Greenville Community Ministries Cookbook: "Greer's Southern Heritage: In the Beginning" · Greer Heritage Museum collection

Title: Greenville Community Ministries Cookbook: "Greer's Southern Heritage: In the Beginning"
Accession Number: 2006.58.4
Accession Date: December 14, 2006
Accession Creator: Joada Hiatt
Depositor: Joada Hiatt
Description: Greenville Community Ministries Cookbook, "Greer's Southern Heritage"
Creator: Greenville Community Ministries
Date: 2000
Format: spiral-bound paperback
Storage Location: Library Bottom Shelf Right Bookshelf
Publisher: Faith Printing Company
Text: Excerpt from the introduction, "Greer's Early Cooks," written by Jean Smith (Mrs. Verne Smith).

Dr. L. P. Hollis, superintendent of the Victor-Monaghan Mill School System, brought Mrs. Verne Smith, Sr., to Greer in the early 1900s. Mrs. Smith was hired to teach Home Economics and Home Demonstration — going into homes to teach cooking, sewing, and hygiene. She used a horse and buggy to make her rounds. Anyone who ever ate what Mrs. Smith cooked will remember that she followed the recipe, but added her special touch. Among her specialties was chocolate roll.... During depression years, teachers who boarded at the Smith's got to enjoy her wonderful food.

In the 1940s anyone walking down Poinsett Street (earlier Emma Street), could get wisps of the cooking aromas from "Mom and Pop" Wright's Boarding House where teachers lived and were fed family-style each morning and evening. The long table seating 12 or 14 at a time was laden with big bowls and platters of delicious food, of which home cooked bread was a part.

Grace Coble was one of Greer's best cooks. In the 1940s and 50s, Grace had a cooking school called the House of Charm. This school was first sponsored by the Commission of Public Works and later by Utility Sales. Women could attend the school, watch the preparation, sample the results, and receive the recipe printed on an index card.

Item sets: GHM: artifacts; GHM: archive