Hilton, Helen LeBaron, 1910-1993

Helen LeBaron Hilton was born February 28, 1910, in Morrisville, Vermont, the only child of W.I and Ida (Norton) LeBaron. She graduated in 1932 from the University of Vermont earning a Bachelor of Science, received a Master of Science degree in 1938 from Cornell University and was awarded the degree Doctor of Philosophy in 1946 from the University of Chicago. In 1946, the University of Vermont conferred upon her the honorary degree, Doctor of Science.

After three years of teaching home economics at Enosburg Falls High School in Enosburg Falls, Vermont and three years as assistant supervisor of home economics education in the Vermont State Department of Education, she was appointed assistant professor in charge of home economic education at the University of Vermont and state supervisor of home economics in the Vermont State Department of Education. From 1946-1952 she was professor and assistant dean of the College of Home Economics at Pennsylvania State University.

She came to Iowa State on September 1, 1952 and served as Dean of the College of Home Economics (now known as Family and Consumer Sciences) until June 30, 1975. As dean, she had leadership responsibilities for the undergraduate and graduate program in home economics, the state-wide extension program, and research related to home and family life. Hilton was in charge of the ten-year ISU-Baroda University project, sponsored and funded by the Ford Foundation to help the M.S. University of Baroda (India) develop a graduate and research program in home science (1960-1970). Upon relinquishing administrative duties she became dean emeritus and served as retirement counselor for the University until her retirement May 31, 1980.

From 1954 to 1968 she was the college editor for home economics books for Harper and Rowe. Her publications have appeared in the Journal of Home Economics, the Journal of the American Dietetics Association, the Bulletin of the National Association of Nursery Education, Religious Education, the Agricultural Education Magazine, Nutrition News, Canadian Home Economics Journal, Bulletin of National Association of Secondary School Principals, Journal of International Federation of Home Economics, and Omicron Nu.

Dr. Hilton was active in community and civic affairs. She was the first woman to either run or be elected to the Ames City Council (1966-1970). She helped organize and was president of the Ames Visiting Nurse Service; was a member of the Story County Health Planning assembly; a member of the Mary Greeley Hospital Advisory Board and Chairperson of that group from 1970-1973; chairman of the Ames/Gilbert United Way Campaign in 1977; member of the boards of Ames International Orchestra Festival Association, the Octagon, and the Wilson Elder Center.

At the state level, she was a member of the Governor’s Commission on Children and Youth in the 1960s; advisor to the American Home Department of the Iowa Federation of Women’s Clubs (1953-1975); a member of the Governor’s Commission of the Status of Women (1971); a board member of the Iowa Children’s and Family Service (1974-1979), and vice president (1976-1978). In 1983 she was elected to the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame.

At the national level, she served as a member of the panel of vocational education under President Kennedy’s administration and as a member of the National Committee for the 1960 White House Conference on Children and Youth under President Eisenhower. She was a member of the Commission on the Education of Women, and Commission of Academic Affairs of the American Council of Education, and has held offices in the American Home Economic Association, the Land-Grant Association, and was the first president of the Association of Administrators of Home Economics. She was chairperson of the Commission on Home Economics of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges in 1970 and 1971. She served a three-year term on the advisory committee of the American Dietetics Association.

She was the first woman member of two corporate boards of directors: Jewel Companies, Inc. (1971-1980) and S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. (1973-1980).

On May 24, 1970 she married James Harold Hilton (tenth president of Iowa State University) at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He died January 14, 1982, at Mary Greeley Hospital in Ames, Iowa. Helen Hilton died August 10, 1993 at Mary Greeley Hospital in Ames, Iowa.