Norton School History

To capture and preserve the Norton School's rich history (1900-2010), we have the history wall, displayed in the main office suite in McClelland Park (pictured above). The photos and stories gathered over the years during the building campaign are precious and are a wonderful timeline of our 100 years of history.

1900 The Horticulturalist’s Cottage was remodeled and refurbished for classes in domestic science. From 1900 through 1908 it was known as the Domestic Science Cottage.
1907 Foods Laboratory in Domestic Science Cottage.
1913 Domestic Science was named The Department of Home Economics and moved to the newly built Agriculture Hall.
1915 A Senior Home Economics Student demonstrating the use of the electric washing machine.
1922 Students in the Home Economics Dressmaking Class, Millinery Class, and Food Laboratory.
1934-1949  The  Department became the School of Home Economics within the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and the enrollment increased by 300 percent.
1944  Home Economics updated electric food laboratory.
1955    Student enrollment reached over 200 undergraduate majors.
1959   The School of Home Economics moved into its new building, a $1 million project. Pictured: “The Bridge.”
1956-1975  Dr. Ruth Hall, Director led the new building project and shaped the future of Home Economics.
1960’s   Laboratory sample analysis was one of the most current research techniques.
 
Household Equipment Laboratory shows the evolution of appliances.   
1970s  The University of Arizona School of Home Economics Faculty.
1984   The School of Home Economics was renamed the School of Family and Consumer Resources.
1988  The School received approval to offer a Ph.D. degree program. The Council of Alumni and Friends lends support to the school.
1990’s Computer labs become tools for learning.
1990’s to Present Student groups offer leadership, community outreach and professional development opportunities.
1999 to 2012  Dr. Soyeon Shim, Director

2000 The School was renamed the School of Family and Consumer Sciences.  
2000s Norton School faculty educate and inspire.
2003 Take Charge America established the Take Charge America Institute for Consumer Financial Education and Research.
2004 The School was renamed in honor of John and Doris Norton   
2005 The Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing was created in 1993 to bring together the resources and expertise of academia and the retail industry with a shared goal of development strong future retail professionals. The center was named in Lundgren’s honor in 2005.
2006 Groundbreaking for McClelland Park after the Franklin Building was demolished.
2008 The Institute for Children, Youth and Families was dedicated in honor of Frances McClelland.
2004-2008 McClelland Park, the first University of Arizona building ever built with 100% private funds, was dedicated in honor of the McClelland family. Dr. Soyeon Shim, Director, led Campaign Cornerstones with nearly 2,000 supporters raising $25 million. The Grand Opening and Dedication was celebrated in October 2008.
2010 Professor Lynne Borden awarded the Norton School and Frances McClelland Institute’s largest federal grant to date – $6 million to fund a three-year  project to help military families obtain high-quality childcare and youth programs.
2010 to 2016 Norton School and Take Charge America Institute launch APLUS study, a unique longitudinal research study following the same group of young adults from their first year in college through adulthood.
2015  Norton School begins offering one of a kind Fashion and the Consumer Minor program.
2016 Retailing and Consumer Science now offered as an online degree program
2018 Norton School begins offering a third major, Personal and Family Financial Planning

2019

Dr. Laura Scaramella, alum of University of Arizona and awarded the second ever Ph.D. in Family Studies and Human Development, returns to Tucson to become Director of the Norton School.

2022 The Norton School of Family and Consumer Science officially changes its name to the Norton School of Human Ecology to better represent the scope of our degree programs.
2023 In Spring 2023, the Family Studies and Human Development program officially changes its name to Human Development and Family Science.