NTDUG207 Guide to 4-H State Office records 4-H State Office records Finding aid prepared by Abbie Youngberg. Processing of this collection was made possible through the Gary E. and Carolyn J. Strong Special Collections Fellowship. University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives 2026
libspec@uidaho.edu
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-08-20. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives 4-H State Office records Idaho. State 4-H Office Baumgartner, Robin UG 207 7.5 cubic feet 5 banker boxes, 1 oversize box, 1 document box. 1950-2010 The 4-H State Office Records document Idaho 4-H programs, administration, events, communications, and educational activities from 1927-2008. The collection includes textual, photographic, audiovisual, digital, and object materials relating to statewide 4-H programs and events. English

The records document the administration and activities of Idaho 4-H, including statewide programs, conferences, meetings, communications, educational presentations, projects, trips and camps, news, and 4-H-related objects. Formats include photographs, negatives, slides, transcripts, newspaper clippings, VHS and cassette recordings, CDs, DVCam, pamphlets, and other mixed materials.

Arranged in thirteen series: Know Your Government; Digital Media; National 4-H Conference; 4-H CDs; Conferences and Meetings; Trips and Camps; People in 4-H; Programs and Presentations; Activities and Projects; Places; 4-H in the News; 4-H; and Objects. Series reflect major subject areas and formats.

Idaho's 4-H program developed from Boys' and Girls' Clubs organized in Idaho schools in 1911–1912 and became part of the Cooperative Extension system. The records particularly document two long-running conference programs. The National 4-H Conference began in 1927 as the National 4-H Club Camp in Washington, D.C., and became known as the National 4-H Conference in 1957. The conference brings 4-H youth, Extension personnel, land-grant universities, and government officials together and provides youth opportunities to learn about government and present their perspectives to federal agencies and congressional committees. In Idaho, the Know Your Government (KYG) program focuses on civic education and participation in state government. By 2022, KYG had operated for approximately 35 years and included a three-day Boise conference in which youth studied the legislative, executive, and judicial branches and participated in activities as legislators, judges, reporters, and editors. The extensive conference records in this collection document 4-H as a setting for leadership, citizenship, education, and youth engagement with government.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture. (2026). National 4-H Conference. U.S. Department of Agriculture.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture. (2026). National 4-H Conference FAQs. U.S. Department of Agriculture.

University of Idaho Extension. (n.d.). Know Your Government Conference. University of Idaho.

University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives. (n.d.). University of Idaho 4-H collection, 1938–2015. Archives West.

Idaho State Board of Education. (2022, October 19). Planning, policy and governmental affairs [Meeting materials].

Collection is open for research.

Collection contains photograph slides.

Materials were transferred from the State 4-H office in 2024 by Robin Baumgartner, program coordinator.

FOR PHOTOS Photographer, "Title," date. Collection name, object ID. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.

FOR DOCUMENTS Author, Description or "Title" of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.

The collection was processed from 8 boxes to 7 boxes. No usable original order was identified. Materials were arranged into subject- and format-based series; folder labels were standardized with collection number, title, dates, and box/folder numbers. All records were accounted for and verified by staff and supervisor. Duplicate materials and materials focusing on the National 4-H program were removed with some sampling of materials kept.

Related materials can be found in: University of Idaho 4-H collection (UG 158),

4-H Clubs of Idaho Records (MG 364),

University of Idaho College of Agriculture photographs (PG 037),

Bessie Olmstead Storms collection (MG 515),

University of Idaho Extension collection (UG 157).

