New Britain herald., 1916-04-22
HOT DISHES FOR
 CH|LDREN'S LUNCH
lnVigoratins RepaSt Furnished in
 Many Schools

Washington, D. C., April 22.-In the belief that hot dish at noon. if only a bowl of milk soup or a cup of good cocoa, is highly important to school children, many schools throughout the country are either sup, plying a regular hot luncheon to school children, or are providing a single hot dish with which the chil- dren coming from a distance can SUD- p1cment the cold food in their lunch baskets. In most cases the children bring money with them and buy the dishes at cost price. Those in charge of the lunch room see to it that noth- ing is for sale that would be hurtful to the children and direct them in their purchases so that they will not buy merely sweets or pastry. This overcomes the danger of the childs spending his money unwisely or pa tronizing an insanitary shop.
 To assist schools wishing to under take this desra ble activity, either through teachers or groups of co-op- erating mothers, the home econ omics specialists of the United States department of agriculture in Farm CTS Bulletin No. 712, suggest the fol- lowing economical and easilypre- pared bills of fare for the school lunch:
 l. Negetable-mi soup, crackers, rolls fruit, plain cake.
 ?. Meat and vegetable stew, bread and butter, sweet chocolate.
 3. Boiled custard, lettuce sand wiches, fruit, cookies.
 4. Dried codfish chowder. crackers, fruit, maple-sugar sandwiches.
 5. Bean soup, crackers, baked ap- ples, sponge cake.
 Tn addition the school can serve hot cocoa, cooked fruits, berries and liquid or other foods which it is difficult to carry in baskets. Almost any school bv the use of paper cups can make good milk available to children at noon. The school can also place on sale good simple cookies, zWieback, or crackers supplied from the outside.
 As the serving of an entire lun- cheOn calls for considerable equipment and dish washing, many country schools will find it easier to supply simply one hot dish, a cup of cocoa, or a glass of good milk. The milk could easily be provided through ar engagements with parents or nearby farmers and is particularly useful to children in warm weather when it Is impracticable for them to bring bot ties of milk in their baskets.
 Help Selves From Counter.
 In a number of city schools the pu- pills are provided With trays and help themselves to foods placed on a coun- ter. At the end of the meal they re- turn the trays and dishes and thus re- duce the amount of help required. In some large cities a trained supervisor is employed to regulate all the public school lunch rooms. In other schools the preparation of lunch is made practical exercise for classes in cook ing and domestic science.
 It is in the small country schools with only one teacher, however, that the midday presents the most diff cult problems. Only a teacher with ingenuity and enthusiasm for her work can carry out the plan, and even with such a teacher the active cooperation of parents is highly inn portant.,
 The simplest equipment includes a large kettle, measuring cup and spoons pairing knife, mixing spoon, dish pans, and towels. The pupils should be will ing to bring plates, cups, bowls, and spoons from home. The boys and girls can easily make curtained shelves for the utensils. A fire1ess cooker which permits the preparation of meat stews meat and bean soups, and cereal mushes, can easily be made by the pupils as a class exercise.
 The older girls, taking turns ill groups, commonly prepare the special dish for the day In good weather the luncheon can be served out of doors, but at other times it may be necessary to serve it on the chldren's desks This will not be objectionable if the desks are first cleaned and covered with clean paper or paper towels, and if the building is well ventilated and screened against flies. Safe water for drinking, washing. hands, cooking and washing dishes if essential, and any water that is at all doubtful should first be boiled.