Lyford, Carrie Alberta (1878-1954)
A Book of Recipes for the Cooking School. Hampton, VA: Press of the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, [1921].First edition, octavo, a very well-preserved copy in publisher's tan cloth titled on front board and spine, small chip to fore-edge of ffep, title page adhering to facing leaf along gutter slightly, 7 1/2 x 5 in.Lyford was Director of the Home Economics School at the historically Black Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute. Her book was intended both for students and teachers. "The book represents a compilation of recipes that have been used in cooking schools of the country for many years. It is not designed for the use of experienced cooks who are seeking a wider variety and a great elaboration of recipes but for the young cook who desires to prepare simple dishes well." (Quoted from the author's introduction.) After her time at the Normal Institute, Lyford turned her attention to the study of traditional practical hand crafts of Native American Indians including those of the Sioux, Ojibwa, and Iroquois Nations. Beginning in 1929, she traveled extensively to Indian reservations in her work for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.