Clark County (Ohio)
    Clark County is the birthplace of 4-H youth development and it all began on January 15, 1902, in Springfield. A. B. Graham is the man whose dream resulted in one hundred years of “Learning by Doing” and “Making the best better.”   His first meeting of the Boys’ and Girls’ Experiment Club was held in the basement of the Clark County Courthouse; thirty boys and girls attend the first meeting, and the club had 103 members after the first year.
    By the time planting season arrived in 1902, 83 boys and girls were involved in experimental farm plots.  Eleven percent of the township was African American and both the schools and the Experimental clubs were integrated.  
    From the beginning boys and girls were elected to leadership roles and conducted their own club meetings.  Everyone was expected to keep records and members proudly presented at the Clark County fair.  Members also exhibited to the community and received group recognition for the work of the club.  The clubs were such a success that Graham sought the help of the College of Agriculture at The Ohio State University and began to work with the Agriculture Student Union.
    Throughout the years in Clark County, 4-H clubs have retained many of the aspects of Graham’s original experiment clubs.  One out of every five Ohioans belongs to 4-H alumni, and they attribute their awareness of educational opportunities to the 4-H experience.  
    Today more than 6,000 youth in ninety six community clubs and  130 classrooms are led by 494 adult volunteer leaders whose average length of service is eight years.
Contributed by Bob Cripe & Larry Gundolf
 
Holmes County (Ohio)
    Holmes County 4-H began with Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs and in 1991 two clubs were formed in the Finery School District.   The boys learned to grow pigs and corn using new production methods but half the pigs had to be sold because of a pig epidemic.
    The girls learned new techniques for canning homegrown produce.  The canning club went to the Ohio state fair and placed twenty fourth with their demonstrations and twelfth with their exhibit.  There were 15 club members and seven of them completed projects.  Nearly all stayed in the club long enough to learn the cold-pack method.
    County records show the names of these early clubs as The Merry Birds, The Sunshine Food Club Millersburg and the Stitch and Chatter.  Some changed names yearly which made clubs hard to keep track of.  
    Through the years, 4-H has played an important part in the lives of Holmes County youth.  Many went beyond county work to state competitions.  Many now serve the community as teachers, bankers, judges, attorneys and successful business men.  They also serve as volunteers.
    Leadership development has been in important in Holmes County 4-H with 4-H’ers serving as officers, leaders and even as junior members of the Fair Board.  They have also served as camp counselors at Camp Ohio.
    Today there are fifty three clubs with over seven hundred members enrolled in 167 of the 200 4-H projects.  The program has reached 1104 youth in school enrichment programs.
    Contributed by Dona Schaffner