Masters Theses

Date of Award

3-1972

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agricultural Extension

Major Professor

Robert S. Dotson

Committee Members

George S. Foster, Cecil E. Carter Jr

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to identify, examine and suggest a set of broad principles effective in the development of 4-H Club pro-grams in the United States and to make recommendations for possible application of the findings to rural youth club work in Mysore State, India. Eighty principles of successful 4-H Club work gleaned from the literature were tested in terms of: their acceptance as principles by Tennessee State and National Panels; panel agreement to the way in which they were stated; and their relative importance to successful 4-H Club work as seen by panel members. The two panels, one at the national level and the other at the Tennessee state, were designated to react to these principles. The National Panel was made up of seven nationally recognized 4-H authori-ties and the State Panel consisted of ten Tennessee State 4-H Committee members,(4-H agents) serving appointively for the year 1971-72. The National and State Panel members, in addition to their rich experience and expertise in youth work, were responsible for developing 4-H Club programs at the national, state and county Extension levels. A mail questionnaire with the listing of the 80 principles gathered from literature was sent to members of both panels. Their reactions were received during the fall of 1971. The criteria fixed for the final selection of principles were: (1) An item to be approved as a principle must have been accepted by more than one half of each of the two panels; (2) To be approved, the wording of the statement of a principle must have been approved by at least two thirds of the respond-dents from each panel; and (3) An item to be approved must have been rated at least an average of "fairly important" by each panel. First, the principles selected by the national authorities were listed in rank order under the five planning headings of participation, organization, leader-ship, recognition and sponsorship. These principles were tested for approval by State Panel members to find their applicability at the county levels. Finally, 57 items mutually agreed upon by both panels were made more precise with the help of the Graduate Committee and accepted as bona fide principles useful in the development of effective 4-H Club work in the United States. It was found that the two panels were in complete agreement with the selection of 57 of 80 items (71 percent) as valid principles. Another 14 items approved by the National Panel were not favored by the State Panel. Seven items approved by the State Panel were disap-proved by the national authorities. Only two items were not approved as principles by either group. The ratings of the two panels were discussed under five 4-H Club program planning areas of participation, organization, leadership, recognition and sponsorship. The reactions of the panels in each of these categories were as listed below. Seven participation principles were finally accepted out of a. total of 12 items listed. Two items were disapproved by the National Panel and three by the State Panel. State Panel members disapproved three items accepted by the National Panel. Twenty organizational principles were selected out of a total of 27 considered. Five items were not favored by the nationally recognized: authorities and three were not approved by State 4-H Committee members. Of the three items disapproved by the State Panel, one was rejected by both. The other two items were approved by the National Panel. Fourteen leadership principles were selected from an initial list of 18 items considered. All 18 items Were approved by the National Panel, but the State Panel failed to agree with four of them. Eleven recognition principles were approved by both panels from a total of 15 items listed. Nationally recognized authorities did not agree with one; while Tennessee State 4-H Committee members disapproved three approved by the National Panel. Five sponsorship principles were favored among the eight outlined. Only one was disapproved by the National Panel, but three by the State Panel. Only one was rejected by both, the other two being disapproved by State 4-H agents only. The finally accepted 57 principles of successful 4-H Club work were suggested for use by concerned county agents as they seek to develop effective 4-H Club work in their respective counties or areas. After a brief study of the situation of rural youth club work in Mysore State, India, it was considered worthwhile to apply these findings to the Mysore situation with suitable modifications. The 57 successful principles accepted in this study were duly modified to suit local Mysore State situations and recommendations were made for their use as a guide for Indian youth Extension workers.

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