Evening star., 1939-08-23
Plan Offered
1oPush School
Lunch Fund
W. P. A. Proposes
Co-ordinutor to
Aid in Program

Ing today a plan submitted by the
District Works Projects Administra.
ton for co-ordinator to work with
the w. P. A. in scheduling balanced
local work-relief program.
The plan was given special
significance by an announcement by
the Federal Surplus Commodities
Corp. yesterday that it would help
to make possible free school lunches
Tor $4,000 needy District children
and 100000 children throughout
the Nation.
whether the District can take ad.
vantage of the expanded school
lunch program, however, has not
been decided. Mrs. Mary Steele, di-
rector OF District w. P. A. profess
slonal and service projects, explained
that additional funds for personnel
ana equipment, as we'll as bread and
milk, which the F. S. G. c. does not
supply, would have to be raised.
A co-ordinator, according to Mai.
George Parker, acting District w.
F. A. administrator, who submitted
the plan to the Commissioners,
might be able to work with the
w. P. A. in diverting funds from
other locally-sponsored projects to
the school lunch fund.
Tansey and Parker Confer.
He explained that under the new
w. P. A. law which provides that
the sponsor contribute Is per cent
to each w. P. A. project, the Dis.
trlct must raise much more money
for school lunches than was pro.
vided in the 1910 appropriation bill
for this purpose.
Capt. Patrick T. Tansey, assistant
Engineer Commissioner, who met
with Maj. Parker yesterday to con-
slder the co-ordinator plan, said
the Commissioners are weighing
both the appointment of a co-or-
dinator and the provision of funds
for the expanded school lunch fund.
He added that he didn't know lust
how far the sponsors contributions
Tor the various projects were ear.
marked and how easily funds could
be shifted from one project to an.
other. If co-ordinator were an.
pointed, he would represent the
District in deciding which projects
would be most beneficial to the Dis
trict and which could be sacrificed,
Capt. Tansey said. however, that
no decision had been reached as to
the possibility of the Commissioners
authorizing co-ordinator to repre-
sent them in dealing with the
w. P. A.
Maj. Parker explaining that a CO.
ordinator would make it possible for
the w. P. A. to deal with one man
instead OF working separately with
a number of sponsors.
Meeting to Be Held Friday.
"A co-ordinator would simplify
operations" he said. With a pro.
gram scheduled for the whole city
in advance, the w. P. A. here could
be operated on a sound business
basis"
Representatives of the w. P. A..
the Board of Public Welfare. the
Public Assistance Division and the
Board of Education will meet Friday
to attempt to work out difficulties
in the way of expansion of the free
school lunch program, Mrs. Steele
said
Mrs. Steele said the personnel for
preparing the vastly increased num-
Der Of lunches if full advantage is
taken OF the F. S. c. C. program,
would have to be raised from ITO 10
$50. The one central kitchen, she
said, would have to be enlarged 100
per cent or duplicated.
As possible source of funds. she
suggested that money be supplied
from the w. P. A. appropriation for
nursery schools which has not been
used. Congress cut the sponsors
contribution to the w. P. A. nursery
school project from the l14O appro.
priation bill.
Congress approved an appropria.
ton to provide $500 n0dy chill
dren with school lunches. Another
1000 certified by the Board of Edu.
cation as needy are on the waiting
list OF the w. P. A. With the F.. S.
c. c. supplies, Mrs. Steele said. at
least the 1000 additional cases prob
ably will be taken care of.
Statistics Presented.
From July, 1888, to July. 1899, q
total of 1,415,577 school lunches
were distributed to 5000 children
IN 80 schools here.
During the past year. the p G
G. G. supplied SIS 900 worth of food
while the w. P. A. spent s65, 900 on
the school lunch program here. AL
though Mrs. Steele was unable to as
innate In terms of dollars and cents
what increased F. S. C. C. contri-
button would amount to, she said she
expected 1t to be more than twice
what it was last year.
She also pointed out that not onlv
the quantity but the variety of food
would increase. In addition to the
citrus fruits, dry skim milk and
evaporated milk. whole grain cereals,
hours, butter and eggs, she said she
expected other foods adaptable to
'chool lunches would be provided.
In announcing the expanded ma.
tlonal program, the F. S. c. C. ex.
planned that it would provide ad-
altlonal outlets for agricultural sur
oluses.