The Idaho Home Economics Association (I.H.E.A.) was organized by a group of Home Economics teachers attending the North Central Teacher's Institute in 1922. On May 1, 1923, the group's application was officially accepted and the I.H.E.A., with a total of 66 members, was granted official affiliation with the American Home Economics Association (A.H.E.A.). The major goal of the Association was to improve living conditions in the home; improvement was pursued through the study of common problems, furthering curricula related to the home, improving home economics teacher instruction, publishing materials related to the field, and educating the public.
Initially, the Association extended membership opportunities to all interested parties but remained largely composed of active Home Economics teachers and students. A newsletter was initiated in 1926 to sustain interest in the I.H.E.A. Members of the state's three districts met annually for several days of workshops, presentations, and guest speakers that worked to further their cause. Active dialogue was maintained with the American Home Economics Association and Idaho delegates were often sent to its annual convention.
In 1994, the Idaho Home Economics Association changed its name to the Idaho American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (I.A.A.F.C.S.) in conjunction with the American Home Economics Association's name change to the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (A.A.F.C.S.).
The records of the Idaho Home Economics Association span the years 1920 to 1984, with the bulk of the material covering the years 1950 to 1980.
Included in the records are meeting minutes, newsletters, officer and committee lists, reports, financial records, constitutions, bylaws, directories, membership lists, correspondence, awards, programs, pictures, handbooks, brochures, public relations materials, and A.H.E.A. publications.
For additional materials, see the School of Family and Consumer Sciences Collection, UG 55, Box 13, which contains I.H.E.A. constitutions, manuals, bylaws, meeting minutes, and newsletters spanning the years 1947-1988. Of special interest, Historical Reflections, the history of the I.H.E.A. initiated by Norma Barnes and eventually completed by Florence Aller, is located in UG 55, Box 13, Folder 172.
Collection is open for research.
The records of the Idaho Home Economics Association were donated to the University of Idaho Library by Shirley Kiehn on February 14, 1985 (1985-08).
The records in this collection were in no apparent order when received. The bulk of the materials were originally in folders, during processing they were reorganized chronologically within their original grouping and placed in new folders.
The folders containing records associated with the governance of the I.H.E.A are located in Box 1, Folders 1-6 and include officer and committee lists, committee reports, special project reports, financial reports, constitutions, bylaws, bylaw revision proposals, and directories. The I.H.E.A.'s administrative materials are located in Box 1, Folders 7-19 and include newsletters, membership lists, membership summaries for Idaho, correspondence, awards received by the I.H.E.A., programs of work, mission statements, pamphlets, handouts, and an administrative assistant job description. Materials associated with the I.H.E.A.'s meetings and conferences are located in Box 1, Folders 20-26 and include meeting minutes, annual meeting programs, convention programs, correspondence, agendas, registration forms, a convention ribbon, newspaper clippings, and expense receipts.
The materials collected by I.H.E.A. historian Norma Barnes for the purpose of writing a history were donated back to the I.H.E.A. by Barnes in February 1977. Located in Box 2, Folders 1-2 they include: meeting minutes, budget reports, agendas, financial reports, correspondence, officer and appointee lists, handbooks, and newsletters. The materials collected by I.H.E.A. historian Florence Aller for the completion of the history initiated by Barnes are located in Box 2, Folder 3 and include pictures, negatives, and correspondence. American Home Economics Association materials are located in Box 2, Folders 4-5 and include official handbooks, supplements, reports, and a press kit. All duplicate documents were placed in a single folder at the end of the collection, in Box 2, Folder 6, for future exhibition.
The IHEA History scrapbook (UA 2013-06) was added to this collection in 2023 by Sara Szobody. It was removed from it's metal 3-ring binder but all papers and photographs were left in original order.
Author, Description or "Title" of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
Kellyn Younggren processed the records in April 2008. The Idaho Home Economics Association History scrapbook (UA 2013-06) was added to this collection in 2023 by Sara Szobody.