FARMINGTON — People in the exhibition hall at the Farmington fair Monday stopped to put on reading glasses and point to black and white photos of friends and relatives who once were 4-H members in Franklin County.

Although few of the original clubs still exist, there are 10 active clubs celebrating the 100th anniversary of 4-H clubs in Franklin County.

Don DesRoches, a volunteer, offered to organize the photos, many taken by former Franklin Journal reporter Barbara Yeaton, others from the 4-H collection and some from individuals.

“Just on this wall, there must be 100,” he said. “I worked on this some each day and into the evening.”

Robin Tranten Konieczko stopped at the booth to chat with DesRoches and pointed to several people she recognized from her childhood years as a 4-H member in Kingfield.

“There’s Judy (Emery) McCurdy,” she said, pointing to a black and white photo of a group of youngsters gathered in a field.

McCurdy has been the guidance office secretary at Mt. Abram High School in Salem Township and is one of the alumni that Smith hopes could help identify other people in older photographs. Most weren’t labeled by year or with names of the young people.

“People may recognize themselves and friends and family members,” said Judy Smith, the county’s Cooperative Extension Community Education assistant. “We hope to identify some of the unknown people in many photos, so visitors could really help us by taking a look at what we have.”

The Exhibition Hall display also contains 4-H club memorabilia and news articles. Two of the silver trophies, representing highest state honors, were awarded to the Franklin County clubs by the State Federation of Farm Bureaus in 1925 and 1926. Another award went to David Pike, a well-known Farmington strawberry farmer, who won a 1953 New England Tractor Operators’ competition.

Smith said she and other local 4-H leaders began organizing a Celebration Committee earlier this year to generate ideas and enthusiasm, especially among alumni.

“We have tried to gear all of our county activities around this 100th year,” she said.

Smith has kept a neatly organized collection of index cards that were filed when a club officially was organized.

“The oldest clubs that I have found are the Brooks Village Club in East Dixfield, which was started in 1924 by Celestia Farrar,” she said. “The Wilson Stream Club in the Red Schoolhouse Community started in1924 and was led by Alton Newall.”

Warren Voter started the Franklin County Dairy Club in 1954, and that club continues to meet. Leader Darlene Nelson has been with the group since 1981, and her mother, Gaynelle Yeaton, has been involved with the group since 1960.

Several clubs have seen generations of young members continue as leaders. The Beef Boosters, the oldest Franklin County club currently in existence, was started in Farmington in 1953 by Orlando Small. His grandson, Randy Hall, is involved with that group, as is Hall’s daughter, Meg.

For additional information about any of the activities, contact Smith at 778–4650 or 1-800-287-1478.

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