220
*oalry Council Inc. 75th Anniversary
“In World War I, poor nutrition was
found through a physical examination
system to be principally responsible for
American soldiers ’ defects People had
to be educated in proper nutrition prin
ciples Vitamin importance was just then
being recognized by research workers.
Some food carriers were believed to be
high in nutritive value
Philadelphia Dairy Council started
out to promote an increase in the con
sumption of not only milk, but also very
definitely of other nutritional foods (both
of which are necessary for a sound nutri
tional program) Milk was not to be
over-emphasized
Your nutrition girls are free to conduct
their on n sound program without feeling
that their initiative is stifled, so long as
what they teach is sound and in tacit ac
cordance with Dairy Council Criterion ”
Mr. C. I. Cohee, Dairy Council's board
president, in a talk to the staff
September 8,1945
The founding of Dairy Council (origi
nally called the Philadelphia Inter-State
Dairy Council) was due in large part to
the efforts of F P Willits, president of
Inter-State Milk Producers’ Association
and later Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Ag
riculture
In 1915, National Dairy Council had
been founded in Chicago to nationally
promote knowledge about the food value
of dairy throughout the land It was soon
discovered, however, that working only
nationally was not the best way of reach
ing this objective. A plan was developed
that local Dairy Council units should be
formed across the country to help in this
1920 s
As the first step in fulfilling their nu
trition education mandate, Dairy Council
staff met with the superintendent of
Philadelphia Schools and offered to pro
\ idc a pint of free milk to undernourished
children in the schools A nutritional sur
vey of children in the Philadelphia Public
Schools showed that there were about
Dairy Council Founded In 1920 In Response To
mission In some instances these units
would be formed within state lines; in
others it was seen as more appropriate to
build them around milk markets.
Within these guidelines, in 1920 Mr.
Willits worked to establish a Pennsylva
nia-based Dairy Council, funded through
dairy farmers and distributors each pay
ing one cent per hundred pounds of milk
produced or purchased. Following “the
milk to market,” this new organization
would work throughout the tri-state area
of southeastern and south central Penn
sylvania. southern New Jersey, and the
state of Delaware
Sound health practices, revolutionary
concepts in the 19205, have always been
a part of Dairy Council's message.
Building A Strong Relationship With
t of every <Uy
tcciii twyity K
baihrftjncr
20,000 children who were 13% or more
underweight During the first year of this
work, Dairy Council contributed over
$13,000 worth of free milk and conducted
nutrition classes. This was a forerunner to
Pennsylvania’s School Lunch Program
Their first year in operation, Dairy
Council leached over 280,000 school stu-
The Needs Of The Times
Dairy Council’s 1920
Educational Platform Based On
Eight Health Rules
Brush teeth every day
Eat fruit every day
Drink at least four glasses of water
every day
Eat some vegetable besides potato
every day
Use four glasses of milk every day
Play part of every day out-of-doors
Take a bath oftener than once a week
Sleep many hours with the windows
open
The Public Schools
vJW
lOY
Producing original plays and giving out nu
trition materials were two of the activities Dairy
Council did in the schools.
Dairy Council's first board meeting was held on December 13, 1920
Clyde King was Dairy Council's first President of the Board and Roberl
Harbison, Jr., was the first Treasurer.
A BURGLAR IN THE HOUSE
CHARACTERS
Biu Dita
Mabtha Dtax
Sali.t Dias
Samccl Back
James K. Holmes, M.D The Village Doctor
SCENE —l.Mng rocm in the Dirk homestead, a cotv room
filled with the every day comfort* of rural life* typ
ical American farm house style. Doors left and
right, and a curtained window back centre, if possible.
To the right of window u a home-made box couch
covered with cretonne—to the left is a desk pilled high
with books, papers, letters, old bills, and new foolscap,
obviously the office-corner of the farm manager. Down
»‘agc right is a circular table covered with a bright
doth, an old-fashioned rocker and a straight-backed
chair an 1 grouped around it. This is evidently
Mother Dirk's corner because on the table we see a
sewing basket heaped full of socks to be darned There
is alto a family hiblc, opened to a favorite spot and
book-marked with Mother Dirk's Sunday spectacle!—
also a vatr of dowers This it the tort of room that
hoaitt of a "what-not cabinet" and a croti-ttiteh
motto—"GOD BLESS OTTR HOME."
dents through nutrition classes, plays,
brochures, and posters. Dairy Council
established its Dramatic Department,
writing and producing its own health
plays and original songs.
One popular play. The Milk Fairies
was staged in nearly every school in
Philadelphia.
A Fanner
Hit Wife
Their Daughter
The Hired Man
In 1920 Dairy Council
Establishes Seven Basic
Audiences
Public schools
Women’s organizations
Men’s organizations
Agricultural departments
'Agricultural colleges and
experiment stations
County agricultural extension
associations
Local units of the Milk
Producers' Association
'—
Sa
Activities Outlined In 1920
Through Which Original
Goals Would Be
Accomplished
of sound
Health
Dramatisipcesentations
carrying $ health message
Motion pictures
Newspaper and trade press
Suitable literature, posters; etc.
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