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Harris (Mabel C.) papers
7068
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Mabel C. Harris papers
creator:
Harris, Mabel C.
Identifier/Call Number: 7068
Physical Description:
4.7 Linear Feet
5 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1937-1989
Abstract: Mabel C. Harris, also professionally known as Virginia O'Neal and Martha Logan, was a trained home economist who, after working
for Swift and Company and Kerr Glass Manufacturing Corp., was hired by Vons grocery stores in 1960 to be the first home economist
hired by a supermarket chain. Her papers consist of photographs, scrapbooks, correspondence, clippings, ephemera, and cookbooks
relating to her career in the Los Angeles food and grocery industry from the 1940s to the 1970s.
Mabel C. Harris, also professionally known as Virginia O'Neal and Martha Logan, was a trained home economist who graduated
from Montana State College in 1942. She moved to the Los Angeles area and worked in the food and grocery industry for companies
like Kerr Glass and Swift and Company before being hired by Vons grocery stores in 1960. Vons publicized her as "the first
graduate home economist to join a supermarket chain staff." Her duties were to "help the public with recipes, menus and buying
information." Harris met with women's groups, spoke at schools and supermarket openings, wrote and tested recipes, provided
tips and recipes on radio and television, and made other appearances to teach the public about food preparation. She pledged
to "help women get more fun and less work out of good menus and meals." [adapted from the Los Angeles Times, obituary, November
11, 2002]
Photographs, scrapbooks, correspondence, clippings, ephemera, and cookbooks relating to Mabel Harris's career in the Los Angeles
food and grocery industry from 1944 to 1970.
Advance notice required for access.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
[Box/folder no. or item name], Mabel C. Harris papers, Collection no. 7068, Regional History Collection, Special Collections,
USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Lanore Larson, August 7, 2018.
The Mabel C. Harris papers are organized into two series: 1. Professional, 2. Personal.
The Mabel C. Harris papers arrived at USC with some items grouped together in folders, but folder labels either were not provided
or did not coincide accurately with the folders' contents. Madeline Goosen therefore grouped like materials together, in
some cases physically, in others intellectually, in order to provide ease of access and discovery for researchers.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Grocery trade -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Home economics -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Economic conditions -- Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- History -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Social conditions -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Los Angeles (Calif.) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Clippings
Cookbooks
Correspondence
Ephemera
Photographs
Vons Grocery Company
Kerr Glass Manufacturing Corporation
Swift & Company
Harris, Mabel C. -- Archives