History of Virginia's 4-H camping program: A case study of events leading to the development of the 4-H educational centers

The purpose of this dissertation is to document and analyze the theories that formed the basis for the development of Virginia 4-H camps which led to the creation of 4-H educational centers. The methodology use din this paper included the documentation of historical records as well as interviews with 4-H camp founders that delved into the issues of the camps' formation, procedures and rationale. The case study represents four objectives in that it documents the camping movement in the US and the start of 4-H, examines the creation of the 4-H camping movement, documents the people, activities and inauguration of the 4-H camping program in Virginia including the historically segregated white and African-American camping programs, and finally, gives the history of the six 4-H educational centers in Virginia.