Lawrence Biever

Joined the Diamond Lake 4-H Club in Lincoln County, Minnesota in 1923.

4-H Efforts:
Biever pioneered urban 4-H programs in Chicago. His program stressed home-centered projects with a dependence on junior leadership and adaptation of rural subjects to urban areas. Under Biever's leadership, the Chicago 4-H program was extended to low-income families and minorities - unique in the 1950's. Biever worked with Chicago 4-H clubs until his
retirement in 1974. He proved that the traditional 4-H model could be just as successful in the inner city.

Lawrence Biever signed his first 4-H enrollment card in 1923 at the Diamond Lake 4-H Club in Lincoln County, Minnesota. Biever was the first elected president of the Minnesota State 4-H Federation, first elected volunteer adult leader at age 21, and the first County Extension Agent in Cass, Itasca and Traverse counties with full responsibilities for 4-H. In the mid-1950's, the National 4-H Service Committee and Coats & Clark, Inc. collaborated on the first nationally sponsored urban 4-H venture in Chicago. With a new Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Biever was picked to spearhead this urban 4-H movement.

Under Biever, the Chicago 4-H program was extended to low-income families and minorities - unique to the segregated 4-H programs in the 1950's. His program stressed home-centered projects with a dependence on junior leadership and adaptation of rural subjects to urban areas. To increase youth opportunities for recognition, he organized 4-H exhibitions, coordinated 4-H camps and conferences, and raised funds for travel to state and national 4-H events. Soon his 4-H'ers reaped thousands of awards from blue ribbons to National 4-H
Presidential silver trays. He could see the life changes in thousands of youth and families from their 4-H experiences.