Celestia Josephine "Jessie" Field Shambaugh (21 June 1881 – 15 January 1971) was an American

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

and

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

known as the "Mother of

4-H 4-H is a U.S.-based network of youth organizations whose mission is "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development". Its name is a reference to the occurrence of the initial letter H four times i ...

Clubs."Longden, Tom
Famous Iowans: Jessie Field Shambaugh.
'' Des Moines Register''

Life and career

Jessie Field Shambaugh is called the "Mother of 4-H." She started after-school clubs in 1901 while teaching at Goldenrod School in Page County, Iowa. She was born near Shenandoah, Iowa on Sunnyside Farm to Solomon Elijah Field Sr. and Celestia Josephine Eastman Field, she graduated from Shenandoah High School in 1899 and Tabor College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1903. She taught in Antigo, Wisconsin, Shenandoah, Iowa, and

Helena, Montana Helena (; ) is the capital city of Montana, United States, and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold rush, and established on October 30, 1864. Due to the gold rush, Helena would ...

before becoming superintendent of schools in Page County, Iowa in 1906. While principal of Jefferson School in Helena, Montana, her brother, Henry Arms Field, sent a letter which asked her to come back to Page County because there was an opening. In 1906, Jessie became superintendent of Page County's 130 country schools. She was paid $33.50 a month. She bought a horse and buggy so that she could visit each school three times a year. In 1910, she designed a three-leaf-clover pin with the letter "H" on each leaf, representing "head," "hands" and "heart." A fourth leaf for "home" later became "health." She was the author of Country Girl Creed and used the 3-Leaf Clover Pin as an award medal for club work. "The motto for all our clubs was: TO MAKE OUR BEST BETTER. All the club activities were meant to enrich country living. By 1912 they were called 4-H clubs, and the national 4-H organization was formed in 1914. She organized Boys Corn Clubs and Girls Home Clubs as school teacher in 1901. When she became the Page County School Superintendent in 1906, she organized Boys Corn Clubs and Girls Home Clubs in all 130 country schools. Students developed their Head, Heart, and Hands in her 3-H Clubs that included camps, exhibitions and judging contests. Field moved to New York City in 1912 to work for the national YMCA. She accepted a position as the secretary for the National Young Women's Christian Association. She also was the National Secretary for Rural Work in Small Towns. During this period of her career, Jessie wrote a civics textbook, The Corn Lady (1911) and A Real Country Teacher, all three which were used to train rural schoolteachers. She married Ira William Shambaugh in

Redlands, California Redlands ( ) is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 73,168, up from 68,747 at the 2010 census. The city is located approximately west of Palm Springs and east of Lo ...

on June 9, 1917. They had a son and a daughter, William Harding Shambaugh and Ruth Shambaugh Watkins. Jessie died in Clarinda, Iowa of pneumonia following a fall.Staff report (January 18, 1971). "Jessie Shambaugh Dead; A Founder of 4-H Clubs". '' New York Times''

Legacy

The Jessie Field Shambaugh Post Office Building, named that in 2021, is at 101 South 16th Street in Clarinda, Iowa. There are now 4-H clubs nationwide.

References

External links

Jessie Field Shambaugh Papers
via Iowa State University {{DEFAULTSORT:Shambaugh, Jessie Field 1881 births 1971 deaths People from Clarinda, Iowa 4-H People from Shenandoah, Iowa Educators from Iowa American women educators American activists Tabor College (Iowa) alumni