Human Ecology Historical Photographs
About this collection
This collection from the New York State College of Home Economics records includes over fourteen hundred photographs of students and faculty, buildings and scenes that portray the College of Human Ecology, formerly the College of Home Economics, from its founding in 1900 through 1969.
The photographs were taken by Cornell photographers for use by the College, many taken by John P. Troy. They are organized by general subjects: Resident Teaching; International, National, State, and Local Public Relations; All-College Activities; Administration and Personnel; Departments and Divisions; Buildings and Equipment; History of the College; and Miscellaneous. Within any particular general subject category, there are more specific topics, e.g. "Resident Teaching" includes "Students and Student Life," "Homemaking Apartments," and "Apartment Babies." The photographs were digitized in 1997 by Cornell University Media Services, in preparation for the College's Centennial in 2001.
Historical context
Home economics at Cornell began as part of the Extension Service in 1900, with the Farmers' Wives Reading Course, supported by Liberty Hyde Bailey (Dean of the College of Agriculture) and implemented by Martha Van Rensselaer. In 1903-1904, Van Rensselaer, Bailey, and Anna Botsford Comstock gave three courses within the College of Agriculture relating to home and family life. In 1907, Bailey decided to create a Department of Home Economics, headed by Martha Van Rensselaer and Flora Rose, who were appointed to professorships (the first for women at Cornell) in 1911. The department became a school in 1919, and, in 1925, the first state-chartered College of Home Economics in the country. Martha Van Rensselaer and Flora Rose were named co-directors. In 1969, the College of Home Economics became the New York State College of Human Ecology.
The records of the New York State College of Home Economics at Cornell University document the history of the College, and its activities, events, and personalities. The collection, housed in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections of the Cornell Library, includes administrative records and correspondence 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 and II, defense and relief committees; student and alumni activities; extension and outreach work; College committees and activities including the Farmers' Institute, Farm and Home Week, Honors, and Home Economics Institutes; and blueprints, sketches, and samples relating to the construction of Martha Van Rensselaer Hall.
Using the collection
For questions about the collection, contact rareref@cornell.edu.
More information
- Collection steward
- Evan Earle, Peter J. Thaler University Archivist
- Metadata creation
- Cornell University Library; Brinna Michael, Visual Resources Metadata Librarian; Babette Hodis, Cataloging Associate
- Funding
- Francille Firebaugh, Dean of the College of Human Ecology
- Credits
- This collection overview was prepared by Eileen Keating, College of Human Ecology archivist, in December 2024.
- Collection sources
- Exhibits featuring items from this collection