4-H grows in membership and projects during the 1930's
BY EMMA BARTLE

During the 1930s, 4-H youth began to really become involved in 4-H. One of their only hardships was finding the funding to attend and purchase needed supplies during the Depression. Although they faced this problem, many members remained as active as they could.

During 1930, the Baby Beef Clubs at Edgeley and Grand Rapids had fourteen members and the Edgeley club received $325.00 in profit for six baby beefs that they raised.

The Junior Pig Club at Edgeley had five members. Between the Edgeley Sheep Club and Junior Valley Livestock Club at Grand Rapids, they had fourteen members who raised thirty-six lambs at a value of $288.00 and receiving a profit of $196.15. Six members received $32.00 in prize money at the LaMoure Fair for exhibiting eighteen sheep.

The Poultry Club at LaMoure had eight members who exhibited birds at the Fargo State Fair and the LaMoure Fair. The Verona Poultry Club was organized in February and had fifty members, seven of which received nine prizes at the LaMoure Fair.

The Junior Corn Club at Berlin had fourteen members. Victor McWilliams of the club won second place on a sample of Minnesota 13 in the 4-H Crop Class at the Bismarck Corn Show plus a special award and ten dollars for the best ten ear sample from seed furnished by Oscar H. Will and Co.

The "Busy Stitches" Club at Dickey had twelve members who made fifty-one new garments and darned forty-six pairs of hose. The Grand Rapids 4-H Clothing Club sent a demonstration team of Monica Crist and Ruth Bockwoldt to the Fargo Fair. Members made eighteen new garments, remodeled seven garments, and darned forty-four pairs of hose.

The Kulm 4-H Club with eighteen members canned ninety-eight quarts of fruit, sixty-four quarts of vegetables, thirty-six quarts of preserves, and eleven quarts of meat.

Fourteen club members attended the 4-H Institute in Fargo. They included Glen Olson, Melvin Musland, Donald Murray, and Lillian Wallerman of Edgeley, Ruth Hiller, Allen Dok, and Mrs. Theo Giedt of Kulm, Roger Shockman of Berlin, Barbara Gussman, and Lester Wentdt of Grand Rapids, and Percival Larson, Gordon Brandes, Alfred Lutgen, Harold Winslow, and Dr. J. Winelow of LaMoure.

Seventy-five members attended the County 4-H Club Picnic on July 10 at the Memorial Park. Melvin Musland, delegate to the National Club Encampment in Washington, DC in 1930 spoke about his experience.

In 1931, the Junior Sheep Club at Edgeley and the Grand Rapids Club had fifteen members who raised twenty-four lambs with a value of $477.60. Fourteen of them were shown at the LaMoure Fair with twenty-nine dollars and fifty cents in prize money.

With eleven members, the LaMoure Junior Pig and the Edgeley Pig Clubs were able to raise thirty pigs with a cost of $523.25 and receiving a value of $737.25. Three purebred Poland Gilts were shown at the Fargo Fair and earned a first, third and a fifth place.

Between the Poultry Clubs at Grand Rapids, Verona, and LaMoure, they were able to send forty birds to the Fargo State Fair. Thirty-three birds placed with seven of them receiving first place.

Costing $192.86, the Junior Corn Club at Berlin with sixteen members was able to produce twenty-eight acres of Falconer Corn that produced 718 bushels equaling $314.18.

The Edgeley Baby Beef Club with five members raised four calves that resulted in a $43.00 profit. Two calves were exhibited at the State Fargo and received seventh and eighth places.

On August 7, 300 people attended the Achievement Day at the LaMoure County Memorial Park in Grand Rapids. 110 4-H members were at the picnic. Throughout the day there was the girls demonstration team contest, the boys’ livestock judging contest, and a ballgame.

In 1932 the Edgeley Sheep and the Grand Rapids Sheep Clubs had twelve members who raised twenty-six lambs at a cost of $453.57 and received $449.75.

Clinton Maier of LaMoure, a member of the Edgeley Beef Club, exhibited at the Institute show with his purebreed Shorthorn steer.

The LaMoure and Edgeley Sheep Clubs received $232.33 for their swine but it cost them $329.05 to raise the swine.

