by Marc Primack

Roosevelt’s lunchroom is the cause of two of the most commonly heard complaints at school.  The students constantly grumble about the food and the administration and teachers are always referring to the mess that accumulates during each lunch period.

Although students really cannot alter the culinary achievements of the Roosevelt cooking corps, the other matter is certainly something that students themselves cause.

It often seems as if the lunchroom always will be dirty during lunch periods, but this ridiculous situation could be prevented.  Earlier this year the whistle joined in the fight against lunchroom filth, but has apparently only added to the noise without reminding anyone of its purpose.  When coupled with the verbal warning of the lunchroom guards and the teacher aides the lunchroom situation became less critical.

Fairly recently, in keeping with the trend to let the students of America have a hand in shaping their destinies, an “honor system” about lunchroom clean-up was inaugurated.  No longer would there be someone yelling at you to put your bottle away or trying to get you to take back the five trays stacked in front of you.  Indeed this system would show that the students who use the lunchroom are perfectly aware of the need to keep the tables clear.

It was a glorious effort but now once again the traditional yelling and warning system is back in operation.  The lunchroom is now reasonably clean, but the basic problem remains.  As long as students need a word of warning their basic attitude is wrong and should be changed.