New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-28
DINNERS F0R SCHOOL CHILDREN.

The Education act has disclosed the misery of
neglected childhood in London. Ii was not until
tie compulsory system was adopted that adc-
ouate facilities were afforded for an invcstiga-
ton of the social condition of the working and
criminal classes. The agents of the School
Board in registering the children of the me-
tropolis and enforcing the provisions oi the act
caught glimpse Of an unknown word-Outc1st
London in its squalOr and unuttcrable fetch
edness. As the children took their places in the
school-rooms their faces told pitcous tale of
starvation and want. Their teachers soon dis
covered that many Of them were as hungry as
they were ignorant Thousands of children
either went to school in the morning with empty
stomachs or carried no lunches with them, and
were incapable of the mental eNcrtion requisite
for their studies. This was the earliest expert
encc of the School Boards and il has not been
modified as the act has been put in general
operation. \ great many warnings have been
sounded on the subject of Overpressurc in the
schools, but the closest observers of the system
have agreed that the evils whether mental or
physical, Of which complaint has been made, are
generally to be attributed to mdcrfccdiEg
Miss Carpenter was among the first advocates
schools. At Bristol the first experiment of
feeding poor children in the schools was tried
and succeeded 50 well that it WAS repeated at
Rousd0n in Dorsctshire. where the scholars
were served with wholesome food at an expense
Of Il penny meal. The transformation in the
appearance Of the children and in their pro
gress in study wrought by this simple process
was 50 remarkable that Mr.. MundclIa and other
friends Of education have made strenuous efforts
to apply the principle TO London and other
centres Of population. From on article ia THE
London Ncies it appears that a committee has
perfected a plan for supplying ali needy chill
drcn attending the Board Schools with whole
some food and comfortable clothing. he DIM
ncrs are not to be grdtuitous. They are to be
furnished at cost, and are not TO be eaten until
paid for. For an English penny meal the
following bill of fare was provided at RousIon:
Monday, soup; Tuesday, suet pudding and
sugar; Wednesday, boiled rice and jam; Thurs
day, roly-poey meat pudding; Friday apple
pudding; the meals averaging about eight
ounces Of solid food for each child. For
penny the London school children are expected
to fare rs well. In majority OF cases the food
they receive at home for daily lunches costs as
much if not more, but it is neither Wholesome
nor appctizing.
Another interesting experiment is to be tried
in various London schools. There arc many
poor women who cannot send their older chill
dren to school for the reason that there is "a
baby to mind.7 The women themselves go ont
to work for living aud depend upon an older
child to look after the baby. Accordingly crtchcs
are proposed where the babies can be left Dur
Ing school hours by the ~mndcrs' who them
selves are instructed in the schools. The
cItches, like the det-ktchcns, are TO be self
supporting the small fee of a penny week
being charged for the privileges of the institu.
tim