AMES, Iowa --Iowa 4-H pioneer Cap E. Miller was inducted along with 19 other 2005 honorees into the National 4-H Hall of Fame in ceremonies Oct. 3 in Chevy Chase, Md.

Miller served as Keokuk County’s Superintendent of Schools from 1903 to 1909, during which he organized the first county-wide boy’s and girl’s clubs in Iowa. Miller brought scholars such as P. G. Holden of Iowa State College (ISC) to the county to speak to his students. He also enabled students to hear experts outside the county, organizing train trips that carried thousands of people to ISC in Ames and the State Capitol in Des Moines. 

As a part of club work, Miller encouraged students to learn through hands-on activities--growing plant species, collecting samples of rocks, soils and minerals; drawing maps of woodland locations; or recording prices of farm products sold.

He organized county education fairs, Farmer’s Institutes and Chautauqua. A sought after national speaker, he traveled from California to Vermont. During his tenure, the Iowa State Register called Miller “one of the most original and most forceful educators in the state.” Today Iowa 4-H Youth Development is a program of Iowa State University Extension.

In addition to Miller, 4-H Hall of Fame laureates in the class of 2005 include James O. Baker, Del.; Harold “Brownie” Brown, Maine; Glenn M. Bussett, Kan.; Bartley P. Cardon, Ariz.; Sue Fisher, Minn.; C. H. “Uncle Charlie” Hartley, W.Va.; Jesse Holloway, N.M.; Stella Jones, La.; Charles Dean McNeal, National 4-H Council; John T. Mount, Ohio; H. Joe Myers, Ore.; Jeanne Priester, National 4-H Headquarters; Leah Cox Hoopfer Ritchie, National 4-H Headquarters; James Tancy, Utah; Nelson Trickey, Mo.; Hubert J. Wetzel, Ill.; W. Sherard Wilson, Md.; Thomas L. Wilson, National 4-H Council; Mary Lee Wood, Idaho.

“4-H has a great legacy of dedicated and resourceful individuals who have joined together to make 4-H what it is today--a community of young people across American who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills,” said Mary Williams, president of the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents, which sponsors the Hall of Fame.

A virtual National 4-H Hall of Fame can be visited online at www.nae4ha.org/hof.  To learn more about the 4-H adventure, visit www.4husa.org.

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