Marvel Malm joined the Prairie Rose 4-H club when she was in the third or fourth grade. She remembers there were quite a few girls in Swede Township that belonged. She noted that it was all girls, mostly third through seventh graders.

Like girls’ 4-H clubs of the era, it was a homemaking club. They learned about cooking, baking, cleaning, etc.

Marvel remained active for three or four years until her leader Audrey Kinslow moved away. She said one of her demonstrations was on "How to Make a Bed". She said she remembers going upstairs to a bedroom in the home where they were meeting, stripping the bed and then showing the club members and leaders how to make a bed, hospital style with the mitered corners. She still makes beds that way today!

Meetings were conducted by the president and vice president. Marvel said 4-Hers learned meeting skills as well as organizational protocol. Meetings opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, the 4-H pledge and the creed.

Marvel commented that 4-H was the extra activity of that time. There weren’t a lot of other clubs and organizations like there are now. Her club met one Saturday a month. They always had a lesson, demonstration and went through the mimeographed and stapled booklet provided by the extension department. Since there wasn’t much else going on 4-H meetings were a big deal.

Marvel said her group was more casual. They wore school clothes to meetings and a 4-H pin. Her club only participated in Achievement Days at the county level. Each township was more independent in those days (early 1960’s) than they are now. There were more people so it allowed townships to be more independent. Now there are less people in the township so they need each other more.

Going to Achievement Days was a really good experience Marvel said. She added that it brought her into contact with other kids from other towns. And then there was the effort of striving to achieve a blue ribbon. 4-hers could also read the judges critiques and learn from them. Marvel remembers getting a blue ribbon on a crotched pillow cover. She said when she belonged there wasn’t a 4-H uniform, but they always "Looked your best! Girls didn’t wear pants or jeans like they do now." She remembered wearing a short corduroy skirt and jacket.

Various projects were exhibited at Achievement Days. Among them were baked goods, sewn items, and crocheted, knitted items.

4-H forced Marvel to overcome her shyness – she had to get in front of people and give demonstrations and talk with people. Also when she was put in leadership position with projects. "4-H gave me more confidence because I had to be in front of people …One of those good experiences that are hard."