Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-21
lanhan Funds
Are Sought for
School Lunches
5000 Students
To Be Affected if
Appeal FuiIs

School officials today are con-
ferring with the Board of Public
Welfare on a joint appeal for Lam
ham Act funds to continue the
school lunch program.
Unless funds can be found to hire
about 70 workers and ID truck driv-
ers for the central lunch kitchen on
Wisconsin avenue, nearly 5000 ne
cessitous' school children on Janu-
airy 81 will cease to receive the hot
lunch formerly furnished them
through the now-defunct Works
Project Administration.
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, presi-
dent of the board, suggested at the
Board of Education meeting yester-
day that some arrangements might
be worked out to permit parents to
pay for the lunches. In this way,
she said, working parents unable to
get home to give their children
lunch would also be able to benefit
under the lunch program.
Mrs. Doyle contended that the
payment for the lunches would be
consistent with the present policy
of the board. The board yesterday
authorized payment of one penny a
day by parents for $4,000 half pints
of milk hitherto financed by the
District. Last month the board au-
thorized payment by mothers for
care of their children in the nursery
schools soon to open in District
school buildings.
Conference Slated.
Asst. Supt. of Schools Robert L.
Haycock expects to confer with Mrs.
Ola Day Rush, head of the home
economics department Of the schools,
who has for some time been ad-
vocating extension of the school
lunch program to children who are
able to pay as well as "necessitous
The program of the emergency
hot lunch has been under way in
the schools for eight years. Some
times serving as many as 5000 chill
dren in the depression years, the
central kitchen lately has had to
furnish lunches to about 4700. Pa
rochial schools are also included in
the program.
Lanham Act funds would be neo-
essary to pay personnel to prepare
the food and deliver it to schools,
Mr.. Haycock said, but officials al
ready have money for food through
sponsors contributions" OF the Dis
trict government. The Surplus Mar
keting Administration also contrib
utes food.
An entirely different program will
have to be worked Out to serve
the lunches next year, Mr.. Haycock
said, because then not only the
Works Project Administration per-
sonnet funds. but also the food con-
tribution will be discontinued.
New Member Welcomed.
The Parent Teacher Association
took over serving of lunches to chill
dren of working parents during the
last war, Mrs. Doyle recalled at the
meeting yesterday.
The members of the board yester-
day welcomed a new colleague,
Charles H. Fearing, ST.. appointed
early this month to succeed Col.
West A. Hamilton. Mr.. Fearing was
sworn in before the meeting start
ed by A. w. Holt. budget officer of
the school and notary public.
Mr.. Fearing's first duty as men,
Der of the board and of the Build
ings and Grounds Committee will
be to inspect the new Kramer Junior
High School, expected to be ready
for occupancy by February /. Asst.
Supt. Jere j. Crane told board men,
beers he expected to have both fuel
oil and equipment installed in the
school by then.
The board decided to make formal
request to the Office of Price Ad-
ministration to make sure adequate
provision is made in the rationing
program for supplies In school cafe
terias Mr.. Haycock said certain
supplies were beginning to run low.
"Non-critical" metal buckles are to
replace brass buckles on cadets belts
for the duration, it was decided. The
new black buckles costs 10 cents. DR..
Robert A. Maurer, vice president of
the board, urged that cadets con-
tribute their brass buckles to the
scrap campaign.