4-H and Home Demonstration Club Achievements in a Time of War, 1943

 From the January 1944 issue of The Southern Planter

Boys and girls who had worked in the field and lot, and their mothers who had kept anxious eyes on pressure cookers, hot water canners and surplus garden produce throughout the past summer, both took time enough from the efforts during the month of November to check up on just what had been accomplished.

Nearly every one of the 100 North Carolina counties held achievement days staged by 4-H Club councils and by county federations of home demonstration club women. In Edgecombe County, for instance, the 4-H Club members secured a local high school band, the mayor of the county seat of Tarboro, notables in the civic and political life, and marched over 400 strong through the main streets of the town to the local high school where in the auditorium they received certificates of achievement and heard their efforts extolled by prominent speakers. A large banner, extending across the main street, told all visitors that the day was “Edgecombe County 4-H Club Day” and the smaller banners carried by each group in the parade indicated the club represented.

Nash County celebrated with recreational events and a program in the afternoon following a fine community luncheon.

Polk held its achievement day program in each of its schools with Club Leader Harrill as a special guest. Gaston staged a banquet.

Cleveland had a club fair with livestock featured.

Wilkes held another of its famous corn shows with 800 boys and girls attending and 57 boys entering 560 ears of corn. Over $200 in premiums were distributed in prizes for various projects. Other counties held meetings according to their custom but with much more enthusiasm than in past years because the honors and accomplishments secured cost more in labor and effort than in normal times.

‘We Are Women At War’

Every county federation held an achievement day in November and even that person who has heard reports from the women for year after year could not but be thrilled at the new stories of accomplishment. “We are women at war,” shouted the reports and some of them could well cause the home agents to glow with deserved pride. Their stories told of food grown, food conserved, Red Cross aided, fats saved, Relief funds supported, garments made and mended, bonds bought, gardens tended, curb markets encouraged, health habits checked, kitchens renovated, and plain old everyday work done in the field to help in the emergency of farm work.

They are striving to get 90 percent of all rural women in North Carolina into home demonstration clubs, or at least, to have the benefits of this club work extended to 90 percent of all the rural homes.

State 4-H Winners

State 4-H Winners for 1943 were: Anne Blanche Johnson of Lenoir County, food champion; Edan Vann Lewis of Nash County, canning champion; Carl Woodward, Nash County, rural electrification champion; Sullivan Fisher, Nash County, meat animal champion; Alta Lawson, Robeson County, clothing; Marie Gaston, Onslow County, dress revue; Kenneth Myatt, Wake County, dairy production; and Nancy Walker, Alamance County, girl’s record contest, which carries with it the title of best all-round club work for girls.