 Baumgartner, Robin Idaho. State 4-H Office 4-H clubs 4-H clubs--Idaho--History--Sources Agricultural extension work--Idaho--Societies, etc. Photographs Meetings Idaho Series 1: Know Your Government Sub-Series 1: 1988-1993 Idaho 4-H Know Your Government Conference 9 items Slides from the Conference and transcript. 13 February 1988 1 1 Know Your Government News Articles 17 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 1988 1 2 Idaho 4-H Know Your Government Conference 12 items Slides from the Conference and transcript. 18-20 February 1989 1 3 Know Your Government News Articles 9 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 1989 1 4 Idaho 4-H Know Your Government Conference 13 items Slides from the Conference and transcript. 1990 1 5 Know Your Government News Articles 8 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 1990 1 6 4-H Know Your Government Judicial Orientation 1 item VHS 1991 1 7 4-H, Know Your Government Conference 1 item VHS 1991 1 8 4-H Know Your Government 1 item VHS with time stamps for the Judicial Orientation and Committee Meetings. 1991 1 9 4-H Know Your Government-Committee Meetings 1 item VHS 1991 1 10 4-H Know Your Government Conference 1 item VHS 1991 1 11 4-H Know Your Government Conference Committee Orientation 1 item VHS 1991 1 12 4-H Know Your Government Conference 1 item cassette tape 1991 1 13 Idaho 4-H Know Your Government Conference 18 items Slides from the Conference and transcript. February 1991 1 14 15 18 21 23 Know Your Government News Articles 12 items Photocopies of news articles. 1991 1 15 Idaho 4-H Know Your Government Conference 4 items Slides from the Conference. 1992 1 16 Know Your Government News Articles 16 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 1992 1 17 Know Your Government News Articles 17 items Photocopies of news articles. 1993 1 18 Know Your Government 1 item VHS 1993 1 19 Sub-Series 2: 1994-1999 Know Your Government News Articles 15 items Photocopies of news articles. 1994 1 20 4H Know Your Government Conference- KYG News 1 item VHS 1995 1 21 Know Your Government 1 item VHS 1995 2 22 Know Your Government News Articles 12 items Photocopies of news articles. 1995 2 23 Know Your Government Conference 26 items Negatives and photos of the Conference. 1996 2 24 Know Your Government News Articles 12 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 1996 2 25 Know Your Government Conference Reporter Video 1 item vhs with "raw footage" and "4-h kyg news." 1997 2 26 Know Your Government Reporter 1 item VHS 1997 2 27 Know Your Government 1 item VHS 15 April 1997 2 28 Know Your Government News Articles 17 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 1997 2 29 Know Your Government News 1 item VHS 1998 2 30 Know Your Government News 1 item vhs with "raw footage" and "4-h kyg news." VHS 1998 2 31 Know Your Government News 1 item VHS 1998 2 32 Know Your Government News Articles 6 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 1998 2 33 Know Your Government Conference (with Credit) 1 item VHS 1999 2 34 Know Your Government News 1 item VHS 1999 2 35 Know Your Government News-Raw Footage 1 item VHS 17 May 1999 2 36 Know Your Government News Articles 6 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 1999 2 37 Sub-Series 3: 2000-2005 Know Your Government with credits 1 item VHS 2000 2 38 Know Your Government News Articles 5 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 2000 2 39 4H Know Your Government Reporters and Editors 1 item VHS 2001 2 40 Know Your Government News Articles 16 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 2001 2 41 Know Your Government 1 item VHS 2002 3 42 Know Your Government News Articles 3 items Photocopies of news articles. 2002 3 43 Idaho 4-H Know Your Government 1 item VHS, "ag. & Ext. Ed." 2003 3 44 Know Your Government News Articles 8 items Photocopies of news articles. 2003 3 45 Know Your Government 1 item VHS 2004 3 46 Know Your Government News Articles 5 items newspaper clippings (and photocopies of Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 2004 3 47 Know Your Government 1 item VHS 2005 3 48 Know Your Government News Articles 5 items Photocopies of news articles. 2005 3 49 Sub-Series 4: 2006-2010 Know Your Government- Get Your Kicks 1 item VHS 2006 3 50 Know Your Government News Articles 6 items Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) referring to the Conference. 2006 3 51 20 Years of Know Your Government 1 item VHS 2007 3 52 Know Your Government- Constructing Our Government 1 item VHS 2008 3 53 Know Your Government News Articles 2 items Photocopies of news articles. 2008 3 54 4H Know Your Government Conference Photo 114 item Group Photos of the Know Your Government Conference. 