History of FACS

  • Morrill Act

    Morrill Act
    Introduced by Vermont Congressman, Justin Morrill, the Morrill Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. Morrill Act states: "donating public lands to the several states and territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture"
  • Land Grant University

    Land Grant University
    A land grant university is an institution of higher education in the US receiving benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 (and 1890).
    AR Land Grant Universities include: University of Arkansas
    and Unversity of Arkansas at Pine bluff
  • Ellen Richard and Vassar

    Ellen Richard and Vassar
    Ellen was admitted to Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She was admitted as a "special student"
  • Ellen Richard and MIT

    Ellen Richard and MIT
    Ellen was admitted to MIT as the first female student
  • Women's Laboratory Opened

    Women's Laboratory Opened
    Ellen petitioned the Women's Education Association of Boston to pay for instruments, equipment, and books to create a research lab for women on the MIT campus.
  • Association of Collegiate Alumnae

    Association of Collegiate Alumnae
    Ellen co-founded the Association of Collegiate Alumnae (later known as the American Association of University Women)
  • Lake Placid Conferences

    Lake Placid Conferences
    Ten annual conferences that became known as the Lake Placid Conferences in Lake Placid, New York. "Home Economics" was coined at the first meeting
  • World's Colombian Exposition in Chicago

    World's Colombian Exposition in Chicago
    Ellen created the Rumford Kitchen at the 1893 World's Colombian Exposition in Chicago. A popular exhibit that served inexpensive, nutritious meals and educated people about nutrition and proper preparation of meals.
  • American Home Economics Association (AHEA)

    American Home Economics Association (AHEA)
    Found by Richards, AHEA became the most influential professional association for home economists. (Later known as American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences)
  • Boston First School Lunch Program

    Boston First School Lunch Program
    Home Economics classes began a lunch program serving early lunches to elementary students three times a day
  • Journal of Home Economics

    Journal of Home Economics
    She spearheaded the inception Journal of Home Economics and was named to the Council of the National Education Association
  • Ellen Richard's Passing

    Ellen Richard's Passing
    At 69, Ellen died after a brief illness in her home in Boston.
  • Smith Lever Act of 1914

    Smith Lever Act of 1914
    US federal law that informs individuals about current developments in agriculture, home economics, public policy, etc connected by cooperative extension services that are connected to land-grant universities
  • Smith-Hughes Act

    Smith-Hughes Act
    Known before as "National Vocational Education act" - Smith-Hughes Act provides federal aid to the states to promote precollegiate vocational education in agricultural
  • Secretary of Agriculture

    Secretary of Agriculture
    Henry C. Wallace was pointed by Congress to create a Bureau of Home Economics to continue the work specified in the1915 but in a full-fledged Bureau
  • New Name for the Bureau

    New Name for the Bureau
    Bureau's name was changed to The Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics to put emphasis on Nutrition (Henrey Sherman appointed as chief during this time).
  • End of Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics

    End of Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics
    The Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics ceased to exist.
  • Vocational Education Act of 1963

    Vocational Education Act of 1963
    Vocational Education Act of 1963 allowed financial support for vocational schools
  • Carl D Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act

    Carl D Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act
    First authorized in 1984, this act aims to increase the quality of technical education to help the economy in the US. Later reauthorized in 1998, 2006, and 2018.
  • AHEA to AAFCS

    AHEA to AAFCS
    The organization changed its name from AHEA to the American Association of the Family and Consumer Sciences