History of FACS

Benjamin Thompson

Mar 26, 1763

Also known as Count Rumford, Benjamin Thompson was the first to label nutrition as a science. He invented the first stove with temperature controls, revolutionizing cooking. He was born on March 26, 1763.

Catherine Beecher

1800

Born in 1800, Catherine Beecher was a teacher and writer of the 19th century who encouraged and fought for equal education to women. She also pushed for the need to have women as both teachers and mothers.

Ellen Richards

Dec 3, 1842

Ellen Richards was born on December 3, 1842. She excelled in school and was a trailblazer in women's education. She became a professor and lectured without any pay. She paved the way for the home economics field, and helped to educate many in the art of home making and science.

W.O. Atwater

1844

Born in 1844, Atwater majored in chemistry, and even went on to receive his PhD in this area of science. He was considered the "Father of Nutrition," and conducted a lot of studies pertaining to the connections between nutrition and metabolism.

Morrill Act of 1862

Jul 2, 1862

The Morrill Act of 1862, also known as the Land Grant College Act, heavily impacted the higher education system in America. This grant was designed to create institutions in each state that would promote agriculture, home economics, mechanical arts, and other practical professions of the time.

Land Grant Universitites

Feb 16, 1863

The first land grant university established under the Morrill Act was Kansas State University. It was established February 16, 1863.

C.F. Langworthy

1864

Charles Ford Langworthy was born in 1864, and was one of the co-editors of the Journal of Home Economics, and conducted metabolic tests to study the connections between metabolism and other functions of the body. He also did studies involving the chemical composition of food, and wrote nutrition information to go along with his experiments.

Caroline Hunt

1865

Caroline Hunt did many important studies pertaining to immigrant and ethnic populations in Chicago. She received a Bachelors of Science degree in chemistry, and collected many records dealing with dietary histories, along with socioeconomic factors. She was born in 1865 and died in 1927.

FIrst Arkansas Land Grant University

1871

The University if Fayetteville was established as the state land-grant university in 1871 as the Arkansas Industrial University. It became the University of Arkansas in 1899.

Smith-Lever Act of 1914

May 8, 1914

The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 worked to establish the national Cooperative Extension Service that helped to educate rural citizens about agricultural and technological advances. They achieved this by using programs in the various land-grant universities across the nation.

Smith-Hughes Act of 1917

Feb 23, 1917

This act helped to promote vocational agriculture by training Americans on advances in agriculture and teaching the most efficient farm techniques. It was designed to assist those who were preparing to begin work on the farm. The bill was signed on February 23, 1917 by President Woodrow WIlson.

Martha Rensselaer

1923

Martha was known as a pioneer in the field of home economics. She placed an emphasis on science in the home, as well as family and community. She impacted people in the state of New York, as well as far beyond. In 1923 she was selected by the National League of Women Voters as one of America's twelve most influential women.

Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics - Research Division

1943

The administrative history states that this bureau was established in the Agricultural Research Administration in February of 1943. Functions of this program included conducting research on food, fiber, and other agricultural products. Other functions included housing and household buying, textiles and clothing, use of income, and management of household equipment.

Future Homemakers of America (FHA)

1945

The Future Homemakers of America was an organization started in 1945 to teach young women how to take care of a house for their future family.

Vocational Education Act

1963

This act was established in order to offer new and improved vocational education programs to students across the country. It's goal was to bring the nation's education programs up to par within industrial, economic, and social areas and advances.

Vocational Amendment of 1968

1968

This educational amendment's purpose was to make the Smith-Hughes act include and serve those with disabilities.

Vocational Amendment of 1973

1973

This amendment served as a civil rights law. It protected those individuals with disabilities from being discriminated based on their disability status.

Vocational Amendment of 1976

1976

This amendment was created to accommodate those with mental and physical disabilities, and also to help rid the educational system of gender oppression.

Carl Perkins Act

1984

This act originated in 1984, and was enacted to provide individuals with the skills they needed to succeed in today's academic and technical-based economy.

Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America

1999

Formerly known as the Future Homemakers of America, FCCLA is an organization that promotes home making skills, as well as many other skills needed to thrive in today's society. The motto of this club is as follows: "For we are the builders of homes, homes for America's future, homes where living will be the expression of everything that is good and fair, homes where truth and love and security and faith will be realities, not dreams. We are the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America."