Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-06
WORCESTER DAILY SPY THURSDAY, JANUARY 6. 1898.

ming at the two high schools for the
benefit of the young person, as coun-
ter-irritant to popcorn balls and pea
nut candy, appears to be of the I'M
paying kind. That is, regarded from
the point of view of the Brysons, who
have written a letter to the school COM
mittee asking to be allowed to advance
the prices on certain features in their
bill Of fare, as at the present rates, they
not only are not making anything, but
are, on the other hand, losing money.
1t was part Of the agreement when the
lunch counters were started, that If the
they should be raised so as to
insure a decent return on the
amount Of time, money and
strength invested, and as the high
school committee has hitherto shown a
disposition to be generous in such mat
ters, 1t seems probable that hereafter
the boys and girls who most do congre-
gate at the high schools, may be asked
to pay a little more for some of the
things they have to eat.
In addressing the committee, there
were certain items specified for the in
creased rates. For instance, sand
witches are now sold at three cents
apiece. The Brysons would like to see
them bring five cents each. Even at
that price, they consider that they
would be cheap, as they are made from
Morgan's bread and are as large as the
loaves will make them after the irreg-
ular crusts and edges are trimmed. The
bread is bought fresh every evening and
not cut until the forenoon it is to be
eaten. There are generally two kinds
of andwiches-chicken and ham. 1t is
the same with soups, of which there are
nearly always two varieties offered, or
else one kind with clam chowder or
oyster stew. Wednesday they had to-
mato soup and clam chowder. A gem
erous mugfull is given for three cents.
Shredded wheat is another number OF
the menu which the Brysons do not feel
as if they wanted any longer to sell at
three cents a biscuit, as, bought at
wholesale, the biscuits cost a cent each,
in addition to which sugar and cream
have to be found for them. Both the
soups and the shredded wheat biscuits
are worth FIVE cents, in the estimation
Of the caterers.
Considerable hard work is necessary
to ensure the proper cooking and serv-
Ing of the lunches. The former is done
by Mrs Bryson 1t was at first thought
that some of the pupils at each school
would assist in the serving of the
food but this has proved impracticable,
partly on account of their inefficiency
and partly because OF their irregularity
and uncertainty. The conditions are
peculiar The lunch lasts for only a
short period each day, and practically
every one wants to be served at the
same time. In order to accommodate
the pupils during the few minutes of re-
cess, three walters are needed at the
classical school, while three walters and
pupil are in duty at the English. The
wages of these assistants add consider
ably to the total expense.
In addition to the dishes mentioned,
there are several others which are also
sold at extremely low rates, but for
which no increase in price is desired.
Cocoa and milk are on the daily menu
at three cents each. There are always
either hard or soft ginger bread at a
penny the piece, one kind of cake at
three cents, graham waters and soda
crackers, two for one cent and ice
cream five cents a dish, Everything is
fresh each day, no leftover food being
offered a second time. The food is
served in generous quantities
While the lunch counters are not
the committee at the time of their
opening, d u pup4lo
patronize them to make it worth While
hygienieally OF the $50 pupils in the
classical and the more than 900 pupils
in the English school, about one-third
buy their lunches at the counters, in
stead of the two-thirds who, it was eX-
pected, would do so. One outcome of
tfne opening of the counters is seen in
the accommodation of the teachers,
many Of whom now stay after school,
instead Of bringing cold lunches or go
ing home to dinner. These are not con-
fined to the menu provided for the
pupils, but are at liberty to order extra
dishes.
A pretty social function was held in
the vestry of the First Unitarian Church
Wednesday evening, the occasion be-
ing the usual monthly reception. The
rooms were decorated with the Christ
mas greens together with large bou-
quet of daybreak pinks placed upon a
table in the middle of the large vestry.
The guests, numbering nearly one hun
bred, were received by Mrs. F. H.
Dewey Mrs Wyman, Mrs. Buck, Mrs.
i. Bradford Sargent, Mrs. Scott and
Mrs. Edgar Davis.
Mrs. Mary H. Lee will repeat, next
Tuesday afternoon, at the house of Mrs.
T. G. Bates, the third lecture in the Sc
ries on THE madonna and art" the
closing one of which was given last
Tuesday afternoon. The third lecture
was originally presented upon an I'M
usually stormy afternoon, so that the
attendance was small, and many of the
ladies, on account of the disagreeable
weather, We're unable to attend. 1t is
repeated at their request.
The series has been most thoroughly
enjoyed by those who attended, and
Mrs. Lee has received several requests
to repeat the lectures in other places.
Just at present she is considering an Of
fer to give the course in Columbus,
Ohio, during the month of February.
The ladies there have promised her a
class of fifty, if she is willing to come.
At the classical high school many
changes, which strike the eye of the
visitor Immediately upon entering, have
been recently made in the decoration Of
the lower corridor The enclosing of
sections of the large hall to form reci-
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