The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-04-12

1
of living exactly one-third.
The Missouri students have conducte,
independent experiments. They began
with the Investigations of DeNean Stat
ford, of Bolivar, Mo-, and Thomas
Wright Robinson, of Macon, Mo-, VIII.
are in the senior law department. Boil
devoted their spare time to studyins
| chemistry, and Independently they ar
! rived at the conclusion that mankint
is miserable because of the abuse pu
upon Little Mary"
| Stafford and Robinson talked tt
| Thomas w. F. Schurmeyer, also d law
! department senior, and the attorney Of
Lathrop dormitory, who became most
enthusiastic, and who announced that
he would make the first test.
NOT FOR THIRTY DAYS.
/ He made formal declaration of his in
tent to his fellow students in the DOR
mitory, saying that he would not eat
/ the midday meal-dinner-for thirty
days. AT first the other thought it was
| a joke, and when they found that
! Schurmeyer was very much in earnest
| they chaffed him shamefully. Schur-
meyer is one of those tall, raw-boned,
| lanky young mem who always look as
| if they were half starved. The other
students made life so miserable for him
| that he was about to abandon the ex-
pertinent when Stafford and Robinson
| made public announcement that they
were going to try the two-meals-a-day
experiment. A week later two more
students, E. B. Forbes and A. M.
Pearcy, joined the experimenters. and
the others wearied of poking fun at him
and became really interested.
without dinner each student made a
formal report. There was a remark
able similarity. Each young man said
that he suffered from hunger during the
first two weeks, especially at night, but
in no case was the craving for food
severe, and it soon passed away. Each
of them said that he ate no more at
| breakfast and supper than had been his
habit when he also ate dinner.
They were unanimous in reporting a
marked Improvement in health and
spirits, the greatest benefit being no
tfced in the third week. The effect up
on the mind was more pronounced than
on the body. Stafford and Robinson
gained four and six pounds in weight
but the weight of the others was. not
affected.
Each of the four asserted vigorously
that he was not only able to study
more, but that he could master a sub
ject in far less time. This was evi-
dent to all the students, for Stafford
led his class in the months work, and
the rating of the others was consid-
erably above their former average.
This made the students take deep in
terest in the two-meals-a-day plan.
A mass meeting was called and near
iy the whole student body attended.
The reading of the reports aroused such
enthusiasm that resolution abolishing
dinner was offered before the discus
sion. But the pioneers said that they
had better talk over the matter first.
The question was raised about the
meal it was best to omit
we have all experimental on that"
Stafford told them. II tried going with
dinner is the least difficult to eliminate
We all found that breakfast is the most
essential of all. Personally, found it
almost impossible to study in the morn
ing when 1 went without my breakfast
When went without supper 1 found
that became hungry about bedtime
and that l did not sleep as well as
usual"
AS the discussion progressed opposi-
ton developed. This was led by the
medical students, who fought with
fervor born of scientific conviction, and
possibly of professional foresight that it
was folly to cut out dinner, the most
important meal of the day And they
were supported by the students who ars
fond of eating.
While majority were in favor of
eliminating dinner, the opposition man
aged to retain their midday meal for a
time by having the proposed change re-
ferred to the faculty, and to that au-
gust body was presented this petition:
Whereas, by scientific investigation
it has been discovered that mans
health, comfort. and convenience are
best conserved by eating two meals a
day instead of three; and
Whereas, this plan would reduce our
board from $3.50 a week to 81 a week;
and.
Whereas, we desire to live. as eco
nomically as possible, we most respect
fully request that no noon meal be serv-
ed in the future in Lathrop hail.
1t is a wise faculty that knows its
own business. That of Missouri univer-
sity, seeing into the future and realiz-
ing the possibilities of official action in
taking from its students their daily din
ner, astutely. announced that it was
none of its affair. If the students wish
ed to go without their dinner the facuI-
~ could not make them eat; if they
wanted their dinner. it was being served
in Lathrop hall.
The two-meals-a-day advocates call
ed another mass meeting and the prop
osltion TO formally abolish the midday
meal in Lathrop hall and serve only
breakfast and supper was carried by a
large majority. The experiment is to
last for four months, and $50 students
have pledged themselves to give it a
fair trial