Hot lunches are served at the Staley school, Ceredo district, under the direction of the teacher, Doris Copley, this being perhaps the first rural school in the county to serve warm lunches every day.
With the winter days comes the time when the school boy or girl must munch a few cold sandwiches for lunch after eating a hurried breakfast. Then follows the long afternoon which develops a gnawing hunger which is usually satisfied with more cold food as soon as the child gets home. When supper time arrives, the child has little appetite.
Is it any surprise then that there is more malnutrition of the boys and girls of the rural schools than those of the city schools where the children go home for lunch? Some health experts claim that 25 to 76 percent of the boys and girls of the rural schools are underweight.
If the mothers and housewives think it is worthwhile to make hot coffee and hot lunches for the men husking corn in the fields, or for those chopping wood, if the farmers think it is a safe precaution to heat water for the stock, cook feed for the hogs and chickens during the cold days, why isn't it worth while then, to provide a warm lunch for the school child?
Miss Copley answered this question by providing a hot lunch for her pupils. Here's the way she does it:
"The pupils and parents were first interested in the project. With their help it has been a success, in every way.
"The equipment consists of an oil stove, a twelve quart preserving kettle, teakettle, two dishpans, garbage pail, peel knives, two tablespoons, two teaspoons, and two forks. A small bookcase serves as a cupboard to hold the dishes and supplies. This equipment was donated by the patrons of the school. Each child brings his own dishes and they, also, are kept in the cupboard.
"The larger girls are divided into teams, two in each team. Two teams work together. The first week team number one cooks and team number two washes the dishes. The second week they change, team number two doing the cooking. At the end of two weeks two more teams take up the work. The cooking team plans the menu a day ahead and the children bring the necessary supplies.
"Because the most nourishing lunches are desired, milk is used as a basis for most of the lunches. Soups, cocoa, and other boiled foods are also served.
"The girls prepare the food at recess and at noon it is ready to serve. The Parent-Teachers Association has cooperated with the school in every way that could be desired."
This is Miss Copley's first school and she is doing good work. She tackles the cut of the ordinary phases of school work and makes them "go."
Sarah Parsons of Nestlow, Wayne county, died suddenly of heart failure in the Red River church Saturday evening. She had been in good health up to the time of the stroke.
She was an active worker in the church and took a leading part in the services Saturday. Toward the last, she made an appeal to those not members of the church, imploring them to become Christians. When she sat down, she gasped for breath and never spoke another word, death being instantaneous.
Mrs. Parsons is survived by her husband A. C. Parsons, and the following children: Charlie, Chester, Clarence, Jennings, Cora, Ethel, Lelia, Bessie, and Nola Parsons.
Interment was made in the Sanders cemetery.
The two year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Golden Mills, who live on the head of Little Lynn Creek, in this county, was burned to death last week. The little boy fell into the fire while the parents were out of the house and the flames were not extinguised until he was fatally burned. He lived about twelve hours after the accident. The father of the boy was burned about the hands and face in attempting to put out the fire.
Finley Thompson of Fort Gay died at his home last week.
Mr. Thompson had had failing health for some time, having been confined to his bed for two months. He was converted a few weeks ago, was baptized and received into the Methodist church, South, by the writer of this item. The body of Brother Thompson was taken to Joel's Branch for burial. Brother Thompson leaves to mourn his loss a wife, six sons, one daughter, several brothers and sisters, and a lot of other relatives. Funeral services were conducted by the writer and assisted by Rev. Crabtree, in the presence of a large crowd after which his body was laid to rest.
REV. J. W. BLANKENSHIP
Transcription by June White