs.
• World War II brought about emphasis on purchase of war bonds, victory gardens etc
• A Farm Bureau group, Rural Young People, provided leadership to 4-H. They held a basketball tournament,
• 4-H held steady during the war years

1950 -59

• 4-H members increased to more than 600 girls and boys.
• 4-H structure became more highly organized with terms for committee members, club expectation and more county-wide events
• More youth became involved in state 4-H experiences
• Extension Service moved into a new Farm Bureau building which provided meeting rooms and Extension Staff offices
• The 4-H exchange program to other states began. The first exchange was with Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Exchanges (one year visit, next year host) continued with counties throughout the United States
• The county-wide older youth club, 4-H Builders began. This group served banquets, did community service and experienced large cities - St Louis, Minneapolis and Chicago
• 4-H camps tried several sites - Scotch Grove Boy Scout cabin, county fairgrounds etc
• Boys 4-H club tours, girls 4-H achievement shows, garden tours became annual events
• Countywide education emphasis for all 4-H clubs took place each winter

1960 -69

• Girls 4-H and Boys 4-H were organized into a total structure
• Girls and Boys 4-H Committees were combined to form a total 4-H Committee
• Girls and Boys 4-H officers were united to be a 4-H Youth Council
• more project leaders gave special training projects included horses, dogs, gardens, photography etc
• Camping experiences grew into Junior and Senior camps as well as winter camp. Camp Wyoming was used.

The Great Jones County Fair

• 4-H volunteers carried out the complete operation of the youth department at the county fair.
• Exhibits had quotas as to the space available
• A beef and dairy parade as well as a calf, pig and chicken scramble were grandstand events
• The 4-H food stand expanded from a tent to a permanent shelter manned by 4-H'ers. The profit was the major source of income for programs and activities.
• Extra projects became the science, mechanics and fine arts department
• Cold watermelon feeds were big county fair treats
• Outstanding livestock exhibits advanced to State Fair, AK-SAR-BEN, International Livestock show or Waterloo Meat Animal show

1970 -79

• 4-H member participation exceeded more than 850 youth
• College students were employed as summer aides to conduct summer youth outreach programs
• 4-H'ers started taking part in Washington DC Citizenship experience
• Summer 4-H club tours, achievement show, county camps, presentation days, Rally-Roundup and county fair involved hundreds of youth, parents and adult volunteers
• Many activities like banquets and awards, county council elections, basketball tournaments, Share-the-Fun became annual events
• A new show ring and a swine barn were constructed at the Great Jones County fairgrounds
• Hogs from the fair began to be marketed on grade-and-yield with tours to plants for carcass evaluation
• Jones county was the first Iowa county to begin nose printing beef animals for project identification

1980-89

• 4-H programs and philosophy evolved to youth development and life-skills
• More short-term youth programs beyond the traditional 4-H club experience were carried out
• There was increased competition for young people's time by sports, school activities, part-time work etc
• A beef/dairy barn and a horse arena were constructed at the fairgrounds

1990 -2009

• 4-H programming becomes more flexible and changeable
• A three year cycle of foods, clothing and home improvement ends
• 4-H girls and boys clubs start combining into a single community club
• Specialized clubs begin with topics like shooting sports, horses, etc
• Clover Kids, (k to 3rd grade) Summer Discovery day camps (k - 5th) and after-school programs begin
• Camping experiences become more multi-county programs
• More youth are involved in non-traditional 4-H clubs
• Non-traditional youth programs such as shooting sports, the 5th quarter and summer community programs are developed
• 4-H now covers a wider age range, k - 12 grades