Feeding the Hungry, P. C. Hiebert, 1929

omes, but more often it was the public school building or a part thereof. The schools were practically all closed on account of the famine during the first spring and sum- mer of our work, which made these commodious buildings available for our purpose. This kitchen was supplied with one or more large iron kettles, holding from forty to fifty gallons each. With these the cooking equipment usually was considered complete. For the baking of the bread, large ovens were built of brick. In one of the larger villages I observed the construction of a brick oven large enough to supply a biscuit apiece for each of the 1300 then eating in the kitchen. The necessary benches, tables and chairs were usually borrowed, or cheaply constructed so as to provide a suitable place for eating. Because of the large quantities of food that had to be prepared it took several hours to do the cooking. On the days when beans or corn-grits were served fire was usually started quite early in the morning, because all food was required to be thoroughly cooked before it was served. Rice and corn-grits were cooked with the addition of sugar, evaporated milk and a little lard. Cocoa, which was served twice a week was thickened with flour to make it more nourishing. All rations were required to be alike, containing 778 calories of food value. It was absolutely essential that each of the hundreds of diners should re- ceive their full share, and at the same time it was neces- sary that no more than enough food be prepared. This necessitated careful calculating and measuring, both for the material to be prepared as well as in dishing out the prepared food. But the cooks learned to do this so accu- 238 FEEDING THE HUNGRY rately that in several hundred rations they usually did not miss it more than just a few portions. The small remain- ders were usually sent to some needy hospital or other institution. For the sake of accuracy it was found most advantageous to determine the exact size or weight of the biscuit before baking, because this assured greater uni- formity and less waste and trouble. Mealtime was usually set around eleven o’clock in the morning. While the food was being prepared, the meal- ticket holders would be gathering outside with their plates and spoons, so as to be on hand when the doors opened. It was quite a sight to see them as the accompanying illustra- tion partially shows. Their ragged and patched clothing, and their thin faces, told all too plainly the story of hun- ger and need. Yet there was a general feeling of good cheer, and an expression of satisfaction on their faces, because they were eagerly anticipating the satisfaction of appeasing their appetites in the “American Kitchen.” When the noon hour had come, the door swung open and the people filed in past the door-keeper who directed, so that everything went orderly. As they entered each pre- sented his card to the secretary, who marked or punched