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The History of FACS

By Mackie Edmondson

  • Benjamin Thompson Born in 1753

    Benjamin Thompson Born in 1753

  • Ellen S. Richards Born in 1842

    Ellen S. Richards Born in 1842

  • W.O Atwater born in 1844

    W.O Atwater born in 1844

  • Justin Smith Morrill/Morrill Act

    In 1862 the Morrill Act, named for its sponsor Justin Smith Morrill, went into effect. This act let each state sell up to 30,000 acres of land to fund the creation of universities.

  • Land Grant University

    Land Grant Universities are those created under the Morrill Act wherein it is a land grant which funds the schools creation. The first of these to open was Kansas State University in 1863.

  • Arkansas Land Grant Universities

    There are two land grant universities in Arkansas. The first was opened in 1872, being U of A in Fayetteville. The second opened a year later being U of A at Pine Bluff.

  • U of A in Fayetteville, first Arkansas Land Grant University

    U of A in Fayetteville, first Arkansas Land Grant University

  • W.O Atwater 1875 Exercise and Nutrition Research

    W.O Atwater 1875 Exercise and Nutrition Research

  • Ellen S. Richards

    Ellen S. Richards (1842-1911) broke barriers for women in education, paving the way for women in science. She was also instrumental in the creation of the FACS profession. Her early research and influence led her to helping create the profession. In 1876 she was the head of the science section of the Society to Encourage Studies at Home.

  • Clara Belle Drisdale Born in 1885

    Clara Belle Drisdale Born in 1885

  • Benjamin Thompson

    Benjamin Thompson (1753-1814) invented the first range with heat controls. The rumford kitchen at the 1893 world's fair was named after him.

  • Rumford Kitchen, Worlds Fair 1893

    Rumford Kitchen, Worlds Fair 1893

  • W.O Atwater

    W.O Atwater (1844-1907) is considered by some to be the father of nutrition. In 1896 he invented the calorimeter.

  • Lake Placid Conference

    In 1899 early FACS leaders met in Lake Placid N.Y. to discuss the creation of a new area of study. They decided to call this area of study Home Economics.

  • Image of Lake Placid Conference in 1899

    Image of Lake Placid Conference in 1899

  • Martha Rensselaer

    Martha Rensselaer (1864-1932) attended the Lake Placid conference and in 1900 she helped create the Cooperative Extension Service programs at Cornell.

  • Smith-Lever Act of 1914

    The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 created the national Cooperative Extension Service. This extended outreach projects to rural americans through land grant universities.

  • Smith-Hughes Act of 1917

    The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 provided federal aid to states in order to promote vocational education in agricultural, industrial, and home economics courses.

  • Image of Martha Rensselaer in 1918

    Image of Martha Rensselaer in 1918

  • Clara Belle Drisdale Williams

    Clara Belle Drisdale Williams (1885-1994) was the first african american to graduate from New Mexico University in 1937. She became a teacher helping teach both students and their parents.

  • Vocational Education Acts of 1963

    The Vocational Education Acts of 1963 provided grants to maintain and improve vocational education.

  • Vocational Amendment of 1968 and 1973

    The Vocational Education Act was amended in 1968 and 1973. These amendments expanded on the 1963 act and supported students at risk and students with disabilities.

  • Vocational Amendment of 1976

    The Vocational Act was amended again in 1976 with the purpose of ending gender bias and discrimination in vocational education.

  • Carl Perkins Act

    The Vocational Education Act of 1963 was changed to the Carl Perkins Act in 1984.

  • UCA changes the home economics name to FACS

    UCA changes the home economics name to FACS