After WWII, Aiton worked with other state and federal extension staff to develop “ten guideposts” to help develop youth. Aiton proposed the idea of international exchanges that became the IFYE Program. Aiton worked to co-sign a bank loan to the National 4-H Club Foundation that enabled the purchase the Chevy Chase Junior College to become the National 4-H Center. Aiton was a driving force in the profession of 4-H work and the training of 4-H agents in the social sciences in addition to agriculture or home economics. Aiten took a leave from USDA for a period to serve as the first director of the National 4-H Foundation.
Quote
“While we were all, I think, quite well trained in the basics of agriculture, we had very little sociology, and no anthropology, no human development aspects to our training.”
– Aiton commented on the need for 4-H agents to learn about youth and human development.
