On This Day, 5 May 1917

Birmingham Mail

Saturday 5 May 1917

LESS WASTE IN BIRMINGHAM

PRACTICE OF GIVING CHILDREN LUNCH

That the people of Birmingham are beginning to realise the urgent necessity of preventing waste of food is suggested by investigations which have been made by the Refuse Disposal Department of the city. Mr. Jackson, superintendent of the department, has, during the past week, had an examination made of the contents of dustbins taken to the destructor, and informed a “Mail” reporter that he was quite satisfied as a result of the search that the waste of food is less than it has ever been in his experience. He did not say there was no waste, but the amount was very small, and in some cases at least it was open to explanation, for instance, where a house has been locked up for a few days the residents returning to find a small portion food which had during their absence become unsuitable for consumption.

One direction in which a wastage of bread occurs is in connection with the practice of Birmingham mothers of giving their children portions to take with them to school in the mornings. The authorities are quite alive to the fact that frequently children throw away these pieces of bread into the streets. Where children are strong and take breakfast before leaving home, there is no need whatever for children to take lunch, and the number of cases in which this course is necessary for considerations of health is very small. Mr. J. A. Palmer, secretary of the Education Committee, stated to-day that the teachers in the elementary schools are doing their best, by means of communication, written and verbal, with the parents, to put an end to the practice of giving children lunch, except, in cases of real necessity. It is more a matter of habit than anything else, and in the vast majority of instances could be abandoned without injury to the children. A Birmingham schoolmaster a few days ago asked those children who had brought lunch to hold up their hands. Fifty hands went up. Next he asked how many children had not had breakfast, and nine only responded. The remaining 41, it is considered, would have been well, if not better, without food between breakfast and dinner.

The head of a large business concern in the city pointed out a few days ago another direction in which economy could be exercised without hardship. His experience was that many of the girls employed in his factory brought food to eat between the ordinary meals of the day. If they could be made to understand the nation’s present need, and would abandon this habit, the saving food would be very great.