Georgia Magazine - January 2015 - 21C

(Continued from page 21B)
4-H has been a big part of life for countless Georgians.
"They've learned life skills and public speaking and
have built confi dence," says Brown. "Perhaps that's the
biggest infl uence UGA Extension has had-by infl uencing
the development of children in this state over the
last 100 years."
For many decades, the state's EMCs have been
staunch supporters of 4-H and sponsors of various 4-H
programs and facilities, including the annual photography
project and Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton.
Outstanding Extension agents
recognized
The William H.
Booth Award, sponsored
by the electric
membership cooperatives
(EMCs) in
Georgia, recognizes
outstanding Extension
agents working in
the 4-H program. The
honor acknowledges
both peer recognition
and career achievement.
The annual
award is a tribute to
Bill Booth, who was
a charter member of
the board of directors
for Jackson Electric
Membership Corp., based in Jefferson, as well as the
co-op's general manager for 15 years. He stayed the
course until rural electrifi cation was humming along
the lines in his North Georgia community. During his
40 years, he helped to form NRECA (National Rural
Electric Association) and Tucker-based Oglethorpe
Power Corp. It was Booth who suggested the EMCs
sponsor statewide 4-H events. The fi rst awards were
presented in 1979, making 2014 the 35th anniversary
of this prestigious award.
The Georgia Association of Extension 4-H agents
coordinates judging for the William H. Booth Awards.
District winners are selected through a peer review
process. The state winner is selected based on a dossier
and an interview process.
21C
'A hundred years ago, the county agent was the
only source of information. Now we're just one
of many sources. We have to provide the most
trustworthy, factual, unbiased, scientifi cally
based information among the ocean of data.'
-Steve Brown, interim associate dean of UGA Extension
A perfect three-act play
Three acts that led to creation of land grant universities,
experiment stations and Extension
After the Morrill Act was signed into law by President
Abraham Lincoln in 1862, the Land Grant University
System was created.
"Postsecondary education at that time was for the
wealthy only, and they went to Yale, Harvard and Princeton,"
says Steve Brown, interim associate dean for UGA
Extension. "The Land Grant University System's intent
was to set up an educational system for the common
man."
The University of Georgia was designated as GeorThe
William H. Booth Award,
sponsored by Georgia's EMCs, was
presented in 2014 to Shirley Williamson,
of Columbia County; posing
with Shirley is Alex Booth (son of
William H. Booth).
gia's original land grant university in 1862. Years later,
Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley was named the
state's second land grant university. Every state in the
nation has at least one land grant university, and many
have two.
"The land grant system is important," says Brown.
"I've been to Third World countries with agriculture
struggles where a government entity delivers information,
and the system fails. It's the connection to the land
grant university that makes us successful. People trust
their land grant university more than they trust the
government."
In 1887, the Hatch Act was passed, authorizing
establishment of agricultural experiment stations in
each state. Affi liated with the land grant colleges-and
ultimately the Cooperative Extension System-the
experiment stations performed research on agricultural
methods and sought solutions to farmers' problems.
Finally, in 1914, the third leg of this three-legged
stool was introduced when the national Cooperative
Extension System was organized upon passage of the
Smith-Lever Act. The Act provided funding for research
at the land grant universities and experiment stations.
The resulting information was passed along to the
working farmers and rural families who needed it most,
by placing educators in their communities.
The Smith-Lever Act, introduced by Sen. Hoke
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Georgia Magazine - January 2015

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