The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-03-22
RESTORING A LOST ART.
Teaching Colorcd Girls in the South h
To Cook AS Their Grandmothers
Used.

Teaching Colorcd Girls in the South
To Cook as Their Grandmothers
Used.
To the housekeeper of to-day the
question OF cooks is very serious one.
1T Is an old adage that good cooking"
Is the only way to mans heart"
The ajOrity of men rebel against this
soft impeachment, and the wise and
polite woman Slways pays most at
tention to the culinary department Of
her housekeeping. 1t is said the illus
tious Richelieu invented the mayon-
nalse dressing, showing that great
minds are by no means Indifferent to
the proper qualification of dainty ca
tcring.
The great majority Of housekeepers
prefer colored girls as maids in their
Kitchen, and the colored women OF the
South have the reputation of being
born cooks" We read OF dishes
being prepared by Southern "mam-
mics in the old days which make ones
mouth fairly water, but the art, knack,
trade, or whatever name you choose to
call it by, seems to be dying out, and
the younger generation of colored wo-
men growing up in the South seems to
be losing the art of preparing dainty.
toothsome dishes.
one OF the large cooking schools in
New York city has established very
important branch OF its work in both
Norfolk and Winchester, which has
proved more successful than the most
sanguinc OF its originators, had hoped
The woman at the head of this enter
prise, in speaking of the Southern
branch the other day, said
I'VE find we have more applications
pOl0rp1 pnnkG ,,,b;
somehow colored woman seems bet
ter htted for cook than others. They
have the knack Of cooking to suit the
average American Taste. The colOred
girls who have been up here in the
North for sOmo time are those
who were young when the war was
ended or who have been born since.
They came at a time when the whole
colored race was demoralized by the
Tact that they were free and obliged to
work and earn their own living.
These women have been ruined by
their lie up North and are either lazy
or impertincnt. They were a poor
held to work on, and so after long and
mature dclibCration we determined to
establish branch in Norfolk and
commence our operations with brand
new material.
The Arabs considered bad cooking
sufficient cause for divorce, and It
would surely seem quite as legitimate
as are those often offered in more
enlightened atmosphere. In fact In
these days neglect in the culinary de-
partmcnt is enLlrely unnecessary, when
great advantages are offered and 80
| easily obtained. Limitless combina-
tlons may be made, If only mixed, like
the old woman's sauce, with brains"
Bearing this in mind, we have es-
tahlishcd our branches down South
ON these ines. We find the {oung
colored girls who come to us to he in
structed, when reused in interest in
their work, displaying considerable of
the talent OF their graudmothers and
mothers. The younger generation OF
the colored race to-day realize the
stern fact that they must work, and
have apparently settled down to do it.
1ou have no idea how quickly they
learn. They are not naturally cleanly,
but that is the first thing In which we
train them. They have no system, but
with patient prodding we manage after
a while to lnculcatc some system into
their work. The old saying that they
are born cooks is true one. That
work seems to be second nature to
them. They are as easily moulded as
piece OF wax. What we find the
most difficult to overcome with them
Is their natural born wastefulness.
They are the most wasteful crea-
lures you ever came across, and we
nave experienced q great deal of dit
| hculty in countcracting this fault
They have considerable pride in doing
their best, and by offering prizes for
the best cooked dishes we have arous-
cd spirit III them which urges them
on to fresh and greater exertions.
l.
course, beginning with the proper pre-
paration Of vegetables, meats, poultry
ana game, and after they are perfectly
competent in these palmer branches,
we teach them how to prepare ali
kinds OF stock for soups, the cooking
OF meat, poultry and game as it should
be done, getting up entrees OF all kinda,
salads and fish. Finally we instruct
them most carefully in the concoction
OF every description OF dessert, pies, pas
try puddings, cakes, preserves, etc.
I'VE have the girls sent up North
to us and we provide them with situa-
tlons as soon as they reach New York.
In fact we find It hard to supply the
demand
The commencement Of the indus
trial work in the South for the poor,
neglected negro class was put In our
hands, and through the liberality OF q
very 'wealty woman, one of New York's
blessings to the poor, teacher was
sent to Norfolk in 1895. The success of
this venture has been truly remark
able. Hand in hand with sewing, the
instruction has developed the intelli-
gence of the children. Obedience.
tidiness, ambition to work, have been
develOped. 1t seems that we can feel
this Is the work which is going to bless
itbc neglected colored people and prove
I1Hboon indeed to the harrassed house
'Heeper up North"
Few persons in tho South are
aware OF the fact that the mockinp
bird Is found only in the South. Mason
and DixOo'S inc Ia tho nn,t how, 49,.