In 1918, industrialist J.A. Craig brought General Motors to Janesville, where it employs thousands. But he said his greatest legacy was his work with 4-H. His contributions benefited thousands from local to national 4-H. As a volunteer, he organized 4-H clubs throughout Rock County, including a pig club with 200 members. Craig promoted 4-H in cities before it was popular. When the county fairgrounds foreclosed during the Depression, he bought and donated the 47 acres to 4-H. Working with kids, Craig said, kept him young. He lived to be 91. He left behind a high school in his name and one of the strongest county 4-H programs in the country.
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Take an interest in boys and girls and it will help keep you young.
- J.A. Craig
There is none in the organization who knows the work better, who understands the philosophy and what it does for boys and girls than J.A. Craig. We call him the county 4-H agent without portfolio. He is also the national 4-H agent without portfolio.
- Kenneth Anderson representing National 4-H (1952)
