Hazel Craig Jordan

Hazel Craig Jordan was a native of Strong in Union County and attended public school there, then went on to earn a B.S. degree in Home Economics at the University of Arkansas in 1934. She entered the then-Agricultural Extension Service on February 1, 1934, in Howard County as Hazel Craig, home demonstration agent. In January 1937, she transferred to Miller County. She worked there until February 1943, when she was appointed district home demonstration agent for the Northeast District. In 1945, she married Mark T. Jordan, who established and owned Cantrell Gardens in Little Rock. Mrs. Jordan was named associate state home demonstration agent in February 1951, then promoted to state home demonstration agent six months later. Her title changed to state leader-Extension Home Economics in 1966. Mrs. Jordan retired from the Extension Service in February 1969. She was a strong believer in education for herself and others. She received her masters degree in 1960 from the University of Arkansas and also did graduate work with the University of California, Columbia University, the University of Wisconsin and Cornell University. In 1994, Mrs. Jordan endowed a 4-H college scholarship known as the “Hazel Craig Jordan Landscape Scholarship.” Recipients are selected from 4-H Record Book winners in the 4-H Landscape Project. They are required to agree to attend an Arkansas University to study landscaping or ornamental horticulture and spend at least two years of their professional life in Arkansas. Upon her retirement in 1969, the following was published in the Agricultural Service, University of Arkansas, Weekly Letter: “In the history of our organization, few if any people have given more of their time and effort to improving family living situations than Mrs. Jordan. She has provided leadership through some formative years and made great progress in serving the people of Arkansas. In addition to her work in the home economics program, she has been extremely helpful to the overall program of Extension and to the people of our organization.”