SCHOOL MEALS
Sm,—It would be unfortunate if the recent protests about school meals were dismissed as the undignified wailings of " a vociferous minority." The National Union of Teachers, representing almost nine-tenths of the teaching profession, has consistently pressed for the provision of school meals. In 1943, when school-meal supervision by teachers was still a voluntary matter, the annual conference, " believing that school feeding is an essential part of our education service," welcomed the extension of school restaurants. But in order that the maximum benefit might be obtained from this amenity, the conference asserted, among other things, " that meals should be served in an attractive way in a dining-hall properly furnished and equipped" and that "facilities be provided for every child to wash before meals." At that time about one million children were having school dinners. Today well over two million children stay to dinner. Yet, though subsequent conferences have shown that teachers still regard school meals as a normal part,of their day's work, they have also revealed a growing dissatisfaction with the conditions under which Om meals are eaten. In December, 1945, the Minister of Education, aware of this unrest, warned Local Education Authorities of the importance of this matter. Early in 1946 a census of teacher-opinion revealed that 93,000 teachers desired an investigation be made into the conditions under which school meals were being eaten. Following an important deputation of the N.U.T. to the Ministry in February, 1946, a working party con- sisting of three representatives of the N.LT.T., three education officers and officials of the Ministry of Education was set up. The recommenda- tions of this working party were issued in Circular 97 (School Meals and Midday Supervision). This circular called for big improvements in the school meals' service and should have afforded considerable relief if the recommendations had everywhere been adopted. Speaking at the 1946 Annual Conference of the N.U.T., the late Minister of Education (Miss Ellen Wilkinson) declared: " Circular 97 means business and I mean business. Circular 97 is meant to be implemented! "
Sir, it is two years since Circular 97 was issued, and there is little
doubt that teachers up and down the country are no less perturbed by the conditions under which school meals are being eaten. Nor should it be forgotten that school meals are part of the Government's scheme of family allowances and will increase in number as facilities permit. But so long as those " facilities " include eating school meals on the desk-top in a classroom, how can teachers regard the conditions with equanimity ? It is significant that by a card vote of 104,194 to 56,171 the Douglas Con- ference of the N.U.T. this year passed the following motion: " Conference deplores that two years after the publication of Circular 97 it should be necessary to draw attention to the following extracts from that Circular: (a) ' There is evidence that the most unsatisfactory conditions existing in many schools have evoked widespread dissatisfaction' (b) ' The Minister of Education has on several occasions expressed determination that teachers shall be relieved of all work which interferes with the performance of their proper functions as teachers and could and should be undertaken by other staff.' (c) ' The Minister will expect all Authorities to ease the position in this way with the least possible delay' Conference calls upon the M. of E. and L.E.A.s to fulfil at once their obligations defined in Circular 97." This, Sir, is not the wail of a " vociferous minority." It is the considered opinion of the representatives of men and women from all parts of the country who are daily watching our boys and girls eating their school meals under conditions in which it is impossible to provide what Circular 97 calls " an outstanding opportunity for social training, without which education is incomplete, for teaching good manners and for establishing sound dietetic habits."—Yours faithfully,
ROLAND EARL (Press Secretary, Dorking and Harley Association, N.U.T.). Greenside, 18 Birkheads Road, Reigate.
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