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48
The dinners are prepared and served by the caretakers at the
schools. The school meals might, however, be given a greater
educational value, were the services of the teachers and other
voluntary workers more utilised.
The procedure adopted by the Committee in deciding whether
any child is to receive meals is that the parent or guardian is
asked to appear before a Sub-Committee who have before them
reports :—
(a). From the School Medical Officer on the physical
state of the child.
(b). From the Head Teachers on the educational progress
of the child.
(c). From the School Attendance Officer on financial
conditions of the family.
It appears to me that to gain the best results from the granting
of meals, the important factor in determining whether any child
ought to have meals, is the physical state of the child. There
are cases where the income of the family is such that the parent
should be in a position to provide all that is necessary, yet owing
to various causes such as dissipation, illness, etc., the child does
not receive the necessary food. Again, there are children who
do receive sufficient food of a kind that is within the power of
the parent to provide, but for whom some extra nourishment such
as a glass of milk daily would be of much value. There are again
certain parents whose children are undernourished, and who,
although doing the best they can to supply food for their children,
are willing to have the meals, yet when they are aware that the
required application will necessitate their appearing before a
Committee, shrink from applying for meals.
Provision of Meals.
In the Annual Report for 1912 of the Chief Medical Officer
of the Board of Education, it is stated that in the Board's view,
the points of fundamental importance in the administration of this
Act are summed up as follows :—