History of FCS

Benjamin Thompson

1753

Benjamin Thompson, 1753-1814
Benjamin Thompson was also referred to as Count Rumford. Count Rumford was a physicist and inventor. He was the first to label nutrition as a science in the late 1800s. The Rumford Kitchen at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 was named after him. He invented the first range with temperature controls.

Catharine Esther Beecher

1800

Catharine Esther Beecher, 1800-1878
Catharine was a teacher and writer who promoted equal access to education for women. She co-founded the innovative Hartford Female Seminary. In 1841, she wrote the first FCS textbook, "A Treatise on Domestic Economy", which was recognized by the Department of Education. Beecher wrote a total of 33 textbooks.

A Treatise on Domestic Economy

1841

The first Family and Consumer Science textbook to get recognized by the Department of Education. The textbook helps to standardize and reinforce domestic values, and elevates the women's place in the home sphere. Written by Catharine Beecher.

Ellen Swallow Richards

1842

Ellen Swallow Richards, 1842-1911
Richards was the first woman to study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her specialties were water pollution and FCS. She was the founder of Ecology as a discipline of study. Ellen was also the founder of Home Economics. Richards started the beginnings of the school lunch programs. She believed that science could be used to improve the health and well-being of people. Ellen also scientifically prepared foods for the World's Fair.

W.O. Atwater

1844

W.O. Atwater, 1844-1907
Atwater graduated from Yale University with a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He invented the Bomb Calorimeter. Atwater is considered to be the "Father of Nutrition."

Land Grant Universities in Arkansas

1862

The Land Grant Universities in Arkansas include the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville became a Land-Grant University in 1862, and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff became a Land-Grant University in 1890. A Land-Grant University is an institution of higher education in the United States designated by a state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890.

The Morrill Act

1862

This Act is passed to support colleges of agriculture and mechanical arts. Public lands are donated to states and territories. The land is then sold by the states and the proceeds are used to fund public colleges that focus on agriculture and the mechanical arts. The Morrill Act was sponsored by Vermont Congressman, Justin Morrill, and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln.

Martha Van Rensselaer

1864

Martha Van Rensselaer, 1864-1932
Martha was a professor at Cornell University. In 1899, she attended the Lake Placid Conference. Rensselaer developed Cooperative Extension Service Programs at Cornell University in 1900. From 1914 to 1916, Martha served as the President of the American Home Economics Association.

Margaret Murray Washington

1865

Margaret Murray Washington, 1865-1925
Margaret was known as “one of the greatest women of her century.” Washington spoke to national audiences as first president of the National Federation of Colored Women's Clubs. Washington was Dean of Women at Tuskegee and she worked on many home economics topics and programs throughout her career. She is known for founding the Tuskegee Women’s Club. One of their social programs was “mother’s meetings” or self-improvement clubs for women in the community.

Domestic Economy Curriculum

1873

Kansas State Agricultural College is the first land-grant college to provide academic credit for women. The classes become a prototype for other colleges. The Domestic Economy Curriculum focuses on expanding educational roles, career preparation, and domestic skills for women.

The Rumford Kitchen

1893

At the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, IL, the Rumford Kitchen is opened as a scientific and educational exhibit. It serves inexpensive, nutritious meals and educates about nutrition and proper food preparation. This creation was led by Ellen Richards.

First School Lunch Program

1894

The first nutritional school lunch program took place at Boston Latin School, the oldest public school in the country. Ellen Richards began the 10 Cent School Lunch.

First Lake Placid Conference

1899

The First Lake Placid Conference held its first meeting in 1899. One of the main functions of the conference was to bring together people of like interests and pursuits. The First Lake Placid Conference would later form the American Home Economics Association.

Headquarters for Family and Consumer Sciences

1909

The Headquarters for Family and Consumer Sciences are located in Alexandria, Virginia.

American Home Economics Association

1909

American Home Economics Association (AHEA) is founded in 1908 by Ellen Richards. It is an American professional association that networks professionals in the area of Family and Consumer Science. Their purpose is "to improve the quality and standards of individual and family life through education, research, cooperative programs, and public information." The name will change in 1994 to the current one.

Smith-Lever Act of 1914

1914

The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 created the Cooperative Extension Service associated with each land-grant institution including FACS. It intended to inform citizens about current developments in agriculture, home economics, public policy/government, leadership, 4-H, economic development, coastal issues, and related subjects. This Act helped farmers learn new agricultural techniques through the introduction of home instruction.

Smith-Hughes Act of 1917

1917

The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 established FACS as part of Vocational (CTE) Education. It accomplished the establishment of cooperative activities between the Federal Government and the States providing financial support to the education and development of our country's youth. This was an Act of the United States Congress that promoted vocational education in agriculture, trades and industry, and homemaking, and provided federal funds for this purpose.

Bureau of Human Nutrition and Home Economics

1943

USDA Bureau of Home Economics changes it's name becoming the Bureau of Home Nutrition and Human Economics.

Vocational Education Act of 1963

1963

The Vocational Education Act of 1963 provided grants to states to maintain, improve, and develop vocational-technical education programs. The funds were earmarked for occupations in demand. Funds were also provided for constructing area schools for vocational education. Amendments to the Act enlarged the scope of programs under the George-Barden and Smith-Hughes Acts that focused on employment in vocational agriculture, home economics, and industrial education.

Vocational Amendment of 1968

1968

The Vocational Education Amendments of 1968 extend the work of the 1963 amendments, but the emphasis has changed from occupations to people. The Act authorized funds to aid states and localities in establishing vocational education programs in local high schools.

Vocational Amendment of 1976

1976

The purpose of the Vocational Amendment of 1976 was to extend, improve, and maintain programs, overcome sex discrimination/bias, and develop new programs. The 1976 Amendments to the Vocational Equity Act of 1963, required states receiving federal funding for vocational education to develop and carry out activities and programs to eliminate gender bias, stereotyping, and discrimination in vocational education.

Carl Perkins Act

1984

This Act is also referred to as The Vocational Education Act of 1984. The Carl Perkins Act authorizes federal funds to support vocational education programs. One of the goals is to improve the access of either those who have been underserved in the past or those who have greater-than-average educational needs. This law is important because it requires that vocational education be provided for students with disabilities.

Changing the Name of the Profession

1994

In June of 1994, the American Home Economics Association (AHEA) voted to change the name of the profession to Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS). The association became the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). In August of 1994, UCA changed its name to reflect the changes to the profession.

Lake Bonneville Summit

2009

The first Lake Bonneville Summit meeting was in April 2009. It was a meeting that was held by BYU-Idaho to celebrate and create a positive professional Family and Consumer Science network.