The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-03-11
HOT LUNCHES. IN
RURAL SCHOOLS
NOW DEFINITELY ESTABLISHED
AND APPROVED FEATURE IN
BROOkINGS COUNTY
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT fAVORS llH
Benefits and Practical Applica-
tion Of Hot Lunch Idea.

How many people in Brookings
county know the extent of which hot
lunches are being regularly served to
the pupils of the rural schools of the
county? That instead of being merely
an impractical fad, to be tried few
times and then abandoned, the prac-
tice has become a regular part of the
days routine In many schools! Many
OF the parents Of today's pupils. re-
membering the lunch they carried In
their own school days, that of neces-
sity was composed of substances de-
void enough of moisture that they
would not freeze during long walk
in zero weather, or while awaiting the
noon hour in school room not heated
above the freezing point, certainly
will heartily endorse any practical sys-
TEN of insuring for their children at
school as satisfactory a midday lunch
as that enjoyed by the parents at
home. County Superintendent Mabel
X. Trooien, is enthusiastic in her in
dnrsemept Of the hot lunch She saws:
There Is no doubt that the hot
noon day lunch is worth while in our
rural schools. 1t is being tried out
quite extensively this year in Brook
ings county, and from all reports is
meeting with success. There are TWEEN.
ty-four OF these schools, according to
our last report, that serve something
hot at noon. Sometimes IL Is only
cup of cocoa, again 1t is regular
meal"
Miss Lucille Wamstad, who teaches
in Aurora District No. 80, says: I'VE
have found it so satisfactory and en-
joyable that to mention missing day
to the pupils causes trouble"
Miss Doris Donaldson in Aurora No.
100, says: "rhe mothers are All en-.
thusiastic over the hot lunches and
help in every way"
Miss Phoebe Booth in Brookings
No. /, says: "Some Of the advantages
of having hot dish to supplement
the cold lunch are, the MONDAY meal
is now social half-hour for both pu-
pills and teacher, and pupils do not
eat so rapidly as when they ate in
the cloak room, the basement or wher-
ever they wished. feel almost GER
tain that in districts where the hot
lunch is once given a trial both pupils
and parents will desire the work next
year."
Miss Lillian Alseth of Volga No. 20,
says: 1--WE had basket social last
fall to raise money to buy the neces-
sary equipment and some canned
goods. Each family furnishes about
once week, so we seldom serve the
same dish twice in one week. We
have failed to have a hot lunch two
times since we started, and the chill
dren have complained OF being very
hungry those afternoons"
Miss Olga Alseth OF Volga No 79,
says: "The children certainly are
interested in their lunches and always
are willing to do the extra work re-
quired. boys as well as girls. The
school is divided into groups, two to
sweep up the crumbs, two to wash
and dry the dishes. The girls each
have day to do the cooking. We
have our stove in the hall and she
takes her books with her while she
prepare the dinner. Everything that
can be is prepared at recess Some
of the parents tell me their children
are never hungry when they come
home from school now, as they were
before we started serving hot lunches.
The pupils seem to be more inter-
ested in school and we have fine
attendance"
John l.. Walker, who teaches in
Sinai No. 49, has had his pupils make
table and benches and each noon
they sit up to q real meal Their cup
board is well filled with canned goods.
breakfast foods, and various other
things. The parents gladly send in
any good things they may have on
hand.
Brookings county is not behind 9th
er counties in this line. Every one
of the twenty-four teachers who have
reported feels that it is worth while.
The children have eaten half-dozen
lunches out of tin pals too long not
to appreciate this hot appetizing lunch.
The cost is very slight and it does
not Interfere with school work after
1t is well planned. ~,
In Clark county. where three rural
schools served hot lunch last year,
there are this year fourteen schools
doing so, and the practice is becom-
ing common all over. the state. Thus
Is being removed one more Of the
causes Of farm boys and girls grow
ing up with a determination to leave
the farm and 90 to the city at their
first opportunity