HOT LURCHES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 16 April 1919, Page 3

HOT LURCHES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.

The following letter vjill be considered by the Otaki State School Committee at its next meeting:— . Education Department, Wellington, 2nd April, .1019. The beneficial results that have attended tho introduction at some country schools (especially in the winter time and in the case of children coming from a distance) of a system of providing hot lunches in some form or other have suggested tho desirability Of making tho practice a more general one and the Minister of Education desires to bring this aspect of the case before Education Boards with a view to such an arrangement being made by boards with the co-operation of school committees and teachers.

It is suggested that the lunches usually brought from home by the pupils might bo supplemented by hot cocoa and milk or by soup, or possibly, in schools whore cooking classes exist, or where suitable provision can be made, a complete ,meal of a" simple character might be provided, a small charge sufficient to cover the actual cost of the materials used being made

■where necessary. The cost, of necessary, apparatus and utensils, wkick is most cases would be small, might very wellbe met out of the funds at the disposal of committees, unless, of course, defrayed from some other source. The provision of hot cocoa or milk Trill be easily made, the only utensils necessary being a saucepan or kettle and cups or mugs. The soup might be made (largely from vegetables grown in the school gardens) by the elder girls in the school under the supervision of a teacher, or by the wife of the_ teacher assisted by the girls, or it might be '•prepared by some person living near the school, and heated, if necessary, on the school fire. The training received by the girls in the work, if under competent supervision, would be- most useful, and if daring tlw meals the children were under proper control, here again they would receive useful instruction 'in manners and proper behaviour at table. Kccipes for the making of soup of a. simple kind might be obtained from the teachers of cookery, or from some other competent person. It is possible, also, that in some schools where facilities exist fuller meals, including vegetables, fruit, and milk puddings, might be provided; but probably the hot milk, cocoa or soup would be sufficient to begin with.

The Minister feels sure that the adoption generally of a scheme such as this will receive the hearty support of all boards and committees, aud he trusts that no difficulty will be experienced in making sonic provision in this direction. - .

A. BELL, Secretary,