COL0MB.AUBRAB.|^pf ii RECAP HX6408i281 RJ2( B68 Repo^.on.ns^ n g on Six Months Experimental Restaurant for Undernourished Children BOWLING GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 45 WE8T STREET, NEW YORK Columbia 2tatoer£itj> in tlj e Cttp of i^rm gork College of :Pt)2>£triang an b burgeons Etbrarp Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Open Knowledge Commons http://www.archive.org/details/reportonsixmonthOObowl BOWLIXG GREEN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION Bowling Green Neighborhood Association 45 west street, new york. OFFICERS Miner C. Hill, M.D., President Lee W. Thomas, M.D., Vice-Pres. Chellis A. Austin, Treas. Edmund Leamy, Executive Secretary BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chellis A. Austin L. L. Benedict, Jr. John E. Berwind Philip Boyer Grenville T. Emmet Jerome D. Greene Mrs. Jerome D. Greene John R. Hall Miner C. Hill, M.D. Herbert T. B. Jacquelin Willard V. King G. Hermann Kinnicutt Albert H. Marckwald Albert G. Milbank Kenneth D. Mrs. Hugh Minturn Walter Moore Charles E. Mitchell Alonzo Potter Mrs. Alonzo Potter Charles V. Rich Sheppard G. Schermerhorn Carl J. Schmidlapp James Sheldon Samuel Sloan Joseph R. Swan Everett B. Sweezy Lee W. Thomas, M.D. John B. Walker, M.D. WlDDEMER WOMEN'S COMMITTEE Mrs. Philip Boyer Mrs. Lowell Burch Mrs. Stephen C. Clark Mrs. Grenville T. Emmet Mrs. Jerome D. Greene Mrs. John R. Hall Mrs. Russell Hibbs Mrs. Miner C. Hill Mrs. G. Hermann Kinnicutt Mrs. George Mrs. Hugh Minturn Mrs. Ray Morris Mrs. Alonzo Potter Mrs. John T. Pratt Mrs. Charles H. Sabin Mrs. Mortimer L. Schiff Mrs. Cotton Smith Mrs. Arthur Swann Miss Edith Wetmore Whitney ^ REPORT on Six Months Experimental Restaurant for Undernourished Children §•- ' ■ HHl ■ '. WM Howling Green Neighborhood Association 4; West Street, New York < — —_ : - BOWLING DREEN NEIGHBORHOOD USSH j| iL JHto \ |l i n j * m»j y** A - - TV- ^ - - -"-'■■ . 1 | v ^ ~~ The Association Building, at 45 West St., not being large enough to accommodate the restaurant, a store {pictured above) was rented at 11 Morris Street for the purpose. Bowling Green Neighborhood Association Report on Six Months Experimental Restaurant for Undernourished Children THE Bowling Green Neighborhood Association is an outgrowth of a Health Centre started by the New York Milk Committee in 1913 in the neighborhood which lies West of Broadway to the Hudson River and south of Vesey Street to the Bay. This district was chosen because the infant mortality here was the highest of any locality in the city, and be- cause the living conditions were as bad as could be imagined. The population is one of many nationalities, Syrians and Poles predominating. Many newly arrived immigrants settle in this district, the nearest spot to where they land, and stay for a year or so until they learn more of the new country. It is here therefore that many families receive their first impres- sions and form their first ideas of their new country. It is here also that they feel the first influence of welfare work. Instruction of these families in hygienic ways of living will have far-reaching results, for they will be good ex- amples in the new districts to which they move. The first step was to improve the living conditions, the second, health. Phis latter required a routine phys- ical examination of all children, particularly those of pre-school age, and the correction of existing abnormali- ties. It was soon found that poor nutrition was an im- portant factor in the subnormal condition of these chil- 5 dren, and to counteract this, malnutrition classes were formed along the usual line. Instructive literature was circulated also. One of the greatest difficulties in the work of instruc- tion was due to the mixed population and the many different languages spoken. In spite of all our efforts the traditional Continental breakfast of coffee and rolls per- sisted and the diet was excessive in carbohydrates and stimulants and deficient in protein and vegetables. The idea of a malnutrition restaurant was suggested as a means of furnishing a concrete example of proper feeding which could be understood by all the families of. the district irrespective of the language they spoke. This experiment was begun November first, 19 19, as part of a six months' campaign in diet instruction with the restaurant as a demonstration centre. The plan was: 1 — To show parents in a practical way the benefit of giving children a well balanced diet. 1 — To prove that this type of diet is within the means of the parents . 3 — To instruct parents in the preparation of food. 4 — To instruct girl scouts, the home makers of to- morrow, how to prepare food. 5 — To note the effect of proper food on the child's mentality by comparing school reports before and during their attendance to the restaurant. The co-operation of the Dept. of Education through the Principal of the Local Public School and that of the Child Health Organization was obtained with gratifying results. hit, •' : Th 1 . ! I - . < Kl'TV mi? < H..,Jt ,, hi I - ( , f \< -' Ill N» |Wi A__ *1 In M *7 w- ki EM! "•.,i J 8^ ! I - ,.