Staggs, Reba, Papers, 1938-1990 (C3970)

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INTRODUCTION

Papers of Reba Staggs, a graduate of Drury College and the University of Missouri and Director of the Department of Home Economics of the National Live Stock and Meat Board in Chicago, Illinois. The papers consist of correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, and miscellaneous materials.

DONOR INFORMATION

The Reba Staggs Papers were donated to the University of Missouri by Reba Staggs on September 28, 1998 (Accession No. 5782).

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Reba Staggs was born in Newburg, Missouri, the daughter of Thomas and Corinne Staggs. She attended Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, where she earned an A.B. degree in Mathematics in 1934. From the time of her graduation until 1937 Staggs taught mathematics and physical education in a Missouri high school. In 1939 she received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Missouri in Home Economics.

In 1939 Staggs began an almost 40 year career with the National Live Stock and Meat Board (NLMSB) in Chicago, Illinois. During her time with the NLSMB she served as a Field Home Economist, as Assistant Director of the Department of Home Economics, and, beginning in 1946, as the Director of the Department of Home Economics. As Director of the Department of Home Economics Staggs conducted research on techniques for cooking meat, developed and tested meat recipes for publication, and acted as a consultant to manufacturers of kitchen equipment.

In addition to her work for the NLSMB Staggs served as a representative of the meat industry on the Food Service Advisory Committee of the National Security Association of the United States Navy. Also, she worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, during a six-week leave of absence from the NLSMB in 1961, to develop recipes for low-cost meals from food being distributed to needy families.

Throughout her career Staggs served as an active participant in many industry-related organizations, including the American Home Economics Association, the Illinois Home Economics Association, the Chicago Home Economists in Business, the American Meat Science Association, the American Association of Advanced Science, Food Technologists, Zonta International, and Phi Upsilon Omicron. Additionally, Staggs received numerous awards from several of these organizations.

Staggs remained involved in the activities of the home economics departments of both Drury College and the University of Missouri. She contributed her knowledge, through lectures and committee service, and her financial support to both institutions. Drury College and the University of Missouri both honored Staggs, with a distinguished alumni award and a citation of merit, respectively, for her contributions.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Reba Staggs Papers consist of correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, and miscellaneous materials that primarily document her career with the NLSMB and her general involvement in the meat industry. The papers are arranged into three series:

The Professional Activities series contains material relative to Staggs’s position as Director of the Department of Home Economics at the NLSMB. Arranged alphabetically by organization or event, this series contains correspondence, newspaper clippings, and photographs. This series primarily documents Staggs’s position as a nationally recognized expert on meat and meat products.

The College and University Activities series consists of correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, and programs. The materials in this series contain information on Staggs’s continued involvement with Drury College and the University of Missouri, as well as on the state of home economics education within these institutions.

The Miscellaneous series comprises correspondence, photographs, and newspaper clippings that do not easily fit in with either the Professional Activities or the College and University Activities series. This series contains some personal correspondence as well as general information on home economics as a career.

The materials in this collection, as a whole, provide a good overview of the growth of the home economics industry during the twentieth century. In addition it reveals some of the attitudes prevalent during the introduction of women into the professional workplace.

