CHILDREN’S MILK PARADE

Evening Star, Issue 21744, 12 June 1934, Page 12

CHILDREN’S MILK PARADE

ANDERSON’S BAY SCHOOL PROVIDES DAILY HALF-PINT BOTTLE AND STRAW METHOD ADOPTED The illustrations show pupils of the Lower School at Anderson’s Bay enjoying their daily half-pint of pasteur-

ised milk. The school committee, which based its system of milk distribution on that observed at Fendalton, Christchurch, inaugurated its scheme yesterday morning at 10.30, when the 100 pupils in the infant classes and Standard .1. were each given a sealed bottle of this body-building dairy product, and told to carry oh with the aid of a straw. There were no refusals, although a certain amount of bubble-blowing and straw chewing had to be checked at the outset.

Normally, the milk is issued and consumed in the shelter of the school building, but to-day, on account of the visit of the ‘ Evening Star’s ’ camera man, the parade was staged out of doors, some of the older pupils from the upper

school helping the teachers in the task of distribution and supervision. The advantage of the hygienic bottles are obvious, and it is considered that the straw method of imbibing, inasmuch as it eliminates undesirable gulping, is preferable to the use of a cup oi mug. Cold milk, moreover, is stated to be better than warm milk, the latter being more susceptible to contamination. The bottles ' after being rinsed out on the school premises, are packed in a crate and left outside for tiie milk delivering company to collect next morning and substitute with the fresh issue. The weight of every child has been or will shortly be recorded, so that it will be possible, say, at the end of the term, to check up the

results and arrive at an estimate of the benefits derived by the recipients of the committee’s generous action. The milk is being distributed among the- pupils of the lower school free of cost to parents, the committee paying approximately 25s a week to maintain the system. If the departure is suCcessful it is proposed to extend its scope to tho whole school, but, in that event, it will probably be necessary to obtain support either directly through parents or through patrons of concerts, etc., which may he organised. The cost is estimated to be from 3ld to 4d per week per child, and it is hoped that parents who can afford to do so will offer to help the committee from the financial standpoint.