A Personal Reflection on 4H

The 4-H Pledge

I pledge:

My head to clearer thinking

My heart to greater loyalty

My hands to larger service

My health to better living for my club, my community, my country, and my world.

In early August, I found myself sitting in the Stoddard Building on the North Haverhill Fairgrounds, overlooking the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, as a judge for the 4-H Style Show. While it seemed to some of my colleagues like an odd choice for the Chief Curator of Strawbery Banke Museum, whose purview traditionally runs to the preservation of historic buildings, seaman’s chests, mirrors, and desks. But, the atmosphere of talent, creativity, and generosity that these young designers generated was so contagious that I could not resist the invitation to participate in this important “rite of passage” as it were. I would like to offer this short paean to the all those who are involved with 4-H everywhere as 4-H Week 2011 concludes.

I have long been a supporter and fan of 4-H, although, as a 10 year-old living in a small town in western Maryland in the 1970s, I was a sad example of a 4-Her. My family has just moved from a farm a few miles away, but it seemed like a lifetime away, and my sister, Amy, and I wanted to fit into our new community. We decided to show our beloved (and very, very old) Rhode Island Red hens, Lucy and Gertrude, at the 4-H fair. Although it turned out that animal husbandry was not our strength—our experiment was a dismal failure—we felt welcomed by our new friends and felt like we belonged here. Consequently, I always kept an interest in the positive message—learn by doing—a value at the core of 4-H.

Now a resident of Newmarket, New Hampshire and an adjunct member of the History Department faculty at UNH in Durham, I have been honored with the opportunity to again be involved in the program. In New Hampshire, as in so many states, the 4-H is administered by the university extension program to regional centers throughout the state. In Grafton County alone, there are some 21 clubs, 15-20 annual programs, over 250 4-H students, 98 trained leaders, and 4 after-school programs. In a previous project, my dear friend and colleague, Astrida Schaeffer of Schaefferarts had introduced me to Janith Bergeron, co-director of The Sewing Tree (Dover) and the 4-H design revue, and Kathleen Jablonski (UNH Extension, Grafton County). In the process of developing a major costume and textile project for SBM, the idea for collaboration with the 4-H came quickly and easily. SBM Curator Tara Vose, Janith, Astrida, Kathy and Bridget Bleckman of Penumbra Textiles joined in. Soon, we were working closely with a number of students to develop designs based on the historic garment collection. Sarah, Deanna, Jaden, Liz, Madeline, Kathleen and many others responded to the request for collaboration. It continues to be a fabulous dialogue between kindred spirits.

Although I have moved on from SBM to start my own consulting business, I have been honored to serve as a 4-H design revue judge on several occasions, including state day at UNH in Durham in June and am already looking forward to Grafton County style show judging in April 2012. Thanks to Kathy, I even had the chance to be a sheep lead line judge at the Haverhill Fair. This has been a fabulous and rewarding learning opportunity for me, and I value the interactions with 4-H families like the Scrutons and the Koskis. I have been impressed at every turn by the talents and discipline of the 4-Hers. Their skills run the gamut, from creating sketches and patterns, designing garments, selecting fabrics, working on exacting tailoring techniques, to using complex finishes. The participants are also judged on what would have been known a few decades ago as “comportment”: neatness, composure, and the presentation of their garments. This meticulous training will stand them in good stead in future interviews and bolster confidence in professional interactions. Of particular note is the fact that 4-Hers are easily adaptable and use their skill sets for multiple projects: it is not uncommon to see ribbon winners in design also placing with quilts, agriculture, horticulture and so on. Transferable skills are a much needed and valued commodity in just about every sector of professional life today.

I have become richer through these interactions and look forward to being involved in whatever small way is possible and useful. Thank you, 4-H, for reminding me of the importance of the 4-H pledge and its applicability to all aspects of our lives no matter what age.

I applaud mentors, instructors, parents and families! And, especially, I applaud the youth of 4-H!

Congratulations to a vibrant community!