Story County Milford Hustlers 4-H History

Story County 4-H volunteers are hard at work this summer compiling photos, stories and contacts from their history. They have been sharing those photos and stories with the 4-H Foundation and we'd like to share them with you.

Here are photos that were pulled from the book Milford Twp and Proud of It! by authors Dale Hughes and Jurine Borton (Moore). Both are former Story County 4-H'ers from the Milford Hustlers in the late 1940's and early 1950's. The photos are from Milford Township 4-H clubs in the late 1930's-1960's. The number indicated behind each name is the year they graduated from Milford Township.

1939 - In 1964 this group photo was taken of the first Story County Fair Board of 1939. This was 25 years after this Board developed and built the first buildings on present site in the then SW corner of Nevada. Pictured from left are TC Henryson, Story City; Victor Rilery, Ames; Otis Warren, Milford Twp; Dick Jay, Ames, who was the first board president; and Sam Oakes, Zearing. in the background is one of the beautiful barns. Records indicated that since 1951, the board President was from Milford Twp for 50 years.

1941 - Milford Merry Maids 4-H meeting at the Stratton home in the SW quarter of Sec 13 in Milford Twp. Beginning from far left- clockwise: Patty Allen '46, Betty Burley '44, Dorothy Harper '43 (standing), Doris Bailey '44, Delores Borts '41, Leader Mrs. Stratton, Alyce Burley '41 (back to camera), Jeanne Stratton '43 (profile). Note style of 4-H uniforms.

1941 - Two Milford Merry Maids; Jeanne Stratton '43 and Dorothy Harper '43 give a "Correct Posture" demonstration for the Story County competition at the Nevada Field House in 1941.

1941 - Glen Sampson, Milford Hustlers 4-H Club and Milford Twp class of 1943, is pictured with his 4-H Baby Beef project at the Story County Fair.

1944 - This picture is from the Record Book of Ila Mae Bailey, Milford Merry Maids. These two 4-H letters are representative of the times. Her book shows the tabs for the 1941-1943 club years below or prior to her 1944 records. So many organizations, and 4-H was no different, incorporated military themes with the overall interest in the war effort and "Victory" as the goal through their organization. Notice the signature H.J. Montgomery, Story County Extension Director. He served many years.

1946 Ila Mae Bailey of the Milford Merry Maids (1946 graduate of Milford Twp High School) provides an interesting study of the 4-H uniform for the girls during the early forties. Note the cheverons on her left sleeve reminesent of a sargent's stripes, they indicate the four years, one for every year she participated in 4-H. It has also been said they were for each year this person was an officer in their local club.

1946 - Milford Merry maids' representative, Ila Mae Bailey, Milford Twp Class of 1946 is third from the left. She won the Story County 4-H Dress Review and represented Story County at the Iowa State Fair Dress Review in 1946. Photo taken at the 4-H Community Building in Nevada. The outfit cost Ila $11.00

1947 - The Milford Merry Maids after a spring meeting. Pictured left front: unknown, unknown, Mary Rierson, Alicy Matters; middle left area: unknown, Dorothy Murrow, Lois Larson, unknown, Gloria Warren, Juanita Warren, unknown, and unknown; then the fourth in the back row: unknown, unknown, unknown, and Rhoda Honderd. Ida Honderd (Rhiner) was the leader.

1947 - Rhoda '50, little brother Norman '57, and their mother Ida Honderd (Rhiner) are pictured before going to a 4-H event. Ida was then the Leader for the Milford Merry Maids.

1950 - The Milford Merry Maids 4-H Club are gathered late in the summer, shortly after the Story County Fair Demonstration Day. Those in uniform had given demonstrations at the county fair level. In front: Marlene Morfey '57 and Donna Sorem '55; in center: Dordene Brodie '54, Alice Hansen '55 and Jurine Borton '56; in back: Florine Borton '52, Ruth Warren '54, and Leaders Wilma Munson (Arnold) and Ethyleen Sampson (Glen).

1952 - Rex Hughes, a club leader 1952-'55, is pictured with Jurine and Art Borton during the Milford Hustlers 4-H Tour. They are weighing a pig in a gunny sack early in the project.

1953 - Edna and Rex Hughes. Edna was a leader for the Milford Merry Maids and Rex was the leader of the Milford Hustlers. Both were very active in Milford Twp and Story County.

1953 - Ruth Warren, Milford Merry Maids was elected Story County 4-H Girls President. Left to Right: Ruth Warren of Milford Twp class of 1954, Amy Jensen of Gilbert, Bonnie Lein of Slater, Ilene Shaul of Huxley and Jo Ann Nelson of Fernald. The Milford Hustlers (Ag/Boys Club) had 7 County Presidents and the Milford Merry Maids (Home Ec/Girls Club) had 3. Jurine Borton says, one of the things she is most proud of in her 4-H career was being the campaign speaker for both Ruth Warren and her brother Art Borton who were both elected Story County 4-H Presidents.

1953 - The Milford Merry Maids are shown with the banker, Don Warnke, with their initial "$25 Savings Bond Investment." Leader 1951- '53 Edna Hughes, Treasurer Janet Rasmusson '58, President Jurine Borton '56 and Norene Hughes '59. The 12 member club had earned the money at a box social. The Bond actually cost $18.75 to purchase and would mature in ten years.

