Report Says Lunches Helped Grade Pupils

From The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, April 30, 1919: Grade school pupils gained weight and new mental vigor, especially in cases of anemic and undersized children, from lunches of hot, nutritious soup or cocoa and bread served daily in an eleven-week experiment conducted at Indianapolis Public School No. 5, Washington and California Streets, according to a report presented to the board of school commissioners last evening by the Woman’s Department Club of Indianapolis. Lunches were served daily to an average of 270 pupils for a total of 11,040 lunches served at a total cost of $305.69 (2018: $4,498). The club gave $125 (2018: $1,839) towards the lunches so no child was left out if they could not pay the 10ȼ a week for lunch. At the beginning of the experiment 73.5% of the children were below normal weight.

“Report Says Lunches Helped Grade Pupils,” The Indianapolis News, 30 April 1919, p. 6:1