Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1904-1993 (Creation)
Extent
4.13 linear feet (3 records boxes, 2 document cases, 1 oversize box)
Name of creator
Biographical history
Ethel Austin was born on July 14, 1893, in Storm Lake, Iowa, to George and Evaline Austin. Her family moved to Brookings, South Dakota, in 1902, where she completed grade school and high school. She graduated from South Dakota State College (SDSC) in 1916, later earning a second bachelor’s degree (1919) and a master’s degree (1923) from Columbia University. In 1955, SDSC awarded her an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
Martin began her career teaching high school in Faulkton, South Dakota (1916–1918), and later taught home economics and nutrition at several institutions, including Texas State College, the University of Illinois (1923–1924), the University of Chicago (1925–1929), and Northwestern University (1957–1959). From 1929 to 1951, she served as director of nutrition services for the National Dairy Council, where she launched its research program and nutrition education initiatives.
An accomplished author, Martin published numerous technical works and co-authored three university-level textbooks, including Nutrition in Action and Nutrition Education in Action. In 1949, she was the only woman delegate among ten U.S. representatives to the 11th International Dairy Congress in Stockholm. She also served on the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Advisory Committee (1950–1960) and held leadership roles in the Chicago Nutrition Association and Chicago Board of Health.
In retirement, Martin remained actively engaged in advancing nutrition education. She and her husband, Dr. Edward Moss Martin, established an endowment for the Ethel Austin Martin Chair of Human Nutrition at South Dakota State University to support visiting professorships and lectureships. Her goal was to promote a multidisciplinary understanding of nutrition.
Dr. Edward Martin, a civic reform advocate in Illinois, passed away in 1985. Ethel Austin Martin died on September 11, 1993, in Chicago at the age of 100. On her 99th birthday, she was named a Fellow of the Society for Nutrition Education.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
The Ethel Austin Martin Papers span her personal life, academic background, professional career, and enduring legacy in the field of nutrition. The collection includes correspondence, publications, autobiographical writings, oral history transcripts, photographs, ephemera, awards, and memorabilia. It documents her education from elementary school through graduate studies at Columbia University, her work as an educator and director of nutrition services at the National Dairy Council, and her authorship of several widely used nutrition textbooks. Also included are materials related to her professional affiliations, recognitions, and involvement in national and international conferences. A significant portion of the collection relates to her long-standing relationship with South Dakota State University, particularly her efforts to establish the Ethel Austin Martin Program in Human Nutrition. Items such as diplomas, certificates, calling cards, and a blanket worn in the first Hobo Day parade help illuminate her personal story, while her correspondence and writings reflect her contributions to nutrition education and public health.
Ethel Austin Martin was a nationally recognized leader in nutrition education and public health. As director of nutrition services at the National Dairy Council, she helped shape national nutrition programming. Her influence extended through her textbooks, professional service, and advocacy. This collection is of particular value to researchers studying 20th-century nutrition education, women in science, public health outreach, and South Dakota State University's institutional history. The papers offer insights into both her professional impact and personal legacy, especially her dedication to fostering human nutrition education through the endowed chair at SDSU.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
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Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use. .sdstate.edu/sdsu-archives-and-special-collections/researcher-registration-form)
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Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
Reproduction of materials from the collection is subject to the following conditions:
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Languages of the material
English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Immediate source of acquisition
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Accruals
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
UA 24 Ethel Austin Martin Program in Human Nutrition
Related descriptions
Notes element
General note
Copyright and Use Statement
In Copyright This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use.
Specialized notes
Alternative identifier(s)
Description control element
Rules or conventions
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Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Martin, Ethel Austin (Subject)