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Cooperative Extension celebrates 90 years at UD
More than 200 persons attended the festivities, where state officials, lawmakers, UD and Delaware State University (DSU) administrators and a former Extension employee presented proclamations and tributes while talking of the positive role of the program in the lives of families and friends statewide. Janice Seitz, director of Cooperative Extension in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, told the audience, "We hope to celebrate and honor the many individuals who have contributed to the efforts of Cooperative Extension at the University of Delaware over the past nine decades. This includes farmers, producers and youth, along with the families and communities in which they live." Seitz said that, after 90 years of service, one indicator of the importance and vitality of Cooperative Extension is that the statewide 4-H program currently enrolls more than 51,000 young people. “That is more than 36 percent of the 4-H-aged youth who live in Delaware, a claim that cannot be made by any other state in the Union,” Seitz said. Several presenters, including Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner and state Sen. Thurman Adams (D-Bridgeville), recalled growing up as 4-H members. “I always tell our young people to get involved in 4-H work, whether it’s working together as a team, sportsmanship, leadership, or any of the skills of sewing, cooking or raising animals. I think I did a little bit of each,” Minner said. Minner presented a proclamation in observance of the Extension’s 90th anniversary. The proclamation read: “For more than 90 years, University of Delaware Cooperative Extension has connected the public with University knowledge, research and resources to address youth, family, community and agricultural needs.” Minner also recognized the continuing importance of the partnership between UD and DSU in cooperation with other land-grant institutions. Adams, a 1950 UD graduate recipient of UD’s Medal of Distinction and the George M. Worrilow Award from the Agricultural Alumni Association, recalled the help that his father and grandfather received during the early days of the family’s farming business in Bridgeville. Many were the occasions, Adams said, when his father would call Extension professionals, such as Bill Henderson or Frank Gordy, asking them to provide advice or help solve a problem on the family farm. “It all goes back to when these folks came to see my dad, and no matter what the problem was, they would fix it or if they could not solve the problem, they would go somewhere and try to get the answer,” Adams said. “I will always be indebted to those folks in Cooperative Extension because of what they did for my dad and the farming community.” Adams was joined by state senator Gary Simpson (R-Milford), who graduated from UD with a bachelor’s degree in animal science (1969) and a master’s in agricultural economics (1972), to present a tribute from the 143rd Delaware General Assembly to the Delaware Cooperative Extension. UD President David P. Roselle noted that the University, the first land-grant institution in the First State, exemplifies the integral role that Cooperative Extension plays in maintaining and enhancing the land-grant college tradition. “Since its inception, Cooperative Extension has transformed our state, connecting the public with the knowledge, research and resources of the University to address the needs of young people, families, the community and, of course, agriculture,” Roselle said.
“On behalf of everyone at the University of Delaware, happy 90th birthday, Cooperative Extension,” Roselle said. “You have actively worked with us over the years to promote farmland preservation and the permanence of agriculture as an industry,” Scuse said. “When agriculture was under the gun because of water-quality issues, Cooperative Extension agents stepped up to the plate to help Delaware farmers and the nutrient management commission, and helped to develop the most highly acclaimed nutrient management program in the United States.” Scuse also recalled the critical role that UD Cooperative Extension staff played in dealing with the outbreak of avian influenza that threatened the Delaware and Maryland broiler industries in early 2004. “We have been held up as a national model for how to deal with avian influenza, and a lot of that goes toward the work that Extension has done,” Scuse said. Robin Morgan, dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, praised the partnership that exists between UD and DSU as fellow Extension institutions. “This partnership allows both universities to really extend the reach that they have,” Morgan said. Kenneth W. Bell, acting provost and vice president and dean and research director of the College of Agriculture and Related Sciences at DSU, also lauded the cooperation that has grown between the two schools as they work to better serve Delawareans through Extension programs. “Throughout the history of the national Cooperative Extension system, one thing has remained clear, and that is the charge of delivering research-based information to people in ways that make it easy for them to understand, and with the intent of helping those same people to improve their quality of life,” Bell said. “The University of Delaware has endeavored to do just that for nearly a century. Thank you for your tenacious commitment to educational enrichment and civic responsibility.” Bell presented a plaque to celebrate the 33-year Extension partnership between UD and DSU. UD alum and former Extension agent Dave Woodward, a recipient of the George M. Worrilow Award as an outstanding graduate student in the College of Agriculture, noted the changing role of Cooperative Extension in Delaware. “In the early 1940s, the 4-H program in my area provided the major activity, because there was not any TV or little league. We enjoyed visiting each other’s homes. I met a lot of the people that I see today, and that is one of the great things about 4-H camps,” Woodward said. “Cooperative Extension now addresses issues such as food nutrition, food preparation, saving food dollars, dealing with diabetes and preventing osteoporosis.” Cooperative Extension’s 90th birthday party ended as members from the Cook, Blessing and Hopkins families were recognized for relationships with the Extension that span several generations. UD’s favorite Blue Hen mascot, YoUDee, who helped begin the festivities by bringing up the tail end of a 4-H pom-pon parade, drew the ticket for the winning door-prize, a visit from YoUDee, which went to Ruth Crossan, wife of Donald Crossan, former dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences. YoUDee also helped cut a blue-and-gold 90th birthday cake, and invited quests to take home some blue and gold cupcakes. Article by Jerry Rhodes To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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