Margaret Thatcher and the Colour of Milk

I was raised in the Union of South Africa and was educated in the British School System. Part of this necessitated our being given a daily one-third pint of milk. This school milk program was started towards the end of World War II and it continued until 1971, when Margaret Thatcher made headlines by cutting it from all Primary Schools for children over the age of seven. She thought that the funds could be of better used elsewhere. This lead to the moniker "Margaret Thatcher, milk snatcher".

I never liked milk, especially the daily dose of pasteurized school milk. During our milk break, small bottles would appear with a layer of cream on top. In the summer, under the African sun, they were delivered hot and in the winter freezing cold. After a few short mandatory sips, the remains were quickly placed back in the crate. Once a year we would get a treat - real ice cream. We would try to convince our teacher that ice cream is so much better for our growth, our bones and our learning.

A belated thanks to Margaret Thatcher, from me, all the other non milk-lovers and especially my lactose-intolerant classmates.

" The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money "

Margaret Thatcher