Alice M Briant

Cornell Memorial Statement for Professor Alice Mary Briant, February 22, 1899 — March 14, 1988

"The Ithaca and Cornell community lost an exceptional and unique member when Alice Mary “Molly” Briant died in the Ithaca Reconstruction Home on March 14, 1988 after an extended illness.
  Born in Helsby, Cheshire, England, she was educated in private schools, receiving the general school certificate from Queen’s School in Chester. In 1925 she emigrated to Montreal, Canada, following an older brother. Between 1926 and 1938, she supported herself as a secretary. During the latter part of these years, she studied with a major in chemistry and received a B.S. degree in agriculture in 1938 from MacDonald College, McGill University. She began graduate studies at Cornell in 1938 and received both a Master’s and Ph.D. from Cornell.
  From 1944 to 1962 when she retired, she served as a member of the faculty of the College of Human Ecology in the Department of Food and Nutrition. During that time she was a member of the graduate committee of more than 30 graduate students who were attracted to her because of her knowledge and ability in research methodology.
  Her research interests were directed at studies of the effects of different flours, starches and cooking conditions on a wide range of products. She developed principles for cooking with New York State soft wheat flour, and did research on the quality and vitamin retention in cooked fresh and frozen vegetables. She considered statistical analysis of research data to be of prime importance in any research effort and encouraged and assisted many graduate students in the department as they worked on thesis projects. She was an early advocate of the use of sensory methods of analysis of food quality and worked towards standards for sensory evaluations as a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials Sensory Standards Committee. She actively participated in other professional organizations including the American Association of Cereal Chemists, the Institute of Food Technology, and the American Home Economics Association.
  Her teaching activities involved teaching summer sessions at Cornell and other universities including Northern Illinois, Utah State, Washington State, and British Columbia, Canada. For several years after retirement, she continued to teach in summer sessions.Among her talents, an outstanding quality was her ability to understand humans of all ages. She related well to graduate students, reached them on an intellectual level, encouraged them to think for themselves and helped them to set their sights high. Students considered Molly or “Miss B”, as they called her, an ideal major professor.
  She permitted, even expected, a large amount of independence, but was available and willing to provide advice and assistance when appropriate. Her research assistants learned from her daily, though much of her teaching was indirect. Her zest for continued learning was contagious.Miss B’s sense of humor helped her and her students over the rough spots. She was interested in her students as persons and contributed to the development of their self-confidence. Although she was not effusive in her praise, she had her own ways of showing her approval. Today her former students agree that her influence was tremendous and long lasting.
  Molly Briant had a consuming passion for nature in all its manifestations. She was proficient in identifying birds in the area and students remember visiting her at her home on Warren Road where birds were accustomed to eating from her hand. She was also cognizant of plant life and led many student expeditions to choice wild strawberry patches and to study early spring flowers. In retirement, these passions continued and took her on bird and plant tours in Africa, Australia, Central America and many countries in Europe.
  Other pursuits of Molly’s included woodworking, metal work, weaving and embroidery. Her standard of craftsmanship was of a very high level and many of her friends received examples which they treasure.  One aspect of Molly’s life which few of her friends were aware of was the extent of her generosity to individuals and causes she deemed worthy of her help. She lived frugally but quietly, and unselfishly shared her assets with others."

Notes:

Obituary for Alice Mary Briant
The Ithaca Journal, Mar 16 1988, P. 4, Col. 3.

"Alice Mary (Molly) Briant, 89 formerly of 115 S. Quarry St., died Monday, March 14, 1988, in the Reconstruction Home after a long illness.
  Professor Briant was born and educated in England. In 1939, she received a bachelor of science degree in agricultural chemistry from McGill University in Canada, a master's degree and a Ph.D. in foods and nutrition from Cornell University. For many years, she was a faculty member of the Department of Foods and Nutrition in the College of Home Economics and the Graduate School of Nutrition at Cornell. She became professor emeritus in 1962 and taught at the universities of British Columbia, Southern Illinois and Utah.
  She was an energetic walker and an early member of the Cayuga Trails Club, an excellent craftswoman and a skilled bridge player.
  She is survived by two nieces, Mrs. Robert F. Ballantyne of Stratford, Ontario, Canada, and Mrs. Walter F. Wright of Waterloo; several nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
  No memorial service is planned.
  Memorials may be made to the Forest Home Chapel, 222 Forest Home Drive, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850."

