Monday, October 09, 2000

Nature vs. nurture

Although my father was a Boy Scout leader, I elected to participate in 4-H instead. Although I was in many ways attracted to scouting as a pursuit -- by what I would later come to recognize as a mild uniform fetish -- more of my friends participated in the local 4-H Club that had just formed and its rituals did not include a goofy salute.

For the unenlightened, 4-H is a community service organization, nationwide but the ranks are swollen by country kids prone to livestock breeding and personal enrichment. Rather than work toward merit badges, 4-Hers complete projects and activities which, in my area at least, reach their climax at the county and state fairs.

During my eight year involvement in 4-H, beginning when I was 7 years old, my major projects included woodworking, electrical engineering, and food and nutrition. My best showing at a county fair was a third place ribbon for my handmade toolbox, a second place ribbon for the safety lamp I built and wired, and three blue ribbons: one each for my strawberry preserves, chocolate chip cookies and my creative table-setting arrangement with associated floral design.

Would anyone still care to debate nature vs. nurture?