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76
In April, 1920, the Education Committee purchased the premises at 84, Strode Road.
Meals.—There has been no change in the kind of food given since last year. The same three
weeks' menu is followed, which provides 2 meat meals, 2 meatless meals and 1 fish meal in each week
with a pudding or stewed fruit for the second course. A dietary which provides the same meals
whether winter or summer is open to criticism, but it should be remembered that the variable climate
of this country renders a division into seasons according to calendar impracticable. The itinerant
ice-cream vendor may cry his delicacies in the month of May in brilliant sunshine under azure skies,
but his trade might be equally brisk with roasted chestnuts while a cold sleet is falling. To him
a weekly change of stock-in-trade is easily accomplished, but where orders must be given a week
in advance, where hundreds are catered for, failing a reliable weather forecast, the difficulties are
less satisfactorily overcome. A substantial dinner of soup and dumplings rarely comes amiss to
a hungry child whatever the weather, and a spell of hot weather early or late in the season is generally
,of too short duration to make a modification of the dietary worth while. The Feeding Centre
Superintendents report that there is no marked falling off of the appetites of the children in warm
weather.
It may be supposed that in necessitous cases one good meal per day is so much needed, that
to reduce its caloric value in anyway would be detrimental to the child. Only by much increasing
the cost of the meals could a summer dietary equal in food value be arranged.
All authorities are agreed that the most economical method of preparing meat is in some
form of stew and that roasting or baking is the most extravagant. Hence it is readily understood
that it is not practicable, having regard to the high cost of living, to arrange for cold meals in summer
time, nor to dispense with the nourishing element supplied by dumplings and suet puddings without
much increasing the cost of the meals. Where children's meals are under consideration, a claim
for the value of milk puddings is strongly urged, but the physiological value of the suet pudding is
higher while the cost is little more than half, and there is no doubt as to the greater popularity of
jam roly-poly over baked rice, even if a helping of jam is added to the attractions of the latter.
Breakfasts.— In December, 1919, the Education Committee approved the provision of breakfasts
for a few children whose parents' circumstances were unusually poor, and in March, 1920,
authority was given permitting children whose parent's economic circumstances do not exceed half
the Education Committee's Scale to attend the feeding centre for breakfasts as well as dinners. The
extent of the need for this extra provision is evidenced by the rapidity with which the Numbers
increased as shewn in Table 74, Column 4.
The meal is served at 8.15 a.m. and is extremely simple, consisting of cocoa made with dried
milk and sugar, and bread and margarine. It may be urged that porridge provides a more nourishing
meal for the cost than that given at the Centres, but if the cost of fuel (in this case, gas) is added,
porridge as a meal has no longer the advantage of cheapness usually claimed for it. In addition
to this, the meals must be ready not later than 8.15 a.m., in order that the children may have ample
time to continue their way to school, so that 15 minutes is the time available for the preparation
of the breakfast by the Feeding Centre Staff.
Dried milk is used in preference to fresh for the cocoa, so that any number of new attendants
for breakfast may be supplied without shortage.
Special Meals.—Extra milk meals have been given in a few cases where specially recommended
on medical grounds by the Medical Staff. These meals are given at the morning school interval,
either free or at a charge of one penny, according to the circumstances of the parents. Difficulties
have arisen, however, as to the service of these meals, the teachers finding themselves already too
fully occupied by their scholastic duties to be able to devote the time to the preparation of the milk
for these individual cases. The caretakers of the particular schools concerned were approached,
in order that other possibilities of service might be considered, but the duties of these, particularly
that of furnace stoking, rendered such an arrangement out of the question. The wives of the caretakers
are not always on the premises and in some cases the caretaker has no wife, so that this suggested
solution of the difficulty was unavailing. No other provision for the service of these meals
has at present been made.
The total number of special meals given throughout the year was 511.
Staffing.—The number of assistants employed at the Feeding Centres varies directly with
the number of individuals attending, reductions and increases being made as soon as a change in
numbers renders such a course justifiable. A general rule is followed allowing 1 assistant per 50
persons attending. This proportion appears to be adequate within certain limits, but however
large the number attending, a certain part of the work remains constant in amount; for example,
the floor area, and the number of sinks and stoves to be cleaned. The variable part of the work,
which becomes noticeably heavier with increasing numbers, is the washing up and the preparation of
vegetables. Therefore, though 1 assistant per 50 persons attending is a fair average up to the first
4 assistants, one additional assistant should suffice per 75 additional diners for increases above that
number. Table No. 75 shews the number of assistants employed and the number of individuals
attending at different periods during the year.