The South Dakota Home Economics Association was founded in November 1913 when Eva Dawes, the first home economics instructor at the University of South Dakota, was appointed by Dean Parish of the South Dakota Education Association to organize home economics teachers across the state. The inaugural meeting, held in Sioux Falls, was attended by 16 teachers, and Dawes served as the association’s first president for three years.
In 1994, following a nationwide survey by the American Home Economics Association recommending updated terminology, the organization was renamed the South Dakota Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
The association’s purpose is to advance education, science, and research in family and consumer sciences, establish professional standards, and provide leadership on social, economic, and psychological issues. It sponsors seminars and conferences and advocates for legislation aimed at improving home and family life.