Margaret Fedde, Home Economics
Papers
Title: Margaret Fedde,
Home Economics Papers
Creator: Fedde,
Margaret, 1885-1978
Dates: 1892-1978
Quantity: 2 boxes (1 linear foot)
Collection Number: RG 09-01-10
Language: English, German
Restrictions: None
Access and Use: For information on access or copyright, please see our guidelines
or email archives@unl.edu.
Historical Records Statement: Please see our statement on historical records and materials.
Preferred Citation: Margaret Fedde, Home Economics Papers (RG 09-01-10). Archives & Special
Collections, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Libraries.
Alternative Format: None
Biography:
Margaret Sophie Fedde was born in Irvington, Nebraska, on October 15, 1883 to
Margaretha Helena (Glandt) and Christian Fedde. She received her bachelor's degree
in home economics from the University of Nebraska (UN) in 1914 and a master's degree
in nutrition from Columbia University in 1922. After teaching high school in Benson,
Nebraska, from 1903-1914, Fedde joined the faculty of the UN Department of Home
Economics as an instructor (1914-1917) and later head of the Food and Nutrition
Division (1917-1919). In 1919, she became chair of the Department of Home Economics
and retired in 1950. During her 31 years of Home Economics chair, the department
grew from 50 to 600 students, adopted the conducting home economics research,
and became one of the first universities to sponsor housing for home economics
students. There were the Alice Loomis and Love Memorial Cooperative residence halls.
After retiring from UN in 1950, Fedde traveled to Wiesbaden and Berlin, Germany, to
work as a U.S. State Department consultant to help rural families with post-war
rehabilitation. She helped plan low cost meals that met dietary standards, opened
centers to teach girls, and improved school lunch programs. After leaving Germany,
Fedde taught and developed Home Economics curriculum at the Women’s
College in Beirut, Lebanon (1952), American College for Girls in Cairo, Egypt
(1953), and Kobe College in Japan (1954). In 1955, the U.S. State Department appointed her to act as a coordinator of home economic programs between the
United States and India. She worked with the University of Tennessee India Program
to develop an exchange program for Indian teachers to study home economics,
teaching, and extension in the United States.
In 1957, the University of Nebraska dedicated the Margaret Fedde Residence Hall on
East Campus in her honor. She participated in many organizations including the UN
Mortar Board, American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters,
Y.W.C.A, American and Nebraska Home Economic Associations, Chairman of the Committee
of the National Youth Administration, and various other organizations. She died
October 5, 1978 at age 94 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Scope and Content:
The Fedde Papers include correspondence, biographical materials, newspaper articles,
personal memorabilia, photographs, and materials related to the history and 50th
anniversary of the University of Nebraska Home Economics Department.
Subjects:
Fedde, Margaret, 1885-1978
Home economics extension work
Home economics--Germany
Home economics--India
Home economics--20th century
University of Nebraska (Lincoln campus). Department of
Family Economics and Management
University of Nebraska (Lincoln campus). College of Home
Economics
Women--Education
Series Description:
Series 1: Correspondence, 1903-1970This series consist of Margaret and Christian Fedde’s correspondence relating
to family life and the history of home economics. Significant correspondents
include Rosa Bouton, Mary Ellen Brown, and others from the UN Department of
Home Economics.
Series 2: University of Nebraska Home Economics, 1910-1964This series contains materials related to the history and 50th anniversary of
the University of Nebraska Home Economic Department, publications on the
history of the field of Home Economics, and Margaret Fedde’s publication, “A
Study of Farm Families and Their Standards of Living in Selected Districts
of Nebraska, 1931-1933.”
Series 3: Personal materials, 1892-1978This series includes Margaret Fedde biographical materials and news articles,
an autograph book, commencement programs, Margaret Fedde Hall dedication
program, certificates, Red Cross Christmas seals, and other collected
materials.
Series 4: Photographs, 1929-1968, undatedThis series includes portraits of Margaret Fedde, UN Department of Home
Economics events, a trip to Meeker Park, Colorado, and unidentified family
portraits.
