Former Dean of Family and Consumer Sciences will travel from Texas to visit Eastern this weekend in celebration of her 89th birthday as well as the rededication of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

Many faculty and former faculty members believe Mary Ruth Swope was a very positive and energetic administrator during her time at Eastern.

Martha Brown, former family and consumer sciences professor, said she was proud to be part of Swope’s team.

“Dean Swope was a wonderful example for students and faculty of what it meant to be a professional,” Brown said. “She was a leader both on campus and in her professional associations at state and national levels.”

In 1969, Swope was named Dean of the school of home economics, after serving about six years as chair. During her career at Eastern, Swope accomplished many goals some fellow faculty members did not think could be completed.

James Painter, chairman of the family and consumer sciences department, said Swope wanted to create an inter-disciplinary master’s program for gerontology, but many people did not believe it could happen.

And with her dedication, she was able to create the only interdisciplinary master’s program for Eastern, still available today.

Swope was recognized as one of the “Centennial 100” when Eastern celebrated its first 100 years in 1996-97. The “Centennial 100” consists of the 100 most influential people at Eastern in 100 years.

“She led what was the department of home economics through a period of tremendous growth to become the school of home economics, now known as the school of family and consumer sciences,” Brown said.

In the 1960s, the campus was in a period of growth. Swope was part of the growth because she was involved in the planning and designing for the portion of Klehm Hall which houses the family and consumer sciences department.

Swope was always involved in health and nutrition. She received her bachelor’s degree in home economics from Winthrop College in South Carolina in 1940, her master’s degree in foods and nutrition at WCUNC in North Carolina in 1945, and her doctorate in administration at Columbia University in New York in 1963.

After receiving degrees she went on to teach high school for six years in North Carolina. In 1944, she was a district nutritionist for the Ohio health department.

She then became head of the home economics department for Queen’s College from 1946 to 1949. In 1956, she became the Assistant professor of food and nutrition for Purdue University.

From 1958 to 1961, she became the head of food and nutrition for the University of Nevada, but resigned to receive her doctorate. And in 1963, she became part of Eastern.

“She was a curriculum developer and innovator,” Brown said.

Painter describes Swope to be a very sharp individual.

“She is a remarkable lady and still in shape as can be,” Painter said. “She is as healthy as she was thirty years ago.”

Swope hired Jayne Ozier, a retired family and consumer sciences professor, in 1970. Ozier was also an undergraduate when Swope came to Eastern.

“When she came to Eastern there were only 69 students in the home economics department and when she was here the numbers drastically improved,” Ozier said.

Ozier said Swope brought many new ideas to Eastern and can remember the day Swope walked into her classroom and discussed the Gerontology program.

“She came in, talked about trends and issues related to the field,” Ozier said. “She introduced the concept of Gerontology.”

Ozier said Swope’s main quote was “In order to divide, we must multiply.”

Ozier also said Swope helped establish Eastern as one of three schools in the nation at that time to be an accredited university for family services. She discussed having family service areas at Eastern with The American Home Economic Association.

“I am not surprised she will be visiting,” Ozier said. “She is a very dedicated lady and a dear friend to the Doudna’s.”

The university had planned a birthday celebration for Swope in the 1895 room in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, but Swope decided it was not necessary.

Painter said she did not want people to travel far distances and spend the money to come celebrate, but rather visit the campus and the community here.

“Dean Swope was at EIU during the Presidency of Quincy Doudna, for whom the Fine Arts Center is named, and I think her attendance honors Dr. Doudna and his legacy to the university while celebrating the long anticipated renovation,” Brown said.

Swope is also a speaker to many people and organizations.

“Swope will be visiting many faculty members that were here about 25 years ago and be here for the rededication ceremony for the Doudna Fine Arts Center,” Painter said.

Brittni Garcia can be reached at 581-7942 or at bmgarcia@eiu.edu.