About

The story of the Extension Education Club Program in Texas began many years ago. Although the program has undergone several name changes since the first club was organized, the main purpose for its existence has remained the same—continuing education for women.

In 1912, Mrs. Edna Westbrook Trigg was appointed as the first Texas home demonstration agent. First, she worked with farm girls and later with their mothers, teaching them how to grow, prepare, and can tomatoes. By 1914 and 1915, Tomato Clubs were organized in most counties in the United States so rural women could meet and learn skills to improve the family and community in which they lived. The club members in turn agreed to pass on to others what they learned in club work. From this early beginning, clubs have relied heavily on lesson outlines and demonstrations. These resources enable club members to teach others. The 1917 report indicated that women in home demonstration clubs, as they were called, held regular meetings to demonstrate canning and drying of fruits and vegetables, preserving poultry, bread making, producing winter gardens, and making butter.

While home demonstration work was underway in Texas, efforts were being made to pass national legislation in support of Extension work in agriculture and home economics. The final passage of the Smith-Lever Act in 1914, established the Cooperative Extension Service. In 1915, the Texas legislature accepted the Smith-Lever Act authorizing Texas A&M College to administer the Cooperative Extension Service in Texas.

The education of Texas’ rural women for leadership was the dream of Mrs. Maggie Wilkins Hill Barry when she was appointed in 1918 as Extension specialist in Rural Women’s Organizations. When Mrs. Barry came to work, her job was to serve as the liaison between the Extension Service, and she organized women’s groups in Texas. The two leading women’s organizations at the time were the Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers.

A key element in the development of home demonstration clubs was Mrs. Barry’s own belief that an effective organization must have its roots in the community where it is to function. So, home demonstration clubs were formed as the result of local interest, under the guidance of county home demonstration agents, who were supervised by district agents, who in turn were taught organization principles and procedures by Mrs. Barry herself.

Maggie Barry recognized that the organization needs of home demonstration work could best be met by a countywide organization or council of homemaker club women trained in organization principles. This would unify the county program and provide a means of cooperation between the home demonstration clubs and other organizations. The first of these councils, organized in 1924, led the way for a council to be organized in each of the nine Extension districts that existed at that time. The counties selected by the district agents were those in which leadership had been developed sufficiently to undertake such a step and where the agent showed some aptitude for learning the fundamentals of organization. From this beginning, councils were established in every county where an agent was employed as demonstrations in organization.

In 1926, Mildred Horton, State Home Demonstration Agent, encouraged the home demonstration club women to organize into the Texas Home Demonstration Association. The organizational meeting was held at the time of the A&M College Short course at College Station. These early club women had two primary reasons for organizing: 1) they wanted to help a deserving 4-H club girl by giving her financial assistance for a college education; and 2) they wanted to learn the principles of parliamentary procedure so that they could preside over their meetings at the short course. In the early years, the state organization collected a 50-cent per capita contribution from the clubs to pay expenses and to maintain a college scholarship fund, with the first scholarship being awarded in 1927.

To further increase interest and to allow more women to participate, district meetings were arranged in 1930. In 1931, under the direction of Maggie Barry, the Texas Home Demonstration Association was reorganized and a new constitution and bylaws adopted. The object of the organization was to coordinate activities of home demonstration clubs and women’s county home demonstration councils.

During the darkest days of the depression, women found many satisfactions in Home Demonstration Clubs. First, they received help on saving money for food and clothing for their families. Second, the clubs provided social contacts when nearly every other group activity was cut off. The program emphasis was on pantries, canning, and gardens.

Rationing, which came with World War II, resulted in women’s need for new recipes that used molasses and honey. Food budgets, based on sound nutrition, were emphasized. This period marked the beginning of freezing foods for home use. After the war, when materials were scarce and quality was inferior, high prices brought back dress forms and accessory making. From the early days of organized clubs, clothing construction has always been a favorite.

The county Home Demonstration chair was established in 1948 as a connecting link between the clubs in the county and the state association through the directors of the district.

In the 1970s, there was renewed interest in membership recruitment, with homemakers and agents working together to organize new clubs in both rural and urban communities. In 1979, the state organization’s name was changed to Texas Extension Homemaker’s Association, and local clubs were called Extension Homemakers Clubs.

Prior to 1988, members were encouraged to contribute $4.00 annually to the state organization to fund scholarships, Board expenses, leadership training, dues to the national and international organizations, etc. Annual dues of $15.00 are now required for state membership. The membership year starts October 1.

The Family and Community Leadership (FCL) program was begun in Texas in 1988 with a $50,000 grant from W.K. Kellogg. Texas Extension Education Association, Inc. and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service were co-partners in this public policy educational program. With women as the target audience, leadership and public policy decision-making skills were taught, which they, in turn, taught to other groups of citizens. It also promoted effective participation of women and other family members in resolving important public issues affecting the quality of family life. Since the Texas FCL program began, over 800 FCL leaders have become a ready core of concerned citizens committed to public policy education and prepared to assume leadership roles to strengthen families and communities. They have contributed to building leadership in their communities by teaching over 15,000 women and community organization members.

In 1998, the Board members of the Texas Extension Education Association, Inc. voted to change the Leadership Program (FCL) to Public Policy and Leadership (PPAL), and in 2008, they changed to it to the TEEA Leadership Program.

The mission of the Texas Extension Education Association, Inc. is to work with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to strengthen and enrich families through educational programs, leadership development, and community service. TEEA serves as a cooperative and coordinating organization for the statewide activities of members of TEEA clubs, as a medium for the expression of the desires and interests of members, and as a means of cooperating with other organizations of similar interests. Membership is open to all regardless of socioeconomic level, age, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

In 1993, in response to the name change made by the National Association for Family and Community Education, Inc., formerly called National Extension Homemakers Council, Inc., conference delegates voted to change the state organization’s name to Texas Association for Family and Community Education. This name speaks loudly to the mission of this organization from its beginning rather than focusing on who we are as members. Clubs were called Family Community Education Clubs, or FCE Clubs. In 2000, conference delegates voted to disaffiliate from the National Association for Family and Community Education. The state organization’s name was changed to Texas Extension Education Association, Inc.

TEEA was affiliated with the Associated Country Women of the World in 1936; they withdrew in 1940, re-affiliated in 1966, and finally withdrew in 2005. They were also a member of the Country Women’s Council but withdrew in 2005.

Today, the organization is continuing to thrive in education, leadership, and community service. As times have progressed, the need for homemakers to enter the work force has forced the organization to evolve from focusing on homemaking skills, to family, health, financial, and environmental concerns. Membership now consists of both men and women that are dedicated to passing knowledge to the next generation.