"When I first started, girls stayed in from the beginning age until the maximum age of 21.  It has been interesting to me to notice that the average age has gradually become younger as more and more of the rural girls have gone out to work or to college after high school graduation," she related.

Being the leader of a club for so many years actually almost qualifies Mrs. Riley for the title of "home economics instructor" - and in many fields.  The 3-year cycle of study includes food, clothing and home furnishings.  It is not possible to arouse the genuine interest of the girls in domestic skills.  Then, of course, there are numerous sub projects including music, folk games, study of etiquette, conservation and health and others.

A natural leader and fond of working with young people, Mrs. Riley has directed her girls in many outside activities.  This year the Washington Happy Hearts had Christmas and Valentine parties with the boys of the community, gave a waffle supper for their dads, will have a slumber party, and conservation hike, gave a May morning breakfast and just before the August achievement show ill sponsor a Mother's day tea.  Every year in July for the past 16 years this club has given a lawn program and sold ice cream, Mrs. Riley recalls.

This veteran 4-H leader is a lifelong resident of her neighborhood, having been born and raised on a farm on South Riverside.  She was graduated from Iowa State college in 1914 and came back and taught home economics for two years at Blairsburg and Brighton before returning to this county to marry and raise a family of two children.

Even though she has her extensive 4-H work, is active in the Bethesda Lutheran church, in Farm Bureau and keeps house, this interesting leader has found the time to keep in contact with many of the 200 girls who have been 4-H members under her.

"They have gone into all fields of work," she related, "though of course the majority have become homemakers."

Some of them like Frances Smith and Esther Smith, both Iowa State graduates, have gone into commercial concerns in the field of home economics.  One of her girls, Elsie Brown, will be awarded her degree from Iowa State college at the end of the current quarter.  Then there's one, Velma Miller Maxheim, who with her husband now operates a successful photographic studio at Des Moines.  Dorothy Pelham became a stewardess for a well-known airline.  The list goes on and on as Mrs. Riley enumerates former members who have scattered to all sections of the country.

Many honors have come to the organization.  There have been numerous county winning demonstration teams which have gone to the state fair from the township and also a judging team.  Two former members, Marie Jensen Arnold and Fern Bennett Knight, were among the high 10 girls in the state fair health contest at one time.  Marjorie Hanson O'Donnell brought honor to herself and to the club when she was awarded a gold watch for home beautification, and Lois Wilson Rittgers won the Montgomery Ward medal for a longtime record book kept for eight years.

Mrs. Riley's own daughter, Marie Riley Forth, now living at Colo, won a trip to the National Club Congress at Chicago in 1936 and also won a trip to Camp Minnwanca, Shelby, Mich.

The club has had six county presidents, two county secretaries and one county historian.

You ask Mrs. Riley how long she will keep on with the club, and she will tell you not too much longer.  "For the past two or three years I have thought I would turn the work over to someone else, but each time I have kept on," she said with a smile.  And chances are if the Washington township girls and mothers have anything to say about it, Mrs. Riley will continue to stay on.

New officers took over for the Story County Girls 4-H Club Saturday when the five girls above were installed in ceremonies at the annual 4-H Recognition banquet held at Nevada.  The new officers, shown above, left to right, are Kae Truesdell, Colo, historian; Delores Thorson, Cambridge, reporter; Gloria Swanson, Maxwell, secretary-treasurer; Marlene Anderson, Gilbert, president, and Barbara Floden, Slater, vice president.

Speaker was Ray Cunningham, secretary of the Iowa State college YWCA, and in charge of recognition of leaders and committees were C.Y. Vilmont, president of the Story county Farm Bureau, Barbara Floden and Bob Wise.  Girls' awards were made by Mrs. Joan Skinner, boys' awards by C.J. Gauger and Nick Kruse.  Stanely Wierson was present with the Wilson Farm Plaque for having fed the most profitable Baby Beef during the past year and John Kalsem won the county 4-H meat animal award.

