Purdue News
Purdue News
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April 7, 2004 Indiana reaches for the sky during 4-H centennial celebrationWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - This year, 4-Hers, alumni and friends will celebrate the 100th birthday of 4-H in Indiana. Astronaut Jerry Ross and United Space Alliance food scientist Karen (Pearson) Ross, this year's 4-H Distinguished Alumni, will kick off the celebration on April 15 at an "Out of this World" reception at the J.I. Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium on the Butler University campus in Indianapolis. Both of the Rosses are alumni of the Indiana 4-H program - Jerry in Lake County, and Karen in Boone County. Cost to attend is $50 per person or $85 per couple. To register contact the Indiana 4-H Foundation at (317) 692-7044. The Rosses will continue the 4-H celebration on April 17 at Purdue University's Spring Fest where they will greet the public on the front lawn of the Agricultural Administration Building on the West Lafayette campus from 10-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-3 p.m. "The Rosses are a great reflection on what 4-H strives to teach," said Carl Broady, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service 4-H youth specialist. "That is to set goals, strive to fulfill those goals, make a contribution to new knowledge and technology, and be a positive role model." The Indiana 4-H Youth Program, Indiana 4-H Foundation and Indiana State Fair also plan to commemorate the centennial milestone during the Indiana State Fair in August. The rededication of the 4-H Education Complex and the reopening of 4-H Centennial Hall, formerly the boy's dormitory, will take place on Aug. 11, and a birthday party, complete with cake, is scheduled every day of the state fair at 3 p.m. in front of the 4-H Exhibit Hall. Individual county celebrations also will take place throughout the year. Contact your local Purdue Extension office for details. Broady said the Indiana 4-H program started in Hamilton County in 1904, two years after the nation's first program began in Ohio. At that time, John Haines, superintendent of Hamilton County Schools, invited boys interested in growing corn to a meeting in the county courthouse. On April 9, a corn club was formed with 93 boys. Haines also wanted to include girls, so in 1906 they were invited to compete in a bread baking contest. Seventy-two girls participated. Writer: Kay Hagen, (765) 494-6682, kjh@purdue.edu Source: Carl Broady, (765) 494-8435, broady@purdue.edu Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu
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