Collected from the Annual Reports of County Extension Agents from 1950-1959
The world around us in the 1950s
During the 1950s, the USA was a strong military power, economy was booming, and the fruits of this prosperitymeant material things were available to more people than ever before. American industry expanded to meet peacetime needs. Americans began buying goods not available during the war, which created expansion of corporations and jobs. The 1950s decade was also an era of great conflict with the civil rights movement and the crusade against communism at home and abroad.
This decade brought other changes. Racial segregation was ruled unconstitutional in public schools. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a public bus. Dr. Jonas Salk developed a vaccine forpolio. The Federal Highway Actmarked the beginning of work on the interstate highway system.Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959. The addition of the phrase "under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance.
Families worked together and vacationed atnational parks and the new Disneyland. Blue jeans, poodle skirts, pony tails for girls, and flat tops and crew cuts for guys, saddle shoes, hula hoops, credit cards and drive-in movies all appeared in the 1950s.
Extension separates from Farm Bureau
A major change in administration and operation for Des Moines County Extension came in the middle of the 1950s. The Farm Bureau had been cooperating in Extension educational programming by directing the program and providing some of the funds to carry out the various activities. A change was necessary to comply with Senate File 198 and a memorandum from the United States Department of Agriculture which required that the Extension Service be separate from other groups.
So in May and June, Extension Council elections were held in each of the 14 townships to select a representative to serve on the first Extension Council, which met to organize on June 14th. Members of the first Extension Council were:
Augusta Twp, Atwood Timmerman;
Benton Twp, Robert Walker (treasurer);
Burlington Twp, Mrs. Clarence Hoelzen;
Concordia Twp, Ted Thompson;
Danville Twp, Mrs. Alonzo Brandmeyer;
Flint River Twp, Fred Stigge Jr;
Franklin Twp, Harold Abel; (Note: current Extension Council chair is his granddaughter Tara Abel).
Huron Twp, Art Centner;
Jackson Twp, Milton Distelhorst;
Pleasant Grove Twp, Emmett Messer;
Tama Twp, Donald Traman (Vice Chairman);
Union Twp, Mrs. George Zeller (Secretary);
Washington Twp, Lloyd Walker;
Yellow Springs Twp, Ralph Todd (Chairman).
As of July 1, 1955 the Des Moines County Agricultural Extension Council formally took over the duties of administering the Extension program in Des Moines County.
To fulfill the law, on Oct 31, 1955, the headquarters of the Extension Service were moved from the Farm Bureau Office to an upstairs location at 216 Washington Street. The new phone number was PLaza-4-7556. The 754-7556 phone number remained in place until October 2011 when the office was temporarily moved to Mediapolis as a cost cutting measure.
On May 31, 1957 The Extension Council moved the offices again to 214 ½ North 4th Street, a second floor office with an elevator and air conditioning! In September 1959, they moved to Room 230 of the Federal Building, the seventh location for the Extension Service.
War’s effects still felt
A drop in 4-H interest was noted in older club members due to the defense program which gave 17-19 year olds so much consideration late in 1950. “This ‘oh well, what’s the use – I’ll probably soon be in the armed forces’ attitude affected not only the older boys, but many of the younger ones as well.”
In the home and family program, women wanted to learn about home care and nursing and first aid because of the “possibility of atomic warfare, corn picker and other farm accidents, and nearness to the ammunition plant, where a major explosion could fill the hospitals to overflowing.”
Some women were urged to learn new methods of fish cookery by their husbands who had been in service in other parts of the world. Lessons were taught using fish available in frozen food counters in Burlington. Later a store manager reported selling almost twice as much frozen fish in a few weeks compared to other years.
Many young couples who started farming since the end of WW II were faced with higher cost of operation and lower prices for products to sell. The Extension Council set up a Farm and Home Development Programs to do more individual counseling and to help with management decisions.
Firsts in the Fifties
In the mid 50s, a Swine Improvement Association was formed by pork producers who wanted to learn to improve the quality of their hogs. The Successful Farming magazine wrote a feature story about the county organization since it was the first one formally organized in Iowa.
First annual Iowa-Illinois Farm Institute in 1956 was sponsored by Des Moines County IA, Henderson County IL, and the Burlington Chamber. A two-day event at the Memorial Auditorium, it included topics such as Social Security, Care of Fabrics, Managing Home Equipment, Gardens and Orchards, Legal Aspects of Farming. The second annual Farm Institute was deemed less successful and later changed to a barbecue for farmers and businessmen, an event which continued for many years.
A first in 1956 was a 4-H Exchange trip, sponsored by Burlington Bank and Trust, for two boys selected to visit Colorado for two weeks. Leonard Lane and Gary Tucker were chosen and then later hosted two boys from Colorado. The next year it was the girls turn to participate. 4-H members Linda Lee and Martha Mapel exchanged trips with 4-H members from Wyoming. (Martha Jane Mapel Bechtel later as Extension Home Economist for Des Moines County).
The Benner Tea Company sponsored the first leaders’ banquet for all club leaders and their spouses in 1957.
A new event sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce for members who had completed record books was held at Memorial Auditorium. Dubbed the Record Book Party, 200 attended the first one in 1950. “It was most gratifying to have the agricultural committee of the Chamber of Commerce decide to reward all boys and girls who had completed their projects by completing record books and turning them in to the office. Appreciation for their sponsorship was shown at the 1954 event hosted by 70 businessman when 4-H girls presented each host with a homemade pumpkin pie!