1953 - The Milford Merry Maids gather outside of Milford Twp School before their first meeting in the fall. Front row: Norene Hughes '59, Janet Simonsen '60, Judith Jorgensen '57, and Sandra Nelson '59. Back row: Marcia Jacobson '58, Shirley Groomes '58, Jurine Borton '56, Sandra Mortvedt '57, Marlene Morfey '57, Janet Rasmusson '58, and Ruth Warren '54. Their leader was Edna Hughes (Rex).

1954 - Jurine Borton is presiding during a Milford Merry Maids 4-H meeting in 1954-'55. Most meetings were held in the Milford Twp School lunch room. Members, clockwise from the lower left: Judith Jorgensen '57, Shirley Groomes '58, Marlene Morfey '57, Jurine Borton '56, Sandra Mortvedt '57, Marcia Jacobson '58, Nadine Safly '59, Sandra Nelson '59, Norene Hughes '59, and Janet Simonsen '60. The club leaders through 1954-'55 were Dawn Jorgensen (max) and Edith Rasmusson (Jeff). Notice the 4-H flag, the US flag is out of sight and to the left beyond Judith.

1954 - Jurine Borton '56 of the Milford Merry Maids is shown with the name banner she used when she was elected to a Story County (girls) Office. (It is interesting to note that since she also had agriculture projects, she was also a member of the Milford Hustlers 4-H Club and was required to keep a completely separate set of 4-H records or another complete 4-H Record Book. She was in each club for 8 years.) In the fall of 1955, it was declared she had the state of Iowa's Best 4-H Record Book and was a delegate to the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago in November (of which she didn't even realize existed at the time) where she was selected as one of the 120 National 4-H Scholarship recipients in the Nation.

In 1956, when she enrolled at Iowa Wesleyan College for a double major in Home Economics and Physical Education, she was the first person in the nation to use a National 4-H Scholarship at a college other than a Land Grant College/University. In 1959, Jurine was selected as an Iowa State Extension Service Summer Trainee and served in Iowa County Extension Service in Marengo, Iowa. She was then hired for a permanent position in Iowa County after graduation in 1960 and served until 1962.

After she was married and had a child-- Marshall Rana, who in 1979 represented Linn County and selected Iowa's 4-H Leadership winner and also went to the national 4-H Club Congress. At that time women could not be employed by the Extension Service if they had small children at home. In the summer of 1976 Jurine also served in the Linn County Extension Service.

1954 - At left is Leslie Henderson, director of the Story County 4-H Chorus and the Milford Twp 4-H Club representation: Ruth Warren '54, Loyd Hughes '56, Jurine Borton '56, Dale Hughes '55, Norman Honderd '57, and Art Borton '57. This was the first year for the Chorus and it was the only County 4-H Chorus in Iowa. It grew out of the Story County 4-H Builders Club which was newly organized earlier in 1954 and both groups were the first and only one of it's kind in the history of Iowa 4-H. Ruth and Jurine were also charter members of that Builders Club, which was established especially for providing older 4-H Youth activities. The Chorus was a terrific opportunity to meet and sing with other high school age youth from all of Story County. They sang at such places as the State 4-H Conferences, events at Iowa State college, at the Iowa State Fair and had one "gig" on WOI-TV. Sadly the chorus only lasted for about three years.

1955-'56 - The Milford Merry Maids 4-H Club are in uniform for National 4-H Week. They wore their uniforms to school and were pictured before their after school meeting. In front: Jurine Borton '56, Judith Jorgensen '57, Geraldine Fitzgerald '59, Julio Cox '59, Sharyl Buchanan '59, Bernita Jacobson '61, Sandra Nelson '59, Sadine Safly '59, and Janet Simonsen '60. In back: Marcia Jacobson '58, Marlene Morfey '57, Sandra Mortvedt '57, Janet Rasmusson '58, Shirley Groomes '58, Janet Sorensen '60, and Norene Hughes '59 (who was without her uniform because of a music obligation outside of school that day). The leaders were Gladys Carsrud (Ernest) and Evelyn Thomas (Homer). 16 members was a sizable club and see 4-H banner on the right.

1957 - The three Milford Hustlers for the Milford Twp class of 1957 won the Story County 4-H Livestock Judging competition and went on to state competition. From left: Norman Honderd, Art Borton, and Pete Hadley. That fall Art Borton also represented Story County with his Record Book to state and was selected to represent Iowa at the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago.

1962 - The Milford Merry Maids are campaigning for Linda Hughes '63, far right, in her run and election to a Story County 4-H (girls) Office. It was a very clever way to "back" Linda!

1963 - Milford Merry Maid Sharon Nelson '64 became the Story County 4-H Girls President and is pictured with the Story County 4-H Boys President, Franklin Albertson. They are holding their gavels.

2006 - The 4-H'er in the center is Cory Sampson, grandson of Glen Sampson '43. He is pictured at the 2006 Iowa State Fair after his reserve Grand Champion Hog sold for a record price of $38,000. He is flanked by his parents to the right. At left is sister Amy who had the 2007 Story County Grand Champion Beef. They had several other winnings in 2008 and 2009. His father, Doug went to school in Milford Twp and the family now farms just out of Milford Twp.