Sewing circle's last supper represents the end of an era. Forest Home Sewing Circle disbanding after 70 years.
The Ithaca Journal, Oct 15 1979, P. 9, Cols. 1-3, with group photo
By Deborah Schoch, Journal Writer

Caption for photo:
Members of the Forest Home Sewing Circle prepare to disband after 70 years of making bandages, darning socks. sharing tea and providing companionship and support. From left, Alice Scott, Margery Kellogg, Gracie Bush, Kay Dean, Molly Briant, Carrie Dunbar, Lily Ann Newbury and Helen Sundell. Charlotte Blye and Doris Coyle missed the session.  Photo by Raymond Pompilio.

Extracts from article by Deborah Schoch:
  Forest Home was different in those days, they say.
  It was smaller, more neighborly, more a rural village. And the lives of Forest Home women were also different then. Most of them did not work at outside jobs, but instead spent their days cooking. cleaning and caring for their children.
  "Back in 1909, you had a baby carriage and you pushed it around Forest Home, as I understand it," said Margery N. Kellogg of 501 Ellis Hollow Creek Road, a former Forest Home resident.
So, in the first years of the 20th century, a group of Forest Home women began meeting regularly to talk and to sew. In 1909, the group gained a formal name — the Forest Home Sewing Circle - and its meetings became a twice-a-month tradition among the women residing in the quiet hamlet alongside Fall Creek on East Hill.
"It was church on Sundays and Sewing Circle on Thursdays," recalled Kellogg. who joined the group in 1931 and served as its last secretary.
  The Thursday tradition ended last week for the group's 10 remaining members. Friday, they held their 70th anniversary celebration at the Holiday Inn. It was also the group's last meeting. Just 70 years after it was founded, the Forest Home Sewing Circle has disbanded.
  "There's only 10 of us, and half of them are heading for Florida," Kellogg explained.
  But the demise also illustrates a sweeping change in how women spend their days. Full-time jobs leave little time for joining sewing circles; as a result, years have passed since a new member has joined the group's dwindling ranks.
  ...
  It was formally launched in 1909 by Forest Home residents Helen Kent, Ethel McElwee and Alice Mitchell, its first president. Mitchell also wrote the motto, repeated at the start of each gathering:

    === "Friendship here we know, to have and to bestow." ===

By 1919, the group was publishing a yearly program with delicate Gothic type on pale ivory paper. The program lists members of the group's five committees as well as a schedule for the twice-monthly meetings in the year ahead.
  The meetings themselves followed a time-honored agenda: first came the motto, then roll call, minutes and correspondence, old business, new business, committee reports and then a program produced by a member. In the "sunshine report," the women made plans to send cards or flowers to friends who were ill.
  "If you were really sick, you'd get a plant. And, if you weren't that sick, you'd get a rose," Kellogg said.
  Throughout, the women sewed, knit, crocheted and darned.
  They made supplies for the hospital and the tuberculosis preventorium. Or cancer dressings - averaging 50 per meeting — for the cancer society. Clothing and blankets for the old orphanage on Seneca Street. Wool helmets, gloves, leggings and fingerlets were produced for the soldiers overseas; the women also put together packages with soap, shaving cream and other essentials for the soldiers. "The boys who went from Forest Home and Varna — we sent to them, too," Bush added. And in World War II, the group "adopted" a French orphan and forwarded money for education.
  ...
The factor the women blame most for the group's demise is the fact that it has not been able to attract new members.
  "Since '60, it's been dwindling," Kellogg said.
  "The younger generation has so many other things to do, they just don't want to sew."
  "Most women have to work. They're too tired now at night to do anything."
  "It takes two people to work now to bring up a family," Bush agreed.
  ...
  So the remaining members have gathered together the artifacts from the group's 70-year history and donated them to the DeWitt Historical Society.
  For years, the group held its annual anniversary dinner at the now-forgotten Forest Home Inn.
Sometimes the event drew 60 people, including all the members and their husbands. This year, 15 were expected to join in the last celebration at the Holiday Inn. "It's like a last supper," Bush said.
  ...
"I feel sorry for anyone who never joined us." Bush remarked. "They could think. They could stand on their own two feet."
  Still, the "last supper" was viewed with surprisingly little regret on the part of its participants.
  "It is simply the end of an era," Kellogg said. 
  And Bush concurred: "We just plain died a natural death, I'd say."