The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26


 big project to their credit with a big plus
 mark, very kindly met me and gave me some valuable information on the sub ject
 This committee is composed of Mrs. J. w. Bruce, Mrs. s. J. Cole, Mrs. Griffith | R. Harsh and Mrs. George H. Estes-and | it is to these clever, capable. women,
 who have given their time and experience,
 not to speak of their enthusiasm and ar
 dor to the work, who are responsible for | its success.
 Explain to me-" I said to Mrs. J. W.
 Bruce, the chairman of the committee,
 "iust how you started this gigantic under
 taking"
 You would have laughed at us if you
 could have seen our first efforts said
 Mrs Bruce, flor you know how women
 are about things, when they are ue-
 termined to succeed in spite of obstacles. and we had nothing in our favor ana eV-
 erything against us. The Board or Eau cation was watching us with wlsttul eve. and I shall never forget how some of our first meals were served. Old par
 rels were brought in for tables and we carried the food around in trays and | ha sl,ets and all the while Dr. Phillips was
 looking on-doubting, shall say-the eff ciency of the plan, but so anxious for us | to succeed
 | And did the children take to the idea | from the start?" I asked.
 l Just bakers dozen responded to the first call" said Mrs. Bruce. but we were
 not discouraged We foresaw me uneX pressed conservatism and suspicion that would have to be combated, both from | children and parents on the one hand, | hut we also saw on the other hand that | neither parents, children, teachers, nor onlooking sociologists could formulate any real objection to the children spend ing cents for a wholesome meal, and II remained of course matter or chance whether the boys and girls themselves would make the sensible choice. soon, however. drawn hither by the allurins
 fumes from the kitchen-they travel n
 the High school just like they do in Kitchen in q private house-in fact. Pro lessor Brown says he can smell the "goodies' cooking every day and knows just what we are going to have Tor lunch) the children began to realize that it was a good thing and so from an num- ble beginning of a score or more, we now serve over a thousand children every day"
 What has been the largest number you
 have ever served?'' I asked.
 .Eleven hundred and ninety-six,' said Mrs. Bruce proudly. That takes In nearly all of the school. Do you know that when Vice President Fairbanks Vis- tied Birmingham a few years ago he openly declared that he considered the lunch room at the High school the most interesting feature that he had seen in this great big city? Our people ought to visit an6 see for themselves just what we are dong."
 ''It must be exasperating to keep house for 1900 people, I suggested. How on earth do you manage to vary the menu and keep things gong?" l inquired. That is all due to Miss Luckies good management and ingenuity was the re- ply. She is wonder when it comes to those things. The children have different things to eat every day. For instance, to- day they are served two sandwiches and the choice of a glass of fresh, delicious milk, or a glass of lemonade. One of the sandwiches Is of meat and the other bread and butter. Another day they have baked beans and tomato sauce with slices of bread and butter. Another day they have bowl of nice, palatable soup. Then they have different cereals with plenty of sugar and cream.''
 But suppose some one has big--a