Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-27
CITY HOUSE MOTHER"
CANS AND DRIES FOOD
Miss Smedley. Supervisor Of
School Luncheons, Prepares
for Next Session
APPARATUS is SIMPLE
Electric Fan Evaporates Fruit and
Vegetables Placed on
Trays

Mise Emma Smedlev. supervisor n the
Department Of School LunCheons, and an
electric fan are collaborating
And there's one thing sure:
The great army Of little wriEElers who
forget they've had breakfast by 10 o'clock
and who begin to look at the school clock
at II with an eve to more sustenance
aren't going to feel the pinch of wartime
hunger when I . o'clock comes around next
year.
Miss Smedlev has just launched a con-
servation campaign in the interests of the
hundreds Of little public school boys and
girls who are lucky enough 10 tuck their
bihs in at any Of her forty school lunch
rooms, All summer long she and a goodly
number Of 1856 able ieutenants in her de-
partment will stay IN the hot city and can
and dry fruits and vegetables ~ he con-
sumed by her little charges next year.
DRY BY ELECTRICITY
A high light and a very important fac
tor in the preparedness drive is the cleo
trio fan. which is part Of drying appara-
tus, the model for which Miss Smedley Sc
cured from the Department of Agriculture
IN Washington.
81 went down myself" Miss Smedley
explained during a canning session in the
West Philadelphia High School, 'to find out
from headquarters exactly what the best
and most economical drying process was
The result was this. or At least model Of
thlS-tne bONF IN tne NaNudl lTdlllIk Nt-
partment of the Northeast High School,
working under the school mobilization COM
mittee, are responsible for the manufacture
of the frame.
Miss Smedey whom II is very difficult
10 find these days with her hands free
from June peas or cherries, and such like,
stopped picking" for a. minute and pointed
to the set Of shelves which stood directly
in the path ~ the current from the electric
fan. II was loaded with deleCtahles lately
culled from the June sunshine.
PLAN VERY SIMPLE
The plan is very simple" she said
the frame is just a yeries Of trays fastene&
in a frame work The things to be dried
are put on the trays and the electric fan,
which iR as yo1 see placed 50 that its cur
rent Of air will pass through, does the
rest Of the work"
The simplicity and directness Of the dry
ing machine discovered" by Miss Smedley
in Washington are characteristic Of the or
ganization Of her entire canning campaign.
Realizing that rpenng fruit and vege-
tables wait for no man. Miss Smedley has
her corps Of assistants so at call that she
can send forth through her secretary an
SOS for henChmen in one hour and have
them in the school kitchen within the
next two. The pledge Of her assistants has
been given thst this summers time belongs
to the embryo little citizens who In spite
Of war must eat and grow up properly.
At best in dealing with these future up
holders OF American liberty Miss Smed-
ley Ia working against odds-allurlng be-
sugared odds that sell for a penny a stick,
gloriousy colored pieces and tempt small
persons 10 find their MONDAY meal therein
II ts said, however, that the corner candy
store Is being given a run for its money.
EIGHT YEARS AT WORK
Eight years ago when Miss Smedley left
the teaching stan Of Drexel Institute to
experiment with a lunchroom in a city
school, some folks shook their heads. Since
then the one has grown to forty. In that
time thousands Of calories have been taken
| into secret session in her office at 1928
| Brandywine street and have come out
| dressed up in sugar and spice and a lot
| or other things which have given untold
| competition 10 the lollypop.
IL is expected that the fruits OF the drive
| will be equally efiicacious