Mahaska County 4-H History

Through all of Mahaska County 4-H History, our youth have been leaders at the state and national levels. One Convention in Washington DC the Mahaska 4-H members were extremely knowledgeable. Anytime someone had a question, the other clubs would “Ask A Mahaska.” Today, the rich 4-H tradition continues. We still have Mahaska County Youth that could answer your 4-H questions.

Many of the 4-H clubs in Oskaloosa are named based on the township the original club was located in. For example, the Cedar Livestock Club started in 1929 by O.W. Hoskins. The Cedar Township is located in the Southeast corner of Mahaska County. It was the first boys 4-H club in Cedar Township. Cedric Burch was elected president, Jack Lee was vice president, Chester McCurdy was elected secretary/treasurer, and Ernest Witt was the reporter. The boys visited farms of members including; Hoskins, Plate, Lee, Johnson, Robbins, Burch, and Grootveld. The Girls in Cedar Township also had a club called the Cedar Clippers in 1930. The girls traveled to Ames’ Iowa State College in 1938 to be part of the 100 years photo. The club more recently had a 90^th birthday celebration.

Another Mahaska County club is Adams Champs. Adams township is just North of Oskaloosa. In 1946, the Adams Champs was a boys only club. They had a girls club called the Prairie Roses. The 2 clubs combined in about 1990 to be Adams Champs.

West Des Moines Livewires appears to be a strange name for a Mahaska County club since we aren’t near West Des Moines. However, just west of the Des Moines River, we have a township called West Des Moines. The club was organized in 1945. The club was well known for running the Southern Iowa Fair Concession Stand for over 40 years.

More recently, new clubs have joined the fun in Mahaska County. Mahaska Masters 4-H club began in 2006 when six families with 10 children decided to start a new club. Word got out and the club soon had 20 members for their first year. The club currently has 6 leaders that share the responsibilities of the club. This club encourages record books and has record book workshops to promote the skill.

Currently, Mahaska County has 14 active 4-H clubs. The clubs meet in all areas of the county including, Oskaloosa, Fremont, Eddyville, New Sharon, and Leighton.

Everett shares 4-H memories...

New Sharon Woman Was a 4-H Pioneer

by Janelle Jones, The Oskaloosa Herald

Mahaska County has a long and colorful history with 4-H clubs.  One of the oldest club members, not to mention one of Mahaska County’s most interesting women, is Esther Everett of New Sharon.

Everett was a pioneer of 4-H as it is known in Mahaska County today.  She helped in forming a girls’ club in the North Mahaska area, and gave new meaning to membership with her long list of accomplishments.  Her record book, a mandatory requirement of being in 4-H at the time, is overflowing with history of her journey in the club.  It’s full of pictures and mementos to remind her of the projects she completed and the people she encountered.  The record book is a treasure to Everett, and a tribute to the humble beginnings of what has become a national pastime.

In the early 1920s, 4-H was structured differently than it is today.  There were separate boys’ and girls’ clubs at that time.  Boys focused on outdoor projects and livestock, whereas the girls were involved in home management projects, like cooking and sewing.

“At that time, not too many boys were interested in home economics projects, so our club was made up of only girls,” said Everett.  “There were a few girls, however, that were members of the boys’ club and worked with the livestock.”

Members of 4-H at this time were primarily children from rural areas instead of children who lived within city limits.  “It taught the country kids how to speak publicly and work with their hands.  It also brought a dignity to the things that we did on a daily basis.”

Everett became involved in 4-H for several reasons.  Foremost was the encouragement she received from Mrs. Clyde Shaw, the county chairman of the girls’ clubs.  Everett enjoyed the type of projects that the girls participated in, and her sister and cousin were already members.  “I suppose my mother had some influence on my decision to join,” said Everett.  “She was a member of a similar clubs for adults, it was called Farm Bureau but it was through the Extension.”

Everett admits that two local girls, Beulah Rodgers and Kathryn Bolibaugh, members of a Mahaska County 4-H canning club, had something to do with her joining the club.  “Those girls were in a canning club and they got to go to France with Mrs. Josephine Arnquist (state leader of the girls’ clubs) and demonstrate canning to the French people.  They were models for me because I thought that it would be wonderful to have those kinds of experiences.  Their trip generated a lot of attention for the boys’ and girls’ clubs.”

In 1923, Everett became a member of a local 4-H girls’ club.  There were 17 girls that met only in the summers of 1923 and 1924.  They focused on learning how to sew and entered clothing projects in the Southern Iowa Fair in Oskaloosa.  In 1925, the girls were forces to disband because there were no leaders in their area.  “I realized how much I enjoyed the club, and I missed it,” wrote Everett in her record book.

Things change in 1926.  Under the leadership of Mrs. F.F. Everett, the North Mahaska Hustlers were born.  Twelve members strong, they met on a year-round basis, and worked together under the motto, “Win without bragging, and lose without squealing.”

Everett focused her projects on sewing and home furnishings, two areas that she enjoyed very much.  She refinished 22 pieces of furniture that year alone.  The girls would meet in their homes, and the host would demonstrate her skills to the other members of the club.  The club minutes would then appear in the local newspapers.  “It was very important that we documented our time together for our record,” said Everett.  “We were a very active group.”

The North Mahaska Hustlers continues strong in 1927.  Everett continues sewing and refinishing furniture.  Her primary project that year was a sitting room ensemble, consisting of a chair, desk, bookshelf and bookends.  Her exhibit took top honors at Achievement Day, a competition among the local clubs.  She then entered her furniture in the Southern Iowa Fair, where she captured the blue ribbon, and the chance to display her pieces and her talent at the Iowa State Fair. 

Her exhibit won first place that year at the Iowa State Fair among entries from across the state, earning her a trip to the National Club Contest in Chicago.  She would now be competing with other 4-H club members from across the nation.

“The greatest sensation of my life,” she wrote in her record book, “came when I walked into the Boys’ and Girls’ Club Contest at the International building and saw a blue ribbon on my exhibit.”  Everett’s display had won first overall in the home furnishings category at the National Club Contest.

Everett became somewhat of a celebrity because of her accomplishments.  Her story and picture was featured in the Oskaloosa paper, The Times Globe, and also in The Des Moines Register.  Her story also appeared in newspapers in Chicago and Boston.  Everett was featured in national magazines, and she even received fan mail, congratulating her on her accomplishment and asking for advice on similar projects.  She spoke in front of several girls’ clubs and women’s groups about her experience and also her refinishing technique.  When asked to describe the refinishing process, Everett was quoted as saying, “It takes hours and hours of work, and much elbow grease.”

Everett re-enrolled in 4-H in 1928, was elected president of the North Mahaska Hustlers by her fellow members.  She also served as president of the North Mahaska Girls’ Club organization and the vice president of the combined boys’ and girls’ club county organization.  She was recognized for her high levels of achievement and was chosen to judge the clothing competition at the Iowa State Fair.

In the fall of 1928, Everett was chosen to attend the second annual National 4-H Camp in Washington D.C.  There were only 150 4-H members from across the nation that were honored with this invitation.  She and other 4-H’ers spent a week in the capital city, met the President Calvin Coolidge and toured the many national monuments in the area, including the White House and the home of President George Washington.  “I met many girls and made many friendships,” she later wrote in her record book.

Everett graduated from high school and attended Iowa State University.  She said that she made the decision to attend ISU after visiting the campus during her sophomore year of high school while on a 4-H trip.  “Being in 4-H had an impact on me.  I went to Iowa State where I could take home economics instead of going to Penn, which was local,” she said.  Everett went on to graduate from ISU and went to work as an extension worker.  “I was what was called and HDA – a home demonstration agent, although now I think they’re called home economists.  I worked as an HDA for six years in Fort Dodge, and then I was a 4-H specialist and taught 4-H leaders.”

Everett left Iowa to become a member of the faculty at Michigan State University in East Lansing.  She taught many topics, but mostly home management.  After nearly 40 successful years in the education field, Everett returned and moved back home to Iowa. 

“I have learned so much from being in 4-H,” reads her record book.  “I have learned how to conduct a business meeting, observe health rules, create and wear approved clothing and keep an expense account.”  Everett also learned the art of public speaking, a tool she continues to use.  “Being in 4-H was very broadening for me,” she said.  “I learned about wonderful forms of music, traveled to places I might not have seen otherwise, learned to speak in front of an audience, and met many great people while I was a 4-H member and also working with the extension services.”

  Although her days as a member of 4-H ended over 75 years ago, Everett is just as busy now as she was then.  She fills her days volunteering with local organizations, most recently assisting with the book sale sponsored by the Oskaloosa chapter of American Association of University Women.  She also spends time creating beautiful cornhusk dolls.  “I go all over the state with my friends and teach people how to make these dolls.  We’ve been to the state fair, Living History Farms, Nelson Farm, and I’ve been asked to come to schools and show the students how to make the dolls.”

Everett has also not forgotten her 4-H roots, although she has recognized changes in the program.  “The boys and girls are in a combined club, and they can do just about anything they can think of as a project, like computers or photography.  We were limited when I was a member.”

  She has spent time with local 4-H clubs and volunteered to share her knowledge.  “It seems to me that I remember a time that I had a kitchen full of girls, and I helped them make dolls,” she said with a smile.  “Now that was a time.”

1941 – Billy and Dick Colville – Members of the White Oak Record Breakers (no longer a club)

1954 - Luane Klein at Iowa State College represents Mahaska County – Garfield Golden Gleaners was an all-girls club. Now it is merged with the boys club called Garfield Boosters.