„ * 1 Ir 1 * ^ im - Uf it i i ■ ■ ' k 1 1 ^ t ^ i i k 1 t ;i i> ;- i *•" - « ^ £ years 8 years 1 1 years 12 years 9 years 7 years 12 years 8K years 1 1 years 9 years 9 years g}4 years 8K years 1 2 years 12 years 1 1 }4 years 13 years io>£ years 8 years 5 years 10 years 9 years 6 months 2H months 4 months 4 months 5 months \ l /i months iyi months 2 months months months month months months months 5^ months 6 months 2 months \yi months 2 months iyi months \yi months 2 months 5 months i$4 months 2/4 months 2 months 4>£ months \]/i months 5 months 1 month 2 months 6 months 6 months 1)4 months 6 months 3K months 2% months 2/4 months 1}4 months 3^4 months 2 l A months 4 lbs. 12 OZ. 4 lbs. 14 OZ. 2 lbs. 6 oz. 4 lbs. 8 oz. 4 lbs. 2 oz. 2 U.S. 8 oz. 1 lbs. 8 oz. 6 oz. 1 lb. 4 oz. 1 lb. 12 oz. .1 lbs. 5 oz. 1 lb. 8 oz. ? lbs. 2 lbs. 12 oz. l 3 lbs. 4 oz. 6 lbs. 4 oz. 1 lbs. 2 oz. 3 lbs. 2 1 lbs. lb. 1 lbs. 2 lbs. 12 oz. 2 lbs. 8 oz. 6 lbs. ,3 lbs. 10 oz. 4 lbs. 8 oz. 2 lbs. 4 oz. 2 lbs. 8 oz. I lb. 12 oz. 2 lbs. 3 lbs. 12 OZ. 2 lbs. 8 lbs. 4 oz. 1 lb. 1 lb. 8 oz. 6 lbs. 4 oz. 4 oz. 2 lbs. 5 lbs. 14 oz. iOOD ASSOCIATION November 5, 1919, to April 28, 1920 APPROXIMATE CALORIES TAKEN PER DAY I9OO I9OO 160O I80O I9OO 20O0 2000 I5OO I5OO 1 4OO 2IOO I5OO I5OO I5OO 2000 l6 I9OO I5OO 2000 2000 2200 I5OO 2COO 2QOO 160O l800 I5OO 2200 l6oO l600 I50O I50O I7OO 2000 2200 l600 I5OO I5OO I20O l600 l800 Sore throat and cold. F.arache. Good — Two slight colds. Suspected T. B. — Von Pirquet negative. Good. Cellulitis of patella. Home for one month. Good. Good. Good — Very nervous. Good. One attack of tonsilitis. Good. Two head colds. Coughs — Looks tired. Slight cold — Good. Cough. Good. Good. Stomach trouble. Good. Good — Tonsils removed. Good. Good. Headaches — -Eyes were examined — Glasses prescribed Good. Good. Good. Cough — Pale — Cold all winter. Good. Good. Apparent cold in head all the time. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Failure to gain or loss of weight on the part of any child was followed by a physical examination by the Health Centre physician. Also an extra visit to the home of the child was paid by the social worker, to discover the possible cause. This brought out the fact that other elements than food determine the state of a child's nutri- tion. Apparently trivial conditions such as a slight cold, interrupted sleep, or nervous strain occasioned by fam- ily dissension prevent a gain in weight. A typical weekly menu was as follows: Monday Breakfast Oatmeal (milk and sugar) Bread and butter One slice of bacon Cup of milk Dinner Meat balls and rice String beans Bread and butter Chocolate pudding Supper Lima bean soup Bran muffins and butter Apple sauce and cookie Cup of milk Tuesday Breakfast Farina (milk and sugar) Whole wheat bread and butter Slice of bacon Cup of milk Dinner Lamb stew (carrots and potatoes flavored with onions) Bread and butter Bread pudding Supper Pea soup Cocoa Prune pulp Oatmeal cookies and butter Wednesday Breakfast Hominy (with milk and sugar) Bread and butter Slice of bacon Cup of milk Dinner Poached egg on toast Spinach or greens Bread and butter Tapioca pudding with apples Supper Creamed carrots Oatmeal muffins with butter Apricot sauce with cookies Cup of milk Thursday Breakfast Oatmeal (with milk and sugar) Slice of bacon Bread and butter Cup of milk Dinner Meat pie with potato crust Boiled turnips Ice cream and cookies Supper Creamed potato soup Graham muffins Baked apple with cookies Cup of milk IO Friday Breakfast Corn meal (with milk and sugar) Slice of bacon Bread and butter Dinner Cream cod fish Boiled potatoes. Beets Bread and butter Lemon Gelatin and cookies Supper Cocoa Raisin muffins Brown Betty pudding with sauce Saturday Breakfast Farina (with milk and sugar) Bread and butter Slice of. bacon Cup of milk Dinner Scalloped macaroni with cheese Stewed onions Greens Prune jelly with milk Supper Cream of lima bean soup Whole wheat muffins Cup of milk Sliced oranges and bananas During the period the restaurant was run, from No- vember ist, 1919, to May 1st, 1920, the cost of food per month was S108. The number of meals served in the restaurant during five months of the experiment amounted to 1 247. The average cost of the three meals per child, per day was 32 cents. No effort was made to force down a prescribed num- ber of calories. A well balanced meal was placed before the child. When he had eaten what had been served an extra helping was allowed and the dietitian kept a record ;>t the amount of food left as well as that of the extra food taken. From this record it was possible to approximate the number of calories taken, based en- tirely on the child's appetite. This average was 1200 to 2200 calories- an average of [73] calories per child per day. The table on pages 8 and 9 shows in derail the individ- ual progress of each child during his attendance at the restaurant. 