History of Family and Consumer Sciences

  • Catherine Beecher

    Catherine Beecher
    Wrote “A Treatise on Domestic
    Economy” in 1841 – the first FACS text
    book recognized by the Department of
    Education. Wrote 33 text books.
  • *Justin Smith Morrill/Morrill Act

    Provides grants of land to states to finance the establishments of colleges. It made it possible especially for western colleges to be established.
  • Yale University

    Yale University
    Where the "Father of Nutrition"graduated from. (Atwater)
    PhD in Chemistry
  • MIT

    MIT
    Where Ellen Richards, a mobilizer in FACS, graduated as the first woman.
  • Benjamin Thompson

    Benjamin Thompson
    First to label nutrition as a science in the
    late 1800’s Rumford Kitchen at the Chicago World’s
    Fair of 1893 named after Rumford Invented the first range with temperature
    controls
  • Ellen Richards

    Ellen Richards
    Mobilized a multitude of forces to launch the new
    applied field. MIT graduate & chemistry faculty member
    Sold nutritious lunches at the 1894
    Chicago World’s Fair (included
    nutritive value & cost per serving)
  • Chicago World's Fair

    Chicago World's Fair
    Ellen Richards sold nutritious school lunches here and opened Rumford's Kitchen
  • Rumford's Kitchen

    Rumford's Kitchen
    Named after Count Rumford and organized by Ellen Richards, the kitchen was used to demonstrate the making of scientifically prepared meals, which were then displayed with their nutrient information and cost. The exhibit helped to draw attention to the effectiveness of applying science to everyday life.
  • Martha Rensselaer

    Martha Rensselaer
    Cornell University professor Attended Lake Placid Conferences Developed Cooperative Extension Services President of AAFCS
  • Lake Placid NY

    Lake Placid NY
    Leaders in FACS would gather at these conferences to discuss the greatest and latest findings in home economics.
  • Smith Lever Act

    The Smith Lever Act established a system of cooperative extension services connected to the land-grant universities, in order to inform the public about current developments in agriculture, family and consumer science, public policy/government, leadership, 4-H, economic development, coastal issues (National Sea Grant College Program), and many other related subjects.
  • Smith Hughes Act

    Provided federal aid to the states for the purpose of promoting pre collegiate vocational education in home economics. This allowed students to get hands on educational materials and FFA was able to be formed.
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    History of Family and Consumer Sciences

  • Vocational Education Acts

    Created support for work study programs and research and provided manual education training and agri courses.
  • Clara Belle Drisdale

    Clara Belle Drisdale
    First African American to graduate New Mexico State University
    Married Jasper Williams
    three sons became physicians
    Became a teacher to black students by day- taught their parents
    by night in areas of home economics