The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-31
FIGHTING MALNUTRITION
AT JEFFERSON SCHOOL
Daily Luncheon for Pupils tp Take
Place of Indlgestible Pickles
and Candy.
RESULTS CLOSELY WATCHED
Record is Kept Of Weight Of Each
Pupil and of Aptitude for Study
Before and After Light Midday
Neal.
RESULTS CLOSELY

Between 100 and 200 pupils of the
Jefferson School, Nineteenth and Mar
shall Streets, snt down to this luncheon
yesterday, SERVED TO them by the
teachers OF the school. A similar
light repast WAS served 10 the children
tho day before. and the daily l,ncheons
Will be continued for the next three
weeks.
Whether or not the midday school
luncheon, Will be continued as perma-
3 nert feature depends upon the support
y tne experiment receives from the
School Board and the public, and. In s.
measure. upon the degree OF improve
meht In the physical and mental con-
dillon of the children that follows. it's
continuance. Those In charge of the
experiment predict for IL high meas.
IRE OF success.
Although the school luncheon idea
Was given try-out mt the Jefferson
School year ago, ii WINS upon limited
scale. The present effort is the first
III the histor. of the cityS school sys-
tenn, planned on = comprehensive
scale.
MOVEMENT LAUNCHED nv
JEROME; II. JONESSOFF
The present experiment is being car
lied out under the> direction of W. c.
/, Blakey. principal of Jefferson SCHOOL,
~
Responsible for the movement Mr.
Joncssoff nae enlisted tho o-operat ton
of number OF private citizens and
dealers in articles OF food, who have
Joined him In providing n small fund
with which the experiment is being
Financed.
The movement has been given strong
Endorsement by superintendent j. A c.
Chandler. of the public schools Daily
menus are arranged under the direction
.Hof DIR. n. T. Emmett, medical Inspector
Of the city's school systcth The food ia
prepared on the school premises under
the direction Of one OF the teachers, n
student OF domestic science, and is
served In two >upper-n floor classroonis
oNE-FoURTH OF ,CHILD's
DAILY NUTRITION
Food experts assert that the menu
served to the children yesterday con
tanned Il nutritive value OF l55 cslor!es
The normal daily food allowance for n
child Of school age, figured OH the
sumo basis. is Loco Galleries. The mid
day luncheon scrved to the children
yesterday represented, therefore. np-
proSfmutely one-fourth of ;hr daily
food allowance needed for the best de-
yelopment
IS The luncheon is FOR the present
served free OF charge TO all who desire
i 1T OF the 9e5 pupils OF Jefferson School,
between I 40 and coo YESTERDAY took ad !,
Z
Of excellent cocoa ard two graham
crackers. each child was given the
choice Of cheese, or peanut butter
sandwich The average cost of the
200 lunchco,is served was "i cents
:, price which no downtown lunchroo,n
would care 90 meet.
II is tho purpose OF those directing
the enterprise 10 stahdardizc the price
ot the luncheon nj ccnts. and TO en-
courage as many children as possible
10. tl.s 4
con fund. II the experiment shows the
benefit expected from II. 1t is probable
that the school Board viii, be asked. to
contribute mart OF the upkeer ex-
Depse, as we'll MS 10 extend The scrvict
70 other schools.
cOOp w6RK IMPOSSIBLE
WITH MALNCTRTTiON
1T is merely the modern application
of the healthy mind In healthy body.
idea with which the classical quotation
has famil!arized us,'' said Mr.. Jonessoir
yesterday, discussing tn. movement II
firmly believe that 1t is as fully the
duty Of the city TO supply the chldre<l
with an Inexpensive daily luncheon as
u Is for II to furnish them with school
books. Coca school work IS tmpossible
when II has to fight with malnr,trItion
and the reduced vitality which is its
,infalling consequence"
The experiment will lie watched
closely. Every pupil in the JEFFERSON
School has been weighed ana will he
weighed again 1T the end of the three
weeks The teachers will keep close
record OF the comparative department
ana aptitude OF the pupils before and
after the luncheon hour.
Statistics prepared hy PRINCIPAL
Blakey show that % per cent of his
pupils go home for luncheon. so par
cent bring something to eat with them.
ana 20 per cent eat nothing between
3 o'clock In the afternoon. The chief
criticism against the 80 per cent thae
bring luncheons is that they bring the
improper kind OF food. 1t is either dis
rroportionately heavy, or altogether
inadequate from niitritiye standpoint
Many children spend few pennies at
lunch time for pickles and candy of a
low nutritive value.
PURPOSE TO RELIEVE
49, CHRONIC UNDERFEEDING
The purpose of the lunches Is not
to relieve acute hunger" said Mr.
Blakey. but rather to relieve chronic
underfeeding. Chronic Undertaking is
enc OF the causes of malnU.~ition and
is the chief cause OF poor health and
retarded development. 1t is largely re.
sponsible, also for the ravages made by
various forms of tuberculosis,
III is the purpose of this movement
To promote the health of the children
by providing simple. Wholesome mid
: day meat at N cost that all can afford
More can be done this way than
through any otheI means within the
rover Of the schooh It. lis a preventa-
tive method; others are relief meth
DDS
SIS The menu will be varied from day 10
day: On Monday the children will re-
day meal at cost that all can afford.
and an apple. Among those who are
contributing supplies for the expert
~ "a. L. I'll. =
which Is giving d daily allotment Of
bread; the Southern Stuvb Works,
which has Installed the cooking range;
the Home Furnishing Company, which
las Supplied the Kitchen equipment;
and the Richmond Dairy, which is sup,
ilyIng fresh milk.