Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Title
Date(s)
- 1904-1993 (Accumulation)
Extent
4.13 linear feet (3 records boxes, 2 oversize boxes)
Name of creator
Biographical history
Ethel Austin was born July 14, 1893, in Storm Lake, Iowa to George and Evaline Austin. Her family moved to Brookings, South Dakota in 1902. She attended grade school and high school in Brookings. She graduated from South Dakota State College in Brookings in 1916. She received a second bachelor's degree (1919) and a master's degree from Columbia University in New York (1923). In 1955, she received an honorary doctor of science degree from South Dakota State College.
After graduation from South Dakota State College in 1916 Ethel taught high school at Faulkton, South Dakota from 1916 to 1918. Over a period of years, she taught home economics and nutrition at Texas State College, the University of Illinois, Urbana (1923-1924), the University of Chicago (1925-1929), and was Visiting Associate Professor at Northwestern University (1957-1959). From 1929 until 1951, she was the director of nutrition services for the National Dairy Council, where she had the opportunity to start the organization's research program and initiate nutrition education publications. After her retirement, she turned to writing. In addition to numerous technical publications, she authored three university-level textbooks in nutrition including a revision of "Robert's Nutrition Work with Children," "Nutrition in Action," and "Nutrition Education in Action."
She was one of ten U.S. delegates appointed by the State Department to the 11th International Dairy Congress in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1949. She was the only woman delegate to the entire Congress. She was appointed to the USDA's Food and Nutrition Advisory Committee between 1950 and 1960.
She served as president and board member for the Chicago Nutrition Association and she was a member of the Advisory Committee to the Nutrition section of the Chicago Board of Health. She was awarded the title Fellow of the Society for Nutrition Education on her 99th birthday.
During of her life, Martin devoted herself to planning, guiding and consulting on the Ethel Austin Margin Chair of Human Nutrition at South Dakota State University. In preparation for the chair professorship, she and her husband established an endowment fund to support an ongoing program of visiting professorships and distinguished lectureships in human nutrition. Her vision was to generate an understanding of the importance of nutrition to all pertinent disciplines of the university.
She married Dr. Edward Moss Martin in 1924. Dr. Martin was a former director of public affairs for the Union League Club of Chicago and led efforts to promote civic and judicial reform in Illinois. Edward Martin died in 1985. Ethel Austin Martin died, Saturday, September 11, 1993 in Chicago, Illinois.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
This series is composed of articles and books by Ethel Austin Martin, transcripts, correspondence, ephemera, awards, and photographs. The articles include publications created by Ethel Austin Martin during her time as director of nutrition services for the National Dairy Council. The books include a copy of the various editions and reprints for r topics include memories of her career, research, and family. The "Nutrition in Action" and "Roberts' Nutrition Work with Children," which also includes a galley proof. The transcripts are from an interview conducted by John E. Miller in 1989. These are Martin's reminiscences of her time growing up in Brookings and Bruce, South Dakota as well as her time at South Dakota Agricultural College. Topics about the college include Presidents, Hobo Day, Literary Societies, campus buildings, campus activities, sports, buildings, and individuals she had contact with, including Hubert Mathieu, Hubert Mathew, and N.E. Hansen, among others. Othe audio cassettes for these transcripts were not included with this donation.
There is a fairly large amount of correspondence included with this collection. Most of this is between Ethel Austin Martin and South Dakota State University officials and pertain to the establishment of the Ethel Austin Martin Program in Human Nutrition. Also included is correspondence from friends and associates on the occasion of Ethel Austin Martin's 100th birthday, and letters pertaining to professional appointments. Also found in this collection is material related to her education; such as grade reports from elementary school to college, diplomas, and a teaching certificate, awards presented to Martin, and material related to her marriage to Edward Martin; such as their marriage license, photographs, and a memory book. Also included is ephemera related to her life in college including club membership pins, a college graduation pin from 1916, calling cards, and a blanket worn by Ethel Austin Martin during first Hobo Day parade at South Dakota State College in 1912. The photographs include images of Martin's marriage, her youth, her retirement from the National Dairy Council, and the signing ceremony of the memorandum of agreement with South Dakota State University establishing the endowment for the Program in Human Nutrition.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
This collection is open to researchers without restrictions.
The materials in the Archives do not circulate and may be used in-house only.
Researchers conducting extensive research are asked to make an advance appointment to access archival material. Please call or e-mail prior to visiting the collection and indicate as much detail as possible about a particular topic and intended use.
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
South Dakota State University supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted as a result of their fragile condition or by contractual agreements with donors.
Languages of the material
- English