4-H Lore
4-H Mission
4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and
learning in partnership with caring adults.
4-H Vision
A world in which youth and adults learn, grow and work together
as catalysts for positive change.
The 4-H Emblem, Colors, & the four H's
The original symbol of the Boys and Girls Clubs was a three leaf
clover with the words Head, Heart, and Hands. Nebraska clubs
used the words as part of their statement of purpose: "to
educate the youth of the county, town and city to a knowledge of
their dependence upon nature's resources, and to the value of
the fullest development of hand, head and heart...."
Here are two examples of the pins designed by O.H. Benson,
Superintendent of Schools, Wright County, Iowa. He used the
design on placards, posters and badges in 1907 or 1908. On
September 16, 1909, he placed the first order on record with the
Union Emblem Company for the pins. Benson and others are said to
have had a four-leaf H design around 1908, but no record of it
has been found.
Early in 1911, a meeting of club leaders in Washington adopted a
committee recommendation approving the present 4-H emblem
design. O.B. Martin, who was directing club work in the South,
is credited with suggesting that the 4-H's stand for Head,
Heart, Hands and Health. (Benson originally referred to a fourth
H as Hustle.)
The 4-H emblem is federally protected under Section 18 US Code
707 and belongs to the Congress of the United States. The
official emblem is green with white H's - the 4-H colors. The
white symbolizes purity. The green represents nature's most
common color and is emblematic of youth, life, and growth. Go to
Name and Emblem to learn more about the proper, legal use of
the 4-H name and emblem.
Motto: "To Make
The Best Better"
The motto was adopted at about the same time as the 4-H Club
Pledge. Its intent is to inspire young people to continue to
learn and grow, to make their best efforts better through
participating in educational experiences.
"Learning By Doing"
This phrase sums up the educational philosophy of the 4-H
program. Young people learn best when they are involved in their
learning. The intent is to do, reflect, and apply. |
