Guide to the New York State College of Home Economics Records,
1875-1979

Home Economics began as part of the Extension Service in 1900 with the arrival of Martha Van Rensselaer and the establishment of the Farmers' Wives Reading Course. In 1903-1904 Martha Van Rensselaer and Anna Botsford Comstock taught three courses within the College of Agriculture at Cornell University, relating to home and family life. In 1907 the Department of Home Economics was established at Cornell, with Martha Van Rensselaer and Flora Rose as its first instructors. In 1911 the two women became the first full-time female faculty members at Cornell. The Department of Home Economics became a school in 1919 and in 1925, the first state chartered College of Home Economics in the country. In 1969 it was renamed the New York State College of Human Ecology.

The collection includes administrative records that document the College's involvement with government, educational, and private organizations at the national, state, and local levels; the College's involvement in World War I, World War II, defense, and relief committees; student and alumni activities; teaching and research studies and reports; extension and outreach work; College committees and activities including the Farmers' Insitute, Farm and Home Week, Honors Day and Home Economics Institutes. The collection contains correspondence from Martha Van Rensselaer, Flora Rose, Liberty Hyde Bailey, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Carrie Chapman Catt, Susan B. Anthony and from alumni, until the 1960s. There are also blueprints, sketches, samples and photographs of Martha Van Rensselaer Hall and its construction; a large series of photographs, negatives, and slides depicting all aspects of the College, including Deans Sarah Blanding, Elizabeth Vincent, Helen Canoyer, and David Knapp. Also, letterbooks and genealogy of Martha Van Rensselaer; including photographs, slides, negatives, an audiocassette recording of Kathleen Babbitt on Martha Van Rensselaer, CD's containing the scanned photographs from box 39, videos of early historic films concerning home economics, a box of dinner plates belonging to Flora Rose,and the original Home Bureau Creed.

Also, the film, "History of the College of Home Economics," (16 mm. sound, black and white, 5 min.), ca. 1968; a Hugh Troy photograph of a Home Economics pageant on Cascadilla Field, 25 July 1924. Includes bound Faculty Meeting minutes (1925-1969), Department Head Meeting minutes (1944-1969) and a tea set used by the college.

See also New York State College of Human Ecology records, #23-2-2817.