Convent and Stuart Hall High Schools have grown closer over the past few years, offering more coed classes as well as some coed sports. Yet, with the cohesion between both student bodies, the same opportunities are not open to both Convent and Stuart Hall students.

The Broadway Campus has food available for students through the Epicurean service at all times during the school day. From breakfast burritos to fresh fruit, Convent students have a variety of options always available. Yet, Stuart Hall students are not as lucky as their Convent counterparts.

Stuart Hall has food delivered daily, as the campus does not contain a professional kitchen similar to the one at Broadway. Food prepared at Broadway and delivered to campus is only available for purchase during lunch hours throughout the week, which are sometimes as short as 40 minutes.

San Francisco city restrictions prevent the Pine and Octavia campus from building a kitchen, according to Head of School Tony Farrell. However, the use permit does not prevent The Galley, the room within the Columbus Room where students get lunch, from staying open throughout the school day.

Stuart Hall’s rules make this challenging as well. Convent has many more places that allow food on campus, ranging from the Little Theater, the cafeteria, the Center, the Gallery, and even some classrooms. Stuart Hall only allows food on the first floor of the school, and the Columbus Room is meant to be kept as a quiet study area, which would be disrupted by students getting a snack. The vending machine is not open for student use during non-lunch hours.

Stuart Hall students have free periods throughout the day when they could capitalize on an expanded lunch service, allowing them to better plan their day and not be hostage to the set lunch block. Most clubs and organizations such as SIA and Student Council meet during lunch, making the long wait in line for Epicurean a hassle that cuts into meeting time.

Teenage boys need on average 2600 calories per day, based on USDA estimates. When one-third of these calories is supposed to be taken during a 45 minute lunch period with food provided by an overcrowded service, then it’s tough.

The increased freedom and nutritional options that comes with expanding the Epicurean service offered at Stuart Hall might be logistically challenging for Epicurean and require Stuart Hall to adjust its rules slightly. However, with a goal of the school being that their students learn in a place where they “are educated in an atmosphere of wise freedom” (Goal 5), it is important that students are trusted to eat food around campus in a responsible way so that they can properly engage in class.