"OUR WOMEN OF SANDWICH"
(2020 Summer Virtual Exhibit)
ANNA L. GEERS BURROWS
Hometown for Anna L. Geers was Northwood, NH where she graduated from Coe-Brown Academy in 1943. Northwood was also the hometown of Orlando A. Lester who became the fifth Headmaster of Quimby School, Center Sandwich, in 1945. So, it is probably not surprising that Anna, after graduating from Keene Teachers College in 1947, was hired to teach Home Economics at Quimby School. She received a salary of $1,800 to teach for the 1947/48 school year and taught in 1948/49 for a salary of $2,000.
Chiffon cake was invented in Los Angeles, CA in 1927 by an insurance agent named Harry Baker! In 1947 Harry sold the recipe to General Mills “so Betty Crocker could give the secret to the women of America.” Harry’s secret was to use vegetable oil and to beat the egg whites using cake flour. General Mills developed their own flour, remembered as “Soft as Silk.”
“General Mills introduced the chiffon cake to the world in 1948.” Through the 1950s General Mills sponsored chiffon cake contests for people to “come up” with different flavors like orange, lemon and walnut. The “legendary” Betty Crocker recipes and cook books were created this way.
In 1948 General Mills and Betty Crocker sponsored a national chiffon cake contest for home economic teachers. The winner would receive an all-expense paid trip to the National Convention of Home Economic Teachers in Minneapolis, MN, June 21- 24, 1948.
“General Mills introduced the chiffon cake to the world in 1948.” Through the 1950s General Mills sponsored chiffon cake contests for people to “come up” with different flavors like orange, lemon and walnut. The “legendary” Betty Crocker recipes and cook books were created this way.
In 1948 General Mills and Betty Crocker sponsored a national chiffon cake contest for home economic teachers. The winner would receive an all-expense paid trip to the National Convention of Home Economic Teachers in Minneapolis, MN, June 21- 24, 1948.
Anna’s recipe for a lemon sherbet short cake won! And she flew to Minneapolis! Anna wrote a letter to her mother from the Curtis Hotel, “…in the pm we attended a cocktail party given by Seventeen magazine.” This 23 year old, finished with her first year of teaching, winning a national contest and on her first road trip by airplane must have felt all grown-up! Another letter written on the plane on her return June 25, “It was quite a weekend!”
A letter dated March 21, 1949 from Janet Kelly, Director of the Home Economics Department for General Mills to Anna’s mother Ada Geers, “You have every reason to be proud of your daughter and the publicity she has received. All of the girls on the Betty Crocker staff enjoyed Anna’s visit and have commented many times upon her charming personality, her naturalness and enthusiasm…”
Anna only taught two years at Quimby School. She married Charles G. Burrows on 29 July 1949. She became the Carroll County Extension agent and was a founder of the Stokes-Ballantine Auxiliary and its first President. She was involved with the Sandwich community with the Eastern Star, Old Home Week, community plays, etc. Charlie and Anna were the parents of Geoffrey, Robin and Jere Burrows. Anna was taken by polio in November 1953 at age 28.
Around 2010, Cora Jo Vittum (Quimby School 1948) met me (Geoffrey) at the Quimby School Alumni Banquet. Cora Jo said, “Your mother was the best teacher I ever had. She taught us things. We girls didn’t know anything. We’d never been anywhere. Your mother took us to Boston!”
Anna, in her short time, influenced others by teaching and by example. If she had lived, she would have done so for many more years!
Geoffrey A. Burrows
May 2020
Anna, in her short time, influenced others by teaching and by example. If she had lived, she would have done so for many more years!
Geoffrey A. Burrows
May 2020