Erin E. Moulton

I hit a serious wall the week I made Mrs. Jenks’ Chicken Curry Casserole. Head cold, sinus headache, Covid -test-swab-to-the-brain type of week. So when I walked into the kitchen, I’m tired, was pretty much the only thing on my mind. Still, I had limited time (don’t we all), so I rolled up my sleeves, asked Alexa to play some tunes from the 50s and started yanking ingredients from the pantry.

Soon pasta water was boiling, steam was filling the kitchen and the jumpy tones of Dion, Faye Adams and Buddy Holly were delivering a rare moment of, well, lift. What I mean is, in the midst of a crazy week and a pandemic….I felt good for a minute. Lindy Hop good? Kinda. But I’m not much of dancer so instead I cracked open a can of Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup and smiled, because this recipe was totally in my wheelhouse.

While I wasn’t super excited about two separate types of Campbell’s cream soup going into any pot, I knew this recipe would be manageable on one go around. What’s so hard about combining a couple of cans, cooking up some noodles and stirring things together? Nothing. And that’s the genius of it. I know some of you might be scowling over your cracker covered in caviar, but truth be told, canned soup was a convenience that freed a lot of women from hours over the stovetop, allowed for some creativity in weeknight meals with little effort and, cough, remains in many pantries today. Condensed Soup, I salute you!

Now, without further ado,

Let’s rock,

Everybody, let’s rock,

Everybody in the old cell block……

Dancing to the Jailhouse rock

—Jerry Lieber

Follow me.

The Casserole

This week’s recipe comes from The Wellesley Cooking Treasures cookbook. I’m going to ballpark it around the late 50s, early 60s. I’m thinking that time period because as noted on the recipe, this is from Mrs. Leland Jenks (wife of prof. Jenks, retired). Leland Jenks was a Sociology/Economics/History Professor at Wellesley College who retired in 1957.[i]

Not a fancy affair, but this casserole came together easily. Mrs. Jenks took something from the pantry and jazzed it up a bit. She added thyme and curry to the soups to give some depth. And then added fresh ingredients on top. I followed her instructions exactly, spare two exceptions.

1. The two cream soups seemed very thick, so I introduced about a ¼ to ½ cup of starchy pasta water to thin it down before tossing with the noodles.
2. She called for spaghetti and… I used spirals.

Otherwise, it was done in a snap and we had it for dinner. The noodles were creamy. I liked the mushrooms the best for their bold flavor. Do you know something? I liked preparing it more than eating it, but the kid had three portions and asked for it to be in his school lunch the next day. That’s a win and saved me time. Also, the ladies of the Wellesley cooking club stated up front:

 In an effort to pass on to posterity some of our more important post-graduate experiences, we decided to record in permanent form those gourmet delights we’ve collected which satisfy our two most important criteria: they are time savers and are tasty; also, we found them to be dishes that can be prepared before-hand and make you feel like a guest at your own table.

Ladies, ya nailed it!

Despite feeling a bit heavy from the casserole, I stumbled my way to archives to find Mrs. Leland Jenks. In this particular case, I think it’s obvious we needed to find Mr. Leland Jenks first. You find the guy, you find the girl. So, I hit the Wellesley Legenda then the 1940 census and worked backwards.

Mr. Leland Jenks was super easy to find. He had a lot going on in terms of a career. Can you say Guggenheim? Yes, you can. But then again, this isn’t his story. Feel free to google him and appreciate his contributions, elsewhere.

Mrs. Leland Jenks

Mrs. Leland Jenks’ story starts way before she met Leland Jenks. Her name was Elizabeth Plank and she was born 30 October 1896 in Lawrence, Kansas.[i] Her father was Ulysses Grant Plank, often referred to as USG, and her mother was Emma Ziegler Plank.[ii] When Elizabeth was tiny, she lived at the Haskell Indian School since her father worked there as a disciplinarian and later as an assistant principal.[iii]

The Haskell Indian School began in 1884. At the time, it was one of the first government run boarding schools for Native children, with the intention of assimilating them to the majority culture. They had their hair cut, learned Christianity and were forbidden to speak their Native languages.[iv]

USG Plank, had previously worked for the YMCA, then earned his Civil Service Certificate and was employed at the Haskell Indian Institute as early as 1897.[v] Among his duties were supporting the baseball team and returning escapees to the school.

I have no idea the nature of USG Plank, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shudder every time I read this article.

