October 2017

Preserving the Past for the Future

"We don't want to live in the past, we want the past to live in us."
                      Unknown
HOURS

OPEN BY APPOINTMENT
Until Memorial Weekend 2018

Always Open by Appointment
Call (515) 602-6000
Dedication

Steve Schutt was one of the early visionaries of Heartland Museum.  He was unselfish in sharing ideas and items for display in various parts of Heartland.  In September Heartland dedicated the Artist Teddy Bear Museum in Steve's memory. Come and take a look at our bear collection and our other exhibits,

Thanks to Our Donors! 

Legacy  $1,000 +
Bakewell Foundation
Caroline Lund
Murray & Valerie Wise
Dr. Sandra Sellers Hanson


Champion $500+
Warren & Julie Clausen
John & Barbara Hagie
Larry & Melanie Massdam
Maurice & Gladys Riley
Lifetouch
Wright County Monitor
Bob Stevens
In Memory of Steve Schutt
 
Advocate $250+ 
R.B. & Donna      Bartholomaus
Dewayne & Mary    Knoshaug
James & Diane Middleton
Dan & Lynne Odland
Margaret O'Neill
Tim & Jayne Pate
First Citizens National Bank
Suzanne Deimerly
Rose Marie Draheim
Town & Country Realty

 
Patron $100+
Larry & Marilyn Anderson
Jim & Terri Avery
Dick & Shirley Berens
George & Sally Boyington
Morris Brandt
Randall Burt
Kim Clausen
Ruth Cline
Bill & Jane Dettman
James & TerriLynn Elsey
Alice Espe
Roger & Rickie Ewing
T&C Ins/First State Bank
Ardith Frohling
Kevin & Betty Hadley
Steve & Shirley Hill
Ann Hines
Tony & Renee Holmes
Rich & Barb Mussman
Vernon & Viola Ratclif
Thomas & Judith  Schroder
Scott & Deb Sebby
Susan Sebby
James & Joan Sellers
Frank & Ellen Siemens
Larry & Jan Taylor
Allen & Mary Tesdahl
Betty Lou Thompson
Karen Weld
Gary & Sally Woodley
Bud & Bonnie Young
Ron & Florine Swanson
Duane D. Asbe
Bob & JoAnne Olson
Ron & Linda Anderson
Ted & Linda Brigger
Roger & Nj Collier
Stewart & Vicki Iverson
Shirley & Yvonne Stevens
Prarie Energy
Marie Sheffield
Bud & Bonnie Young
In Memory of Joyce Sandmaier
Judy Kirstein
Troy & Elizabeth      Severson
Patricia & Kent Perry
In Memory of Kathryn    Gatchel
Sherri & Patrick O'Brien
Dorothy & Darrell Frohling     Farms

(As of 19 June 2017)


Wish to Help with Future Projects?
Send your contribution to:

Heartland Museum  
PO Box 652
Clarion, IA 50525  

Iowa Museum Association

Heartland Museum hosted a state-wide meeting of the Iowa Museum Association in September.  Forty members from around the state attended to discuss the topic - "Direction without a Director". Geared for groups that want to be professional, but aren't big enough to have full-time hired staff.

Wright County, Birthplace of the 4-H Emblem

Early in Theodore Roosevelt's administration, he set up a commission to investigate the growing lack of interest among young people in remaining on the farm.  In Wright county, figures showed that 91% of the farm boys and 89% of the girls intended to leave the farm.  It seems hardships, long hours, small profits and crude ideas of farm life were exemplified rather than the dignity of farming and the many splendid advantages of rural life.

Wright County's superintendent of schools worked to change that perception.  O. H. Benson encouraged teachers to correlate every subject of the class work with work of the farm and home.  In order to link home life with school work, clubs were organized based upon the pupil's interest in farm projects.  Boys became members of beef clubs, garden clubs and pig clubs.  Girls had clubs that had to do with poultry raising, gardening, canning, bread baking, millinery and home management.  Contests were held in rural schools, townships, and at county fairs.

One day in the spring of 1906, Wright County Superintendent, O. H. Benson was driving through the country visiting schools.  He came upon a country school during recess.  He found the teacher and a group of children out in the clover patch hunting for four leaf clovers.  As he approached the group, he was met by the teacher and pupils bearing their good luck emblems.  The teacher suggested they give the county superintendent a bouquet of Good Luck.

The teacher rang the school bell and pupils took their seats.  Just before lunch, the teacher asked the superintendent if he would say a few words to the pupils.  With his good luck bouquet I his hand, he faced the little group, and in a short speech, outlined for the first time the 4-H emblem and it's good luck story.  He told them that he had been looking for a more suitable emblem for the agricultural clubs in the rural schools of the county and they had just given him the idea, the 4-H clover emblem - Head, Heart, Hand, and Health.  Head to think, plan and reason; Heart to be kind, true and sympathetic; the Hand to be useful, helpful, and skillful; and Health to resist disease, and enjoy life.

The rural school where this took place was Lake # 6.  The 4-H club work in the Wright County schools was eventually introduced into a national program and the 4-H emblem was adapted for this program. Mr. Benson was appointed national director of this work as part of the US Department of Agriculture.  4-H expanded to all 50 states.

To commemorate the foresight and vision of O.H. Benson, that rural school where the vision began, Lake #6 was purchased and in 1952 was moved to the Clarion city park where it has remained.  It is furnished in country school style and houses displays of the period of 1907-1908.  It serves as a museum of the early days of the 4-H Clubs and is dedicated to the memory of O.H. Benson, the originator the 4-H emblem. 
Donations

Many people know Alvina Sellers for her hats, but she collected other things.  Hat pins would not be a surprise: a quote from one of her programs - "A hat pin is a useful thing to hold one's hat on one's head and many a man was stuck with one, but few were punctured dead"  Something else she did was beautiful applique quilts.  This one called "Tree of Life" was recently donated to Heartland Museum and is on display with other of her collections. 

Looking for: 
 Heartland Museum is looking for a  slide viewer - small lighted box where individual slides could be viewed.


Gift Shop

Gift Shop - we have new items in, including Big Bud things.  I have set out our gazebo and hat lady post cards, and the old business cards.  Please drop one of each in any bag of gift shop items you sell.  We have "tons" of these and a little promotion goes a long way!  We have had some good sales out of the gift shop lately - thanks for remembering to let people SHOP.

Visitor Comments

We have live in Europe and Asia and have been to a lot of museums all over the world. This is one of the most well done ones we've ever seen! Enjoyed by all ages!
   Emily, South Korea (originally Iowa)
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SAVE THE DATE
Upcoming events at Heartland Museum

October 21st - "Voices from the Past" - A "Spirited" Conversation

November 10 - open day, free for veterans

November 11 - Craft Fair 

December 3rd -
Mystery at the Museum


Always open by appointment.
Call:515-60 2-6000
Meeting Room Available!

Heartland Museum has a meeting room available for rent. This room is available Monday - Friday only. We have new handicap accessible bathrooms and tiled serving area. Tables and chairs can be set up for your needs.