The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-12-22
ARLINGTON NORTH DISTRICT

The North District School has just
closed its fall term with the very cue
cessful Chr stmas entertainment, 81
ven by the children en- Thursday ey-
enins, Dec. 16 The fathers and mo-
theirs who gathered to hear the child.
ren's songs and recitations all fe't
that there had never been a more sue
cesful entertainment given by the
children OF the school, and they all ap
preciated the immense amount OF care
and time which the two teachers must
have given, to train the children so
we'll that they went through their
parts clearly, accurately, with spirit
and expression, and best CT all, SEEM
ing to enjoy it as much as the audi
ence The members Of the Battenkill
Woman's Club who were present had
an especial pride and pleasure in the
lrcsy cheeks and bright eyes Of the
children, because they feel that they
have some share in the good health of
the children in the North District
School They gave from the pre-
ceeds of their Community Tea
House which was kept open in the
school house last summer. fund Of
seyentyeight dollars towards the hct.
lunches for the school children. And
after some months OF experience. they
feel that there is no estimating the
amount of good it does the children
Other school-distrlcts may be interest
ed to know just how the North Dis
trict manages about the hot school
lunches. for other Vermont d striots
may have the same number OF chill
dren coming from far up the slopes Of
the mountains, over the snow, through
the rains and storms. Such children
are not properly nourished when they
have eaten some half-frozen bread
and butter and piece of cold pie or
cake. They need warm, nourishing
food and there is pleanty of it in Yer
mont homes If II can only be gotten to
the school
The North District system is as fol
lows. The fund from the Battenkill
Woman's Club is used for the staples
which the children cannot very well
bring from home and which are al
ways needed, such as salt, sugar CO
Goa. flour, lard. spices. rice. macaroni,
beans, etc. The families Of the North
District have contributed enough dish
es and cock ne utensils for a cooking
outht The cooking is done mostly on
the stoves used to heat the school
room, and rartly on an oil-stove which
was given to the school by cne OF the
mothers. Then the children, in turn
around. are asked to bring some one
of the foods which are always found
in any ordinary house. One day one
child is asked to bring a quart Of mix
and as h S turn does net come for
many days again, this is not too much
to ask. Another day every child is
asked to bring a couple Of raw potatoes
or carrot, another day child is
asked to bring a cabbage. to which Is
added a can Of salmon (bcught out Of
the fund and some mayonaise dress
ing and a salad Is served. The menu
varies from day to day and Includes
creamed potatoes, baked beans. soups
of all sort (these are very much liked
by the children and are splendid foot
for them) salad, cocoa, or just baked
potatoes and butter. One hot dish Ii
served every day which the children
eat with the cold food brought from
home They all sit in the smaller o
the two schoolrooms, comfortably ant
warm, like one big family. instead o
tear ne at their sandwiches as the!
run around cut of doors and it cal
scarcely be doubted which is the bet
ter for their disgeston
The preparation is managed thus
each day one of the larger girls j.
made responsible for the food for tina
day, under the guidance Of the teach
er. Of course She appoints two of thu
younger children to help her, and tc
gether with the teacher they max
= what simple preparations there ar
: to make. After the meal, two othe
children turn and turn about, was
the dishes and put away the things,
- OF course this would not be possibl
r. without a good deal of extra work TO
the teachers, as there is certai
. amount Of the preparation Of fco
e which must be done at home, as in tn
: case cf beans. But the North Dstric
is fortunate in having two devote
-- teachers who are more than willing I
T. do anything for the health and we
: fare Of their children: as indeed mos
d teachers are If they receive help fret
the community where they live.
"a It Is one Of the pleasantest sight
L imag nable to step into the North Di
Z, triet school-house at the beginning {
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