It should be noted that Haskell Indian Institute later became the Haskell Indian Nations University with the support and determination of Native American and Alaskan Native people who worked hard to create a curriculum and environment that supported Native students. A far cry from yesteryear, it is well recognized, today, as being the premier tribal nations university in the U.S. Its mission is to build the leadership capacity of… students by serving as the leading institution of academic excellence, cultural and intellectual prominence, and holistic education that addresses the needs of Indigenous communities. It now boasts a staff that is primarily Native.[vi]

Elizabeth would have had but few memories of the Haskell Indian School as she was only there when she was very small. A short paper trail of Elizabeth’s early years were caught in the weekly Indian Leader, which included an announcement of her arrival in Kindergarten, her participation in a Christmas Pageant, her role as a fairy in the school play and more.[vii] By 10 July 1903, or by the time Elizabeth was 6 years old, her father resigned from Haskell to teach athletics at the college[viii]

Nevertheless, the family remained in Lawrence, Kansas. Elizabeth continued her education and graduated from Kansas University.[ix] Of course, at that time, America was entering WWI. By 1919 she was a social worker with the Red Cross in St. Louis, then Salina, and in April of 1920 even aided in the return of a soldier’s helmet.

It wasn’t long after this that she must have met Leland Hamilton Jenks, for by 23 July 1920 she had resigned from social service work and was getting married.[x]

Shortly after her marriage, Leland was being sent to London for a fellowship, and so they applied for their passports and headed abroad.

Mrs. Jenks had her first child, Margaret, in London on 14 August 1921 at the Ravenswood Nursing House.[xi] Despite being a young mother, abroad, Elizabeth put herself to work with the Red Cross of London. There she did such tasks aiding American soldiers, “telegraphing their relatives for money, securing passage on boats or finding positions for them.”[xii]

By 1922, Elizabeth and Leland had returned stateside as is evidenced by their son, Edwin, born 20 October 1922 in Connecticut.[xiii] For a while they moved around for Leland’s career, then settled in Wellesley, Massachusetts where they remained for the rest of their lives.

Wellesley College was founded in 1870 and was a pioneer in women’s education. The early years of Wellesley primarily employed female faculty, however, by the 1930s, things had changed.[xiv] To immerse yourself in Wellesley of days past, take a trip through the Wellesley Legenda. Such a fun digital collection!

In 1940, the Jenks’ family lived at 18 Weston Road, otherwise known as the Webster House at Wellesley College.[xv] The old Victorian is still used for faculty housing, today. Despite not being employed by Wellesley, herself, Elizabeth certainly seemed to carve out a place and contributed to the community in various ways. She was part of the Wellesley Wives Club, contributed to this cookbook and, in later years, worked for the Hathaway House Bookshop.[xvi]

A special feature in the Wellesley Townsman, 1953, noted her exceptional Christmas display with “bits and pieces collected through a year of prowling around showrooms and gift shows.”[xvii]

One major annual event in Wellesley was The Cooperative Clothing Exchange. Elizabeth was a founder.[xviii] Used clothes were collected and sold at a steep discount. She worked the tables, kept the books and had a hand in running the whole big community event for many years.[xix]

Her life partner, Leland, passed away in 1976.[xx] The couple had been married for 56 years.[xxi] Even after he passed away, she lived in Wellesley, on Linden Street, until her death on 7 February 1988 at the age of 91.[xxii]

One thing is pretty obvious when you look at Mrs. Jenks’ life. She cared about others. She put effort into the welfare of those around her, friend or stranger. Whether it was returning a soldiers helmet, locating housing or organizing a clothing drive, Mrs. Jenks helped out. And frankly, on a week when I was tired and dragging–33 years after her death– she helped me out, too. It came in the form of a simple dish and a little extra time. I don’t turn my nose up at that. Not even a little.

Save yourself some time, this week. Make Mrs. Jenk’s Chicken Curry Casserole and feed it to someone you care about.

If you do make the casserole, I’d love to see a picture. Tag me on Instagram @erinemoulton and #soulspunkitchen.

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[i] “Elizabeth Jenks, 91, Founder Clothing Exchange,” The Wellesley Townsman (Wellesley, MA) 11 February 1988, p. 6, c. 1 ; digital images, Wellesley Free Library Digital Archive  (https://www.wellesleyfreelibrary.org/blog/new-wellesley-townsman-digital-archive-available/ : Accessed 25 March 2021)

[ii] 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Wakarusa County, Kansas, population schedule, Douglas, p. 248 (stamped), dwelling 2, family 2, Plank, Ulysses S.G., Emma A, Elizabeth E, William; images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 March 2021)

[iii] Ibid.

