Bessie May Allen

Director of the Home Economics Division
President of the Stevens Point Business and Professional Women’s club
Member of PEO Sisterhood
Member of Sigma Zeta
A state founder of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, first state president, life member and honorary state member
Honorary member of the Wisconsin Home
Economics Association

Bessie May began her life in Postville, Iowa. She received her schooling at rural schools in Iowa and later acquired her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Columbia University. She traveled often, visiting every state in the nation, every province of Canada, Europe, Central and South America, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. As the first female president of the college faculty, she served as faculty advisor to the Home Economics Club which she also helped organize. Some of the fondest memories of Bessie are recalled from her time as the supervisor of the John F. Sims Cottage. Sims Cottage served as housing quarters for junior and senior women where they gained real-life experience running a household. Bessie was the first supervisor to allow husbands of married seniors to live with their wives in the practice home.

Floy E. Salter, Class of 1924

Miss Allen would tell you when you were doing something wrong. At dinner one day she said I was doing something wrong and I said, 'And I know what it is. I buttered my whole slice of bread at one time.' That's right, Miss Allen said. And to this day, I've never buttered all my bread at one time even when I'm at home eating alone.

Dr. Bernadine Peterson, Class of 1945

Bessie May Allen was in charge of Sims Cottage at the time Bernadine lived there. She was one of "Bessie's Girls." Miss Allen liked her because she would "do it right." That was a time of war and the girls had to make due with ration coupons when buying their food supplies.

Glenna Voller, Class of 1945

"One year I took care of five younger siblings, went to school full time, and worked while my parents were in Milwaukee getting a business started. I had to walk to and from campus and one time, Bessie May Allen gave me a ride home and so realized how far it was. Once after that, I wasn't at a required home economics meeting and some of the girls commented to Bessie May and she said to them 'You wouldn't be here either if you had to walk so far.' ... Sometimes the girls would sing a popular tune of the time 'Bessie May Mucho' as if they were singing about Bessie May Allen. I had excellent teachers at Stevens Point, Bessie May Allen and Miss Meston especially."

Doris See, Class of 1948

"I feel very fortunate to have had home economics classes from Bessie May Allen and Helen Meston, because they gave us the basis for maintaining a solid home life, to teach it and to live it."

Mary Noble Fick, Class of 1949