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NYSNC History 
1937A meeting was held at the New York State College of Home Economics at Cornell University to discuss cooperation between home economists and nutritionists working in state agencies. This was the period just before the Second World War when there was a growing awareness of the importance of good nutrition for the national welfare. For many years a program of food and nutrition education had been carried on by the State College and the State Departments of Education, Welfare and Health. Workers in these agencies were scattered all over the state and then as now their headquarters were widely separated. Often communication and coordination of effort were difficult. 1938 As a result of the informal meeting in 1937, the New York State Conference Committee was formed to provide a means whereby representatives of state agencies having programs which reach into communities could be brought into active cooperation in order to perform six major functions. These were to:
The first New York State Nutrition Conference was conducted at the New York State College of Home Economics at Cornell University. Approximately 250 people attended, including physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, social workers, teachers of nutrition and health education, extension workers and lay members of boards of non-official agencies. Representatives assembled from ten states and several foreign countries. The American Red Cross sent a nutritionist from each of six states. The conference lasted 5 1/2 days, with meetings from 8:30 to 5:00 and most evenings. Topics addressed new research, how to reach people, nutrition of the school child, nutrition notions, how families spend their money, health aspects. These conferences have been held almost every year since that time. In the beginning all of them were held at Cornell until 1953 when it was decided to ask Cornell to sponsor the meetings every other year and to go to other localities to reach special interest groups on alternate years. Institutes have been held at the University of Rochester, University of Buffalo, Plattsburgh State Teachers College, New York State Rehabilitation Hospital at West Haverstraw, and this year at Sterling-Winthrop Research Institute at Rensselaer on "Nutrition and Industry". 1940 The President of the United States called the first National Nutrition Conference to emphasize nutrition in the national defense program and to highlight the scientific aspects of nutrition. As a consequence, organization of state and local nutrition committees across the nation was greatly accelerated; these committees became a vital factor in the defense program. When the Chairman of the National Advisory Committee requested Land-Grant Colleges to form state nutrition committees, Dean Ladd at Cornell requested the state Nutrition Conference Committee to function as such and allocated Federal money to employ an executive secretary. Within a short time the State Defense Coordinator recognized the Committee as a cooperating agency of the State Defense Council with state funds for its activities. 1941 - 1943 The Office of War Nutrition Services was established and members of the several agencies' staff were transferred to the new unit. This agency took over the former relations with local nutrition committees, as a majority of them were absorbed in their local war councils. An active program was organized throughout the state by the Emergency Food Administration. The State Nutrition Committee continued to hold its meetings to consider matters of interagency interest and the best way to contribute most effectively in the furtherance of the state program. 1944-1945 No conferences were held in 1944 or 1945 because of travel and housing difficulties. From the onset, the work of the New York State Nutrition Committee was a cooperative undertaking. Active participants had been representatives from the American Red Cross, New York State Charities Aid Association, New York State Education Department, New York State Extension Service, Farmers Home Administration, New York City Departments (Education, Health, Welfare), New York State Department of Health, New York State Department of Labor, New York State Department of Mental Hygiene, New York State Department of Social Welfare. Many benefits to the health of the people of New York State resulted from the work of this committee. The exchange between professional personnel was in itself been of immeasurable value. Concrete results were noted in the subcommittee reports which ranged from improvement of the nutritive quality of bread in the mental institutions to sponsoring the provision of such bread in the community; pooling of personnel for teaching in timely programs such as lay group classes in emergency periods, and the encouragement of high standards of professional preparation in nutrition. In times of defense, war and food shortages the committee proved its worth as each time its group strength has been called upon. The titles of some of the subcommittees serve to illustrate the wide interest in and influence on nutrition in its broad sense:
Our Nation now being the world pivot it is, will need a program in nutrition which will include all phases from attention to the sources of food supply to mass feeding facilities for civilians. The State Nutrition Committee should again prove of vital importance in such service. 1946 - 1953 After the war ended, the Committee returned to its first purpose - that of serving as an avenue of communication between official and voluntary agencies. It also gave great support to the conservation effort culminating in the second Food Commission for sending food to Europe. Two nutrition committee meetings were held each year, one at the time of the annual institute, and the other in mid-winter, usually in cooperation with the Food and Nutrition Council of Greater New York. In the 1953 revision of the Governing Policies the name was changed to New York State Nutrition Council as being more descriptive of the activities. 