Stories

Carolyn Hegel
Wabash, Indiana, 1950 to 1960

As I placed my newly purchased luggage in the trunk of the car that was taking me to 4-H Roundup at Purdue, I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I grew up on an average '1950's farm. Twenty sows, one hundred layers, and twenty dairy cows. It was probably because of the latter that our family didn't travel too much. Oh, we had a wonderful life and traveled to Indianapolis to see my grandparents, attended the Indiana State Fair and ventured into Ohio a few times, but we never went to the lake or stayed away from home overnight. We always had to be home in time to milk those cows! One thing we did do was our family was very, very active in 4-H in Huntington County. I didn't realize that my adventure to Roundup was only the beginning of an exciting career in 4-H. As I look back, this trip held tremendous signifinicance for me. It opened up my world and gave my life a new vision. I realized there was so much to learn and so much opportunity for me. We sang the two 4-H songs, "Dreamings" (the girl's song) and "Sons of the Soil" (the boy's song). I secretly loved to sing the boy's song, too. I don't know if they still sing those songs at Roundup anymore. Even as an adult, the words come back to me, and I sing, "My home must have a high tree above its open gate, my home was have its garden where little dreamings wait.....". And, "Sons of the soil are we, lads of the field and flock, turning the sod, facing the odds, where is a life so free.........". (Only I sing it, "Daughters of the soil are we.........") The blessings that 4-H gave me and my family are priceless and so vast they are unmeasureable.