VOL. XIX, NO. 12
MAY 19, 1978
Feeding Hungry Students
Involves Time and Energy
Involves Time and Energy
BY CHRIS ROSSI
The Maine West cafeteria has been operating since the school has been open, and one would be surprised concerning the facts about the "students" 20‑minute "break" from school and its demands.
Twenty‑one workers run the cafeteria. Mrs. Gloria Saul is the food‑service director, or head of the cafeteria, and an experienced lady of 17 years here at Maine West serving the students. All of the 21 workers are women, and Mrs. Saul explains, "Women are more interested in the kids and what they eat." All the cafeteria ladies, Mrs. Saul included, appear, and surely are, happy with serving the students of Maine West. One will almost always see a smile on their faces as he or she pays their 33 cents for a package of Twinkies and a carton of milk.
The cafeteria runs on approximately $250,000 a year and does get reimbursed at the end of each month. For example, a carton of milk costs the school about $.09 but then is reimbursed $.05 by the government, costing the student $.04 for a '/z pint of milk. Maine West students, by the way, drink 2,400 cartons, or 150 gallons of milk a day.
The Maine West cafeteria has been operating since the school has been open, and one would be surprised concerning the facts about the "students" 20‑minute "break" from school and its demands.
Twenty‑one workers run the cafeteria. Mrs. Gloria Saul is the food‑service director, or head of the cafeteria, and an experienced lady of 17 years here at Maine West serving the students. All of the 21 workers are women, and Mrs. Saul explains, "Women are more interested in the kids and what they eat." All the cafeteria ladies, Mrs. Saul included, appear, and surely are, happy with serving the students of Maine West. One will almost always see a smile on their faces as he or she pays their 33 cents for a package of Twinkies and a carton of milk.
The cafeteria runs on approximately $250,000 a year and does get reimbursed at the end of each month. For example, a carton of milk costs the school about $.09 but then is reimbursed $.05 by the government, costing the student $.04 for a '/z pint of milk. Maine West students, by the way, drink 2,400 cartons, or 150 gallons of milk a day.
Not too many people, if any at all, have heard of Herman's Seekamp Restaurant located in Chicago, but that is where the hamburgers, which everybody seems to enjoy, come from. The hot dogs are obtained from a more familiar enterprise, Oscar Mayer. Mrs. Saul orders roughly 50 pounds of hamburger and 30 pounds of hot dogs per day. The type "A" lunches (hot lunches) are planned on a monthly basis.
Mrs. Saul prepares the menus; and if one is about to criticize her choice of food, just wait. Mrs. Saul must include a meat or fish, one vegetable, one fruit, a bread of some sort, and still keep the total cost of this budget around 65 cents. Every once in a while, when the menu contains a delicacy such as a steak sandwich, the school is losing money. So the next time you are about to cut down the cafeteria food, think about the time and effort that Mrs. Saul and others put into the meal.
Mrs. Saul prepares the menus; and if one is about to criticize her choice of food, just wait. Mrs. Saul must include a meat or fish, one vegetable, one fruit, a bread of some sort, and still keep the total cost of this budget around 65 cents. Every once in a while, when the menu contains a delicacy such as a steak sandwich, the school is losing money. So the next time you are about to cut down the cafeteria food, think about the time and effort that Mrs. Saul and others put into the meal.