1989-2009 3 55 Know Your Government Legislative Breakfast 39 items Negatives, photos, and a transcript from the Conference. undated 3 56 Know Your Government News Articles 7 items newspaper clippings (and photocopies of Newspaper clippings (and photocopies) and slides from conferences. undated 3 57 Know Your Government-Passage of a Bill 1 item VHS undated 3 58 Know Your Government 1 item VHS; rough Footage undated 3 59 59 59 59 59 Idaho 4H Know Your Government Conference "Unfurl the Flag for 4H" 1 item vhs undated 3 60 60 60 60 60 Know Your Government Conference 1 item VHS undated 3 61 Know Your Government 5 items CD undated 3 62 Series 2: 4-H Digitial Media 4H Campaign 1 item DVCam 27 October 2003 3 63 AG Communications Center: Constructed Wetlands for Water Quality Improvement 1 item VHS 21 May 1991 3 64 4H Volunteers "Discover the World Together" 1 item vhs; 2 psa undated 3 65 The Congressional Award- National Award 1 item VHS undated 3 66 Idaho Congressional Awards 1 item vhs undated 1 67 Forestry in Action: The National 4H Forestry Invitational 1 item VHS undated 3 68 Series 3: National 4-H Conference Sub-series 1: Slides National 4-H Conference Photos 10 items Photos and slides from the Conference. 1958 4 69 National 4-H Conference 2 items Slides of the Conference. 1965 4 70 National 4-H Conference 3 items slides, transcript, and cassette tape of the conference. Slides of the Conference. 1980 4 71 National 4-H Conference 4 items Slides with transcript of the Conference. 1981 4 72 National 4-H Conference 3 items Slides of the Conference. 1982 4 73 National 4-H Conference 4 items Slides with transcript of the Conference. 1984 4 74 National 4-H Conference 4 items Slides with transcript of the Conference. 1985 4 75 National 4-H Conference 4 items Slides with transcript of the Conference. 1986 4 76 National 4-H Conference 4 items Slides with transcript of the Conference. 1987 4 77 National 4-H Conference 4 items Slides with transcript of the Conference. 1989 4 78 National 4-H Conference 6 items Slides, transcript, and cassette tape of the Conference. 1990 4 79 National 4-H Conference 6 items Slides, transcript, and cassette tape of the Conference. 1991 4 80 Sub-Series 2: Digital Media National 4-H Congress 2 items CDs 2006-2011 4 81 National 4-H Congress; Fashion Revue 1 item VHS 1988 4 82 62nd National 4-H Conference 1 item VHS 5-11 April 1992 4 83 63rd National 4-H Conference 1 item vhs 28 March-3 April 1993 4 84 64th National 4-H Conference 1 item VHS 10-16 April 1994 4 85 National 4-H Council; 65th Congress in Review 1 item VHS 1995 4 86 65th National 4-H Conference 1 item VHS 1995 4 87 4-H Congress 1 item VHS 1997 4 88 National 4-H Congress 1 item VHS 1999 4 89 National 4-H Congress 1 item VHS 2000 4 90 National 4-H Congress 1 item vhs 2002 4 91 Series 4: 4-H CDs 4-H Lectures 4 items CD undated 4 92 4-H Activities 7 items CD 2003-2013 4 93 4-H Officers 3 items CD 2003-2013 4 94 4-H Photos 9 items CD 2004-2008 4 95 Programs, Procedures, & Websites 13 items CD undated 4 96 4-H Projects 2 items CD undated 4 97 Photo Contest 12 items CD undated 4 98 4-H PowerPoint Slides 3 items CD undated 4 99 NRW 5 items CD undated 4 100 4-H Dairy Conference 3 items CD 2007-2008 4 101 Counties 16 items CD undated 4 102 Teen Conference 9 items CD 1927-2009 4 103 4-H CDs 9 items CD undated 4 104 Series 5: 4-H Conferences and Meetings National 4-H Dairy Conference 6 items Slides, cassette tape, and transcript of the conference. 1978 5 105 Idaho 4-H Congress 4 items Slides of the conference. undated 5 106 4-H Club Congress Teen Conference 1 item Slides of the conference. undated 5 107 4-H Camps and Conferences 8 items slides of the conference. undated 5 108 Aide Training Meeting 1 item Slides of the meeting. June 1977 5 109 Teen Club Leaders and Meeting 2 items Slides of the meeting. undated 5 110 "Plan your 4-H Meeting" pamphlet 1 item Paper pamphlet. undated 5 111 4-H Meeting and Conference Photos 37 items Photos of a conference. undated 5 112 4-H Conference Negatives 4 items Negatives of a conference. undated 5 113 4-H Congress Photos 9 items Photographs undated 5 114 Idaho 4-H Club Congress Photos 7 items Photographs 1962-1970 5 115 Series 6: 4-H Trips and Camps 4-H Forestry Tour 1 item Slides of the tour. undated 5 116 Idaho 4-H Capital Tour 2 items Slides of capital tour. undated 5 117 Idaho 4-H in Chicago 3 items Slides from the trip. undated 5 118 4-H Field Trip 2 items Slides from a trip. 1979 5 119 4-H Camp and Washington D.C. 3 items Slides from the trips. 