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This by no means represents the total quantity of milk consumed in the schools by
the children. Apart from the doctors' recommendations, and apart from the feeding
of children scheme, in many schools the teachers have for some years past formed
" milk clubs " on a voluntary basis, providing milk for all who wish it on payment
of cost.
An impetus was given to the latter movement during 1929 as a result of the
endeavours of the National Milk Publicity Council, which ofFered, with the assistance
and co-operation of the trade, to supply to any school, bottles containing one-third
of a pint of milk, sealed and provided with a straw, at a uniform price of Id. per
bottle all the year round. The trade is prepared to deliver these bottles day by day
in the numbers required, and will collect the empty bottles, which will then be
washed and sterilised by the trade on milk sellers' premises. The Milk Publicity
Council added that the scheme had already been put into force with the approval
of the education authorities in the cities of Birmingham and Liverpool. In April
the Council agreed that no objection should be offered in cases in which head teachers
desirous of starting voluntary milk clubs organise them on the lines suggested by
the Milk Publicity Council. In consequence a large number of schools availed
themselves of the opportunity offered.
As an example of the work done in one area only, Dr. Mabel Russell contributes
the following notes upon the scheme as carried out in the Chelsea schools which are
under her medical supervision :—
" It may be interesting to note the success of the scheme of the National Milk
Publicity Council in Chelsea—the teachers all welcome the scheme as it entails no
washing up, no keeping of registers, etc.—the children who formerly would not
take milk become milk enthusiasts—the ' straw ' being a great attraction.
" The whole system appears to the writer much more hygienic than the ordinary
methods followed in many schools. All unused bottles of milk are returnable.
" All the Chelsea schools, with the exception of Ashburnham and Park-walk,
have now adopted the scheme, and the following figures give the numbers having
milk on the day of enquiry :—
(1) Christchurch—Infants' department, all except 16; boys' and girls' mixed,
140 (160 on roll).
(2) Cook's Ground—Infants, 138 ; boys, 100 ; girls, 79.
(3) St. Luke's—Girls and infants, 93 ; boys, 40.
(4) Marlborough—Infants, 200 (first week, as they have only just adopted the
scheme); girls, 136.
(5) Oratory R.C.—Infants, 25 ; girls, 80 ; boys, 30. (This is a splendid response,
as it has always been difficult to deal with these children under the Council's
scheme).
(6) St. Joseph's R.C.—Girls and infants, 56 ; boys, 23.
(7) Servite R.C.—Girls and infants, 70 ; boys, 30.
(8) Holy Trinity—Girls and infants, 180 ; (baby room, 38-40 ; CI. 4 and 5 room,
all); boys, 51."
The total number of samples of milk meals analysed was 1,517. Of these 191 Milk n»!«.
(12 per cent.) were unsatisfactory, 31 containing added water and 160 showing a
deficiency of fat. The maximum addition of water in any one sample was 24 per
cent., whilst in one the deficiency of fat amounted to 54 per cent