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Benjamin Thompson (Count Rumford)
Thompson's work rejected the commonly held theory that heat was a liquid form of matter. Instead, he proposed the idea that heat was instead a form of motion. He improved the efficiency of fireplaces and chimneys, and also is credited with inventing the first range with temperature controls. It is even stated that he invented thermal underwear. Ellen Richards also named the Rumford Kitchen at the Chicago World's fair of 1893 after him. -
Catharine Beecher writes "A Treatise on Domestic Economy"
Beecher, born in 1841, was an American educator and author who worked to define women's place in the domestic aspect of American culture. Her major work, "A Treatise on Domestic Economy," was published in 1841 and become the first American work that dealt with every aspect of domestic life. It argued that a woman's proper role was in the home, and standardized domestic practices. Beecher's work was recognized by the Department of Education as the first Family and Consumer Sciences textbook. -
Ellen Richards
This founder was born in 1842. Richards was the first female graduate and professor of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While continuing as an instructor, Richards also specialized in sanitary engineering and served as the official water analyst for the State Board of Health. She wanted to apply these scientific principles to domestic topics, and campaigned for the new discipline of home economics. Richards is one of the most prominent founders of home economics in the United States. -
W.O. Atwater
Atwater, born in 1844, is considered by many to be the "father of nutrition." After studying the chemical composition of corn at Yale University, he received his PhD. Atwater persuaded the US government to fund his studies on human nutrition. In his studies, he compared US food evaluations with European ones. Atwater found it troublesome that the US population consumed too much food, specifically fats and sweets, and did not exercise enough. -
Justin Smith Morrill/Morrill Act of 1862
This act, argued for by a man named Justin Smith Morrill, created land-grant institutions in order for the working class to have equal access to higher education. The higher education was actually relevant to the professions that the working class pursued because it focused on mechanical skills and farming. -
Land Grant University
The Morrill Act of 1862 gave land controlled by the federal government to the states so that the states could sell the land in order to raise money for establishing practical universities and education. The main reason for these universities was to provide education for those in areas where practical educational experiences were not available. These schools are required to provide education in agriculture, science, engineering, and liberal arts. -
Caroline Hunt
Hunt received an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Northwestern University. In 1903, she was appointed the first professor of home economics at the University of Wisconsin. She conducted one study regarding Italian immigrants and economics, and another of citizens' diets in Chicago. Hunt also attended several Lake Placid Conferences, where she argued that education of home economics ought to free women from their hardships of housework and simplify their lives, while keeping families safe. -
The Rumford Kitchen
Ellen Richards was invited to open this kitchen as part of the exhibit of Massachusetts that was in connection with the Bureau of Hygiene and Sanitation. Visitors could come experience the exhibit and learn about the science of cooking. The food cooked here was not sold to make money, but just for the sake of being sold. The exhibit was entirely for educational and scientific purposes regarding human food and nutrition. -
Lake Placid Conferences
Beginning in 1899, contemporaries in the field of home economics met at the Lake Placid Club to discuss the latest advances in the subject. All agreed that home economics would give students the opportunity to manage their homes and be prepared for careers focused on people and the environment. From this movement, the American Home Economics Association was formed, and Ellen Richards served as the national organization's first president. -
Smith-Lever Act of 1914
Years of advocacy by farm groups and believers that rural Americans needed more opportunities and education culminated this act. This act created Cooperative Extension, a nationwide system of community-based education. Cooperative Extension was established in cooperation with the land grant university of each state in America. Over 100 years later, Cooperative Extension still serves as a link between communities and public universities. -
Lulu C. Graves
This woman become the first president of the American Dietetics Association, which become the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Graves worked as the head dietitian at Lakeside Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. She was dedicated to helping conserve food and improve public health and nutrition during World War 1. -
Smith-Hughes Act of 1917
This act made federal aid accessible to the states for the promotion of Vocational Education in industrial trades, agriculture, and home economics. Because of this act Family and Consumer Sciences was finally established as part of Vocational Education, meaning people could receive education on how to be equipped for the profession. -
FHA in Schools
In 1946, organizations called Future Homemakers of America started in high schools. This name was founded at a convention in Chicago the previous year, but by 1999, the name changed to following: Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). This was important for the continuation of promoting the profession to young adults and educating them on it. -
Vocational Education Act of 1963
This act provided grants to the states so they could improve and develop vocational-technical education programs. Specifically, the funds were meant for occupations in demand. Some funds were used to build the areas for vocational education, purchase provisions for potential school drop-outs who would need occupational training, and for work-study programs. -
Vocational Amendment of 1968
This amendment actually extended the work of the Vocational Education Act of 1963. However, the emphasis of the act shifted from occupations to people. Part of the authorized funds now had to be given to permanent programs in cooperative vocational training as well as homemaking and consumer education. Each state was required to submit an annual and five-year program plan of how their funds would be used. -
Vocational Amendment of 1973
Commonly called the "Rehab Act," this amendment prohibits discrimination of those with disabilities who want to participate in or work for programs conducted by federal agencies, or who need to receive federal financial assistance. One section of the act required federal agencies to provide information and technology that was accessible to public members and employees with disabilities. -
Vocational Amendment of 1976
This amendment to the original act of 1963 required states receiving federal funds for vocational education to develop programs that would eliminate discrimination, stereotyping, and gender bias. Federal funds had to be allocated to programs for people seeking jobs in nontraditional areas for the sex. Every five years, these programs had to be evaluated. -
Carl Perkins Act
This act gives permission for federal funds to support vocational education programs. The main goal of this act is to improve access to education to those who have been undeserved in the past or those who have a greater need for it. This law is very important because it requires vocational education to be provided for students with disabilities. -
Name Changes for the Profession
It is no secret that as time as changed, issues and needs of daily living have also changed. In 1994, the American Home Economics Association decided to change the name of the field of home economics to family and consumer sciences. The profession had become more complex as times, issues, and needs changed so it seemed appropriate to give it a new name that more accurately reflected the complexity of the profession. -
Land Grant Universities in Arkansas
Arkansas has 2 land grant universities. One of them is the University of Arkansas (Fayetteville), and the other is the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff. -
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
AND is the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals in the world. This organization is committed to the improvement of the nation's health, and strives to advance the profession of dietetics. AND advocates greatly for the profession, researches on it, and educates others about it.
