Prodigious Songcraft Blooms in Sarah Jarosz - The Austin Chronicle

The Limerick-Frazier House at 810 E. 13th, built in 1876,soon to be home to the SANDE Youth Projecttoric campus of Huston-Tillotson University.Funds raised at the festival benefit theSANDE Youth Project, a 501(c)(3) food andheritage program, which I founded with just$500 and the promise of lease space in a cityof Austin historic landmark, that teachesbasic cooking skills and nutrition to at-riskyoungsters. The program will be located inthe restored Limerick-Frazier House at 810 E.13th, which is the last standing buildingassociated with Samuel Huston College, nowHuston-Tillotson University.SANDE uses food to teach 10 core valuesto children in the areas of spirituality, attitude,nutrition, deeds, and emotions. Theprogram is based on public health evidencethat engaging children in basic meal planningand preparation encourages them to try newand healthy foods, which may reduce developmentof diseases with diet as a risk factor,enrich academic achievement, and inspirepersonal and civic responsibility.SANDE also seeks to preserve and celebratethe rich legacy of culture and hospitalityat the Limerick-Frazier House, which isrecognized for its 100-year-plus history as a“practice house” where domestic arts andscience students pursued educations in homemanagement, increased their literacy, andengaged their creative entrepreneurial skillsthrough fundraising suppers.A House, Then a HomeProfessor John and Laura Frazier were notdiscouraged by the rudimentary facilitiesthey encountered when they moved to CentralTexas at the turn of the century. As childrenof former slaves, they expected them. Sothe young couple, who came Austin to begincareers dedicated to education at Sam HustonCollege, did what came naturally: They rolledup their sleeves. Bonded with the neighboringcommunity. Pooled resources. And eventuallydipped into their own personal wellspringfor the greater good.As part of a communitywide strategy toaccommodate the growing student enrollmentat the private black college and toexpand the school’s severely limited physicalplant, the Fraziers dedicated part of theirhome – which was built in 1876 by stonemasonand real estate investor Joseph Limerickand his wife, Elizabeth – to the school.(Deed records indicate that the Limerickslived near this location but didn’t occupy it.The property was purchased by Austin businessmanA.J. Adkisson and his wife, Abigale,on April 10, 1880, then by the Herrick family,W.D., W.T., and Sue, in 1893. The homeremained in the Frazier family, cared for by themath professor’s wife and children, Mason,Laurene, and John S., into the 1970s.)According to the Weekly Bulletin annualcatalog edition of Samuel Huston College,1914-1915, the Eliza Dee Industrial Homeopened with accommodations for 14 girls,but as many as 20 to 25 crowded in duringthe first year. The aim of the home was “todevelop Christian character and to teacheconomy, energy and neatness in domesticscience.” The Home Economics Departmentstudents didn’t conduct pie socials at theEliza Dee Industrial Home for girls, butthey did help to raise funds for a new$20,000 domestic arts building by creatingand selling tickets to an exclusive “Jitney”supper, described as a “glorified cafeteriawith all the trimmings.” The suppers earned“much praise,” were heralded as “a success,”and contributed to the constructionfund for the new building that was eventuallylocated on the corner of East Avenueand 12th Street.By midcentury, the regal two-story hadbecome a pillar in East Austin society – establishinga reputation as a cornerstone in thelodging industry and functioning as a boardinghouse and hotel for African-Americantourists and traveling students during JimCrow segregation.SANDE was designed to continue thistradition of hospitality and service atLimerick-Frazier House by motivating youngpeople toward productive futures in theculinary arts. And it is inspired by two OldWorld traditions: the concept that childrenlearn life skills at home and an African customwhere parents take responsibility fortransitioning children to adulthood. Theprogram adopts a similar philosophy todevelop self-esteem and knowledge inunderprivileged children; implements anequally creative and unique approach tocommunicate nutrition and fitness conceptsthat also enhance math, science, and writingskills; and provides opportunities forcommunity service.If you ask famous chefs what inspiredthem toward culinary careers, they will tellyou that their love of food and passion forcooking developed at a young age, usually inMother’s kitchen. As a rite of passage project,SANDE students join a culinary family whenthey learn to cook with culinary role modelsat the Limerick-Frazier House. Partnershipsare being discussed with Central Market, LesDames d’Escoffier, East side Memorial GreenTech High School, the Institute of Hos pi tality& Culinary Arts at Travis High School/AustinIndependent School District, and theUniversity of Texas’ Division of Diver sity andCommunity Engagement to engage a diversecommunity of volunteers as mentors to teachtechnical competencies and lead practicalactivities that build life skills and increaseself-esteem in disadvantaged children.And the SANDE experience won’t just belimited to healthy cooking classes. When thekids aren’t stirring creative concoctions in itshistoric kitchen, the Limerick-Frazier Housewill serve the community as a museum andcommunity center, with exhibits of historicartifacts, a library of rare cookbooks, artistledworkshops and demonstrations, andorganic gardens. Within three years, the planis for the kids to produce their own pastriesto be sold in the Limerick-Frazier gift shop.Students at SANDE will also learn culturaland family traditions, interview neighbors,and learn culinary history so they see all theways people, experiences, and decisionsshape the world. Through a cookbook writingand publishing project, SANDE studentswill find their own role to play in the communityand develop a sense of dignity andindependence as they create their own uniquewritten legacy for the future.And, of course, they’ll serve up pie duringthe ServeaDream Dream Pie Social atHuston-Tillotson.The hope is that through ServeaDream,SANDE will begin teaching important life lessons,such as strength, tolerance, andpatience, in a casual, family setting and willeliminate the barriers that exist betweenyoung people interested in culinary careersand food industry professions, while thecommunity at large uplifts diversity, encouragesinclusiveness, and achieves “peacethrough pie.”Toni Tipton-Martin is an Austin-based food journalistand culinary historian. She was one of the foundersand the first president of the Southern FoodwaysAlliance. She is also the founder of the SANDE YouthProject. Read her blog at www.thejemimacode.com.BREAKFAST & LUNCH ALL DAYCAKES FOR ALL OCCASIONSPRALINES, CARNITAS & BARBACOAHOMEMADE TORTILLAS & BEERA family ownedbakerydedicated toproviding customersthe best authenticmexican pastries & moreCOME TRY THE NEWLUNCH COMBOS AT599¢includingBeverage & SideFried Fish SlidersTexMex Shepherd’s PieVeggie Cheese BurgerCheese BurgerFried Fish Po-BoyVeggie WrapChicken Salad SandwichFish & ChipsHummus & Taboule PlateChili Cheese DogFried Chicken SaladTriple Decker DE-luxeGrilled CheeseMon-Fri 11-41703 South First445-9197a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m JANUARY 15, 2010 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E 35