The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-10-26
Inaugurating a School Lunch Service

/
fastless. Some because OF capricious
appetite and in other cases because
food is not to be had in sufficient guam
tity. Furthermore, in rural districts,
and in some cities, number of chill
dren live such distance from the
school as TO make ii necessary for
them to carry lunch.s Quite frequently.
the lunch is insufficient in quantity
and of limited nutritive value. For
these reasons large numbers of chill
dren during the most important period
of their growth and development have
practically but one meal day
| throughout the school year. The edu
cation and health authorities have be-
come alive to this neglect and are at
| tempting to overcome it by providing
| for school lunches.
| School lunches are no longer in the
| experiment stage Wherever tried
| they have been successful and the
| benefits of school feeding are general
| ly recognized. A growing child needs
more nourishment in proportion to its
size than does an adult. and this is
as true for the rich child as for the
poor. Hence, ii is Just as much an
parents to be provided with nourish- |
| ing food at school, since he cannot go |
home to get it, as it is for the child
of the poor This at once removes
the matter of school feeding from a |
class or charitable affair into the realm l
of child hygiene, where it properly be- !
longs. OF course, there will always I
be some children who cannot afford TO !
pay for this extra food and must be
fed at the expense of someone else,
but this can usually be arranged. In |
nearly all of the newer school build |
ings in the cities and towns of France 1
the kitchen is as much regular part Il
of the plant as the class room.
There are very few schools where |
q lunch service cannot be established 4
If attempted in the right way The
success OF the undertaking depends
largely upon the interest, enthusiasm
and knowledge of the teacher When
inaugurated in her school the question
of financial support comes first to
mind. The movement will undoubtedly
have the moral support of the school
superintendent and board of education.
as school lunches are rapidly being rec
ognized as part of the regular school
work; but they are not always ready
TO finance the purchase of equipment
aud other initial expenses. In Nhe
large cities, committees Of public spir
tied citizens sometimes do this, or par
ent teacher associations, womsns
clubs, or similar organizations give
financial support. In some large school
systems the work is directed by a
trained dietitian. with capable, paid
assistants.
The smaller schools. however, aud
the one room rural schools. where the
need is particularly great because so
few children can 60 home for a hot
dinner. should be able to accomplish
much, provided the teacher has eifhu-
siasm and perseverance. MANY Of these
schools have parent teachers associa-
tions or school improvement sssocis
tions, and some counties have a home
or county nurse, or both. (
II there is no community organization
to supply the small equipment nee,.ed,
The individual parents and pupils must
be educated TO the point of being dc
termined TO carry the plan through. I
The teacher can easily enthuse the pu
pupils, and leaflets on health and uu.
rition prepared by the state board of =
lealth should he sent TO the parents -
The county nurse should visit the q
ZONES where there are undernourished -
hildren. and emphasize the value of y
he school lunch. The medical inspec-
or, or county health officer. should en- :.
Ieayor TO secure the interest Of the '.
ocal ladies aid society or other church :,
organization. and the influence of the =
minister should always be sought. II :,
he children wish to have some part "
n the purchase Of equipment they
ng a fair" or social SO popular !,
n country districts If only enough -
money is secured to buy the necessary ~ y,
cooking utensils, soap, oil stove. Of -
dish towels. and other ma VI
erials each child can bring from home y,
is own table utensils, to he left at ~
chool during the term. Onlt such -
nipple foods as soups, rice, hominy, y,
egetablcs, cocoa, milk. tapioca with NJ
ruit, and the like. should be at DC
empted unless special time can dc TIC
iven to the work of preparation. In
his connection. the domestic science 10
or the home demonstration 70
ill he invaluable in instructing the CD
upils in the value of certain foods aud 80
heir preparation. i s
To he success everything must I've hu
tanned ahead. Assignments of pupils 81,
, certain duties should he made a IN
esk ahead. and the privilege of hav- ag
" share in the preparation or serv p,,
u of lunch will be eagerly coveted. No ~
ptter opportunity could be found for Gu
.aching habits of neatncss, cleanli- st
ess, courtesy, good manners. thorough ma
lastica zion. and care of the teeth. and or
,od values. The danger Of flies IS az
,sy 10 teach in this connection. The le'
Importance Of washing the hands he tn
IRE preparing. serving or eating food. RIO
IN be emphasized and n tooth brush ms
ill might he given after eating. bu
The children should he required TO ira
AZ for their lunches when thcv can mi
ford TO. and those who do not nav an
lould not I've known to the Others The an
sple supplies. like sugar and cocrs. =
light he purchased with fund made
, of few pennies brought bv each
lid The fresh foods. like vegeisblrs.
ill.. meat and fruit mioht be sup.
led bv the various families in turn. q,
Ich family baing notified week -
,cad of ~ f,frn 70 furnish fhr SIM