Interview with Janice Taylor Collins, January 30, 1985

Interview Summary

Janice Taylor Collins was "borned in Lee County, Kentucky, in which Beattyville is the county seat" in October 23, 1935. Her family moved to Lexington, Kentucky when she was four years old, and she received all of her education in Fayette County. Collins graduated from Lexington Junior High School and Lafayette High School. She received her B. S. Degree in Home Economics from the University of Kentucky in 1957. She began her career in Extension Services while at U.K., with a summer job as a dietician for the 4-H Department at the Summer Day Camp near the Quicksand Area in Breathitt County, Kentucky.

Collins went to Harlan County after graduation as Assistant Home Economics Agent-in-Training for four months, and transferred to Breathitt County as the Home Demonstration Agent from 1957 until 1966. She recalls the Area System began in 1966, so she became an Area Extension Specialist in Home Management from 1966-1967. From 1967-1971, Collins was Area Home Economics Agent in Breathitt County, then went to the Quicksand Area as Agent in Foods and Nutrition, which is her present position at the time of this interview. Collins describes the training of extension agents and thinks the young people today are not receiving the broad spectrum of experience and hands-on training today that she experienced. She recalls the many changes since she began her career in the areas of transportation, telephone service, water supply, and education. Collins talks about two important projects, home canning and clothing renovation, which were implemented at several of her positions. She discusses other educational programs she conducted in the areas of home gardening, commodity foods, financial management, nutrition, and beautification.

Collins discusses the role of the paraprofessionals and their one-to-one interaction with individual homemakers and work with the men in food production or development of skills for home industry. She remembers her work with the Eastern Kentucky Resource Development Project, the Area Extension Council, and 4-H Club. She talks about her family and their support of her career. She mentions her community activities.

Interview Keyword

Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service

Interview LC Subject

Collins, Janice Taylor, 1935- Collins, Janice Taylor, 1935- --Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History University of Kentucky. Cooperative Extension Service Agriculture

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