These records contain annual reports from Cooperative Extension Service programs throughout their history in North Carolina. Also included are plans of work and annual statements of objectives and goals for the coming year for many of the same programs.
Although extension and demonstration work in North Carolina had been active since the early years of the twentieth century, the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service was only officially created in 1914 as a result of the Smith-Lever Act. In 1991 the name was changed to the current one, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.
From its inception as the North Carolina State Agriculture and Mechanical College, NC State University has been deeply involved in outreach and extension work. In the 1890s and early 1900s, college personnel took part in numerous Farmer's Institutes statewide, where they and State Agricultural Department personnel met with local farmers to discuss farm improvement techniques. In 1907 James A. Butler became North Carolina's first county agent, hired to conduct demonstration work in boll weevil eradication.
In 1909, State College expanded its extension efforts when it signed a memorandum of agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture to cooperatively develop Farmers' Boys' Clubs, or Corn Clubs. Ira O. Schaub became the first director of this program, which eventually grew into 4-H. The first Girls' Clubs, focusing primarily on tomato canning and gardening, were established after Jane McKimmon was hired in 1911 to lead a statewide Home Demonstration program.
Greatly boosting extension work, the 1914 Smith-Lever Act provided for federal, state, and county cooperation in creating a system to expand demonstration and extension work for men and women. The law authorized land-grant colleges to sign memoranda of understanding with the United States Department of Agriculture to begin such work. With this, State College created a new Department of Extension.
In 1924, Schaub returned as the new Extension director, a position he held until 1950. Administratively, Extension changed as more and more of its functions were transferred to State College. The 1920s and 1930s saw widespread change in the extension youth programs as well. Schaub appointed Lera R. Harrill as State 4-H Club Leader in 1926.
During World War II, extension programs played a vital role in the local war effort. The postwar years saw the Extension Division move closer administratively to the College's School of Agriculture. In 1950 a reorganization of the School of Agriculture brought the three fields of work - teaching, research, and extension - into the direct orbit of the School.
Economic difficulties in the 1970s saw the Extension Service increase its activities in rural food production and nutrition, including the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). Extension also worked with farmers facing serious economic troubles to better their situations. In 1991, the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service changed its name to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service to better reflect a shift in activities beyond the development of state and local agriculture.
These records include annual reports and plans of work (annual or multi-year planning documents) from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and some of its departments and programs. Collectively, they cover the time period from 1908 through 2007, although there are many gaps of missing documents for many individual departments and programs. The 1908 annual report listed under the Cooperative Extension Service states that it is the first one that was written for North Carolina.
During the time period covered by these records, some programs/departments changed their names. Most notably, the current Department of Family and Consumer Sciences was formerly called Home Demonstration and Home Economics. Many of the annual reports found herein date from periods where these older names were used. For this collection, the current designation has been used throughout.
These records are divided into two series - Processed and Microfilm. Processed materials are arranged alphabetically by title of the department or unit named. Within each, the files have then been listed chronologically, with annual reports preceding plans of work. The Microfilm series contains county extension reports, state extension reports, and program/project reports. They are arranged in chronological order.
Several items require additional explanation. The folders in Box 8 listed as "4-H Youth Development -- Summaries of Work" are brief narrative write-ups covering 4-H activities for particular years. They do not discuss the annual 4-H work to nearly the depth that the annual reports do. Also in Box 8, the folders marked "Administration -- Annual Report" contain much the same information as do concurrent years in the folders marked "Cooperative Extension Service -- Annual Report," which begin in Box 17. The latter files contain published versions of the former, and often lack some of the statistical information to be found in the former.
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries’ “Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain,” the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy’s "Is It Protected by Copyright?," and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.
[Identification of item], North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Annual Reports, UA 102.002, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Not all annual reports published by the North Carolina Extension Service are represented in these records. For a complete listing, see the National Archives' Records of the Extension Service: https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/033.html#page-header
Transferred from North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service.
Processed by Pat Webber; Finding aid created by Pat Webber; Finding aid updated by Cate Putirskis, 2009 April
The collection is organized into two principal series:
This group of materials contains annual reports that were processed by the University Archives staff. These materials have been arranged and described according to archival practice.
File count is approximate and excludes system files, deleted files, and duplicates that may have been created during processing.
“4-H Youth Development -- Annual Report -- Negro Clubs” is the original folder title. The term used is racist and harmful, but we have retained it to preserve the original context and to support searching with terms common to a specific time period. Read more about our approach to handling harmful language in About Reparative Archival Description.
