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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 4-H Youth Development Program of Texas marks a |
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significant milestone in its rich history with the commemoration of |
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its centennial, which is being observed from September 1, 2007, to |
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August 31, 2008; and |
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WHEREAS, The 4-H program got its start in 1908 when Jack |
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County extension agent T. M. Marks organized a club to teach boys |
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new production methods for corn; soon this corn club became the |
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model for pig clubs and beef calf clubs in Coleman County and for |
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tomato clubs for girls in Milam County, and in August 1912, the |
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first exhibition of girls' agricultural products in the state took |
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place when tomato club members showcased their harvest alongside |
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their male counterparts; two years later, the Texas Agricultural |
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Extension Service established 4-H clubs for African American youth |
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that taught vegetable gardening and poultry raising; and |
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WHEREAS, During the 1920s and the Great Depression, 4-H clubs |
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continued to spread throughout the state, and their instructional |
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focus reflected the times, with young men learning to maximize the |
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production of food and fiber through new technology and young women |
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learning food conservation, nutrition, and storage; the following |
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decade, when the nation was faced with food shortages as a result of |
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World War II, clubs worked to decrease livestock losses from |
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disease and improper care; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, nearly a million Texas youth participate in |
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4-H each year, with more than half of them residing in urban areas; |
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programs range in topic from agriculture and nutrition to space |
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science and technology, and some are developed based on the |
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resources and needs of a particular county or demographic; for |
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example, Operation Military Kids supports the children of military |
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families, and Young Leaders in Action teaches Harris County youth |
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about state government by linking them to local legislators; each |
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program encourages productive use of the four H's--Head, Heart, |
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Hands, and Health--and supports the organization's motto, "to make |
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the best better"; and |
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WHEREAS, Administered by the Texas Cooperative Extension and |
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Prairie View A&M Cooperative Extension Program, 4-H is made |
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possible through the dedicated efforts of numerous employees and |
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some 40,000 trained volunteers; and |
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WHEREAS, The 4-H Youth Development Program of Texas has |
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provided exceptional learning experiences to generations of |
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children and adolescents, enhancing the quality of life for |
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countless individuals, families, and communities; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize September 1, 2007, through August 31, |
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2008, as the centennial anniversary of the 4-H Youth Development |
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Program of Texas and extend to 4-H administrators, staff, |
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volunteers, and participants sincere best wishes for continued |
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success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the 4-H Youth Development Program of Texas as an |
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expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |