New York City’s Morris High School In The Bronx Lunch Menu 1914

A Wide Variety Of Choices…As Long As You Like Bread and Butter Sandwiches

One  hundred years ago the Bronx’s first and most prestigious public high school was Morris High School.

Among the pages of the 1914 Morris Annual yearbook are advertisements. Morris was such a great school that William Molbeck, a Bronx caterer supplied food to the students and advertised that fact. For the era, the food was moderately priced. Beverages were three cents and food ranged from a nickel to a dime.

There was only one catch – you better like bread and butter.

Every item on the menu except two has bread and butter sandwiches as its anchor.

Soup, with Bread and Butter Sandwich 5¢
Boston Baked Beans, with Bread and Butter Sandwich 5¢
Spaghetti, with Bread and Butter Sandwich 5¢
Roast Beef Croquettes, with Bread and Butter Sandwich 5¢
Mashed Potatoes, with Bread and Butter Sandwich 5¢
Fish Cake, Tomato Sauce, with Bread and Butter Sandwich 5¢
Hot Roast Beef Sandwich 5¢
Potato Salad, with Bread and Butter Sandwich 5¢
Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Spaghetti, with Bread and Butter Sandwich 10¢
Creamed Chicken on Toast, Mashed Potatoes 10¢
Pork Tenderloin, Mashed Potatoes, Apple Sauce, Bread and Butter Sandwich 10¢
Breast of Lamb, Mashed Potatoes, Tomato Sauce, Bread and Butter Sandwich 10¢
Hamburger Steak, Mashed Potatoes,Spaghetti, Bread and Butter Sandwich 10¢
Country Sausages, Mashed Potatoes, Apple Sauce, Bread and Butter Sandwich 10¢
Fried Halibut, Mashed Potatoes, Tomato Sauce, Bread and Butter Sandwich 10¢
Milk, Coffee, Cocoa 3¢

The school lunch “choices” reminds me of  the old Saturday Night Live “cheeseburger sketch” with John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray .