4-H Clubs, West Polk County

Since their origin in 1902, 4-H clubs have helped American youth explore various professional fields—many related to farming—while mastering practical skills. In Minnesota’s West Polk County, 4-H branches formed in the late 1920s to train and inspire the next generation of local farmers.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, much of the US was still agricultural. Young people, however, were leaving their families’ farms to look for jobs in cities. The first 4-H clubs were part of an effort to keep these young people involved in farming. 4-H began in 1902 in multiple states as a loosely connected network of community clubs in rural areas. Over time, the network expanded to encourage young people’s development in cities as well.

4-H clubs began to appear in West Polk County in the late 1920s. They formed in the Crookston area and in small towns like Eldred, East Grand Forks, and Neilsville; there, they spread throughout the region. By 1947, there were nineteen clubs; by 1952, that number had increased to twenty-eight. Some clubs, like Angus 4-H from Angus, Minnesota, represented local towns and villages. Others, like Cottonwood Shelter, Worthwhile, and North Star, chose more symbolic names. By 1979, West Polk County had 425 4-H members.

Young people were important members of their 4-H clubs, but their leaders were also key participants. Parents often shared responsibilities in guiding members in different projects. They, along with club leaders, worked towards the goal of developing each member’s potential. Carl Ash, the Polk County Extension Agent during the 1930s and 1940s, attended an annual 4-H recognition banquet every November to give credit to each of the West Polk County clubs and their leaders.

During the summer season, many 4-H members in West Polk County toured other members’ work sites to observe the progress of their projects. Participants engaged in a wide range of activities according to their personal interests. Some sewed and gardened; others trained horses or dogs while learning cooking techniques. All members kept records throughout the year to track project developments.

Participating in the West Polk County Fair, held every summer in Fertile, Minnesota, was another goal for 4-H members, who practiced their project presentations at monthly club meetings in order to prepare. Those who won purple ribbons qualified to go on to the Minnesota State Fair in August. Members also gathered annually at an Achievement Day event to present their projects.

West Polk County 4-H leaders introduced club members to the latest in agricultural technology. In competitions and contests, young members exhibited at fairs with the incentive of receiving ribbons or prizes. In the early twentieth century, activities were separated by gender. Boys entered gardening contests and showed their livestock to judges while girls learned how to sew, cook, bake, and efficiently preserve food through canning.

The 4-H emblem, a four-leaf clover, symbolizes the club’s origins in agriculture. The 4-H colors are green, which represents springtime, life, and youth, and white, which represents purity and idealism. The pledge recited at each monthly meeting references the four core entities for which the club is named: head, heart, hands, and health.

The key life skills of citizenship and leadership are built into every 4-H project, activity, and event. Members take on leadership roles as officers after yearly elections. Roles may differ from club to club, but common offices are president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, reporter, song leader, and historian. The 4-H motto is “To Make the Best Better.”

In the 2010s, opportunities for 4-H members have expanded to include art, music, communications, leadership, career development, home improvement, and computer technology. In total, the organization’s programs reach 7 million youth worldwide. 4-H programs are active in both rural and urban settings throughout the US as well as in other countries of the world. They remain focused on developing future citizens and leaders committed to making their best even better.