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Elgin County 4-H Association fonds
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Elgin County 4-H Association fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- GMD
- textual records
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1947-2015
- Accession Number
- 2013-08
- 2014-21
- 2016-07
- 2017-26
- Storage Location
- W4 Sh1 B1-6
- W4 Sh2 B 1-3
- W5 Sh1 B3
- Museum / Archive
- Elgin County Archives
- Part Of
- Elgin County 4-H Association fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Accession Number
- 2013-08
- 2014-21
- 2016-07
- 2017-26
- Storage Room
- Archives Storage Rm. 110
- Storage Location
- W4 Sh1 B1-6
- W4 Sh2 B 1-3
- W5 Sh1 B3
- GMD
- textual records
- graphic material
- Date Range
- 1947-2015
- Physical Description
- 1.52 m of textual records ; 3 volumes ; 80 photographs, col.
- Extent
- 1.52 m of textual records ; 3 volumes
- History / Biographical
- The Elgin County 4-H Association is a regional division of 4-H Ontario. They are responsible for running selected clubs throughout the county, and each club focuses on completing a specific project over the course of at least 12 hours of instruction. Originally, clubs were focused on either homemaking or agriculture, but in modern times the clubs have expanded to include other projects, such as finances and job searches, in order to foster the personal development and responsibility of youth. At its height, Elgin County 4-H offered many clubs throughout the county, often with regional markers to distinguish them from identically-named clubs in other parts of the county (such as the West Elgin Dairy Club and the East Elgin Dairy Club), but reduced membership in modern times lead to consolidation into single, county-wide clubs.
The 4-H Program arose from agricultural roots. The idea began in the United States: in 1901, President Orwell of the Farmer’s Institute of Macoupin County, Missouri, offered a bag of seed corn to local boys with the hope of encouraging youth leadership in agriculture. 500 boys signed up for that project with the intention of displaying their produce at the 1903 St. Louis Fair. The project drew praise from educators and agricultural leaders alike
The idea came to Canada in 1913, when the Department of Agriculture donated one dozen poultry eggs, potatoes, and seed to the youth of Roland, Manitoba, with the intent of having them plant, raise, and grow them over many months. During this time they would be guided by leaders who would teach them the best ways for raising their livestock and crops. This established the basic framework used by 4-H today, which is the completion of a project by youth of a certain age, under the supervision of a leader. These were originally dubbed Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, and were headed by the Department of Agriculture.
The first recognized club in Ontario was founded by Stanley Knapp of Waterloo in 1915, and spread from there. In Elgin County, the first recorded clubs date to 1935, alongside the newly founded Homemaking division of the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs. Both Homemaking and Agriculture were well represented in Elgin County.
In 1952, the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs were renamed to 4-H Canada (head, heart, hands, and health), and under this new moniker, the focus began to shift from goal-oriented pursuits, such as completion of projects, to the personal development of its’ members.
Starting 1985, the Homemaking and Agricultural divisions, previously separate, merged to become one entity, with John R. Lyle as president. In 1988, 4-H Ontario separated from the provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs to become an independent organization.
- Custodial History
- Fonds is a collection of four separate accessions: 2017-26, 2016-07, 2013-08, and 2014-21. 2016-07 and 2013-08 were gifted by Roberta Gillard, Treasurer for the Elgin County 4-H. 2014-21 was donated by Cathy Cocchio. 2017-26 was donated by Cheryl Gauthier to the Elgin County Museum on August 23, 2017, and was transferred to the Elgin County Archives on the same day.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records created and maintained by both the Elgin County 4-H Association and individuals within the 4-H program. It includes the 4-H Constitution, annual reports, minutes of meetings, financial records, correspondence, lists of members, project records and workbooks done by 4-H members, newsletters, and scrapbooks.
The fonds is arranged into the following series:
- Administration
- Members
- Projects
- Name Access
- Elgin County 4-H Club
- Subject Access
- 4-H Clubs
- Agriculture
- Youth
- Arrangement
- Alphabetically; Projects series is arranged chronologically
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