1986 5 120 Washington D.C. Trip 2 items Slides from the trip. 1992 5 121 4-H in Washington D.C. 3 items Slides from the trip. undated 5 122 4-H in Hawaii 2 items Slides from the trip. 1974 5 123 Capital Supreme Court 24 items Photographs from trip undated 5 124 4-H Tween Camp 6 items Slides and cassette tapes from the camp. 1977 5 125 4-H Alpine Conservation Camp 4 items Slides from the camp. 1960 5 126 Series 7: People in 4-H 4-H Group Photos 10 items Photographs of 4-Hers. undated 5 127 4-H People 10 items photographs of 4-hers. undated 5 128 Maridyn Smith 3 items Photographs of Smith. 1976-1977 5 129 4-H Children 6 items Photographs. undated 5 130 Series 8: 4-H Programs and Presentations "This is 4-H History" Presentation 4 items Slides of the presentation. undated 1 EFNEP Youth 2 items Slides of the program. 1973-1976 5 132 Idaho 4-H Club Song Book 1 item Paper pamphlet. June 1944 5 133 "Our Friends the Trees" Pamphlet 1 item Paper pamphlet. May 1959 5 134 Agriculture Communications 2 items Slides of the program. May 2004 5 135 "This is 4-H" Presentation 5 items Slides and transcript of the presentation. 1974 5 136 "4-H is Where the Action Is" Presentation 5 items Slides and transcript of the presentation. 1974 5 137 Japan and the 4-H/LABO Exchange Program 8 items Slides and cassette of the presentation. 1974 5 138 Mulligan Stew- BW 9 items Slides and cassettes of the presentation. 1973 5 139 4-H "Values" Presentaion 6 items slides, cassette, and transcript of the presentation. undated 5 140 World of 4-H Projects and Activities 5 items Slides, cassette, and transcript of the presentation. undated 5 141 Series 9: 4-H Activities and Projects Gene Smith Pine Tree Project 20 items Photographs from the project. undated 5 142 4-H International Night 1 item Slides from the activity. undated 5 143 Just for Kids 1 item Slides from the activity. 1995 5 144 4-H Fun Day 3 items Slides from the activity. June 1994 5 145 Fair Slides 2 items Slides from the activity. 1992 5 146 District 1 Activities Festival 5 items Slides from the activity. 1985-1987 5 147 Leaders' Banquet 34 items Photographs from the banquet. 16 March 1994 5 148 National 4-H Fashion Revue 5 items Slides and transcript from the activity. 1983 5 149 Demonstration Judging 1 item Slides from the activity. 1974 5 150 4-H Horse-riding 2 items Slides from the activity. 1977 5 151 4-H Activities 9 items Slides of activities. undated 5 152 "Things the Professor Forgot" 4-H Project 8 items Slides of the projects. 1974-1977 5 153 Series 10: 4-H Places Hawthorne Elementary 2 items Slides of the school. 1992 5 154 Garfield Elementary 3 items Slides from the school. 8,14 May 1992 5 155 Ada County 2 items Slides. 1993-11 5 156 National 4-H Center: A Very Special Place 6 items Slides and cassette from the event. undated 5 157 Citizenship Washington Focus at National 4-H Center 5 items Slides from the event. undated 5 158 Series 11: 4-H in the News 4-H News Article 5 items Clippings of news articles. 1953-1956 6 159 4-H News Article 1 item Clipping of a news article. 1983 6 160 4-H News Article 2 items Clippings of news articles. 1993 6 161 4-H News Article 6 items Clippings of news articles. 1997 6 162 4-H News Article 5 items Clippings of news articles. 1999 6 163 4-H News Article 1 item Clipping of a news article. 2014 6 164 Gem State News 28 items Photographs, negatives, and floppy disks. 1992 6 165 Series 12: 4-H Celebrating 75 Years of 4H 1 item Packet of 4-H history. 2001 6 166 Series 13: Objects and Oversized Materials Sub-Series 1: Emily Rose Beddow Bell Emily Rose Beddow Bell was born 30 August 1947 to Melvin Beddow and Ida Beddow in California. The family moved to Idaho during Bell's childhood. Bell was active in 4-H and as one of her projects, she sewed a wedding dress. She would wear this dress to her wedding to Gary R. Bell in 1973. Emily Bell died on 10 February 2020. The family donated the wedding dress and some additional materials in this series to the Idaho State 4-H Office who transferred it to Special Collections for better preservation. Emily Beddow Home Economics Records and Entries 6 items Written records and entry forms for 4H Home Economics projects. 1958-1962 6 167 Bonner County Fair 4-H Ribbons 13 items Ribbons from various 4H Bonner County Fair entries. 1960-1965 6 168 Emily Beddow Photos 2 items Photos of Beddow as a little girl, and on her wedding day. 1957-1973 6 169 Cake Topper 1 item Wedding cake topper most likely made during time in 4H and used on wedding day (3/3/1973). 1960-1973 6 170 4-H Pins 12 items Pins awarded for "Leadership," "Home Economics," "Clothing," Achievement," and " Home Improvement." undated 6 171 Wedding Dress 1 item Wedding dress most likely made while in 4-H, and worn on Beddow's wedding day. 1960-1973 7 172 Wedding Veil 1 item Matching veil most likely made during time in 4H and worn by Beddow on her wedding day. 1960-1973 7 173 Sub-Series 2: Oversized Papers 4-H Congress Looking Back 1 item Booklet chronicling the history of 4-H with photos and newspaper clippings. undated 7 174