Written pieces by the children: Lunch

Then of course there is the dreaded school lunch. Very litte is as important to a schoolboy then the meals. We are glad to report that the lunches at most schools was suprisingly good, and the lunchroom conversation invairably fascinating. And Hunter, W.J. not withstanding, their manners impecible. The meals at some schools, however, ...

At lunch today, Hunter, W.J. decided that rather than go to the trouble of eating his custard with a spoon, he would prefer to drink it. A glassful seemed to him to be the best idea; however, there was the small matter of the water which he had already poured ...

- The Junior Campbellian (Cabin Hill), March, 1988.

Stew--a minority view!
It's stew again and nightmare day
When stew and mushy peas they lay.
We groan and grumble all the time
Till we hear that fatal lunch gong chime.

We clatter our chairs as we sit down;
The teachers scowl and moan and frown.
We only eat our piece of bread
For fear that we will land up dead.

You won't believe that some people do
Really enjoy this awful stew.
They eat the peas and chew the fat
And say "I wish there was more of that!"

- Anna Glazier, Hordle House Magazine, 1983.

Grumbles
Just occasionally (?) we get these. We ask for them at prefects' meetings. Some years ago the grumble was "Why do we have to drink disgusting milk at break?" True, we had to keep sharp eyes open to see that nearby pot plants were not over fed. We felt that inflicting such torture daily on the children (and the pot plant) was perhaps unfair although milk was good for them (not the plants). We discontinued the milk and gave them other varieties of drink. This term the grumble was, "Why do we never have enough milk? It is supposed to be good for you." They are now drinking vast quantities with exclamations such as "Lovely!", as it pours down their gullets. Am I wrong if the thought goes through my mind that I hope it chokes the little blighters.

- Perrott Hill Review, Summer 1985.

School Lunch

Concern is wondering whether you'll like today's
school lunch.
Disbelief is discovering that it is liver.
Anxiety is thinking of escaping the master on
duty's clutches, with liver on your plate.
Hopelessness is the master on duty sending you
back to eat it.
Desperation is trying to shove it down the throat
of the person sitting next to you.

- Abigail Round, Junior Wyvern (Queen's College Junior School, 1987-88

Traditional British prep schools were boarding schools, but day schools in recent years have become increasingly important.