FOLDER LIST

Professional Activities Series

f. 1American Gas Association Home Service Workshop, 1966
f. 2American Home Economics Association, 1950-1976
f. 3American Home Economics Association – Handbook of Food Preparation, n.d.
f. 4American Home Economics Association – Handbook of Food Preparation, 1968-1971
f. 5American Home Economics Association – Handbook of Food Preparation, 1973-1975
f. 6American Home Economics Association – Handbook of Food Preparation – Idea Exchange Conference, n.d.
f. 7American Home Economics Association – Sub-committee on Meat Terminology, 1964
f. 8American Meat Institute, 1970-1978
f. 9American Meat Institute – Special Award of Merit, 1977-1978
f. 10American Meat Institute – Variety Meat Meeting, 1964-1967
f. 11American Meat Science Association, 1971-1979
f. 12American Meat Science Association – Signal Service Award, 1976
f. 13Canadian Home Economics Association, 1975-1976
f. 14Chicago Chapter, 1974
f. 15Chicago Home Economists in Business, 1955-1978
f. 16Chicago Home Economists in Business – Finished Foods Committee, 1961-1968
f. 17Chicago Home Economists in Business – Chicago HEIB of the Year Award, n.d., Feb. 1976-April 1976
f. 18Chicago Home Economists in Business – Chicago HEIB of the Year Award, May 1976-Sep 1976
f. 19Cornell Microwave Oven Systems Workshop, 1970
f. 20Cornell Microwave Oven Systems Workshop, 1973
f. 21Illinois Home Economics Association, 1955-1968
f. 22 International Dairy Exposition, n.d.
f. 23International Livestock Exposition, c. 1940
f. 24Kansas Hereford Association, 1964
f. 25National Live Stock and Meat Board, n.d., 1945-1967
f. 26National Live Stock and Meat Board, 1968-1979
f. 27National Live Stock and Meat Board – 25 Year Recognition, 1964
f. 28National Live Stock and Meat Board – 35 Year Recognition, 1975
f. 29National Live Stock and Meat Board – Home Economics Department, n.d.
f. 30National Live Stock and Meat Board – Meat Photographs, n.d.
f. 31National Live Stock and Meat Board – Press Releases
f. 32National Live Stock and Meat Board – Retirement, 1978
f. 33National Live Stock and Meat Board – Retirement, Mar–Jun 1978
f. 34National Live Stock and Meat Board – Retirement, Jun–Jul 1978
f. 35National Live Stock and Meat Board – Retirement, Jul-Dec 1978
f. 36National Live Stock and Meat Board – Test Kitchen
f. 37National Live Stock and Meat Board – Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards Manual, 1973
f. 38National Restaurant Association Award, 1959
f. 39National Secretaries Association, 1977
f. 40National Security Industrial Association, Food Service Advisory Committee, 1949-1956
f. 41National Security Industrial Association, Food Service Advisory Committee, 1957-1963
f. 42National Security Industrial Association, Food Service Advisory Committee, 1963-1969
f. 43Operation Beef Stew, 1954
f. 44Phi Upsilon Omicron, c. 1940-1982
f. 45Professional Memberships
f. 46Raytheon Manufacturing Company, n. d., 1949-1955
f. 47Raytheon Manufacturing Company, 1954
f. 48School Lunch Workshop, 1956
f. 49Southwest Missouri Teachers’ Association Conference, n.d.
f. 50University of Nebraska, n.d.
f. 51Washington State University, 1960
f. 52Who’s Who of American Women, 1957-1971
f. 53Zonta Club of Chicago, 1958-1980

College/University Activities Series

f. 54Drury College, 1953-1982
f. 55Drury College, 1984-1990
f. 56Drury College – Annual Givers Forever Program, 1969-1975
f. 57Drury College – Centennial Celebration, 1972-1973
f. 58Drury College – Distinguished Alumni Service Award, 1956
f. 59Drury College – Home Economics Department, n.d., 1972
f. 60Drury College – SKIFF/Mortar Board, n.d., 1965-1978
f. 61University of Missouri, 1938-1970
f. 62University of Missouri – Centennial Convocation, 1967-1968
f. 63University of Missouri – Centennial Home Economics Award, 1968-1969
f. 64University of Missouri – Citation of Merit, 1965-Feb 1966
f. 65University of Missouri – Citation of Merit, Mar 1966-1968
f. 66University of Missouri – Home Economics Alumni Association, 1970-1976
f. 67University of Missouri – Home Economics Award Dinners, 1966-1973

Miscellaneous Series

f. 68Chicago Genealogists
f. 69Correspondence, 1954-1982
f. 70Fourth Presbyterian Church of the Chicago Presbytery, 1965-1981
f. 71Fourth Presbyterian Church of the Chicago Presbytery, 1983-1990
f. 72Home Economics as a Career, n.d., 1951-1954
f. 73Miscellaneous Photographs
f. 74P. E. O. Sisterhood, 1951-1985
f. 75Teaching Certification, 1934, 1956

INDEX TERMS

These index terms are the subjects, people, places, etc. under which this collection is listed in all available indexes at The State Historical Society of Missouri-Columbia. If you are interested in a specific index term, please contact the reference staff.