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Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Helen Cushen High School Notebook, c.1922-1926, Ms2021-030, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

This collection was donated to Special Collections in 2015.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of Helen Cushen High School Notebook was completed in September 2021. Additional description was created in July 2022.

Biographical Note

Helen Catherine Cushen was born in Washington County, Maryland, on January 18, 1908, to Emmert E. and Clara B. Cushen. She attended Washington County High School likely from 1922 to 1926. At the time of the 1930 census, she was an instructor at a public school, and according to the 1940 census, she completed two years of college. Cushen married Rev. Laurence A. Free on June 17, 1937, in Hagerstown, Maryland, and they had a daughter, Judith Ann Free. She died on April 16, 1991, and is buried alongside her husband in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Hagerstown.

External sources:

U.S. Federal Censuses, 1910-1950

"Miss Cushen will marry Rev. Free", Daily Mail (Hagerstown, Md.), June 17, 1937, p. 6, accessed online from Newspapers.com at https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/20739583/?match=1&terms=cushen&pqsid=iLuMqNaXPkm1JP7RLeoUfg%3A206179%3A45705920

"Helen Cushen Free", Findagrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33764153/helen-free

Scope and Content

This is a class notebook from Washington County High School Student, Helen Cushen, c. 1922 to 1926. The book is divided into three sections for three years of classes: first year, second year, and senior year. The class was most likely a home economics class as many of the entries are on recipes, cleaning, manners, and other domestic science methods. Recipes range from full meals and bake stuff to methods of cooking. Some recipes are: different ways of cooking eggs, frosting recipes, creamed chipped beef, Welsh Rarebit, and other baked goods. While the notebook has a lot of stereotypical home economic notes, there are a lot of entries on the science of food items such as the chemical make up of fruit, the use certain ingredients, and a chart of different cuts of beef on a cow.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Education, Secondary
• History of Food and Drink

General

The guide to the Helen Cushen High School Notebook by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).