Date: Mon, 10 Jul 1995 22:18:55 -0400

From: James C Stalker stalker[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]PILOT.MSU.EDU

Subject: Re: milk can dinner





I wonder if this use of "can" is related to the use of "pail" in "lunch

pail," the term we used as kids in Texas for what others call a "lunch

kit," although somewhere I've heard the term "lunch bucket." Sour bologna

was bad enough in a metal box with a latched lid. Taking lunch in an

actual pail or bucket sounds somehow depressing. You could get a lot of

food in a milk can, however.







Wayne Glowka

Professor of English

Director of Research and Graduate Student Services

Georgia College

Milledgeville, GA 31061

912-453-4222

wglowka[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]mail.gac.peachnet.edu



Verrry interesting for a Texan to use a "pail." Aren't Texans supposed to

fall within the old S. Midland group, hence bucket people rather than pail

people? In KY in the 50's lunch bucket was common, but only for grown-ups.

Kids used lunch boxes or bags. I guess some might have used the Shedd's peanut

butter buckets, but I don't remember any at Penile Elementary School.