[iv]  Mesick, C, “Native American and African American Education in Kansas, 1830-1960,” University of Kansas (https://sma-neh-landmark.ku.edu/landmark-sites : undated), Haskell Indian Nations University, para. 2.

[v] “Plank Gets A Place,” Lawrence Daily Journal (Lawrence Kansas) 11 October 1897, p. 4, c. 3; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 28 March 2021).

[vi] Haskell Indian Nations University, About (https://www.haskell.edu/ : 2017), p. 1.

[vii] “Helen Peairs and Elizabeth Plank,” The Indian Leader (Lawrence, Kansas) 05 October 1900, p. 3, c. 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 28 March 2021); Also “The Christmas…” The Indian Leader ( Lawrence, Kansas) 02 Jan 1903, p. 2 c. 1 and 2; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 26 March 2021). And “Little Elizabeth Plank,” The Indian Leader (Lawrence, Kansas) 04 July 1902, p. 5, c. 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 28 March 2021)

[viii] “Mr. U.S.G. Plank, assistant principal,” The Indian Leader (Lawrence Kansas) 10 July 1903, p. 2, c. 2; digital images, Newspapers.com  (https://www.newspaper.com : accessed 29 March 2021)

[ix] “Elizabeth Jenks, 91, Founder Clothing Exchange,” The Wellesley Townsman (Wellesley, MA) 11 February 1988, p. 6.

[x] “For Miss Elizabeth Plank,” The Salina Daily Union (Salina, Kansas) 23 July 1920, p. 2, c. 1; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 26 March 2021)

[xi] London, England, Consular Bureau, Report of Birth of Children Born to American Parents, Margaret Elizabeth Jenks, 14 August 1921, Department of Statistics; digital images Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com > US Consular Reports of Birth > Chronological Reports > vol 344, 1921 Dec-1922 Feb:  accessed 10 March 2021); citing National Archives and Records Administration Consular Reports of Birth 1910-1949, Series 2555709-A1.

[xii] “KU Instructor Aids in London Red Cross,” University Daily Kansan (Lawrence, Kansas) 05 October 1921, p. 4, c. 4; digital images, Ancestry.com  (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 26 March 2021)

[xiii] “Mr. and Mrs. Leland Hamilton Jenks announce birth of a son, Edwin Hamilton,” Abilene Weekly Reflector (Abilene Kansas) 26 October 1922, p. 5, c. 5; digital images, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 26 March 2021)

[xiv] Wellesley College, “College History,” About (https://www.wellesley.edu/about/collegehistory : 2021)

[xv] 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, population schedule, Wellesley, sheet no. 5A, dwelling N/A, Family, N/A, Webster House, Leland H. Jenks and Elizabeth P. Jenks; digital images, Ancestry.com  (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 March 2021); citing NARA T0627, roll 01633.

[xvi] Brooklyn Wellesley Club, Wellesley Cooking Treasures (Brooklyn, New York, undated), p. 5. Also, Adler, Joan, “Faculty Wives Plan Gala Annual Dinner, Will Ask Husbands,” Wellesley College News (Wellesley, MA) 25 May 1950, p. 1, c. 3; digital images, Wellesley College Digital Repository (https://repository.wellesley.edu/collections/wellesley-news : accessed 22 March 2021)

[xvii] “Christmas Corner at Hathaway House,” The Wellesley Townsman (Wellesley, MA) Dec. 1953; digital images, Wellesley Free Library Digital Archive  (https://www.wellesleyfreelibrary.org/blog/new-wellesley-townsman-digital-archive-available/ : Accessed 25 March 2021)

[xviii] “Elizabeth Jenks, 91, Founder Clothing Exchange,” The Wellesley Townsman (Wellesley, MA) 11 February 1988, p. 6.

[xix] Ibid.

[xx] “Prof. Leland H. Jenks, 83, Wellesley Economist, Dies,” New York Times (New York, New York) 27 February 1976, p. 33, c. 1; digital image, New York Times Archives (https://www.nytimes.com/1976/02/27/archives : accessed 26 March 2021)

[xxi] “For Miss Elizabeth Plank,” The Salina Daily Union (Salina, Kansas) 23 July 1920, p. 2.

[xxii] “Elizabeth Jenks, 91, Founder Clothing Exchange,” The Wellesley Townsman (Wellesley, MA) 11 February 1988, p. 6.

[i] “Prof. Leland H. Jenks, 83, Wellesley Economist, Dies,” New York Times (New York, New York), 27 February 1976, p. 33, c. 1; digital image, New York Times Archives (https://www.nytimes.com/1976/02/27/archives : accessed 26 March 2021)