The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-06
SCHOOL LUNCHEONS
PLAN CAUSES ROW
Women at Board of Education
Meeting Heckle Yeska,
Board Member.

Following the hearing OF advocates
for the establishment of a luncheon ser
vice in the public schools at a special
meeting of the Board of Education yes
terday, several women advocates cor
nered Joseph Yeska. a member of the
board who had left an executive session
held subsequent to the hearing, and
heckled him for the slowness of the
board in acting upon the luncheon plan.
Arthur S. Somers, president. said the
board would take the matter up
seriously" and that he "hopN the right
| thing would come out of it,"
Mr.. Yeska, hemmed in by "a semi-circle
OF women. told them he was in hearty
accord with the scheme to provide lunch
con service In the schools. but that
there was no harry about IT, Really,
there Is no use taking the matter
seriously" he laughed.
His remark melted the women to a
storm OF rapid fire questions, and sew
eral expressed their opinions of him per-
| sonally as well as member of the
Board Of Education.
During the questioning Mr.. Yeska
was asked II he thought at as impor-
| tant to feed children at lunch in school
as IT is for the city to spend $4,000
in welcoming the soldiers homer" He
replied he had not approved of the
expenditure OF money for welcoming
soldiers
Miss Sally Lucas Jean. a member OF
the Child Health Organization. later
said Mr., Yeska is a good vestmaker.
I have no doubt, but he does not know
anything about educating or providing
for children"
Mr.. Somers announced at the opening
of the hearing that the board is COM
mitted to the idea OF having a luncheon
system in the schools: that the hearing
was granted to hear any testimony re-
garding systems for the survey of the
school lunch plan. He said the Superin-
tendent OF Schools advocated the EN-
ployment of an expert for school lunches.
10 be got outside of the educational sys-
tenn. at a salary Of 5000 a year.
The report of Mrs. Emma l.. Murray,
chairman OF the investigating commit
tee for luncheon plans. advocated the
making OF the survey by people already
within the educational system of the city
and THAI an allowance of $4,000 for the
purpose be made. The Board of Esti-
mate has already appropriated $4,000
for the survey and the devislng Of
plan for the successful establishment of
luncheons for the children in schools.
Mrs. Peterson and Miss Jean contend
! that IL necessary the whole appropria-
! ton should be spent to provide plan
| for serving luncheon in the schools.
They said the appropriation was made
| for devising n plan only, and that for
| the maintenance Of the luncheons the
| children's pennies we've expected These
women also said Mrs. Murray was "apa-
thetic toward the plan because she
| couldn't see the need OF lunches in the
| schools
| Mrs Peterson spoke OF Mrs Murrays
attitude In declining to receive or to lis
| ten to any one with suggestions about
the luncheon plan until after Mrs. Muir
ray had made her report, recommend
ing that the survey be made within the
school system and with such a small ex-
| pendture that the plan has no chance Of
success" Mrs. Peterson had a number
| II questions to ask Mrs. Murray. but she
| was not permitted to by President Som
ers.
| Mrs. Murray, in the meantime, con-
| tinued to keep her back toward Mrs
Peterson and. at the same time. to talk
| with a member OF the board sitting next
| to her. The tones were audible through
out the room.
Miss Jean said the Board Of Education
wishes TO saddle the luncheons, in the
event they are established, upon the Do
nestle Science Department" Miss Grace
| Schermerhorn, superintendent OF this de-
| partment said she did not believe the de-
| partment could care for the luncheon
system properly. She believes the lunch
con system should be a separate depart
ment.
Miss Blake of Public School No told
the board she had been conducting eX-
perments privately with luncheons given
at her school and that the children
showed remarkable gain in weight
land mental activity. Some of these chill
dF-fl were undASSScight. because of mall
nutrition. but a balanced meal daily had
done wonders for them"