In southern Minnesota in the early thirties, that midday meal was dinner, and supper was in the evening.

But about the time I was in first grade (1935), we were sent to walk home for lunch. And lunch was what it remained thereafter, both for me and, as far as I can recollect, the rest of the family.

The evening meal was supper, both before and after "dinner" at noon switched to being "lunch". But the noon meal, whether called dinner or lunch, was a light meal--a sandwich maybe, or soup, or some leftovers from previous suppers.

The word "dinner" was seldom used in our family except for those Sunday and holiday ceremonial meals which were always eaten in the early afternoon, say 2:00 p.m., unless some of our chronically tardy relatives held it up until late afternoon. In which case there was not likely to be a group meal called supper, and we kids might salve our teenage hungers with snacks on our own.

"Tea" did not exist, except as a hot beverage, alternative to coffee, or maybe iced tea in the summer. Not a meal, in other words.

Dave Oesterreich