Ellen Swallow Richards

It is nearing the end of April and I have been busy visiting the AAFCS Affiliates.  Each affiliate has unique ways of celebrating the launch of the centennial and it is so rewarding to be a part of each of the celebrations. Joyce and Susan Shockey in Ohio enjoyed all the educational sessions. In Florida, we met in this wonderful historical hotel, the Belleview Biltmore  in Clearwater.  This proud old hotel  which is over 100 years old is now on the National Register of Historic Places and will undergo a multimillion dollar rennovation over the next 4 years.   This historic place was so appropriate for Florida to launch their AAFCS Centennial Celebrations for the next year.

While I was at the Felker Leadership Conference at Purdue University, we were treated with a wonderful display of many of the items from the Archives from Clabber Girl Corporation in Terre Haute, Indiana.  Clabber Girl purchased Rumford Baking Company in 1950 and they currently maintain an excellent museum about the Clabber Girl history, and now they are adding the Rumford archives, too.  Their exhibit was a complement to my speech where I shared my experiences with the Rumford Kitchen at the Chicago World’s Fair. Many of the people in the audience did not know of the history of this company that is over 100 years old.

I have just returned home from my Spring Tour, visiting in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Ohio and Indiana.  In all these states, I visited with Family and Consumer Sciences professionals who are celebrating our 100th Anniversary this year and next.  They have so many activities planned and displays organized to honor each of their state histories.  There were college students at each location, too, and their excitement to hear of the past was contagious.  I heard many RICH CONVERSATIONS about why these professionals chose their life’s work, and what they had accomplished was amazing.  I listened with a keen ear as they talked about securing the future with their gifts to the AAFCS Centennial Challenge Campaign.  At Purdue University, I shared the stage with a professor, Fred Whitford, who had written a book about Virginia Meredith.  Virginia was a presenter at one of the Lake Placid Conferences.  Her remarkable career was highlighted by this very well-written book.  I am home for a few days to catch my breath before traveling off to Florida to meet with their affiliate.