Evening star., 1896-02-15

me how the penny luncheons were started.
The college settlement, you should know,
is a colony of college women who make
their home in one of the most destitute and
depraved districts of Philadelphia, believ-
ing that "a good life lived in dark place
Will create around 1t its own eniarging at
mosphere of helpfulness and brightness"
We learned" said Miss Davis that the
school children of our neighborhood were
in the habit of spending the penny which
was given them for a luncheon for small
bags of hard, dry cakes or snowbals, and
even sometimes for fancy gilt toys. In
many instances the same children were
sent TO school without anything to eat.
In other cases they had breakfasted on
cake or bread and tea o. coffee. This led
TO some experiments, the FIRST of which
was with bread and jam sandwiches. We
gave two slices of wholesome, homemade
bread, spread with apple jam, for cent.
The sandwich weighed about two ounces,
and was very attractive as well as pal
atable. Then we tried ginger bread, and
found that We could furnish two pieces,
each weighing two and a quarter ounces, for
a cent. This is very popular. We have also
experimental with homemade currant
cake, currant buns and rusks. For four
months the work was done in our own
Kitchen. Then we secured couple of
rooms near and introduced milk into the
school luncheons, giving ope-haif pint for
cent. This milk is the partly SKINNED
from reputable dairy, and while not SO
llcH III I2I as the wl0le mix, yet. ii is
richer in other food principles. Later, we
tried meat sandwiches. A cheap cut of
meat was procured and subjected to long,
SLOW cooking in the Aladdin oven; then it
was chopped and seasoned, and two slices
OF bread spread with the paste. Now We
have our public kitchen in operation, and
have increased the variety of lmncheons
which have also increased in popularity.
Ihese iuncheons are not up 20 the stand
ard prescribed by Prof. Atwater for school
children. Still, they so superior to
what poor children are in the habit of
having, both in point of quality and guam
tity, that We regard them as a success.
Moreover, it is great triumph TO win the
poor to any extent to our habits OF food
and feeding. They distrust any form of
civilization, when it first appears even in
or homemade bread and butter, so that
We consider il a distinct gain TO have our
luncheons popular"
What Mr.. Powell Says.
I asked Superintendent Powell why
Washington is rot abreast of the times in
the matter of school luncheons, and he said
that it is not because ne does not perceive
the wisdom Of such movement. 81 would
heartily welcome any sensible, systematic
plan for furnishing school children, High
School children in particular with a noon
meal" said he. The graded schools are so
located throughout the city that there is
no reason why a child in one Of these
schools should not so home to lunch. At
the most it's walk of eight squares, gen.
orally not more than six, which is only a
healthy walk for a boy or girl. L think The
majority of these pupils do go home,
though they manage TO abuse their stom-
achs at the short recess. l have succeeded
\ in driving off frcm in front of almost every
schcol building candy vendors and cake
SonierS. In addition TO the evil of eating
these mems wares. | found children were in
the habit Of trading tickets that pa
rents had given them to ride home from
school at discount TO these men for their
edtaales. Then, when they We're late in
getting home, parents complained 10 me
that teachers were keeping their 1aldren
over hours. Cakes and candy III IS became q
source OF deceit and dishonesty. and l
finally get rid of the business. Still the
children continue to slip around the corner
and SPEND Their money; but that ] cannot
control. High School children would he
greatly bei cited in every way if a sCDstan-
tiar luncheon could he furnished them in
place of what l know many Of them are in
the fabit of eating. As yet, however, no
one has made any practical suggestion to
The school board of any means of accom-
plishinS this. We have a large number Of
requests made 10 permit persons TO opeu
lunch rooms in the school buildings. but it
.S all in line with the general policy OF am
bilious and inventive people, who seek 10
make the public schools q means to their
private ends. There are also kindly and
cautious reforrners, who want TO use the
schools. thinking that a few children more
or less don't count much anyhow, and #
the children survive their experiments the
public is ahead; if the children are sacri-
feed, there are others"
You see. in spite of his pessmistic views
OF reformers in general, Superintendent
Powell. as well as the director of the high
schools, DR.. Lane, and all the principals of
all the high schools and unnumbered chill
dren, recommends the reform in school
luncheoas, which has been proved pract!-
cal in other cities, and is now suggested to
parents by PAULINE PRY.