Agnes Ellen Harris

Agnes Ellen Harris (July 17, 1883 – December 18, 1952) was an American educator. She worked in education in Georgia, Florida, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Alabama, establishing Home Economics programs throughout the area. She was instrumental in founding "Tomato Clubs" in Florida, which were the precursor to the 4-H Youth Programs. She was one of the earliest practitioners of the field of Domestic Science and taught nutrition and health to women for fifty years. She was a charter member of the American Home Economics Association and served as a national officer in the 1920s. She was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 1972.

Biography Agnes Ellen Harris was born on July 17, 1883, to James Coffee and Ellen (née Simmons) Harris in Cedartown, Georgia. She was a graduate of Georgia Women's College and after completing her teachers certification, attended Oread Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. Oread was one of the few educational facilities at that time which were teaching the new science of Domestic Cooking. In 1912, she became the first home demonstration agent for the state of Florida and began by starting "Tomato Clubs" for girls in 11 counties in Florida. The idea was to provide seeds for a crop that was easy to grow and teach young people how to plant, grow and sell for profit any tomatoes they could not eat. Later, the "Tomato Clubs", and similar "Corn Clubs" which had been started for boys, became the 4-H Youth Organization of Florida. Harris had continued her studies during the summers at Columbia University and graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in 1910. and is awarded annually to full-time human environmental sciences graduate students on a merit basis. In 1972, she was posthumously inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame.

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