Happy 4th of July. This will be a short Friday Footnote since many of our readers have plans to celebrate the event. It is no secret that FFA and 4-H Club members are patriotic. During a typical meeting both groups recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Since we have been focused on Minnesota for the past few Footnotes, we will continue to do so by looking at what FFA and 4-H members in Minnesota have done in the past to celebrate the 4th of July.
Before we do that, please take note this will be the last Friday Footnote until August. In addition to taking some vacation during July, the Footnote Curator will be traveling and has several speaking engagements. I would encourage all the readers to take time to refresh their professional and personal batteries during July.
Celebrating the 4th of July
What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than having a parade. In July of 1962 the Riceville FFA had the first place float in the July 4th parade and the Jamestown Jolly Juniors 4-H Girls Club placed second. See Figure 1.
Figure 1. The Austin (MN) Daily Herald, July 11, 1962
In 1964 the Glenville High School Band marched in the Lyle Fourth of July parade. However, the eyes of the parade attendees might have focused on Patti Walsh, the FFA Chapter Sweetheart who was in the parade.
Figure 2. Top image from the 1964 Glenville High School Yearbook. Bottom image from The Albert Lea (MN) Tribune, July 03, 1964.
You might get wet in Holdingford, Minnesota on the 4th of July in 1970. It was not because rain was forecast but it was because you might get “dunked” in the FFA dunking booth. The 4th of July celebration started with the high school band leading the parade. There was a hillbilly house near the post office with a still out back that was to be raided by “federal agents.” According to the St. Cloud Times (June 29, 1970):
Other events include a soap box derby, a beard contest judging, street dancing, a tug-of-war between the “farmers” and the “city guys” with the losers receiving a dunking in the Future Farmers of America (FFA) dunking stand.
Figure 3. St. Cloud Times, June 29, 1970
The Blooming Prairie High School FFA members had a children’s barnyard at the 1999 Blooming Prairie Fourth of July celebration. At the Northwood MN Fourth of July celebration in 2000 the Northwood-Kensett FFA members staged a pedal pull competion for kids and adults. A new addition to the Austin, Minnesota 4th of July celebration in 2015 was an activity tent for children. Local organizations volunteered for two-hour time slots to conduct activities for children. Both the local FFA and the Mower County 4-H signed up for time slots.
Caitlin Kasper of the Owatonna FFA could have worn her FFA Jacket in the Fourth of July parade in Blooming Prairie in 2006. She was president of the Owatonna FFA chapter and regional reporter. However, she wore her sash as the Minnesota Jersey Queen in the parade.
Figure 4. From the Agri News, Rochester, MN, December 7, 2006. The judging team placed 3rd at the National FFA Convention.
Two 4-H clubs won prizes in the St. Joseph 4th of July Parade in 1974. The Eager Beavers 4-H Club and the Richmond Green Acres 4-H Club each won cash prizes of $50 and $25 respectively for their parade entries (St. Cloud Times, July 12, 1974). The Crate 4-H Club’s float, Liberty is not Littering, placed 3rd in the Maynard 4th of July parade in 1976 (West Central Daily Tribune, July 14, 1976). In 2001 the Hubbard County 4-H Riders Club rode their horses in the July 4th parade (Park Rapids Enterprise, May 16, 2001). Numerous other FFA chapters and 4-H clubs in Minnesota had floats or participated in the 4th of July parades over the years.
A 4th of July Trailer
When one goes to a theater to watch a movie there are typically previews (known as trailers) for upcoming movies. When we wrap up this series of Footnotes focusing on Minnesota we will progress to Footnotes about Mississippi and then Missouri. So here is a 4th of July trailer for Missouri.
Figure 5. The Cameron (Missouri) Citizen Observer. February 19, 1981.
Have a Great 4th of July! The Friday Footnote returns in August.