Iowans played a leading role in the development of 4-H. In fact, Iowans were directly responsible for the creation of the term "4-H" and the 4-H emblem even before the Smith-Lever Act was written. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the boys' and girls' agricultural clubs that would eventually give way to 4-H clubs originated in the public school system. These clubs promoted what they called a "four-square education," based upon educational, physical, moral, and fellowship development. The symbol for these clubs, which was eventually adopted as the national 4-H emblem, was inspired in 1906 in part by Eva Miller, a teacher in Wright County who received her education from the Iowa State Normal School in Cedar Falls. At Miller's suggestion, her students gave a handful of clovers they had picked to the superintendent of schools, who happened to be searching for an emblem for the schools' agricultural clubs.

    The term "4-H" and the use of the four-leaf clover as its emblem can be attributed to Jessie Field Shambaugh, who was from Page County, Iowa. The H's originated with Page County's boys' and girls' clubs and stood for "Head," "Heart," and "Hand." "Head" was meant to imply that the children were trained to think and reason; "Heart" stood for kindness and sympathy; and "Hand" was meant to imply skill, usefulness, and helpfulness. A short time later, "Health" was added to indicate resistance to disease and a joy for life. The four H's were combined with a green and white four-leaf clover and 4-H was equipped to become a recognizable feature of rural society.