L. R. Harrill was a Cotton Club member in his native Cleveland Co. He earned a degree in agriculture at NC State College, Raleigh. Harrill became club leader in Buncombe Co., the stateҳ first assistant county agent. He later returned to NC State for a Master’ Degree in agronomy. His graduate work and reputation for 4-H club work led to his appointment as State 4-H Leader from 1926-1963. “Mr. 4-H” worked with agents and local leaders to expand 4-H outside of school. He championed regular newsprint, radio, and occasional TV coverage for 4-H. His annual State 4-H Club Weeks thrived, fostering competition, celebration, cultural enrichment, civic responsibility, and spiritual enlightenment.
Harrill led a national 4-H mission to Austria to plant the seeds of 4-H. Having expanded the 4-H program among diverse youth in all one hundred counties of the state, he urged his best club members to join the International Farm Youth Exchange Program. Committed to school-based 4-H Clubs in rural areas, he also saw what 4-H could provide to urban and rural children in community clubs with volunteer leaders. Harrill secured hundreds of business sponsors for club projects and activities. He escorted his boys and girls to national events in DC and Chicago and claimed numerous honors for himself and for them. He wrote two books, Images of 4-H and Memories of 4-H.
