Research on the 4-H

So, after reading quite a few journals about the 4-H, and even one on how it is connected with Boy Scouts of America, I learned a few things. Just a few, mind you; not a lot, not a little, but a few. For instance, the 4-H club is apparently very popular with immigrants in dense urban settings, because they do not associate it as an agricultural club. Apparently, both 4-H and BSA have been pushing into neighboorhoods full of crime and poverty to help provide an alternative to gangs for youth, and this progam seems to be working well.

I read somethinge elsewhere about how the BSA, 4-H club, Girl Scouts and a few other youth orginization had a big meeting where they decided together what core values American Youth should learn. I will try to find that article again, but I do not even know where it was.

I have finally gotten in contact with the University 4-H group, and will hopefully meet with one of them this Sunday. So far, from what I have read, it seems like both the 4-H and Boy Scouts apply pretty much the same principles of learn by doing and teaching values to youth, and both have a positive image of the other. The only real difference seems to be that Boy Scouts is more outdoor adventure oriented while 4-H has more to do with job skills and school. More research, and a site visit, will be forth coming soon (I hope).

Drag like White Lightning and keep your covers out of the microwave,

NC/ STANTON

Interview/Site Visit, or lack thereof

Well, the phone number I called to reach the Virginia Cooperative Extension, which is sort of in charge of the 4-H club of Montgomery County, led to an answering machine, which, despite my repeated attempts, did not answer any of my questions about 4-h. I did manage to leave a message, but no one has called me back yet. Still, I decided that there are other things about which I can post.

From all of my searching of the news, the only news that gets reported about groups like the Boy Scouts or 4-H club, at least nationally anyways, is negative; I have yet to see a national news story on how Scouting or 4-h improves the communities they are in. I did find out some back round information on the 4-h club, so I might as well share that.

The 4-h club started out as a small corn growing club for youth, about 100 years ago, to help encourage them to stay involved with agriculture; it was spread out among different rural counties and had no actual organization. Later on, the USDA figured out that youth are more willing to try new techniques and technology, especially in farming, than adults, and, by teaching the youth, they could encourage their families and communities and improve farming in the U.S. This allowed for organization of the different types of clubs to spread across the country. Gradually, the focus shifted away from farming and agriculture to the goals of service to others, a sense of belonging to a group, and the development of youth, physically and mentally.

Well, that is just a very loose, and I mean loose, history of the club. There is a lot more to them, but my post is too long anyway, so I should wrap it up.

Remember, drag like White Lightning and keep your covers out of the microwave.

The Decision! and The Essay!

So, I have decided to do my research on the 4-H club and compare them to the youth organization which I directly experienced, the Boy Scouts. A future project which has potential is to suggest changes which the 4-H club can make to improve their program, if necessary.

Currently, I know nothing about my community, the 4-H club, other than it is supposed to be some kind of youth service group. I plan on finding out as much as I can about this group, and comparing them to the youth service organization I have experienced, the Boy Scouts of America. I do wonder how I will compare the two, since I do lean towards Scouting, having been in it myself. However, I will attempt to keep an open mind towards something I do not fully understand, but it will be hard to convince me that there is another group out there that is as service oriented as Scouting, and that provides as much benefit towards the youth involved. I guess the only way to find out is to do a little research and a lot of detailed observation to present my revised – or not revised- assessment of the 4-H club.

Community Interest List

So I managed to come up with a broad, general list of communities I might want to go see (I just hope I can find enough time on the weekends, when the Cadre do not own us - as much). I thought that I would like to visit the 4-h club, since I know nothing about it and, being in Boy Scouts, would like to see how it compares to a youth orginization that I know well. I also thought about going to visit with the Blacksburg Host Lions Club, since I also don't know anything about them, and heard that they are a very interesting service group. Finallthey, I might visit the local youth theater, since I have always enjoyed doing technical theater work, especially construction and sound.

That's it for now, I know that my blog will have alot of posts on it from me, as soon as I can finish shining my brass and shoes, as well as cleaning my room, making my rack, cleaning my clothes, ironing my dress shirts, getting rid of lose threads,....