Peanut Butter Soup
In 1975, a brand new school facility opened in New Stanton, the culmination of years of planning and establishing vocational and technical programs and personnel.
The school, which became Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, began in several warehousing buildings a few years earlier in Youngwood until the new facility was completed. I began teaching automotive technology there in 1973. I had two classes of 25 students. We had no desks. The students shared long wooden benches.
The new facility was able to provide more programs, new equipment, modern classrooms and expanded the number of school districts served.
One program new to the new school was culinary arts, commonly called food service.
The faculty that I was introduced to at the school was a diverse assemblage of professionals that like me, had moved into teaching after years of experience in industry or commerce.
Some had been practicing millwrights, electricians, masons, welders, farmers or independent professionals like appliance repair specialists or painters.
The food service instructor was a personable young man who had documented years of experience as head chef at prominent restaurants and even served as specialty chef on a cruise ship.
Everyone on the faculty and staff liked Ken, who had an engaging smile and a great sense of humor. There was mutual respect between Ken and his students. The faculty occasionally got to sample some of the treats from the program sent to the faculty lunchroom.
At times, lunchtime surprises might be stuffed mushrooms, hors d’oeuvres, cookies, cake, or occasionally a specialty dish.
Perhaps one specialty presentation that Ken had his students develop as an honorary dish to an incoming president would not register highly on his success list.
The year was 1976. The incoming president, Jimmy Carter, was heralded for his commonplace roots as a Georgia peanut farmer. The down-home hard working persona of Carter was attractive to most of the faculty, who had worked hard to attain mastery of their profession.
Ken was anxious to have his students create a dish for the teachers faculty room that would resonate with the new president’s personal history.
So on an advertised date, at lunchtime, a huge pot appeared along with bowls, crackers, silverware and a large stainless scoop.
A sign on the table announced, “In honor of President Carter, please enjoy a bowl of peanut butter soup!”
Perhaps one bowl of the brown liquid was loaded from the pot; but I don’t think so. The brown offering just did not have the visual appeal of potato soup or the variety of vegetable soup.
When stirred, some lumps of undissolved peanut butter wriggled through the liquid, generating some flippant comments, including a few inappropriate for a family column.
I believe that after lunch, the entire vessel of very rare peanut butter soup was returned untouched to the place of its origin. Peanut butter soup never appeared on the menu again….but Jimmy, nonetheless, would have been proud of the effort!
Roy Hess Sr. is a retired teacher and businessman from Dawson.