“4-H Youth Development -- Annual Report -- Negro Clubs” is the original folder title. The term used is racist and harmful, but we have retained it to preserve the original context and to support searching with terms common to a specific time period. Read more about our approach to handling harmful language in About Reparative Archival Description.
“4-H Youth Development -- Annual Report -- Negro Clubs” is the original folder title. The term used is racist and harmful, but we have retained it to preserve the original context and to support searching with terms common to a specific time period. Read more about our approach to handling harmful language in About Reparative Archival Description.
“4-H Youth Development -- Annual Report -- Negro Clubs” is the original folder title. The term used is racist and harmful, but we have retained it to preserve the original context and to support searching with terms common to a specific time period. Read more about our approach to handling harmful language in About Reparative Archival Description.
“4-H Youth Development -- Annual Report -- Negro Clubs” is the original folder title. The term used is racist and harmful, but we have retained it to preserve the original context and to support searching with terms common to a specific time period. Read more about our approach to handling harmful language in About Reparative Archival Description.
This annual report contains a copy of Tar Heel Club News, Vol. X, No. 4 (August 1, 1941).
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
Digital copy exists. Pending staff review and approval, access will be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room upon request. Access may be restricted.
Not all reports that were published are represented in the microfilm. All of the reports that were in readable condition were digitized and are available here:
https://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog?f%5Bclassification_facet%5D%5B%5D=Cooperative+Extension+Service.+Annual+Reports&f%5Boriginal_format_facet%5D%5B%5D=Microforms
16 mm microfilm reels numbered 1-51
Contained here are county extension reports and state extension reports., and program/project reports.
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Contained here are county extension reports and state extension reports., and program/project reports.
16 mm microfilm reel 52
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Contained here are county extension reports and state extension reports, and program/project reports.
16 mm microfilm reels numbered 53-78
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Microfilm reels 79-95
The microfilm in this carton contains two types of reports: county annual reports, 1937-1945, and program planning and statistical reports, 1921-1958.
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
16 mm microfilm reels numbered 96-97
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Microfilm reels 98-124.
The microfilm in this carton contains two types of reports: county annual reports, 1937-1945, and program planning and statistical reports, 1921-1958.
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Microfilm reel 125
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Microfilm reels 126-131
The microfilm in this carton contains two types of reports: county annual reports, 1937-1945, and program planning and statistical reports, 1921-1958.
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Microfilm reel 132
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Microfilm reels 133-139
The microfilm in this carton contains two types of reports: county annual reports, 1937-1945, and program planning and statistical reports, 1921-1958. Reel 136 is damaged.
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Microfilm reel 140
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Microfilm reels 141-166. Reel 142 is damaged.
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Access to physical material and digital files not available online may be provided for use in the SCRC Reading Room after staff review.
Some materials may not have been digitized or made available online.
89 16 mm microfilm reels, numbered 167-251 (reel 174 is missing, and reels 239-243 are duplicates)
Contained here are county extension reports, state extension reports, and program/project reports. Some are identified as "White" and "Negro."
“Negro” is transcribed from the original materials. The term used is racist, outdated, and harmful, but we have retained it to preserve the original context and to support searching with terms common to a specific time period. Read more about our approach to handling harmful language in About Reparative Archival Description.
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Contained here are county extension reports. Some are identified as "White" and "Negro."
“Negro” is transcribed from the original materials. The term used is racist, outdated, and harmful, but we have retained it to preserve the original context and to support searching with terms common to a specific time period. Read more about our approach to handling harmful language in About Reparative Archival Description.
2 16mm microfilm reels numbered 252-253.
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
Contained here are county extension reports. Some are identified as "White" and "Negro."
“Negro” is transcribed from the original materials. The term used is racist, outdated, and harmful, but we have retained it to preserve the original context and to support searching with terms common to a specific time period. Read more about our approach to handling harmful language in About Reparative Archival Description.
15 16mm microfilm reels numbered 254-268
The microfilm copy should only be accessed if print copies are unavailable.
This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.
For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.
Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111
Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Annual Reports, UA 102.002, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The NC State University Libraries generally claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. Libraries staff are unable to advise on copyright and other legal matters; the user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Helpful resources for assessing copyright include Cornell Libraries’ “Copyright Services: Copyright Term and the Public Domain,” the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy’s "Is It Protected by Copyright?," and copyright.gov. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information about identifiable living individuals, which may be protected under federal or state laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that there may be legal ramifications for disclosing this information.
The University Archives operates in accordance with the State Public Records Act, with unrestricted access to records not covered by state and federal statutes and regulations.