Interview with Ruth S. Allen, December 3, 1984

Interview Summary

Ruth S. Allen started as an assistant home demonstration agent, and later became acting chairman of the Home Demonstration Program of the UK College of Agriculture.
Originally from Pulaski County, she received her B.S. degree in home economics from the University of Kentucky. She did graduate work at the University of Wisconsin, the University of Georgia, and finally at UK. She also received a teacher's certificate in 1922 from Eastern State Teachers College in Richmond, Kentucky. She explains that three years of teaching experience, combined with her certificate, qualified her as a teacher for life, thus relieving the burden of expense to her parents for her future education.

Allen worked in Fayette County, Kentucky as a home demonstration agent from 1937 to 1943. She talks about her experiences in training youth and adults in home economics, and working with 4-H and adult clubs in cooperation with county extension agents to promote a unified program. Allen recalls her experiences as a field agent in 4-H Club work during World War Two and immediately afterward (1943-1946), and the changes made during this time. She talks about the major change involved in extending the field area from county to district. Allen worked as a district leader, but returned to work in Fayette County as a home demonstration agent from 1946 to 1956. In 1956 she became a supervisor of home agents. Allen also discusses the challenges her students faced as new home economics graduates.

Allen was acting chairman of the Home Economics Education of Extension Services from 1965 until 1967. She reminisces about some experiences that defined her work and made it rewarding for her, as well as some of the problems and successes of working up the ladder in her field. She also discusses the idea of having a home economics supervisor as well as an agricultural supervisor to foster cooperation, as well as increasing the length of time for someone to be in the county. She recalls receiving the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Home Economics Alumni Association.

Interview Keyword

Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service

Interview LC Subject

Allen, Ruth S. Allen, Ruth S.--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History University of Kentucky. Cooperative Extension Service

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