MID-MORNING LUNCH IN RURAL SCHOOLS 9 



Table \. — The Number of Experimental Days, the Number of Children 

 Enrolled, and Types of Lunch Given in Each School Each Year 



Obser- Obser- Experi- School Children Enrolled 



School vations vations mental Holi- Type of Mid-Morning 



Began Ended Days days Boys Girls Total Feeding 



A 9/25/29 5/29/30 146 28 47 45 92 1 cup pasteurized milk or 



1/3 cup tomato concentrate 



B 10, '27/30 6/ 5/31 



C 10/ 1/30 6/ 2/31 



C 9/29/31 6/ 1/32 



A 10/ 5/31 5/27/32 



D 10/ 1/30 6/ 2/31 



D 9/29/31 6/ 1/32 



D 9/26/32 6/ 5/33 



1 cup evaporated milk and tomato 

 juice 



Observations Made 



In earlier studies the results of supplementary feedings were evaluated, for the 

 most part, on the basis of the child's growth or the rate of gain in weight and 

 height. Such criteria alone are obviously inadequate if a complete picture of the 

 possible effects on the general health and well-being of the subject is to be obtained. 

 It might well be, for example, that a child's nutritional condition would improve 

 even though the rate of his growth was not affected, but this would not be in- 

 dicated by height or weight alone. Some further measurement of the child's 

 general condition seems highly desirable. In this investigation, therefore, not 

 only were records kept of the child's growth, but each child was given careful 

 medical and dental examinations, his school progress was observed, and his 

 illnesses and absences were noted in order to obtain as comprehensive a picture 

 as possible of any changes which might occur in his condition or his school effici- 

 ency during the experimental period. These measurements were all made as 

 near the beginning and end of the experimental period as was possible with the 

 physical set-up in the schools, the number of observers, and the number of children 

 involved. The same observations and records were made of the control as of the 

 experimental groups. 



Medical Examinations 



The medical examinations were given three times each year: before the feeding 

 was begun in September, in the middle of the year (January), and after the feed- 

 ing was discontinued in June. These examinations were made with the child 

 stripped to his hips, and records were made using uniform terms throughout in 

 describing the points observed by the physician. (See copy of medical record 

 blank, Table 2.) Tonsils, glands, lungs, heart, and nails were described in detail 

 and at the end of the year evaluated with the help of the examining physician 

 as excellent, good, fair, poor, or very poor. 



The services of two competent physicians experienced in children's clinics 

 were secured for this work. The examinations in school B and during the first 

 year in school A were made by one physician; those given during the second year 



