Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1884-2008 (Creation)
Extent
3.42 linear feet (3 record boxes, 1 document case, 1 oversize box)
Name of creator
Administrative history
South Dakota State College was among the first five land-grant institutions to establish a formal department of Home Economics. Initially known as Domestic Economy when it began in 1885, the four-year curriculum offered scientific training alongside a liberal and practical education for young women, preparing them for leadership in home and family management.
By 1915, the department had been renamed Home Economics, following the passage of the Smith-Lever Act, and later expanded through the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917. These acts encouraged land-grant universities to broaden their outreach and service missions, resulting in significant growth for the department. Extension programs and formal education initiatives led to increased enrollment. Traditional coursework in nutrition, clothing, and design was augmented with hands-on training in home management and early childhood development. By the late 1920s, graduates were serving in public schools across South Dakota, significantly expanding the department’s influence.
The division remained largely unchanged until 1945, when the Department of Child Development was created. A year later, Technical Journalism was added. Graduate courses were introduced in 1952, and when South Dakota State College became South Dakota State University in 1962, the division was elevated to the College of Home Economics.
In the following decades, the college continued to evolve. A core curriculum was established in 1975, and in 1981, specialized programs were introduced to better prepare students for careers in education, extension, human services, and interior design. Reflecting broader national trends, the College of Home Economics was renamed the College of Family and Consumer Sciences in 1994, in response to recommendations from the American Home Economics Association.
For much of the late 20th century, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences offered interdisciplinary programs that prepared students for careers in family services, hospitality, apparel merchandising, interior design, and related fields. Programs emphasized the relationship between individuals, families, and their environments, and graduates were equipped for work in education, social services, business, and community development.
By 2009, the college structure began to shift. The College of Family and Consumer Sciences merged with the College of Education and Counseling to form the new College of Education and Human Sciences. Over the next decade, departments within the college were consolidated. In 2010, Health, Physical Education, and Recreation joined with Nutrition and Food Science to form the Department of Health and Nutritional Sciences. This department later merged with Consumer Sciences, and in 2022 became the School of Health and Consumer Sciences.
In July 2024, further restructuring led to the renaming of this unit as the School of Health and Human Sciences. At the same time, the Consumer Affairs program was transferred to the Ness School of Management and Economics, reflecting its alignment with financial planning and economic education.
Today, the original College of Family and Consumer Sciences no longer exists as an independent entity. Its programs live on through the School of Health and Human Sciences and the Ness School, reflecting a broader university strategy of interdisciplinary integration. These units continue to uphold the original mission of the home economics program—preparing students for professional roles that support families, communities, and individuals through applied science and service.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
The Family and Consumer Sciences Records document the development, administration, academic programming, and public engagement of the College of Home Economics and its successor, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, at South Dakota State University. Spanning the early 20th century through the college’s reorganization in the early 21st century, the records include curriculum materials, committee minutes, faculty resources, newsletters, brochures, workshop materials, program evaluations, and student organization records. Key topics include the establishment and evolution of the core curriculum, graduate programs, student and faculty achievements, and community outreach such as the SDSU Laboratory Preschool and the Brookings County Youth Mentoring Program.
Historical documentation includes comprehensive narrative histories compiled by faculty and alumni, alumni newsletters, and self-study reports. The collection also contains annual and biennial reports, federal reports submitted to the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and documentation of special initiatives such as nutrition education, early childhood development, and Native American student engagement. A large body of photographs—both loose and from dismantled scrapbooks—depict faculty, students, events, facilities, and departmental activities across decades.
Included are portraits of deans, building plans, program brochures, and thesis titles from across the United States, reflecting the college’s academic and national context. Records from the post-1990s period also trace the administrative transition of the college and its departments into broader units within SDSU, particularly the School of Health and Human Sciences and the Ness School of Management and Economics.
This collection documents the evolution of home economics education in South Dakota, particularly at a land-grant institution. As one of the earliest such programs in the nation, SDSU’s Department of Home Economics (later the College of Family and Consumer Sciences) played a pivotal role in expanding educational and professional opportunities for women, promoting applied science, and integrating academic programs with community service. The records provide valuable insight into changes in curriculum, pedagogy, gender roles, and public health priorities from the late 19th century through the early 21st century. They also chronicle the institutional reorganization and broader trends that led to the dissolution of the college and the integration of its programs into new interdisciplinary structures.
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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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
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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.