Grade 5 was the first time I recall the monster hall in the depths of the big high school. Everything seemed on such a grand scale, it was almost overwhelming.
When I reached grade 7 I brought my lunch to the cafeteria in a lunch kit and the kids teased me about it. The next day I brought my lunch in a paper bag, end of teasing, thankfully.
The students without a bag lunch, would line up for the hot food and a drink. Each person had a tray if they had more than two items. You would take a tray, the servers would give you vegetable, potatoes, meat and gravy on a plate. Then you’d get a drink and dessert, silverware, and a napkin. The last thing was to pay for it all. Cash or a ticket for the meal. Then you take your tray and find a table with space.
The trip from the cashier to the table was the most treacherous because that was when you had to have steady hands. Otherwise the tray would become unbalanced and your plate would slide sideways as well as everything else and fall to the floor with a clatter that caused many students to clap and cheer your folly.
When I saw that happen I swore I’d never be humiliated like that. It was tempting to use a tray on Fridays’ because it was fish and chip day. The chips were the best ever! Of course you would want a drink and dessert too.
Sometimes I would just get a plate of chips without the slippery tray, and forego the dessert and drink. You knew that not using a tray was frowned upon because your chips could slide off the plate and make a mess on the cafeteria floor.
On the east wall, opposite the cashier’s location a nook was created where ice cream novelties were sold. There were Drumsticks, Creamsicles, Revels, and Fudgesicles which were commonly known as Fudgies. I don’t remember Popsicles. The ice cream items were supposed to be healthier than the Popsicles, I believe.
For a dime you could have ice cream. There was always a lineup at the ice cream station. The Drumsticks were the most popular and usually sold out the first, rarely did I get one. They may have cost more money too, I seem to remember something about that.
The group I hung around with in grade 8 played Whist. We would consume our lunch and play the game for the whole of the lunch hour. Almost all of us brought our own lunch because it was quicker than standing in line for your food, and the game must go on ASAP!
There didn’t seem to be any fist fights in the cafeteria. The odd argument and dropped tray was about all the excitement of the hour. Some teaching staff ate there too but there didn’t seem to be a need of constant supervision, unlike there is today, I am told.
I’ve not seen another cafeteria like the one I grew up with at SOSS and I probably never will. I’m thankful for years that I spent in that neck of the woods.