Award for the best girl's longtime record went to Corrine Duea, of the Warren Willing Workers, who has kept such a record for five years.  Barbara Floden, of the Palestine Peppy Pals, won the award for the best home furnishing record among those with longtime records.  Award for home furnishing record with 4-year records went to Rosalie Points, Amy Jensen and Judity Hansen.

Garden record awards went to Marlene Guthrie, of the Washington Happy Hearts, and Barbara Floden, of the Palestine Peppy Pals.  Irene Shull, of the Nevada Peppy Pals, was presented with an award for home grounds improvement work.  Longtine record awards went to Mary Ann Sandvold (9 years), Martha Thomas (6 years), Berniece Anderson, Patricia Wierson, and Marcia Eggland (all 4 years) all of the Howard Happy Hustlers.  Three-year awards went to Mary Boten, Donna Bielefeldt, both of the Howard Happy Hustlers, Irma Tjelmeland of the Lively Lincoln Links, Vonnie Vilmont, of the Washington Happy Hearts and to Irene Schull, of the Nevada Peppy Pals.

Clover awards leaders, given by the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, the Iowa State college Extension service and the Story county Farm bureau, were presented by county President Vilmont.  Receiving Gold Clover awards were Mrs. J.N. Sandvold, for 10 years, and Mrs. T.N. Dueland, for 10 years.  Silver Clover awards for five years of service went to Mrs. V.O. Partridge, Mrs. Elmer Maimanger, Mrs. Rex Hughes, and to Robert Zeisness, Frank Roznos, Jr., Victor Duea and Leonard Dueland.

Record book award went to Roger Mathre and the best first year record book went to Galen Ghitty.  Additional record book awards from the county fairboard went to Roger Mathre, Owen Kalsem, Doris Moser, Ruth Warren, George Mackey, Charles Frandson, Robert Dueland, Beverly Williams, Dean Lester, Joel Hertz, Mina Hertz, Curtis Townswick, Marion Nehring, John Bryant, Galen Chitty, 
Gerald Kionglan, Robert Anderson, Carolyn Willams.

Awards for secretary's books went to Nevada Neighbors, first place, Howard Rockets, second; Warren Wide-a-wakes, third; Indian Creek Circle, fourth; Richland Mid-State, fifth, and Milford Hustlers, sixth.

Leadership recognition by Barbara Floden, vice-president of the county girls' organization, went to Mrs. Jeffrey Townswick, of the Howard Happy Hustlers; Warren Willing Workers; Mrs. Herbert Severson, Mrs. LaVerne Christianson and Vianna Rogers, assistant, Mrs. Earl Peterson, of the Franklin Friendly Farmerettes, Mrs. Rex Hughes, of the Milford Merry Maids; Mrs. Alvin Nelson and assistants Mrs. Howard Moseback and Mrs. Loren Huhn, of the Richand Royals.

Also to Mrs. Victory Riley and assistant Mrs. Homer Vilmont, of the Washington Happy Hearts; Mrs. Carl Hertz and assistant Mrs. Howard Skinner, of the Nevada Peppy Pals; Mrs. W.P. Truesdell and assistant Mrs. M.L. Rankin, of New Albany Happy Pals.  And to Mrs. Orlin Lein and assistant Mrs. Stanley Floden, of the Palestine Peppy Earnest Pals; Mrs. P.G. Hess and assistant Mrs. Lawrence Mather, of the North Grant AWOI, Mrs. Earl Horton, of the Collins Happy Homemakers; Mrs. Leon Dahl, assistant Mrs. George Bullard, of the Helpful Unionettes; Mrs. Cecil Goosic, of the Shipley Sunny Servers; Mrs. Howard Hand and assistant Mrs. Rollin Goughenour, of the Indian Creek Circlettes.

Also recognized for their service were County Committee Chairman Mrs. Luella Bennett, and committee members Mrs. T.N. Dueland, Mrs. V.O. Partridge, Mrs. Lloyd Dadisman, Mrs. Roy Chitty, and Mrs. Harold Hansen, Farm Bureau Woman's chairman....