History of Center

First of Its Kind

The Frances Stern Nutrition Center was established in 1918 by Frances Stern, a pioneer in the field of applied nutrition. The Center was the first organization of its kind in the world and has served as a model for many other nutrition clinics in the U.S. and abroad.

In the early 1900s most people did not understand the fundamental principles of nutrition. Frances Stern, a well-respected nutritionist for the US Department of Agriculture, recognized this problem and simply suggested, "Someone should show them." Taking her own advice to heart, Stern revolutionized nutritional education by using visual aids in her instruction. She believed that it is better to show rather than tell people how much they can eat.

Treating the Whole Person

In addition to "visual education," Stern was known for the individualized attention she gave to her patients; she believed that by understanding each person's emotions, prejudices and food-related inhibitions, she could better address his or her nutritional problems. She treated the person and not just a part of the body.

Stern's interest in nutrition began when she was a teacher in the North End of Boston. Observing her young students, she recognized the effect food had on their attitudes and energy. Fascinated by these correlations, Stern began to study home economics and health education as a special student under Ellen S. Richards at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (Mrs. Richards later founded the American Home Economic Association.) After completing her studies at MIT and later at the London School of Economics, Stern worked for many government agencies, including the Federal Food Conservation in Washington, D.C. and the American Red Cross in France. It was during her tenure at the Department of Agriculture, however, that Stern completed an analysis of the dietary habits of the poor for Michael Davis, the director of the Boston Dispensary. It was this project on which the Food Clinic was based.

A Multicultural Approach

Stern established the Food Clinic to meet the dietary changes produced by World War I, addressing specifically the problems of Boston's poor and immigrant population. She worked with Ellen Saltonstall (an aunt of William Saltonstall of the NEMC Board of Governors) and others to do this. Sensitive to the needs of the community she served, Stern tailored her patients' diets to their income and encouraged them to prepare their native foods. Similarly, the multi-colored posters she hung on the walls of the clinic simplified the complex subject of nutrition and were translated into the various languages of her patients. The clinic was accessible to many people who were otherwise intimidated by hospital institutions. It was known for its home-like atmosphere created by, among other things, the comfortable chairs Stern brought from home.

Frances Stern's Legacy

In recognition of Frances Stern's work and dedication to the science of nutrition, the clinic became known as the Frances Stern Food Clinic in 1943. In 1957 the name was further modified to the Frances Stern Nutrition Center. The traditions of care for all aspects of patients' lives, respect for their cultural traditions, and concern for making them comfortable remain as legacies of Frances Stern.