Hall of Fame
Rosemary Ballagh
by Roxanne McQuilkin
Rosemary Ballagh was born in Toronto and attended the University of Toronto. However, she completed her Home Economics training at Macdonald Institute, Guelph and Boston School of Cooking. Almost immediately she joined Consumers' Gas Company in the Home Service Department. She was quick to learn the multitude of skills that made her the professional we now honour. In fact, her warm and caring personality became an attribute still recognized by employees who know her, if only by reputation.
While the Home Service Department was started in 1925 to develop a closer relationship with the homemaker -the ultimate user of domestic gas - the real strength of this possibility occurred with Rosemary Ballagh. She saw the Home Economist's role as a marketer before the term was common. The Home Service Home Economists had the trade name of “Betty Bright”: and they promoted the use of gas and later gas appliances, first through cooking classes and later with model home tours at the Canadian National Exhibition and Home Show, and with school demonstrations and classes in the many Consumer Gas auditoriums.
Many of these innovative programs won awards from the American Gas Association and Canadian Gas Association, and were then used throughout North America. Some of these were “The Gent's A Gourmet”, a four-week cooking class for men; and elementary and secondary school presentations. All presentations were done on stage by two Betty Brights using several gas ranges transported for the program. Groups for fund-raising usually sponsored demonstrations.
In order to produce these projects, Rosemary was responsible for a very large budget and many people. She wanted everyone to be very professional and made sure they had training. This included stage training from a well known acting coach. The Home Economists mostly wore blue uniforms to make them look smart and professional—a step forward from a starched image. All of this investment in professionalism was unique and promoted a high standard emulated by other utilities doing similar work.
Rosemary's Home Economists were urged to join their professional organizations, to maintain contacts with their peers (networking) and be valuable members of the community. The former Betty Brights took many good traits with them as they moved to other careers in this field and have often remarked on the skills they received from the gracious, charming and caring person who gave them a giant step in their successes.
Rosemary herself was an active volunteer. She was President of the Toronto Home Economics Association in 1962 and 1964. She has been and in some cases, still is a member of Ontario Home Economists In Business, the Canadian Home Economics Association, the Women's Canadian Club, Business and Professional Women, Toronto Fashion Group, La Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the Hearing Society, the first woman executive on loan to the United Way '68 and the first woman Vice-Chair of the same in 1969. She has been on advisory committees for Centennial College, Humber College, Ryerson Polytechnic University, the Ontario Department of Economics and Development, the Ontario Status of Women Council 1973, Home Service section Chairperson for the Canadian and American Gas Societies, the Toronto Centennial Committee, Historical Society Board and the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
As a manager at Consumers' Gas, Rosemary was given many opportunities. She realized that the department could not exist just giving cooking demonstrations, and used these opportunities to develop programs in line with company objectives, while maintaining a commitment to Home Service.
She was a supporting presence in the formation of Ontario Home Economists In Business, always exemplifying its objectives.