Martha Van Rensselaer (1864- 1932)

Birth

Jun 21, 1864

Martha Van Rensselaer was born in Randolph, New York on June 21, 1864.

School Commissioner

1893

Van Rensselaer was elected school commissioner of Cattaraugus County, New York, a position that was normally held by men.

Extension Program for New York State's Rural Women

1900

Liberty Hyde Bailey invited Van Rensselaer to organize an extension program for New York's rural women.

Full-time Home Economics Courses Offered at Cornell

1908

Due to the success from Van Resselaer's extension program for New York State's rural women, Cornell decided to offer full-time home economics courses.

Head of Department of Home Economics

1908

Van Rensselaer and Flora Rose were invited to head the Department of Home of Economics at Cornell University.

President of American Home Economics Association

1914

Van Rensselaer was voted as the president of the American Home Economics Association.

Home Conservation Division of the United States Food Administration

1914

During World War I, Van Rensselaer directed the Home Conservation Division of the United States Food Administration.

First State Club Leader

1915

Martha Van Rensselaer was the first state club leader in 1915 and was influential in the development of literature on nutrition and other home economics-related areas used in early 4-H programming for girls.

Establishment of a School of Home Economics

1919

During her time at Cornell her duties expanded when the Cornell trustees authorized the establishment of a School of Home Economics.

"A Manual of Home Making"

1919

Co-wrote "A Manual of Home Making", a widely read text on home management, with Flora Rose and Helen Canon.

Editor

1920

In 1926, Van Rensselaer became the home economics editor of the "Delineator", a popular women's magazine that reached over two million readers. She regularly wrote for the "Ladies Home Journal", "Children's Magazine", and "Boys and Girls".

League of Women Voters

1920

Miss Martha Van Rensselaer attended the League of Women Voters, which was a group of prominent female leaders of social reform. This meeting took place in New York at Elanor's Roosevelt's home in Hyde Park.

America's Most Influential Woman

1923

At the age of 58, Martha Van Rensselaer was voted by the National League of Women as one of America's twelve most influential women.

White Hose Conference on Child Health and Protection

1930

Van Rensselaer participated in the White House Conference on Child Health and Protection, which has set a critical Progressive Era agenda for youth health, social policy, and education.

President's Conference on Home Building and Home Ownership

1931

Van Rensselaer participated in the President's Conference on Home Building and Home Ownership, which advocated moving poverty-stricken urban workers out of the cities into smaller, allegedly healthier rural communities.

Death

May 26, 1932

Martha Van Rensselaer died of cancer at St. Luke's Hospital in New York City at the age of 68.

National 4-H Hall of Fame

Mar 23, 2004

Martha Van Rensselaer is the co-founder of the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. She will be inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame during the National 4-H Conference ceremonies.