1 1 The Dinner Hour in the Restaurant For instruction in general hygiene and neatness each child had his own peg for his hat and coat, a hook for his toothbrush and a special seat at the table. Hands and face were washed before each meal, sometimes more than once before they would pass inspection. Teeth were brushed before breakfast and after dinner and supper. When four months had elapsed many of the 25 chil- dren with whom the restaurant opened had passed their expected weight for height. They were graduated in order to give other undernourished children the benefit of the restaurant and to give us a larger number from which to make our observations. In all, 43 children attended the restaurant for periods of from one to six months. 12 Girl Seoul Cooking C/ass ( )f these 43 children, the most undernourished in the neighborhood, 2 lost, 4 gained less than their expected gain, 7 gained the expected gain, and 28 gained from one-half to six times more than their expected gam. The average gain was one pound per month per child. Rating the expected gain as ioo r ^ the average gain of the group was 188%. As a control the weight and height of all the children in Public School 29 was recorded and at the beginning and end of the six months' period. The parents of the school children found to be under weight were assembled and given a talk on diet by a physician from the Health Centre and the school dietitian demonstrated the prep- aration of food. During the six months' observation period the under- weight school children not attending the restaurant gained an average of 10 oz. per month, or 86% of their expected gain. Of the 43 undernourished children in the Public School who were attending the restaurant none lost in weight, 22 gained the expected amount or more ranging from 100% to 300% of the expected gain. It has been possible to obtain comparative school re- ports of 28 children for the six months before and during their attendance at the restaurant. Twenty-four showed marked improvement in their studies, conduct and per- sonal appearance while four showed no improvement. Attention is called to the fact that the four who showed no improvement were all from one family. The parents of these children co-operated poorly with our worker and the children were always a source of annoyance in the restaurant. The good results among the children attending the restaurant was to be expected. The value of an experi- ment of this kind must be judged by the permanency of its influence, not only with the restaurant children but its effect as an educational example to all the fam- ilies of the neighborhood. A class in cooking for the mothers of the district was held twice a week. This course included instruction in the preparation and the serving of the dinner of the restaurant tor that day, the mothers afterwards par- taking of the meal with the children. It also included instruction in the preparation of soup, cereals, muffins and bread. These mothers were in the main very much interested and co-operated with us in their own homes by endeavoring to serve similar meals there. '4 One mother having a child at the restaurant also had another one at home. She had not cooperated with us very much until the child at home demanded that he receive the same food as his brother in the restaurant. The child's plea had the desired effect. Classes were also held for Girl Scouts in the restau- rant. Instruction was given in the cooking and serving of dinner, waiting on the children and helping clean up. They also were taught how to prepare soup, cereals, muffins and bread. So far, the experiment has shown that a simple well balanced diet, that children like, and furnishing 2000 calories a day can be provided for at a cost of from 25 to 45 cents a day. On this diet children gain more, exhibit better health and do better in their school work than on the diet thev obtain in most of the tenement homes. Since the restaurant closed a canvass was made in the neighborhood to determine the influence of the restaurant on the choice of the diet in the homes. This showed that 62 of the 148 homes visited followed the diet of the restaurant. Another good result observed was that in a great many homes a hot, properly cooked meal had been sub- stituted for the cold luncheons formerly obtained from the delicatessen stores, etc. Five months after the restaurant closed 36 children of the 43 who attended the restaurant were weighed again. It was found that 2S had gained, 7 had lost and 1 had remained the same. The average gain tor ever) ehilil is 1 ' _> lbs. The five children who were not weighed had either moved out of the district or it was impossible to rind them tor some other reason. 15 Follow-up work during these five months was ham- pered owing to the absence of many of the children from the city during the summer. The conclusion drawn from the restaurant experi- ment is that such a demonstration centre has a marked influence on improving conditions in the district, but to have a lasting effect follow-up instruction in the homes is essential. {Signed] Miner C. Hill, M. D. President Bowling Green Neighborhood Association COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES This book is due on the date indicated below, or at the expiration of a definite period after the date of borrowing, as provided by the rules of the Library or by special arrange- ment with the Librarian in charge. DATE BORROWED DATE DUE DATE BORROWED DATE DUE CSB(ll4l)MIOO B68 3 .Btt® £RV