Container List:
Series 1: CorrespondenceBox 1. Folder 1. Correspondence, 1903, 1907, 1926
Box 1. Folder 2. Correspondence, 1929, July 1-15
Box 1. Folder 3. Correspondence, 1929, July 16-31
Box 1. Folder 4. Correspondence, 1929, Aug.
Box 1. Folder 5. Correspondence, 1929-1930
Box 1. Folder 6. Correspondence, 1938-1970
Box 1. Folder 7. Correspondence, undated
Box 1. Folder 8. Correspondence, Christian Fedde (father), 1912
Series 2: University of Nebraska Home EconomicsBox 1. Folder 9. Bulletin, “Course in Cookery for Nebraska Girls Domestic Science
Clubs,” Department of Public Instruction, State of Nebraska, 1910, Jan.
Box 1. Folder 10. Articles, bulletins, home economics history, 1938-1968
Box 1. Folder 11. “Persons with PhD or EdD Degrees Engaged in the Field of Home
Economics,” 1948
Box 1. Folder 12. Speeches, 50th Anniversary of the University of Nebraska Home
Economics Department, Margaret Fedde, Grace Henderson, 1949, Apr. 8-9
Box 1. Folder 13. Bulletin, “A Study of Farm Families and Their Standards of Living
in Selected Districts of Nebraska, 1931-1933,” University of Nebraska
Agricultural Experiment Station Research Bulletin 89, 1935, July
Box 1. Folder 14. Graduates list, Department of Home Economics
(1907-1950), 1950
Box 1. Folder 15. Newspaper articles, Department of Home Economics, 1951-1970
Box 1. Folder 16. Margaret Fedde two week home economics workshop, College of
Plattsburg, New York, 1960
Box 1. Folder 17. Booklet, “A Silver Milestone,” Nebraska Council of Home Economics
Clubs history, 1961
Box 2. Folder 1. 1914 Home Economics class reunion, 1964, June 13
Box 2. Folder 2. Notes, History of the Home Economics Department, undated
Series 3: Personal materialsBox 2. Folder 3. Church sacrament certificate (German), 1892, Jan. 18 (see oversized box 34)
Box 2. Folder 4. Douglas County, Nebraska teaching certificate, 1898, May 27 (see oversized box 34)
Box 2. Folder 5. Program, invitation, Omaha High School commencement, 1902, June 13
Box 2. Folder 6. Autograph book, 1903
Box 2. Folder 6. Account book, 1912-1913
Box 2. Folder 7. Program, invitation, Nebraska State Normal School commencement
week, 1907, May 19-23
Box 2. Folder 8. Biographies, newspaper articles, on Margaret Fedde, 1908-1978
Box 2. Folder 9. Funeral book, Margaretha Fedde (mother) “In
Memoriam,” 1923, Nov. 13
Box 2. Folder 10. Dedication program, Margaret Fedde Hall, 1957, Nov. 3
Box 2. Folder 11. Volunteer certificate, Lancaster County Republican
Victory, 1960
Box 2. Folder 11. Obituary, Clarence Elliott (Fedde physician), 1962
Box 2. Folder 11. Election card, Cedric Fedde for County Auditor, undated
Box 2. Folder 12. Calendar, 1970
Box 2. Folder 13. Handkerchief with embroidered flowers, undated
Box 2. Folder 14. Red Cross Christmas seals, undated
Series 4: PhotographsBox 2. Folder 15. Margaret Fedde portraits 1900s-1950, undated
Box 2. Folder 16. Postcards, travel and unidentified group shots, 1929, undated
Box 2. Folder 17. Home economics 50th anniversary, Miss Dennis (home management
house), Cairo Family, 1951, 1964, 1968, undated
Box 2. Folder 18. Round-up luncheon (M. Fedde, E. Junge, W. Van Brunt), 1966, June 4
Box 2. Folder 19. Meeker Park, Colorado, undated
Box 2. Folder 20. Unidentified portraits, 1930, undated
Box 2. Folder 21. Unidentified portraits, undated
Related Material and Resources: Information for Margaret Fedde’s biography was taken from collected biographies and
newspaper articles from “Margaret Fedde biographies and newspaper articles,
1908-1978” in box 2, folder 8. |