First Co-Ed 4-H Club formed
Most 4-H clubs and many events such as Rally Day were held separately for boys’ and girls’ club members. But in 1957 interest was expressed in the Middletown and Iowa Ordinance Plant area for a 4-H club for both boys and girls. “This idea was quite a departure from the traditional organization of boys’ and girls’ clubs.” (Though girls had sometimes been part of a boys club if they had livestock projects.) The club began with 5 boys and 15 girls. Since none were farm youth, members had such projects as entomology, plant collection, and electricity. “Results … indicate that club work can be done successfully with non-farm boys and girls … and in the same club.”
100 Bushels per acre by 1965!
Highlighting 1951 was adoption of the goal to raise the average corn yield for the county to 100 bushel to the acre by1965. It was an effort to “fire the imagination of the farmers in the county…to use the best soil management practices…to raise corn yields to this average.” At that time, the highest individual average was 132 bushels per acre and previous 10-acre contests averaged over 100 bushel per acre. But this goal was for a county-wide average. The highest previous county-wide yield was in 1948 when the entire county averaged 64.5 bushels per acre.
An event of major interest to farmers in parts of Yellow Spring and Franklin townships was the discovery of gypsum under a rather large acreage. Mineral rights were purchased by the US Gypsum Co from a number of farmers and a plant site and mine development have started and operations are expected to commence in the processing of gypsum in 1961.
Cows and chickens
Enthusiasm was so high after a very successful poultry and egg day held at the Memorial Auditorium in
1950 that a poultry tour was set up with lunch at the Union Hotel and a visit to the Selby Poultry and Packing Plant.
Des Moines County had many dairy producers in the early 50s. Nearly 300 attended a 1952 dairy day recognition program where Clarence and Edward Breuer won the production contest over 38 other producers. That fall, the Iowa Milk Marketing Conference was held in Burlington. A delegation from Clayton County in NE Iowa came to visit local marketing facilities and dairy farmers to get information to help the milk marketing problems in their county. By 1954 there were 225 commercial dairy herds in this county. Today northeast Iowa has by far more dairy producers than Des Moines County. It’s interesting to note that a 2012 USDA report showed Clayton County with 13,000 milk cows; by contrast, Des Moines County had 300 milk cows.
Beverly Walker elected State President of 4-H girls clubs
At the June 1950 girls’ state 4-H convention, the Des Moines County delegation campaigned with songs and cheers for Beverly Walker, member of the Ambitious Pals 4-H Club. Walker was elected State 4-H Girls’ President over eight candidates to serve for the 1950-51 year. It was reported that “Des County is very proud to have Beverly Walker elected state president!”
4-H Club council promotes activities
A county 4-H Club council made up of one member of each of the boy’s and girl’s clubs was formed in 1952 ‘to promote the interest in and the expansion of club programs and activities in the county.” First project was constructing and operating a refreshment stand at the county fair. Two years later, the council’s project was putting up roadside welcome signs at four entrances to the county.
The group held a recreation training school to learn square dancing so that they could help teach it in their local clubs. Later 700 youth and adults attended a county-wide square dance October 1953 as a fund raiser for the State 4-H Camp. “…at one time, there were as many as 17 squares going at the same time…The crowd especially enjoyed the bunny hop, the butterfly waltz and the circle two steps”.
J.S.Schramm plans style show
As part of teaching on better grooming, J. S. Schramm Company planned a style show with Simplicity Pattern Company and Warner Brothers Foundation Garment Company. 1000 attended the multi-county event planned for 4-H club members, home economics students, and home economists. A similar event was held three years later with 4-H girls modeling clothes. Mrs Betty Guy, Schramm’s stylist, and Miss Dianne Smith, Simplicity Patterns’ stylist, presented the latest in teen-age styles.
Adults recognized in 4-H work at State level
In 1955, the first person in Des Moines County history to receive the Emerald Award of the Clover was Cecil Krekel for 25 years of 4-H leadership. In 1957, Mrs. Kenneth Baugher, Danville, was one of only four Iowans to receive the State 4-H Alumni Achievement Award. Mrs. WW Carithers, Morning Sun, was recognized at the same State Girls’ Convention for having received a similar award in 1956.
Jubilee an annual recognition event
Since 1945 an annual 4-H Jubilee for boys and girls 4-H members, leaders and parents was held at Hotel Burlington to recognize members’ achievements. Usually the Jubilee was in January with the two county 4-H presidents (boy and girl) as master of ceremonies. The annual banquet was typically attended by 400-500. The hour long program was broadcast live over KBUR radio. Each year an outstanding boy and girl were recognized for work in the prior year.
Extension Staff in the 1950s:
Extension staff in the 1950s included County Extension Directors Walter Eyre, later James Hodges. County Extension Home Economist was Julia Metieruntil May 31, 1957 when she resigned to become executive director of Shining Trail Council of the Girl Scouts. Several short term assignments provided assistance from Extension Home Economists-in-training: Le Neita Reigle, Alice Lord, Erma Eggimann, Beulah Gray, Ardyce Sampson. Hodges was the County Extension Youth Assistant until November 1951 when he was named County Extension Director. No replacement was hired in the youth position until September 1958 when Ron Sheetz was hired.
Contact:
Des Moines County Extension & Outreach
102 West Main Street, Mediapolis IA 52637
319-394-9433 or 800-914-1914
Patricia Steiner,