—Lancaster Farming. Saturday, February 24. 1973
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Joan Lucas . . .
The County Bids Farewell To A Friend
By Salley Bair
Feature Writer
Joan Lucas has been a bub
bling, bright part of the Lan
caster County Extension scene
for two and one-half years, but
she is leaving at the end of this
month to become Mrs Edward J.
Gillis
She characterizes her ex
periences as assistant Extension
home economist as having been
“quite rewarding, and a real
challenge ” Her love of people
and enthusiasm for her work are
clearly evident as she
reminisces
Joan came to Lancaster in the
summer of 1970 as a new
graduate of Mansfield State
College Her home is in West
Chester, where she is the second
of four children of Mr and Mrs
Charles E Lucas, Jr.
It was in her senior year at
Henderson Senior High School
that she took an elective course in
home economics, and that’s what
made her decide on her college
major. She chose home
economics education “because I
thought it would also help me in
general living ”
Joan became interested in
Extension work through her
cooperating teacher in
Lewisburg where she did her
practice teaching She said it
appealed to her because of the
“opportunities for educating
people on an informal basis ”
She says, “The big thing I’ve
enioyed is the experience of
meeting people and working
together with others - coor
dinating events and bringing in
resource people to meet a need.”
She said one of the most im
portant things she learned as she
Joan measures water for participants in the foods
preparation series being taught by Gray Sellers. Mr. Sellers
is in the background.
arrived on the job “green from
college ” is that “you don’t need
to know everything, but simply to
know where to find the answer to
questions or resource people who
have experience in specific
areas ”
She added, “In working with
people you see what they want
and then provide that in the best
acceptable way - if you feel
competent you provide the an
swer; if you don’t know it, say no,
and find someone who does.”
Joan’s love has always been
foods and nutrition. At one point
she considered working in a test
kitchen (she said she sent for
applications from cereal boxes),
but decided she liked the variety
which Extension offered. She
said her first thought when she
came to the County is that the
Farm and Home Center demon
stration kitchen should be used
more
Stemming from her interest in
foods, Joan has given many talks
on proper nutrition and on
techniques of food preparation.
She gathered a group of resource
people for a gourmet foods
meeting, from which has come a
full series on food preparation
now being taught by Gray
Sellers, director of ad
ministrative services at
Millersville State College. This
series is being offered for the first
time, and a registration fee helps
pay the instructor and for
materials. Joan says, “It’s been
received very well, and the
women have shown great in
terest ”
Joan says, “Extension’s role
has changed It is no longer
geared just to rural people, but
there are programs for everyone.
Joan arranges the refresh
ment table at the foods
course.
We provide a well-rounded
program and work with others to
meet the needs of the total
population.”
Joan’s work plans reflect this
diversification.
“Another area that has always
been of interest to me is the
young mother. I have many
friends who are mothers, and
although experience teaches, I
feel there could be a helping hand
to make things easier,” Joan
says. She admits that the young
mother is difficult to reach, but
together with other Extension
home economists in the
southeastern part of the state,
she has helped compile an eight
series newsletter directed to
mothers of pre-schoolers. The
newsletter answers questions and
offers timely advice.
Joan says the newsletter is
adapted to each county’s specific
needs. “From the interest in this
grew our first Young Mother’s
day. For that we’re providing
educational activities in different
areas relating to pre-schoolers.”
Subject areas include sewing and
clothing selection for the pre
schooler, nutrition, creative play,
decorating a child’s room,
behavior patterns and talking
with your child.
“When you plan a program and
really have people who are
receptive and interested in
knowing more about it it is so
rewarding.” This is how the
response has been from the
young mothers, Joan says. She
laughed as she told of one mother
who called her after reading her
newsletter and asked what to do
about her child’s diarrhea, and
another who called about her
child who wouldn’t eat. But she
said many mothers gave her good
ideas to use in the program for
the pre-schooler.
An important part of Extension
is working with other agencies,
Joan said. “As you get into things
you realize there are other people
working toward the same goal, so
why not work together? Often we
waste professional time and
effectiveness by duplicating
programs. I think by coor
dinating them and working
together we can be far more
effective.”
One of the newest interests for
Joan has been the Dis
trict Attorney’s Consumer
Protection Commission, where
Extension participates on the
education committee. Joan has
also provided some high school
teachers with consumer in
formation.
Joan worked with homemakers
in the Welsh Mountain area in a
“Pounds Away” program. In
cluded was information on
nutrition and low-calorie cooking,
as well as instruction in yoga.
Joan was a 4-H’er in West
Chester for two years, when she
was twelve, and was president of
Richard Ezell, children’s librarian at Lancaster County
Library, talks about story time with Nancy Fasolt, (left) 2961
Kings Lane, Lancaster, and Joan. Mrs. Fasolt’s children,
Carrie (left) and Rebecca listen intently. The library display
was part of the Young Mother’s program.
her sewing club. But she says, “I
didn’t know the total 4-H program
until I got to Lancaster County. I
learned fast. The projects and the
opportunities that are available
to youth through 4-H are fan
tastic There is so much to
develop them as individuals.”
Joan has been advisor to the 4-
H County Council, a group which
she feels serves a vital function in
a county with such a large 4-H
enrollment. She helped plan and
traveled with two 4-H exchanges
to other states. Her thoughts
about that: “I think it’s a great
opportunity for a 4-H’er to live
with other 4-H’ers, away from
home and in another household.
They get to see what other 4-H
programs are compared with
ours, and from this comes many
seeds for activities here in
Lancaster.”
Joan says she’s already been
asked to be a 4-H leader in
Lewisburg where she’ll be
residing after her wedding on
March 17. She said she’d like to
work with a foods club there
“after I get settled.”
As far as working in the im
mediate future, Joan said,
“Extension is very demanding of
your time. I’d rather devote time
to being a wife - and, eventually,
a mother.” She is, however,
looking for a teaching position in
that area, or may take courses at
Bucknell University.
When asked what she enjoyed
most about her work in the
County, Joan said, “I think the
satisfaction of working with
people - communicating with
people and informing them of
something they were not aware
of. I liked the personal contact.”
She feels her work here has
“matured” her and given her a
tremendous amount of invaluable
experiences.
Joan said, “I really enjoyed
living in Lancaster County. It’s
an area where in a short distance
you can be out in the country or in
the city. I like the markets and
atmosphere and all that’s
provided here in Lancaster
County.”
Buj especially, Joan says,
“I’ve enjoyed the people I’ve
worked with.”
The best wishes of all those
Lancaster countians she’s
worked with go with Joan as she
begins the happy responsibilities
of her new career.
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