Kitchen first for school

Balfron High had the distinction in autumn, 1949, of being the first in Stirlingshire to be equipped with a school meals kitchen.

The all-electric facility was able to feed 500 children and cost £6000 – more than £210,000 in today’s money – and was funded by Government grant.

At the opening ceremony, county council school meals committee convener Mr James Vallance said the kitchen would at first be feeding only pupils from Balfron High but it was hoped at a later date it would be used for meals at other schools.

A further 11 school meal kitchens were planned in Stirlingshire at a total cost of £65,000 (£2.2 million today).

However, it was pointed out that because of the financial restrictions of the time, it might be years before other units were built.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, education committee convener said there had been a need to take measures to tackle problems of poverty and malnutrition, particularly in mining areas.

He said they spend millions on teachers, schools and equipment but it was impossible to teach children who were hungry or suffering from starvation.

“When you consider the period between the wars with over three million unemployed and a million on public assistance it is impossible for the teaching staff in any part of the country to do justice to the gifts at their disposal.,” he added.

“Now the nation is going to make amends .”

Mr Davidson concurred with the view that if extension of school meal provision was allowed to continue, Britain would have within 10 years the best-fed children in Europe and possibly, within a generation, the best educated youngsters within the continent.

He appealed, however, for parents and guardians to see that children got some rest. He was sure if they did, the crown of being Europe brightest pupils was within their grasp.

Ministry of Works representative Mr D Watson said the construction of the kitchen was near to their hearts as it was a constructive piece of work which, it was hoped, would pay immediate dividends in terms of the improved health and wellbeing of the children. He explained there had been a delay in completing the project but this was because they had been competing for materials with nationally-important schemes for new factories and development areas.

According to the Observer, the Ministry of Works had already spent £13 million (£455 million today) on school meals kitchens, £1.5million (almost £53 million today) of that in Scotland.