Saline County HEA 100th celebration
Since my first column, I have had some questions about what a land-grant university is and how it related to the formation of Homemakers Education Association. So this month I thought I would explain the connection and also list all of the former advisers. In the future, the columns will deal primarily with all things homemakers.
The Morrill acts of 1862 and 1890 created land-grant universities in each state. Federally controlled lands were granted to the states for the purpose of establishing land-grant colleges where agriculture, science, military science and engineering would be taught. This was in response to the Industrial Revolution and was a departure from the historic practice of higher education to focus on liberal arts-type curriculums. Most land-grant colleges eventually became large universities, which was also the case in Illinois. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is our land-grant university.
The Federal Smith Lever Act of 1914 created the Cooperative Extension Service. The role of Extension was (and still is) to be connected to the research base of the land-grant colleges and reach out to people over the state with information on agriculture, home economics, public policy/development and other related issues. So it was a natural progression for the farmers' institutes and household science groups to become affiliated with and served by Cooperative Extension.
Following is a list of the home economists who initially served with the title of home demonstration agent in 1918 and ended as county extension advisers - home economics in 1992. You will notice that in the beginning, many served very short terms. At some point, candidates could not be from the area. A couple came as single women, but married someone local, so names changed. One, Josephine Thompson, was married to a local attorney, and she apparently occasionally filled the vacancy until someone became available.
Genevieve A. Nolen (Nowlin) - 1918; Mrs. Emma Wright - 1919; Mrs. Julia Mottier Frank - 1922; Macena Kendall - 1923; Bernez C. Lowe - 1925; Mrs. Bessie Malone - 1926; Dora Pearcy - 1928; Mrs. Helen Taylor Butner - 1930; Mrs. Mary Oxborne Hubbard - 1936; Mrs. Josephine Thompson - 1941; Virginia Seidel - 1941; Mrs. Eva Fisher Kent - 1944; Mrs. Edith R. Small - 1945; Mrs. Josephine C. Thompson - 1945; Mrs. Mary E. Harper - 1946; Mrs. Lady Martin Hicks Hunt - 1957; Mrs. Dora Pearcy Capel - 1959; Mrs. Sharon Lindsay Tanner - 1965; Mrs. Lois E. Harder - 1974; Mrs. Kathy Green King - 1978; and Mrs. Sharon Lindsay Tanner - 1980-1992.
Due to funding issues, Illinois Extension Service restructured in 1992. Most counties were combined into units and county extension adviser positions in all subject matter areas were eliminated or centralized.
Extension home economists provided subject matter support to homemakers extension units through the years as one of their clientele groups. It was (and still is) a good way to get information out to people. The two organizations also worked together on a variety of community service efforts.
Homemakers Extension was always a separate group because Cooperative Extension did not, and could not, monitor membership criteria. This was due to Federal Affirmative Action guidelines. The working relationship between Cooperative Extension and HEA continues today. However, with no local extension home economist in the county since 1992, the subject matter support now comes mostly through distance learning and website information.