The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-12


that the vacation schools which will be
conducted IA Chicago during the coming
summer will be under private auspices and
supported 10y private contribution
PhianthrOpic persons m other large elites
have also recognized the need for summer
schools and have made provision for estab-
fishing them. Boston has had schools sim
liar 10 the one described above Tor num-
Der of years. In addition. she has had sand
gardens for the little ones These are open
air Fairgrounds made by dumping many
loads OF white sand in the brick-paved.
tree-shaded yard OF public school build
ing and providing a competent person TO
care for the small children who are allowed
10 play in the sand at certain hours OF the
day during the summer. In New York, for
several years past the Society for I'm
proving the Condition of the Poor has
cured the use OF certain public school build
ings each summer and has provided teach
ers and equipment for nearly all OF the de-
partments described above i'm connection
with the Chicago school. but neither In
New York or Boston has the excursion been
made a prominent part OF the school plan.
The excursion seems TO me to be the es-
sential feature which places the Chicago
plan far in advance OF that followed In any
Cleveland also had vacation school i'm
successful operation last summer. and. al
novel exneriment IL viii douhtfsss ras,sIf IA
developing an important movement In the
direction Of opening the schools OF that city
Tor regular summer sessions.
CONCLUSIONS FROM EXPERIENCE.
rious experiments is sufficient TO justify us
in drawing certain conclusions: ID In re-
gard TO the relation the vacation school
work should have 10 the regular public
school work; 90 in regard to the influence
which such schools may exert in modifying
the regular public school curriculum, and
CD in regard to the influence which such
schools may exert on the children who at
tend them
The vacation school should supplement-
instead of repeating the work OF the public
school. 1t should not be used to help back
ward pupils TO make their grade nor should
il serve TO advance certain pupils beyond
their grade. The course of study should be
different from the regular public school
course. and should illumine and enrich
without in any way interfering with it,. In
making plans for the work the principal
and teachers in each school should be free
to adapt their work TO the needs of the par
ticular district in which the school Is To-
Gated and TO the nature of the excursions
which il is possible for them TO take All
Of the work should be grouped about the
excursion a center.
1t is very interesting to compare the cur
riculum I'm vacation school with the reg
ular public school curriculum. The former
Is composed almost entirely of subjects be-
longing 10 the so-called new education
manual training. clay modelling, nature
study and the like. 1t affords many strik-
ing illustrations of the truth of the argu-
mentS used by progressive educators when
they are working TO introduce these sub
tects into the regular public school course.
They say: Manual training interests the
boys, especially those who are so active
that they are likely 10 be troublesome and
1T will help US TO hold them longer in
school"
This is exactly what happens in the va
cation school. Again. Mature study will
develop an interest in the commonest OBJ
jects entering into everyday life. and will
inspir: greater respect for every living
thing" This. too. is a result that was par
TALLY realized through the work of the va
cation school even i'm a six weeks session.
Again, school excursions will furnish pu-
pills with a great deal OF rich material for
the chief element in the vacation school
work Our experience demonstrated be-
yond question that, if properly used, the
hours devoted to school excursions are
among the most fruitful in the entire school
term. The free opportunity TO relate ono
subject TO another in the work of the va
cation school enables teachers to show
clearly that correlation. IL carefully
planned, adds great strength 10 the school
work.
The entire independence OF textbooks
serves to show that the acquisition of text
book knowledge Is by no means the only
aim nor the highest aim in school work.
The close relation existing in the vacation
school between an intelligent study of the
fation on Of 'n the eh school work TO his needs
on the other, offers very important sug-
gestion that might well be noted by every
puDnC ScnOOl IedcHtT.
A vacation school ought to be planned
with view TO developing each pupil along
the lines of his or her interests far more
effectively than can, as rule, be done In
the regular public school. IL the principal
is given a free hand and knows his dis
trict he can base the plan of work directly
on his knowledge of the needs and the In
terests of the children. He can use man.
ual training and drawing and nature study
in whatever way will enable him to gain a
strong hold on the restless, active pupils
He can introduce in addition whatever he
TO good advantage when he has gained
it. He can give free play TO the
activities OF the children. He can help
them in finding a great deal of the good
and the true and the beautiful in their
everyday life and in forming habits of mu-
them useful members of the community
He can help them to gain through the ex-
curSion experiences which VIII add Ire and
interest to all Of their subsequent school
work Is il not true. then, that, while the
vacation school does great deal Tor the
streets, and does great deal Tor the teacn-
ers by giving them well-defned example
of some of the best things in the new edu-
cation, and does a great deal Tor the PUBIC
school system by creating a strong public
opinion in favor Of some OF the newer fea-
lures of school work that have not Yet
gained the fullest recognition from scnooi
boards. is IL not true that while all or these
good results may be traced directly TO the
influence of a vacation scnool, the reaiiy
great service that Is performed by SUCH
Schools is the same as that performed by
every good school-it helps to develop the
girls and boys along the right lines, ana
6renares and enables them to enter upon
the duties Of life, better prepared 10 DC seihs
respecting, self-supporting citizens.