Minnesota Extension

Home Economics

Past and Present

1884 to 1993

Acknowledgements

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The author is indebted to many persons for completion of Minnesota Extension Home Economics Past and Present: 1884 to 1993 and especially wishes to thank the following for their assistance . . .

• Keith McFarland, chair of the History of College of Human Ecology Committee, who encouraged me to write this.
  
  
• Patrick Borich, director of the University of Minnesota Extension Service, for financial support and appointment of Extension personnel to edit and publish the history.
  
  
• Jennifer Obst and Karen Burke in the Extension Educational Development System.
  
  
• Nancy Goodman, Creative Communications, for editing and design.
  
  
• David Hansen and Donald Breneman in the Educational Development System, for photography assistance.
  
  
• Roland Abraham, for information used from his publication, Helping People Help Themselves-Agricultural Extension in Minnesota: 1879-1979, and for editing of historical text.
  
  
• Harlund Routhe, for editing of program content and suggestions for a summary statement, "Key Historical Factors in Success of Extension Home Economics."
  
  
• Inga Johnson, University of Minnesota Personnel Office, for assistance and access to personnel records.
  
  
• Rosella Qualey, for personal support, historical information and editing of copy.
  
  
• Verna Mikesh and Irene Ott, for editing of copy.
  
  
• Penelope Krosch, for assistance with historical information in Walter Library archives.
  
  
• Shirley Anne Ylinen, Home Economics Program Secretary, Ramsey County Extension Office, for assistance with cover design ideas.
  
  
• Current and retired state and county extension personnel who provided information on significant program and research effort.
  
  
• My husband, Kermit, for support and consideration of the time I spent on searching, collecting, writing and rewriting, and his patience and understanding as I learned to use my new computer to complete this project.

About the Author

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Evelyn Hutson was born in 1922 in Warrensburg, Missouri, where she lived with her parents until she completed high school in 1939 and college in 1943. While in high school, she worked as a high school librarian and telephone operator for a local delivery service. While in college, she worked as a waitress to pay her college expenses. In 1943 she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational Home Economics at Central Missouri State Teachers College in Warrensburg. Following graduation she taught high school home economics at Pleasant Hill, Missouri, four years and at Benton High School, St. Joseph, Missouri, two years.

Her Extension career began in 1949 when she joined the Maryland Extension Service, where she served as Assistant Home Demonstration Agent in Frederick County, Frederick, Maryland, for four years, and Home Demonstration Agent in Alleghany County, Cumberland, Maryland, for one year. In Maryland she married Louis Quesenberry. After her daughter Susan was born, she was divorced and moved to Indiana to accept a position in the Indiana Cooperative Extension Service as Home Demonstration Agent in Monroe County, at Bloomington. After four years in that position, she joined the state 4-H club staff at Purdue University where she served for nine years as Assistant in 4-H club work, with statewide responsibility.

Evelyn interrupted her career twice for graduate study. She received a fellowship in 1959-1960 and again in 1965-1968 to study at the University of Wisconsin in the National Extension Center for Advanced Study, funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. She received a Master's degree in 1960 in cooperative extension administration with a minor in leadership development and, in 1968, a Ph.D. in cooperative extension administration with a minor in adult education.

Evelyn and her daughter Susan moved to Minnesota in December 1967, when Evelyn accepted the position of Program Director, Home Economics, Family Living, in the Agricultural Extension Service (now Minnesota Extension Service). She was in this position until she retired in September 1982. Shortly after her retirement, she married Kermit N. McDonald and now enjoys her expanded family of four daughters and their spouses, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She and her husband live in Roseville, Minnesota, a St. Paul suburb.

During her 33 years in Extension, Evelyn had a number of state and national assignments in extension administration, home economics education and community organizations. Her assignments included: American Home Economics Association (program chair and nominating committee); Minnesota Home Economics Association (vice president and president); member of executive board of the Association of Home Economics Administrators; vice chair and chair of North Central Home Economics Administrators; chair of the Commission on Home Economics in the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges; and chair, Minnesota Nutrition Council.

Introduction

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This history traces Extension Home Economics programs from early beginnings in 1858 to 1993. Home Economics is one of four major subject matter areas in Extension. Others are Agriculture, 4-H Youth Development and Community Resource Development. There is much cooperation and coordination between program areas at county, district, state and federal levels. This history is focused on home economics, even though much time, effort, and leadership of extension home economists has been devoted to 4-H club work and considerable time spent on coordination with agriculture and community resource development programs.

The success of Extension is the result of funding and programming at county, district, state, and federal levels. County extension staff members are vital links for Extension programs for families at the local level. Statewide leadership is provided by district and state staff members. County extension educators work with local clientele to assess program needs and develop extension programs for their counties. State subject matter specialists provide research, subject matter, and methodology to support county program efforts.

Through the years, Extension has undergone many changes in funding, staffing, and programming and has been intertwined with many "outside" and "inside" groups including the College of Human Ecology, College of Agriculture, and other colleges and departments of the University of Minnesota as well as outstate colleges and organizations. Many programs were possible only as a result of coordination with a vast array of professional, administrative, educational, public, and private organizations and groups.

This history is not all-inclusive. It is an attempt to outline educational program content, progression, growth, and change of Extension Home Economics over the years through the efforts of many professional, dedicated extension workers and loyal, competent volunteers.

I am indebted to many current and former extension personnel. Early reports and histories of Extension Home Economics provided background of early years. Annual extension reports, plans of work, newsletters, questionnaires, and dialog with extension personnel provided additional information. Personal experience of 33 years in Extension (14 in Minnesota) provided additional insight for completion of this history.

It has been a frustrating, exciting, interesting, and enriching experience to explore the many years of Extension Home Economics in Minnesota. I am grateful to the many extension professionals who worked with me, preceded me, and followed me in the Minnesota Extension Service. They have touched, taught and changed the lives of scores of individuals and families who have participated in extension home economics programs.

Evelyn (Quesenberry) McDonald
Professor Emeritus, Program Director,
     Home Economics/Family Living 1969-1982
Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota

Foreword

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This history of Extension Home Economics in Minnesota spans over 85 years of extension work, detailing its progress from the early homemakers' groups to the multi-faceted programs of the present.

Extension Home Economics is part of the largest informal education system in the world, a unique partnership of federal and local governments and the land-grant universities. Here in our state, it has been a strong and integral part of the Minnesota Extension Service (formerly the Agricultural Extension Service), known, respected, and relied upon from its beginnings in this land-grant university.

The underlying theme of this book is education of individuals and families through practical experience in their homes and communities. As their needs changed, our educational programs changed to address them, making Extension Home Economics a continuing and increasingly valuable resource to people across the state. With this proud tradition and background, extension educators today continue to address the needs of families with more complex and diverse problems and issues than ever before.

The author, Evelyn Quesenberry McDonald, played a major role in shaping and directing Home Economics extension programs during a critical period. From 1967 to 1982, she served as State Leader, Home Economics Education (later, Assistant Director, Home Economics/Family Living). We are pleased that Dr. Quesenberry McDonald continues her important contributions in the form of this history.

Patrick J. Borich, Dean and Director
Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota
February 1994

Photographs on this page and in parts 7 and 8 are by Don Breneman. All other photographs are from files and archives of Extension Home Economics.

Produced by Communication and Educational Technology Services, University of Minnesota Extension.

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