Document the history of one of 4-H's creative programmatic endeavors, the development and operation of the era of children's television series.

During the past four months several pleas have been issued in the National 4-H History Newsletter for assistance in finding films, videos and printed support materials for the various 4-H television series. Jan Scholl of Pennsylvania State University has loans us a videocasette of the Mulligan Stew programs for digitizing; few other items have surfaced, however. This will be one of this teams priorities for 2013… attempting to find copies of some of the missing television series' items.

Larry L. Krug, Chair

The 4-H history relating to the development and use of children's television to capture the enthusiasm of new, major 4-H audiences is significant. 4-H bcame a major player in developing television programs for young people, programs that were educational, fun and participatory, right along beside Children's Television Workship, Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.

Young audiences who knew nothing about 4-H, suddenly became 4-H members via television… and identified themselves as 4-H members. They learned about good nutrition, space technology, how to tell a story through photography, science projects, bicycle safety, just to name a few of the areas.

This history has now been posted in the National 4-H History area of the 4-H history preservation website. We are fortunate that two of our own National 4-H History Preservation Leadership Team members were two of the major players in this story. Eleanor L. Wilson, 4-H Extension, USDA, was National 4-H TV Coordinator and Larry L. Krug, National 4-H Service Committee, was responsible for the production, distribution and marketing of the national 4-H television series programs and support materials

Do you remember Mulligan Stew? …4-H TV Action Club? …4-H Photo Fun Club? 4-H TV Fun on Wheels Club? …Living in a Nuclear Age? …Dog Sense? …Blue Sky Below My Feet? …Teen Mobile Club? …4-H TV Science Club?

Maybe you were a member. That means you're probably over 50 now… well, in your late 40's, let's say. Perhaps you coordinated one or more of these series in your county or state.

We hope this new segment on our website will bring back some memories. There are more photos to be added, but we hope you enjoy it, nonetheless.

Visit: http://4-HHistoryPreservation.com/History/Television/

Some of the films and video programs have been digitized and will be up on the site's A/V Directory. We are still looking for others, not having 4-H Photo Fun Club, 4-H TV Action Club, Dog Sense, Teen Mobile Club, 4-H Electric Club, 4-H TV Science Club, 4-H Fun on Wheels Club or Living in a Nuclear Age.

Also, we are looking for support materials for all of the series except for Mulligan Stew, Blue Sky, Living in a Nuclear Age and Photo Fun Club, so they can be digitized for the Print Media Archives. All of the printd pieces, films and tapes borrowed for digitization will be returned. We welcome hearing from anyone who can help us out in making this history complete. Contact: info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com

Locating and digitizing these missing films, videos and printed materials will be the next mission for this development team.

Larry Krug, Co-Chair

Much of the documentation has already been compiled and is in the editing stage, as authored by Larry Krug and Eleanor L. Wilson. Additional documentation on some of the earlier TV series, as well as locating the films or videos and supportive materials to get them digitized are some of the remaining tasks.

(Larry Krug and Eleanor L. Wilson, Co-Chairs)