History of Wright County Extension
Presentation to the Annandale History Club
October 6, 2014
Jerry Specht

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Jerry Specht was the University of Minnesota Extension Agent for Wright County from 1952 to1967.  He was raised on a 400-acre farm northeast of Barnsville, Minn.  He was a 4-H member.  He served three years in the Marine Corps during World War II, including time in the Phillipines.  He graduated from North Dakota State University Agriculture College and was an agricultural instructor in the high school at Hitterdahl before entering Extension work.  Jerry Specht was Wright County Outstanding Senior Citizen in 2008.

The purpose of the University of Minnesota Extension program is to bring to farmers the results of scientific research at the U of M, its outlying experiment stations (test plots for crops), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Extension agents help farmers with farm production problems and the business aspect of farming, and help explain government farm programs.  The Extension agents are members of the University of Minnesota faculty and have access to the latest and most thorough material. Extension promotes youth activities and is the sponsoring agency for 4-H clubs.  Today, young people and 4-H are the strongest parts of Extension.  The Master Gardener program was added in 1977.

Extension began in Minnesota in 1909 and in Wright County in 1913.  Early Wright County agents were Ed Akin and Paul Moore.  Other former agents were Henry Berg, Gerry Michaelson, Jerry Specht (1952-1967), John Halverson, Bill Peterson, and Bill Zimmerman (started in March 1983).  Other agents were Harvey Haglin (Soils); J.E. Ellis (Soils), Deane Johnson (agent and 4-H agent); Dennis Mueller (4-H agent for 16 plus years); and Harriet Robertson (4-H summer assistant agent). Today there isn’t a full-time agent in Minnesota.  One person will cover two or three counties.  Now Extension employees have a narrower focus, such as Agriculture Educator, 4-H Educator, Nutrition Educator, and Family Resource Management.

At first Extension was financed by state, federal, county, and local sponsors such as Farm Bureau and farmers clubs.  In 1954 the law was changed so that Extension didn’t require a local sponsoring organization.  January 1, 1954, the county became the only local sponsor. Extension is now financed as follows:  14 percent federal, 40 percent state, 20 percent county and 26 percent grants and gifts.

Following are some of the some of the Extension highlights over the years:  Bangs disease (T.B. in dairy cows); nitrogen fertilizer (“Big N”); soybeans (new crop in early 1950s); farm management workshops for young couples; work with Soil Conservation Service; 1953 State Soil Conservation Field Day at the Knobloch farm; and state plowing contests.

Some of the organizations Jerry Specht worked with were as follows:  Farmers Union – Andrew Rimpy; Farm Bureau – Melvin Wells; WHCEA (Wright Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association) – Elwin Knickerbocker; DHIA (Dairy Herd Improvement Association) – Jacob Hoikka; Farm Service Agency; and Wright County Soil and Water Conservation Board.  He was an ex officio member of the Wright County Planning & Zoning Board.

When Jerry Specht started as Extension agent in 1952, his office was in the old Wright County courthouse in Buffalo built in 1877. Extension offices moved to the new courthouse completed in 1959. The first farm he visited was the Jake Hoikka farm in Albion Township.

Homemakers Clubs

In 1952 there were 15 homemakers clubs in Wright County with 581 members and 78 leaders.  Some of the demonstration topics in 1952 were “Use of Sewing Machine Attachments, Refreshments for Special Occasions, Shortcuts in Home Meals, and Rolls - Plain and Fancy.” Home agents for Wright County were Dorothy Hiene Kreitlow, Helen Haggen Mainquist, Ruth Sturmer (started in 1952), Hilda White, Evelyn Gray, Erva Snyder Hance, Marge Swanson and Leslie Walz.  In 1955, 65 pressure cookers were checked at seven clinics.

4-H

4-H clubs grew out of the Boys and Girls Clubs in the early 1900s.  In 1907, the first 4-H symbol was a three- leaf clover for head, heart and hands.  The fourth leaf was added in 1911 to symbolize health.  In 1914, the Smith Lever Act brought 4-H into Extension.  The first state 4-H livestock show was in 1918.   

The 4-H Pledge:  I Pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking, my HEART to greater loyalty, my HANDS to larger service, and my HEALTH to better living, for my family, my club, my community, my country and my world.  Minnesota and Maine were the only states to add “my family” to their pledge.  In 1973, “my world” was added to the pledge.  The 4-H slogan is “learn by doing.”

Members could stay in 4-H until age 21.  Rural Youth group, 21 years and older: President – Richard Kobbe; Vice President – Norman Varner; Secretary/Treasurer – Lillian Carstinson; Com. Service – Helen Mainquist; Education Chair – Everett Mainquist; Membership – Charlotte Robeck.

There are monthly meetings and service projects.  In August, 4-H members bring their projects to the county fair.  In 2014, 5,656 4-H members participated in the State Fair.  Every county was represented.   

In 1952, there were 31 clubs in Wright County with 679 members.  In the early 1960s there were  

34 clubs with a membership of over 1,100.  Jerry sometimes attended 4-H meetings four nights in a week.   

 

Local clubs from 1952 to 1967 were as follows:   West End (South Haven), French Lake Go Getters, Flying Arrows, Rolling Acres, Knapp Busy Bees,  Dewey Do-Its, Northern Peak, Highland Boosters, Albion Aces, Silver Hill Ramblers, Prairie Go Getters, Wide Awake, Handy Dandies, Willing Workers, Lively Lakers, Rockford Rockets, Woodland Woodettes, Sunrise, Lightning Workers, Roaming Buffaloes, Happy Go Lucky, Marysville Merrymakers, Silver Maple, Maple Del (east of Delano), St. Michael, Lily Pond (east of Monticello), All-Bright, Northern Star (Otsego), Cedar Lake Racers, Hill Sliders (Chatham), Busy Beavers (east of Buffalo), Beebe Lake, Country Cousins (Rockford) and Hill Toppers (Woodland Township).

 

In 2014, Wright County has 22 4-H Clubs.

 

A history of University of Minnesota Extension can be found at blog.lib.umn.edu/umnext/history.

 

 

Notes by Annandale History Club Secretary