Cousin Evelyn Sly

Last week we took a detour to 1892. I’ll return you now to 1912 where Ferris and Clara have just spent the day with cousin Evelyn Sly.

Evelyn was Clara Williams’ eldest daughter. If you go back to the 1892 graduation picture, I think you’ll see there’s quite a resemblance.

In this photo, Evelyn is only 14 years old. By 1916 she’ll become a student at Elmira College, a private liberal arts college which was an all-girls college at the time. Next, she’ll graduate from New Paltz Normal School, just like her mother. (We will get to that picture!)

Then, Evelyn will go one step further. At some point between 1917-1922, she will receive her B.S. degree from Columbia University in “practical arts”. She will then work for four years teaching before becoming a Home Demonstration Agent in Essex County, New Jersey.

Home Demonstration Agent? What on earth was that?

I’m so glad you asked!

In 1914, the Smith-Lever Act created a “Cooperative Extension Service”. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) used this service to spread information about agriculture and home economics to rural families. The hope was that better education of rural communities would lead to improved living conditions for them.

Home demonstration agents, people like Evelyn, were the local representatives of this program. (If you’re interested, the USDA has some historical pictures and literature about this program here.)

After that, Evelyn became Assistant Director of the Home Information Bureau of Springfield, Massachusetts. From 1926-1928, in Springfield, she helped organize the Eastern States Exposition which is still a thing. She worked on the exhibits related to “all phases of homemaking” and gave talks during the exposition.

After she married Lester Blake, she was appointed Home Demonstration Agent of Passaic County, New Jersey. Her office was located in the County Courthouse in Paterson, where she could be “reached by any women of the county wishing aid in household problems of any kind”. Eek.

I’ve snatched a newspaper article from the Herald-News, December 28, 1932, to show you that I’m not making this all up!

How’s that curriculum vitae for a woman in the 1920’s? Impressive, right? I did a little peeking ahead in my grandma’s album to ensure we’ll see her again. If we ever make it to 1925, there’s a nice photo of Evelyn and her husband to share with you.

A widow by age 53, Evelyn retired to Sun City, Florida at 70 years old. Both her sister Mary and Uncle Ferris ended up there so I like to think they shared afternoons together later in life! (Their obituaries both refer to their membership at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church so it’s probable).

Given that she dedicated much of her life to the concerns of women, it may not surprise you that she was also a member of the Sun City’s Women’s Club. Here’s to you, Evelyn. See you at your graduation…