Five members of the poultry club exhibited at the Fargo Fair and the LaMoure Fair. They received $281.04 for birds that cost them $260.02.

Six clothing clubs had 111 members involved. One club provided new towels for their school.

The Kulm Home Furnishing Club with eight members made improvements that were valued at $59.06 and cost the members $30.13 for curtains, dressing tables, pillows, hat boxes, shoe racks, etc. They put on a silver tea during the year.

Thirty-seven members attended a three day camp at Grand Rapids in June; they participated in games, songs, folk dances, swimming, and educational films.

The 1933 Annual County Extension Agent report about 4-H was unavailable.

In 1934 the Kulm Clothing Club with sixteen members sent four to the 4-H Institute. Natalie Gruneich received third place on her wool dress.

The only member of the Edgeley Sheep Club sent his sheep to the 4-H Institute and received seventh place.

In 1935 the Busy Bees 4-H Club stated the "aim of this club is to have each member [to] become a better sewer, a better buyer of ready made goods, and gain knowledge of proper care and repair of clothing."

The Merry Maids 4-H Club was organized on April 21, 1935, and was able to have two of its members exhibit at the LaMoure County Achievement Day. These members received two first places and two second places.

The Flying Fingers 4-H Club received one first place and two second places on five people’s projects at the LaMoure County Achievement Day.

The Better Homes 4-H Club was organized on February 21, 1935. The ten members worked on mounting insects and diseases, the mounting of ten knots, and building of a wood article.

The Nortonville Lamb Club was organized in April 1935. Each of the seven members started with a grade ewe lamb. Four of them exhibited lambs at the LaMoure County Achievement Day and received four places.

The Edgeley Better Breeders Club began with nine members on February 21, 1935. Three of the members exhibited at the LaMoure County Fair, receiving two second places, and one third place.

On October 3, 1935, the LaMoure County Fair was held in conjunction with the Achievement Day. Five banks provided ten dollars each for premiums. At 5:00 p.m. seventy-five people attended the banquet for 4-H members. After supper each club presented a short stunt.

In 1936 the Grand Rapids Sewing Club, Kulm Beef Club, and the Litchville Beef Club all discontinued.

On April 3, 1936, ninety-eight members attended the first 4-H Spring Rally at Edgeley. They saw pictures on wild life, the management of theater, and "The Hobo" at the Iris Theater. Then they had a banquet at the Methodist Church at 5:30 p.m. Afterwards each club made a presentation.

On October 23, 1936, Achievement Day was held in Kulm. The Kulm Sewing Club hosted a banquet that was served by the Kulm Homemakers. After the meal there were impromptu speeches and a dance until 10:00 p.m.

Twelve members of the Kulm Decorettes 4-H Club won the Championship for the most club points at the LaMoure County Fair. Throughout the year, they held a silver tea with a display of bridal gowns from 1894-1935, a reception for the superintendent and his bride, a farewell party for the local leader of the boys club, spent a week camping at Spritwood Lake, sold Christmas cards, and entertained the Legion Auxiliary at a poppy program.

Luclla Tvete of the LaMoure Sewing Club attended the Wild Life Conservation Camp during the summer at Park Rapids.

The Verona, Nortonville, and North LaMoure Sewing Clubs received many premiums at the LaMoure County Fair. Both the Verona and the North LaMoure Clubs were organized in 1936.

The nine members of the Edgeley Better Breeders received eight first, four second, and one third place at Achievement Days. They also won the championship ribbon for the greatest number of points. James Mathern of the Edgeley Better Breeders was chosen as the county winner and took his calf to the Fargo Show and Sale. Clarence Heim was the county winner and took his ewe lamb to the State Show and Sale.

Six members of Verona Beef Club received first in calf showmanship.

The Nortonville Sheep Club with six members received third in grade ewe class, second in the wether lamb class, and the first in chickona at the LaMoure County Achievement Day.

The Kulm Better Homes Club worked on projects in safety in the home, better sanitary conditions, beautiful home grounds, article for recreation, article for practical home use, and an article for decoration.

In 1937 the 4-H County Council held two meetings to plan the county 4-H picnic, a tour to the agriculture college for club members, livestock judging schools, exhibits at the Fargo Fair, Wild Life conservation, banquet, county achievement day, nominations for national awards, and delegates to the state achievement institute.

