The 4-H Pledge

Kansas State 4-H Leader Otis Hall wrote the original pledge. 4-H leaders voted to adopt the pledge at the first national 4-H Camp in 1927. The original pledge was revised in 1973 to add the phrase "and my world."

The 4-H Emblem

Around the beginning of the 20th century, Oscar H. Benson and Jessie Fields introduced agriculture and domestic science projects in the Iowa schools where they taught. With help from the College of Agriculture at Iowa Statue University, they developed Boys' and Girls' Clubs that closely related to the needs of the farming community. The University trained teachers in seed germination and milk butterfat testing so they could in turn teach the boys these methods. Sewing, baking and basketry were among the skills the girls perfected in their projects.

Both Benson and Fields used a 3-leaf clover on pins and pennants for student awards. Each leaflet carried an "H" to signify heart, head and hands. Once Boys' and Girls' Clubs spread across the country, Benson (who by then worked in Washington D.C. in the Farmers' Cooperative Demonstration Work Office) wished to give the movement some recognition and identity. By the end of 1911, the emblem had gained another leaflet, with an "H" standing for health. Boys' and Girls' Clubs across the nation now had a unifying symbol.

With the Smith-Lever Act of 1917 (which established Cooperative Extension) the Universities' work with Boys' and Girls' Clubs became formalized. Extension staff received funds to reach out to the rural communities with agriculture and home economics information. Boys' and Girls' Club work became a successful way to disseminate information to the parents. Once the citizens started seeing the benefits of such a system, they became even more supportive of the fledgling 4-H programs.

4-H became the organizational name for many of the original clubs in 1924, and the 4-H emblem was patented. Acts of Congress of 1939, 1948 and 1985 protected the use of the 4-H name and emblem. This means that commercial firms, products, and services may not use the emblem, and that no writing or other design may be superimposed over the emblem. Whenever possible, the emblem is green with white or gold H's, or black with white H's.

The 4-H emblem guidelines changed in spring 1999. The full usage guidelines on the 4-H emblem are on the National 4-H Headquarters web site. Take a look at the usage guidelines before printing something. They specify the PMS color (347) for the emblem, as well as proper ways to display the emblem. You can also find a link to the guidelines from National 4-H Council's web site.