I.TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Snt,—As the president of the London County Council's School. mistresses' Union, I can reassure your correspondent (in last week's Spectator) who enters a protest against teachers taking the place of parents in the matter of feeding the children. So far from this being the case, the teachers in the London schools are opposed to the idea. For some time the London County Council have been experimenting in giving free meals in their schools, and the teachers have voluntarily supervised and distributed the meals. The result of that experiment, as it appears to them, goes to prove that any further extension of the scheme is open to the following objections :- (1) The really necessitous children will in many cases be excluded by those whose parents can afford to pay, and thus many who are non-necessitous will get the advantage of efforts which ought to be concentrated on caring for the ill-fed and the underfed. (2) The adoption of the plan would operate inimically to voluntary work already organised and in opera- tion. (3) The schools are not suitable places in which to serve the meals, especially at the close of the morning session, when the classrooms require airing and ventilating. The teachers have therefore petitioned the Council to relieve them of any further participation in the experiment.I am, Sir, &c., E. MORGAN DOCEREN.
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