On June 30, 1937, 125 people attended the county picnic at the Memorial Park in Grand Rapids.

Elaine Tvete of LaMoure and Kermith Kemnitz of Kulm attended the Wild Life Conservation Camp at Lake Metigoshe on August 4 to 8, 1937.

On October 9 in Edgeley the Achievement Day was held. The first place for a booth went to Kulm Better Homes Club with honorable mentions going to Kulm Decorettes, and LaMoure Girls Club. Championship banners for the highest points went to the Kulm Decorettes and the Edgeley Better Breeders Club. Later seventy-five people attended the banquet at the Methodist Church.

Marjorie Jean Fergusson of Kulm, a fifteen year old, five year member of the Kulm Decorettes who attended sixty meetings was nominated for the National Records Contest. Elaine Tvete of the LaMoure Girls Club, a seventeen year old who has attended twenty-one meetings in three years and the 1937 delegate to Wild Life Conservation Camp, was nominated for the National Records Contest.

Clarence Heim of the Edgeley Better Breeders Club has attended nineteen meetings in two years of club work, completed four projects and won $83.00 in prize money for his animals, was nominated for the Wilson Award.

Mrs. Theo Giedt was presented with the 4-H leadership diamond pin and was chosen as the outstanding home economic leader in the state.

The County Agents Office edited the "LaMoure County 4-H Hi-Lites," which was sent to all club members, local leaders, county commissioners, state extension office, and others with information on the history of 4-H, and the State Wild Life Conservation Camp.

The Kulm Decorettes won the championship ribbon for the highest points. They won first prize of ten dollars for their fourth of July float.

The LaMoure 4-H Club organized a string ensemble with a piano, guitar, two violins, banjo, and two ukes. They presented demonstrations on picture hanging, decorative stitches, and hair and hand grooming.

The North LaMoure Club put on a three act play as a means of raising funds for the club.

The Verona 4-H Club sold pie and coffee at Agriculture Conservation sign-up in order to raise money to send Gladys Ulmer to the State Instate.

Two clubs at Berlin and Nortonville were organized on November 9, 1937.

The Kulm Better Homes Club won first prize for the best booth at the County Achievement Day. They made projects of book ends, door stops, bird houses, small tables, home beautification, and wild life conservation.

The North LaMoure Hustlers Club became involved in wood projects, rope making, fly traps and tool sharpening.

In 1938 there were twelve 4-H clubs with 114 members enrolled.

On June 10, 1938, the club picnic was held at the Memorial Park with only fifty people present due to heavy rainfall. They had a scavenger hunt, peanut relay race, tug of war, and a whistle relay race in the auditorium.

The Kulm Decorettes kept busy with a tea for mothers, a food sale, a camping trip, a social program at each meeting, and demonstrations.

The LaMoure Pepmocrats had a social time and a silver tea at each meeting but disbanded before the year was over.

The Berlin Progressive sent three girls and one leader to the 4-H camp. Hazel Horsager won first place in the county good grooming contest.

The Verona Club and Busy Bees Club members participated in Achievement Days.

Even though grasshoppers and the drought destroyed their corn project, the Dean Ag Club and the Grandview 4-H Club members were willing to carry on.

Two of the North LaMoure Hustlers Club exhibited beef calves at the Valley City Mid-Winter Show. The Nortonville Sheep Club sent the only livestock judging team from LaMoure County to the Valley City Mid-Winter Show.

Leo Pritchard was a delegate to the 4-H club show and sale. He received fourth place and $23.52 for his 112 pound lamb.

Jerome Seefeldt, Holand Seefeldt, Helen Hoffman, Roland Johnson, Jean Knudson, Beatrice Swenson, and Audrey Ellinson attended the first County 4-H Club Camp which was held at Sand Hills Park near Lisbon with the Ramson County 4-H Club Camp.

1132 trees were planted by fourteen 4-H club members in the county through the Extension Forester at Bottineau.

On July 19, 1939, eighty-five 4-H members attended the picnic. Marvin Heiden and Marion Beich were eligible to enter the health contest at the 4-H Institute in Fargo because they were the healthiest boy and girl.

Ninety-nine people were involved in the Achievement Day and forty-four people attended camp in Grand Rapids.