Book about homeless children and bizarre experiments

I'm searching for the title and author of a book I read in the 1970's. Homeless kids are used in some bizarre experiments. They are in a room with stairs and lights. When the light flashes and they repeat certain actions (dances or some cruel acts), a disc of food comes down a tube. When finally released they start the strange dance at a stop light.

It sounds like House of stairs by William Sleator.

ETA: I think I remember another search for the same title a while back, so if this isn't the right name, you might be able to find other suggestions in that thread.

Fantastic. Thanks for the quick response!

I know it's not the one you want as that has already been solved but, if you liked that, you might also want to try Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Booksloth I really enjoyed that one when I read it, so I second your recommendation.

Apparently the Touchstone links to the wrong book, I bookmarked it in my lists of things to buy before realizing my mistake and finding the correct one...

I remember that one too. There were kids who did participate, and at least one who wouldn't cooperate, who was the one at the end watching the others automatically respond to the traffic light.

I liked that one as a teenager. I hated Never Let Me Go though; I read it a year or two ago.

Leesy - judging by your profile photo, you look awful young to be on here.

Judging by Leesy's profile photo, I'm not sure she existed at the time she opened her account. Hand over that time machine, you!!

Needless to say, that photo is my youngest child, one week after her birth. I'm old enough to have married at 25 and to have 6 kids...I'll let you all do whatever math you like!

I suppose the fact that I read this book as a preteen back in the 1970s pretty much says the same thing.