RICHLAND COUNTY 4-H PROGRAM Historian s Mini-Manual Name Year Club Congratulations on being elected as your 4-H club s Historian! Your club has bestowed a great honor and responsibility upon you. It is your responsibility to fulfill the expectations of this office and serve as an effective and hard working leader for your fellow club members and volunteers. All officers in a 4-H club are in a leadership role. You are a representative of your membership, the Richland County 4-H program and the Ohio 4-H program. To test your readiness for this position, answer the following questions: Do I know the duties and responsibilities of this office? Do I have all of the materials I need to effectively lead my club program? Am I willing to improve my leadership skills so I can be a better officer? Do I readily accept the responsibilities assigned to me? Do I recognize every member of my club and willing to talk with them? Will I do more than what is required of me to make my club better? Am I willing to give credit to others for work well done and timely? Am I prompt in arriving to meetings? Am I prepared for each club meeting? Does my appearance inspire confidence and respect in me as a leader? Am I kind, tactful, respectful of others and courteous? Do I use please and thank you when I should? Am I always fair in my decisions? Do I refrain from speaking unless I am asked or expected? Do I listen to others as they speak their opinion at club meetings? Good luck with your elected club leadership role! Your county Extension professionals and club volunteers are also great resources for more information. You can make the best better by being the best leader and officer you can! Materials updated February, 2011. For more information see the <ohio4h.org> web site s officer materials. 1
What types of thing can a historian do? Duties of the Historian (not necessary to do all) Take pictures of club activities, members doing public speaking, finished projects, county fair, members and families, etc. Take a club group picture to submit for the Who s Who in 4-H display at the county fair (due to the extension office by mid-june). Keep a record of club activities, including the club calendar, news clippings, club awards and recognition, member participations in activities. Keep a record of individual member projects, activities and awards for the year. Present a bit of history about the club at a parents meeting (example- how many kids were in the club, number of projects, number of kids that went to camp, activities at the fair). Keep a scrapbook of all of the club s history for the year. This may be decorated the first year and the new additions made each year thereafter. Submit the current year s scrapbook for competition eth the extension office by September 3, 2010 How To Keep Things In Order A book of some kind (magnetic scrapbook, photo album, large three ring notebook) is the easiest way to keep bits of history. Also discuss with your advisor about who pays the cost of the books, film developing, and if there is a club camera or if you have to furnish all the supplies. You also need to know if the book is yours to keep of if it needs to be returned to the club at the completion of the year. It is helpful if pages can be added or removed from the book. 2
How Much To Keep If your club members are very active, you will have many bits of history to collect. Keep articles that represent important activities and achievements of the whole club and of members. Many clubs start a new scrapbook each year. Other clubs continue to add pages to the same book year after year. Do whatever is comfortable and easily managed for you club and visit with your advisor to determine what works best for you. What To Keep As a historian you many wish to keep the following: Newspaper clippings of which include articles and pictures. Indicate which newspaper carried the item and the date of the item. Special letters and thank you notes. Tell why the letter was received or sent and the date if it does not appear in the content of the letter or note. Ribbons, medals, special awards earned by the club as a whole. Snapshots of trophies and plaques can be included along with an explanation of what the award was about. Awards earned by individual club members. Some clubs recognize individual efforts in a special section of the history. A snapshot of individuals or of everyone receiving individual recognition alone with a list of everyone who received what can be used. Brochures, programs, and agendas representing events that members attended or participated in can be included. Other important mementos of your club. Scrapbook, photo album Scissors Rubber Cement Historian Checklist Film, camera Glue, Tape Remember check with your advisor about costs and where the book goes when the year is finished. 3
Cover: Name of club Year the club was started or founded Name of Historian Format First page that you are responsible for (this may be the first page or the first page you are responsible for in a scrapbook/notebook holding several years of information: Name of current advisor(s) Name of club members Second page: This year s officers Third page: Club awards (This may take more than one page.) Fourth page: Outstanding awards won by members (This may take more than one page.) Fifth page: Photos, clipping, etc. showing club activities or special events Then you may wish to add the following on the remaining pages: 1. Club program book for the year. 2. News clippings 3. Transcript from radio programs made by members 4. Letters or thank you notes 5. Fair and/or Camp Photos 6. Photo of other county wide events Optional Activities For The Historian Prepare a brief history of the town or community in which the club is centered. Prepare a look back at 4-H in you community 5, 10, 15 years ago. Do a comparison of club activities today versus those 10, 15, 20, 30 years ago. Interview a former leader or member and do a short bibliography. Visit the historical society and see what historians have written about your community. Contact you local historical society and see if you could do a program for them on the history of 4-H in your county or your specific community. Prepare a display for Ohio 4-H Week on the History of 4-H 4
My Goals: After reading through this book, develop a plan for what you will document this year. Select at least five items from the activities listed below or add your own activities. Events to Document Plan To Do Date Completed County clinics Club Demonstrations Public Speaking Contests Field trips Guest speakers or presenters Fair booth Club meetings Parades Royalty Member projects Interview judging Skillathons, breed ID contests, livestock judging Special county events Add your own ideas/activities below: Sample Topics to Explore: As you are completing the club record (which is often a scrapbook), consider exploring these related topics and activities: Journaling, stamping, and embossing Design elements like color, tone and balance Photo cropping A 4-H scrapbook project A 4-H Self-determined project about being club historian Kinds of photography (35mm or digital) Documentation format: size, binding type, historical quality Explore your own ideas/activities 5
Historian Event Information Form Name of event: Date: Time: Location: Event Sponsors: PHOTO 1 Back row from left to right: Front row from left to right: PHOTO 2 Back row from left to right: Front row from left to right: PHOTO 3 Back row from left to right: Front row from left to right: 6
7