A History of Serving Soup

"A BOWL OF SOUP IS SERVED IN THE BASEMENT FROM 5:30-7:30 FREE. THIS SAVES YOU TIME."

This was written on a blackboard inside the entrance to Opportunity School.

For two years the soup was prepared at home by Emily's mother and carried to the school in a water pail by Emily and her sister, Florence. The custom began in response to a boy fainting in class one evening. Emily felt he fainted because he was hungry, and that if he was hungry, there were probably others who were as well. Later on, a wealthy woman arranged for meat to be delivered daily to the school. Florence arrived at 2:00 in the afternoon to prepare the evening's soup. Two hundred bowls of soup were served each evening. Emily and Florence washed all the dishes themselves. Eventually, a woman was hired to do this.