Timeline of the New York State College of Home Economics, 1900-1969

1900

Martha Van Rensselaer arrived at Cornell to organize a reading course for farmers' wives

1901

First bulletin of the Cornell Reading Course for Farmer's Wives, Saving Steps, published and distributed

1903

Three courses relating to home and family life offered for credit at Cornell University

1905

First winter course taught in home economics. The program was non-credit, open to any woman in the state, and it continued until 1921

1907

First curriculum for the four-year course in home economics completed

Flora Rose joined the staff of home economics

Department of Home Economics established

1909

Martha Van Rensselaer received her A.B. from Cornell University

1911

First three students graduated from the Department of Home Economics

Martha Van Rensselaer and Flora Rose granted the first full professorships for women at Cornell

1912

Martha Van Rensselaer and Flora Rose voted members of the Cornell faculty and named co-directors of the Department of Home Economics in the College of Agriculture

1913

Department of Home Economics moved into its own building, called Comstock Hall, today the Computing & Communications Center

1914

Smith-Lever Act passed by United States Congress

1919

Department of Home Economics became the School of Home Economics within the New York State College of Agriculture

1922

Department of Hotel Administration established in the School of Home Economics

First M.S. in Home Economics awarded to Amy L. Hunter

1923

Martha Van Rensselaer named one of the twelve greatest women in the country by the League of Women Voters

1925

New York State College of Home Economics established at Cornell

Purnell Act made federal research funding available through 1930

1930

First Ph.D. in Home Economics at Cornell University awarded to Helen Canon

1932

Martha Van Rensselaer died

1933

College of Home Economics moved into Martha Van Rensselaer Hall

1936

Flemmie Kittrell awarded a Ph.D. in Home Economics, the first African American in the United States to earn such a degree

1940

Flora Rose retired and Mary Henry appointed acting director of the College

1941

Sarah Blanding appointed director of the College

1942

Sarah Blanding became the first female dean at Cornell

1944

Van Rensselaer and Rose Lectures established to bring distinguished women, such as Margaret Mead, to campus

1946

Sarah Blanding resigned to become first female president of Vassar College

Elizabeth Vincent appointed dean of the College

Home Economics Education became a department in the College

1947

First television broadcast planned and produced by the College of Home Economics

Catherine Personius, Head of the Department of Food and Nutrition, appointed coordinator of research and assistant director of Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station

1949

College of Home Economics became one of thirty-two constituent units of the State University of New York (SUNY)

1952

Mann Library opened, combining the libraries of the College of Agriculture and the College of Home Economics

1953

Elizabeth Vincent retired

Helen Canoyer became dean of the College

1954

The School of Hotel Administration separated from the College of Home Economics and became its own college, with H. B. Meek as dean

1955

Home Bureau Federation established

1958

Fifty-seven home economists from twenty countries gathered for the first time at the Institute and Workshop on International Education in Home Economics

1959

Flora Rose died

1960

Catherine Personius elected as the first female faculty trustee

1962

Television and Film Center completed

1963

Ghana Project established to assist women's education in Africa

1964

Home Economics International Activities Office established

1966

Head Start Program initiated

President's Committee to Study the College of Home Economics convened with Sara Blackwell as chair

1967

Final report of the President's Committee to Study the College of Home Economics submitted

1968

North Wing of Martha Van Rensselaer Hall dedicated

Dean Helen Canoyer retired

1969

David Knapp appointed dean

New York State College of Home Economics reorganized and renamed the New York State College of Human Ecology