The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-25
THE SCHOOL LUNCHEON.
IMPROPER room 'ETEN PROrIDED
EOR CHHDREN.
Wholesome, Nourishlng Luncheons Of Great
Importanc. to Pupiis at school Lack or
tnrc of Mothers on tn. subject
M. Va, p,.,hIltles nf Sandwiches.

The Vast Possibilities OF sandwiches.
The schnol luncheon of the average child Is
A menace to health ard makes the afternoon
school session a dreary failure. \ stomach
afflicted with doughnu,s, pie, p!ceies and choe"-
late creams will dcmorali7c the mental processes
Of the mos, active brain, and an apple and a sian
Of cake isn't a combination much more inspiring.
Even the common variety 81 sandwich isn't calcu.
lated To promote internal peace and harmony.
There are districts If the city where the child
who has any luncheon at all 10 carry to school
is in luck, and where even the child who Roee
home for luncheon fares very po"rly. In such
cases there seems No remedy at hand An enors
Is b'ing made in London To provide wholesome
lunckeons for children Of certain schools, but
the board schools Of London are very different
from the New York public schools, and II is .
question whether free luncheons, even in the
poorer districts of this city, wouldn't be ressuud
az savnring If charity.
For the child who belongs In a comfortable home,
however, a rational luncheon might surely 10
provided, yet, on account Of carelessness, in
difference or ignorance the matter Is sadly ne
gle, ted. \ mother conscientious in other respects
often doesn't think Of providing beforehand
somethin. specially fitted for the luncheon haSno-,
or u exls ndinG care and pains upon the luncheon.
The matter is l"ft to the servant, who dumps INTO
the basket whatever comes 10 hand first and gives
her least trouble. Fortunately in the graded
schools an hours internission Is given Al noon.
and a majority OF the pupils can 90 home; but
even then many stay at the schools and munich
lunCheons that would queer an ostrich. In the
hiyh schools, the situation is worse, because the
noon in,rrmission is shorter and the pupils live
nj greater distances; 50 that il is practically n.ceSr
sary that most of them should carry luncheons,
or 70 out to a bakery and buy something.
Even a wholesome cold luncheon is not the
best thing for a child who is in school all day;
and. whenever tic thing is possible. something
nnuIishing and hot should b" ready Tor tho
child when lie reaches home in the middle Of tho
afternoon. This could be arranged oi'ener Than
il, is il the mothers would only recognize tie
necessity, and give their attention TO the problem;
but such an Arrangement does not do away win
the luE, heon basket No child, so say the doc
tors, should go from breakfast time until hall past
2 or 4 O'Clock without food: and yet the
average child will wait rather than eat,h ordinary
luncheon put into luncheon baskets.
Various attempts have been made to solve
the problem, bu; none Of the experiments has
been much Of an Improvement upon old meth"dS
In several instances the lanltur Of the school build
ing has been allowed to sell cdihles To the chlidren;
but Invariably the food provided has been as I'M
wholesome rs that Of the luncheon basket, ana inc
children, allowed To- exercise their own judgment.
rcypl IN cream puiis, pie, GuCehnu,s, cookies
and pickles, instead Of having something mat
would be- good for them. The same Is true in tho
eases where vendors aic allowed to go 10 the schools
and sell luncheon to the pupils. Children nave
a cheerful disregard Of The hereafter that ls admir-
abe in lis way, but disastrous when apphen 70
things gas,roEunic,
The teachers Say that If hot cocoa or soup were
n possibility at the noon hour the afternoon
,rEulvork would improve nightly, ana the
,aacherS themselves show their confidence III
the theory by preparing cocoa, prom, or YEA, osv,
alcohol lamps amt adding IT To then iuhtheon
menu. Raw eggs are another refuge. "i mo
teachers, because they are NOR" noullShlhg NJ
anything els, mat can be as ca>lil pl9' cn1d
and as speedily ~ allowed but no normal cl.nn
could W. brought t. see ilc charms 81 q iaW, tEsi
"Tnr principal Il a ,chool 'h"ulI b. aIoMeu
10 superiu,end any luncheon sold ~ ,hr pupns
by the isnttor or outside dealers sad The pm,
ciral # one VI the New York high schools, "hrn
Hshcd about the luncheon question. H,nlr CIV
INK food is supplied. The, aitern"'n WORK
practically spoiled by this luncheon aosun"''S,
and b,'E teachers and parents ought 10 Wy !"
suma way. To remedy the evil
biz thing Tor a basket luncheon; but lhrtr a. a.
sandwiches and sandwiches, and the. KIND usuauy.
furnished for school luncheon would not lennpt
any apr~tits. There is y ,me-honored ranl,n'
e. IN, feet that II healthy child has an ohlnNu,
~, |,,t r,,y l, u, no Country. il Is not true Of
,haa ,,I,na,y civ cnilI and a mornings school
Wv. ~ nt ., ,nrrm,a nr,n,~,rr. II the school
,"hIGG,rn ~ f., n. rr9,rrt,d from doughnu'S
o,n', 49,, w. ,b,l,,p,r fond the latter must be
NV na,,,,,,,ya ,nnIyh la live down iG " hole
m" ~" o"r,I,,,s Jh"re ,s n dsrp.inotpd COnvlc.
"""'' tI,,"I,J nm itit.r .Nncri.LC". IL the minds
w., .r II, ,s, tn,t rnn,ryrr is god for one IL
~ w. =, Ln 'r,r,,,i,io ,y unnLeosaut. and it takes
n','", '" ,orG ,rn Il, ,yrrc,mp that ptelu-
a ~ ",',r :, ain the aiurtnr doughnut.
WV "o N",,,r r,ntbnr mo is an authority on
r,o,,e,s Jni.,ur snyr, ihat SIN, spends more time
w. ,un ~ IAN luncheon. man over any other
n, ,h, n,t,.nh.Id She prrpares the sand
nTT,h. T., r,,lt and does il, Ms c%areiully as though
Nv " :, :. r,L ;,r ,nn,n frr an afternoon tea. Or
a. .",u,' yW.. al, = ,int,n vhnlc v heat 81 graham
nn.a" ny a ri,, head ,nIy when IL Is needed
",,,~"iN al. Who,ayrr the Kind Of bread
= - lF c,, 'hiu and ,loinuly but,erpd, and IN
"T,"v' mn,a mo Iniunrss possihle one must
"' n ~, 49, h,,. brrnd uf he Iignt d, gree a
%N ,,, ,iy,ys in Inc r,uar. The Number
,tt' n,ss,J, tirds nl Filings IL legion, and Il
y. o,l'r. 81 ., +, hayp .ur,s,hing ui'ahl" IN
Ln, '' l,,i,r iy t,rIy without Srm' KIND
.r,nt ,pJ vhl, a think II Fan ~ cold
E -, u,, t,, .Itrus ~ hsoyV hr ad isn't at
c,'y, ,In,,t nv sort If m.a' chopped fine
W." " ,r'G,u, .,ntnu.d makes an apTrtiTlng
nmlu"n GlIav II iE, meat il, nrttu D had
"J y, ,,t.J in. and mixed WIN a hdle French
,naSiry. ~ =, ov,nn,ise snuCr IS Wholesome ard
m"' ro,,, q ,,iIch n celery added - amy
ci'eS' Is nn"'n'' h'SifHbr San'M"h M Italian