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Written by Dr. Frances Shipley
Name Changes | Landmark Achievements | Applied Laboratory Experiences |
Departmental Home | Programs Meet High Standards
June 13, 1906 marked the opening of Northwest Normal School in Maryville, Missouri. Hettie Margaret Anthony was employed in 1908 to begin the Domestic Science programs at Northwest and thus began the historic evolution of the academic department that is now known as Family and Consumer Sciences. Ms. Anthony opened the department in 1908 with one student. In Fall 2008 the department enrolled 175 majors who were taught by 6 regular full-time faculty and 5 adjunct faculty members, offering four different specialized majors.
The 100 year history reveals many changes and many achievements for the department. The department has been chaired by five different department chairs. After assuming her duties in 1908 Ms. Anthony continued as chair of the department until 1948. Dr. June Cozine, a former student of Ms. Anthony’s assumed the administrative responsibilities and served as chair from 1948 – 1955. Ms. Mabel Cook, also a former student of Ms. Anthony’s became department chair in 1955 and served the department until her retirement in 1971. Dr. Margaret Briggs, a native of Nebraska and a graduate of the Teacher’s College, Columbia University chaired the department from 1971 – 1978, at which time she moved to Montana State University, Bozeman Montana. Dr. Frances Shipley, a former student of Ms. Cook’s and a baccalaureate graduate of Northwest, assumed responsibility for chairing the department in Fall of 1978 and will retire from that position June 30, 2008. Dr. Shipley will complete a 40 year tenure with the department at that time.
During Ms. Anthony’s tenure she witnessed institutional name changes from Northwest Normal School to Northwest Missouri State Teachers College and then to Northwest Missouri State College. In 1972 Northwest was renamed Northwest Missouri State University.
Like the University our current Family and Consumer Sciences Department has experienced changes in its name, beginning as Domestic Science in 1908, the name soon changed to Home Economics, as the American Home Economics Association was established and Home Economics became the recognized name for the profession. The profession began to develop many specialized programs during the 1970s and the focus on the home no longer seemed to adequately encompass the specialized programs, many higher education colleges and departments began to change their names. In 1990 the department at Northwest followed the University of Missouri’s lead and changed the name to Human Environmental Sciences.
Following the change of AHEA to American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences in 1994, the department again requested a name change and in 2000 the Board of Regents approved Family and Consumer Sciences as the name for the department.
The department has experienced many landmark achievements, providing a rich heritage over the past 100 years. Kappa Omicron Phi National Honor Society was founded at Northwest in 1922, and Alpha Chapter at Northwest became the founding chapter, with Ms. Hettie Anthony taking the lead from of a suggestion made by a student in her class, Mabel Cook, that “we should have a club.” The Golden Anniversary Conclave of Kappa Omicron Phi was held on the Northwest Campus in 1972, commemorating the founding and growth achieved by Kappa Omicron Phi. In 1990 through leadership efforts of Kappa Omicron Phi and Omicron Nu, the two national honor societies merged to become Kappa Omicron Nu, and the chapter at Northwest was again recognized as one of the founding chapters and was designated the Kappa Alpha Chapter.
The first home management house became a reality at Northwest in 1939. In 1920 when Ms. Anthony began to promote the idea of a home management house for practical application of theories, there were less than six such laboratories in the United States. Home Management Laboratories soon became the capstone experience for students majoring in home economics and remained a major curricular component until the 1970s.
A new brick house was designed and built in 1962 under the leadership of Ms. Mabel Cook. This structure was named in honor of Mabel Cook. In 1987 the curriculum in home management had evolved to focus on family and consumer decision-making related to the professional roles graduates were assuming in assisting families. The management laboratory activities became more community and service focused and the department was no longer using the house as a residential laboratory. At that time the house became the Mabel Cook Admissions Center.
Likewise, laboratories in all areas were an important curricular focus for Home Economics programs and in 1968 under the leadership of Mabel Cook the Early Childhood Center was established to provide opportunities for students to have applied experiences in studying the development of children. Peggy Miller, a 1968 graduate of the Northwest Home Economics teacher education program, was brought back to campus as the lead teacher for that laboratory in 1969. This laboratory originally established on 9th street was moved to Brown Hall in 1986. Dr. Miller retired as director of this program in January 2002. Under the direction of Susan Baker accreditation by the National Association for Education of Young Children was awarded in Fall of 2005.
Once the Administration Building was completed and opened October 3, 1910, the Home Economics department was provided space in the Northeast wing of third floor. Today the entire East wing and center hall rooms provide the space for Family and Consumer Sciences Department. The Family and Consumer Sciences area in the East wing was one of the few areas to survive the devastating Administration Building fire in July 1979. Following the fire and with the help of the Faculty Dames the four classrooms in the East wing were ready for the opening of classes in August. The faculty offices were moved to the Mabel Cook Home Management House and classes not requiring laboratories were taught in other buildings on campus. Until the repair and restoration of the Administration Building, three years later the department was the sole resident of the building. The department was restored to the decor established in the early 70’s and experienced few changes until the main lounge area now designated as Heritage Hall was redecorated in 2004.
The Family and Consumer Sciences Department was also an early adopter of the new Accreditation opportunity provided by AHEA in 1974 and became one of the early programs to achieve the new accreditation in 1975. The programs in the department have been accredited continuously since that time, completing four Self Studies and Site Visits. The fourth and most current accreditation was achieved in 2005. The programs in the department will again stand for reaccreditation in 2014.
Approval for a Dietetics program was achieved under the direction of Ms. Corinne Mitchell in 1982. Under the guidance of Dr. Jenell Ciak, the Didactic Dietetics Program was granted initial accreditation for Dietetics Education, August 2007, by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE). Dietetics has become the fastest growing program in the department.
The Child and Family Studies major was approved by the National Council of Family Relations for the abbreviated application process for Certified Family Life Educator. This approval process was championed by Dr. Patricia Gross, Assistant Professor of Child and Family Studies and the approval was achieved in 2002.
The achievement of these accreditations speaks to the quality of educational programs that the department provides and the ability of the department to adjust programs and curriculum to meet the current needs to prepare professionals in the areas of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Over the century the Northwest Alumna Association has recorded 2,156 graduates of the department, with 1,753 currently active alums. Graduates of this department have been credited with many successes, holding positions as Vice Presidents and Provosts in higher education and positions as CEOs in the business world. The fine reputations of our graduates is our greatest achievement. The agility and vitality of programs to remain dynamic to current societal needs leads toward a promising future for the Family and Consumer Sciences Department at Northwest Missouri State University.
For more information contact:
Family and Consumer Sciences
Northwest Missouri State University
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468-6001
Phone: 660.562.1168
E-mail: dfravel@nwmissouri.edu