CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 06/02/22

Home of the Dublin 4-H Center recognized on National Register of Historic Places

By Josie Smith
Tonya Thomas Berry stands in front of Emery Thomas Auditorium, named for her grandfather, in Dublin, Georgia. Emery Thomas Auditorium, the historic home of the Dublin 4-H Center, was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places.

Georgia 4-H recognized the historical significance of the Dublin 4-H Center on May 14 with a program at the Emery Thomas Auditorium, which was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service.

The Dublin 4-H Center opened in 1957 and became the first state center for Black 4-H Club members in the United States. Thanks to the dedication of Percy Hunter Stone and other Black Cooperative Extension agents, the center served Black 4-H’ers and their families until it closed in 1968.

The event honored the contributions of Stone and other leaders who worked towards representation and equality for Black 4-H’ers during segregation. Stone was born in Franklin County, Virginia, in 1893 and later received his college degree at Hampton Institute in Virginia. He began his career as a county Extension agent in Clarke County, Georgia, in 1919 and then moved to Savannah in 1923 to become Georgia’s first Negro State 4-H Club leader.

In 1939, Stone assisted with the acquisition of property in Laurens County to begin construction of the Dublin 4-H Center. World War II slowed the construction of the new facility for Black 4-H members, but Stone continued his efforts, and by 1954 there were 50,000 Black 4-H members in Georgia.

Stone retired from Extension in 1956 and moved to Washington, D.C., to serve in the Federal Extension Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He returned to Georgia in 1957 for the dedication of the Dublin 4-H Center. In April, Stone was announced as an inductee to the National 4-H Hall of Fame.

The Emery Thomas Auditorium is the only building that remains at the Dublin 4-H Center. Emery Thomas served as the Laurens County Extension agent and was the first Black alderman to serve on Dublin’s city council. His granddaughter, Tonya Thomas Berry, attended the May 14 event. “I was so thrilled to be a part of this special recognition,” Berry said following the program.

Dorothy Graves, retired University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent, reflected on her experiences at the Dublin 4-H Center.

From left, Georgia 4-H State Officer Willie White, Georgia 4-H State President Katie Beth Brewer, Georgia 4-H Director Arch Smith, retired UGA Extension Agent Dorothy Graves, retired Director of Extension and Dean Emeritus for FVSU Fred Harrison, Associate Dean for UGA Extension Laura Perry Johnson, State Officer Hinano Tomlinson and State Officer Jay Lovett gather during a May 14 recognition ceremony at Emery Thomas Auditorium.

“As a young 4-H’er growing up in Georgia, coming here to camp was truly the highlight of my summer,” Graves said during her remarks. “Not only did the 4-H motto instill in me the (idea) ‘to make the best better,’ it also extended the rights to help me live out that motto,” she added. Graves commented that 4-H helps young people become citizens who contribute to their communities, just as Stone did during his tenure as a 4-H leader.

Fred Harrison, retired director of Extension and Dean Emeritus for Fort Valley State University (FVSU), discussed the importance of including the history of Dublin 4-H Center in the story of Georgia 4-H. “It was only 65 years ago that this camp was dedicated,” Harrison recalled. “The 4-H program in Georgia was segregated, we had two separate camps … The reason we can confidently say today that the Extension programs in Georgia are combined is because people like Percy Hunter Stone worked hard and did not quit.”

Harrison also acknowledged the progress that has been made since. “There is much work to be done, but Georgia has led the way, and Georgia has a story to tell,” he said in his closing comments.

The history of Dublin 4-H Center will be commemorated with permanent signage installed at the entrance to the Emery Thomas Auditorium. Replicas of the displays have been installed in Sutton Hall at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. “We are committed to making sure this history is remembered,” said Arch Smith, Georgia 4-H state leader and director. “The 4-H’ers of tomorrow will have the opportunity to learn about the work that was done by those who came before them.”

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation's historic places deemed worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate and protect America's historic and archeological resources.

Georgia 4-H empowers youth to become true leaders by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships and community awareness. As the largest youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches more than 225,000 people annually through UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities.

For more information about Georgia 4-H, contact your local UGA Extension office or visit www.georgia4h.org.

Josie Smith is the public relations coordinator for Georgia 4-H.

Authors:
Josie Smith
Experts/Sources:
Arch D. Smith
Georgia Simmons at the office of U.S. Sen. Warnock CAES News
Georgia 4-H alum, CAES student spends semester serving at the nation's Capitol 12/03/24 Josie Smith, Cooper Hardy
Third-year University of Georgia student and Banks County 4-H alum Georgia Simmons has been in the center of the political action this fall with the Georgia 4-H Washington DC Intern Program. Simmons, an environmental resource science major in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, works in the office of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock. As an intern on his staff, she interacts directly with policy experts and lawmakers, participating in the legislative process while earning a semester of credit hours.
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time to spend more of the holiday with guests, taking time ahead of the day to set expectations can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. CAES News
Need help managing stress this holiday season? Try these 3 tips from UGA Extension 11/21/24 Maria M. Lameiras
The holiday season can be a time of anticipation and joy, but balancing multiple commitments and personalities across families and friends can be a source of stress for hosts and visitors alike. Much like preparing parts of the meal ahead of time allows you to spend more of the holiday with guests, setting expectations ahead of the celebration can go a long way to ensuring enjoyable gatherings, said Ted Futris, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialist and professor of human development and family science.
Seth McAllister and farmer Mark Daniel discuss crop production and agritourism. CAES News
UGA Extension supports agritourism through expert advice and collaboration 10/24/24 Emily Cabrera
On a sunny day with bright-blue skies, I arrive at Mark’s Melon Patch in Sasser, Georgia, and immediately spot the familiar white University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pickup truck, the Terrell County Extension logo prominently displayed on the door. Seth McAllister, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Terrell County, greets me with a broad grin and a firm handshake. Terrell County alone has 60,000 acres of row crops, half in cotton. But what McAllister loves most about his role as an Extension agent is the diversity of his work.
Ropes course at Georgia 4-H camp CAES News
Campers create lasting memories of summer at Georgia's 4-H centers 10/07/24 Josie Smith
By the end of his first week at 4-H summer camp, fifth grader Cooper Hardy already had many memories of new and exciting experiences. “That was the first time I got in a canoe,” Hardy said. “It was a big deal for me.” Now, 10 years later, Hardy serves as a Georgia 4-H camp counselor at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Georgia. It’s a dream he’s held since the first time he set foot on the sprawling, wooded 1,500-acre campus as a camper.
Caroline Hinton is the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA) CAES News
Director of experiential learning herds students toward new fields of education 10/02/24 Averi Caldwell
Caroline Hinton wants to foster a love of learning for all students who walk through her door. As the director of experiential learning for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Hinton helps students connect with their fields of study outside of the classroom. “I find joy and excitement in getting to watch students experience different parts of agriculture and find a place in our state’s own agriculture industry,” she said.
UGA Extension offers mindfulness and skills training to help the incarcerated reclaim their hope. CAES News
UGA Extension offers training to help the incarcerated reclaim their hope 09/30/24 Cal Powell
A train rumbles through the heart of downtown Tennille, Georgia. The southbound train cars are loaded with kaolin, the white clay that serves as the city’s main export. Avery Franklin sets his leaf blower on the ground, takes a seat on a park bench under a pecan tree and begins telling his story. He was 19 years old the first time he went to jail. He’s 63 now, released four months ago after a lifetime of petty crime. He’s sitting 3 miles from the Washington County, Georgia, jail cell where he spent most of the last three years of his life.