1953 - 1961 "It is interesting to note differences from the situation in 1939. Even though we all wish there were more nutritionists, the group has grown, and each official agency has increased both its staff and its coverage of area where problems exist. The State Department of Mental Hygiene has recognized the importance of adequate nutrition with an extremely competent staff; school lunch has become an integral part of the educational program instead of a volunteer effort; the national income has increased and food supplies have improved so that it is possible for more families to be adequately feed, and we now talk about overfeeding rather than underfeeding. In local communities not all nutrition committees have continued as a formal group, but it is taken for granted that interested agencies and organizations work together on matters of common interest. It is hard to realize that twenty years ago it was commonplace that the reverse was true. We are still concerned over civil defense and hold ourselves ready to function as a coordinating group that can serve the State in an emergency or whenever needed. Over the United States there are various kinds of Nutrition Committees established to meet the needs of the particular state or group. Periodically over the years we have reviewed our own purposes and membership, but continue to feel that what we have is sound for us. Until circumstances cause a change we shall continue to serve as an avenue of communication and cooperation between nutritionists and other workers on related problems in official and voluntary agencies, privately supported educational institutions and interested individuals working in the field." G. Dorothy Williams Historian February 2,1961 1961- 1965 The New York State Nutrition Council continued to function as a medium of communication among the official and voluntary agencies concerned with nutrition education in New York State. Membership in the Council was drawn from official and voluntary agencies, professional organizations and the faculties of state and private colleges, universities and technical institutes interested in nutrition. Each agency was represented by 3 members and each professional organization or educational institution by one, all appointed by the Director or President of the respective agency or institution to serve as its official representatives. Individuals who have nutrition interests were asked to join the group upon recommendation by the membership committee and approval by the Executive Board. The Council was strengthened by the advice and assistance of three Advisory Members, Dr. Catherine Personius and Dr. Richard H. Barnes of Cornell and Dr. John Browe of the New York State Department of Health. Dr. Leonard Maynard was designated an honorary member in recognition of his support and encouragement of the Council in its early days and of his outstanding contribution to the science of nutrition. Miss May McDonald and Miss Marguerite Queneau, former chairman, were given honorary membership by the Council. In 1962 the Graduate School of Nutrition in cooperation with the New York State Colleges of Agriculture and Home Economics assumed complete responsibility for a Nutrition Institute to be held on alternate years. The Council planned an institute at another educational institution or conducted an institute, as the "Nutrition in Industry" institute at Sterling-Winthrop in 1961. There was no formal institute in 1963 but an interesting international session with reports from 2 Council members of programs in Africa and Japan was combined with the Annual Business Meeting held at Syracuse University. The 1965 Nutrition Institute was held at the State University Agricultural and Technical Institute at Morrisville. The Institute was planned for the graduates of two-year colleges in Food Administration. The "Nutrition Councilor" was another means devised to communicate with leaders in State affairs and with individuals throughout the state who have an interest in nutrition. It was sent twice a year to a mailing list of 300, which includes libraries, editors of women's pages of newspapers, chairmen of nutrition committees, faculties of food and nutrition departments of colleges and technical institutes and others. The Council operates through its Executive Committee, standing and special committees which report at the 2 regular meetings of the entire group. Standing committees are: Membership, Public Relations, Program, Nominating and Governing Policies. Special committees are appointed for a special purpose and to serve a specified time. At present there are four: Library, Nutrition for Aging, Nutrition for Youth and Relationship with Local Nutrition Committees. 1973 At the mid-winter meeting in New York City a topic of interest to all groups is explored and a "share and compare" session is held to bring out our similarities and differences in emphasis. It has been possible to obtain recognition from the American Dietetic Association for the educational value of these meetings toward the continuing education credit for registered dietitians. The Nutrition Council operates only on the state level. Ideally the same kind of cooperation between agencies goes on in local communities. During the Second World War a determined effort was made to establish nutrition committees in each of the up-state counties and larger cities and on Long Island. Some of these have continued to be active and others come to life when a special need arises. "Problems vary from agency to agency. Budget cuts, increased pressures from competing interests, changing life styles, new and challenging educational tools all create a constant need for adapting programs, developing new techniques and new ways of reaching people. There is increasing need for developing the opportunity for communication and cooperation furthered by the Nutrition Council. This makes it possible for workers in official and voluntary agencies and privately supported educational institutions to work together toward helping to improve the nutrition and health of the people of New York State." G. Dorothy Williams Historian January 1973 |
