The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-10-01
PROVES SUCCESSFUL.
The Continuous Session Tested and
Approyed at the Normal School.
The Summer Term Does Not Interfere
With the Country summer School.

The first summer Term Ol Tue NOIudl
school closed last Thursday. There Is
now vacation of one week, and on
Friday next the fall term opens. Inc
first. and it might be called the eX'
detrimental, summer termWas success
full from every point OF view. 4he
total enrolment in the Norman ue-
partment was 80, and the total III
the Model school 229, making grand
total of $50. The number of country
school teachers enrolled was l36. The
number of graded and high school
teachers in actual service enrolled for
the special vacation course OF six
weeks was 40. The number OF Normal
school graduates of. this andother
schools was 3S. The number Of high
school graduates SO, and the number
of university or college graduates, ..
The rural school teachers were a
good and desirable class of young peo-
pie. They represented many counties
of the state, and most OF them re-
NAMED the entire Term. Inc ue-
STABILITY of the summer term lor thls
class of teachers was strongly urged
in the legislature last winter, and the
result in our own school has fully
justified the contention. These young
people land some of them are not SO
young) had practically all ATTENDED
Institutes and county summer schools
and wanted and needed something
better. They came to increase their
real attachments, not to obtain sug
.gestions or devices of method or to- IN
sure certificate. They wanted trst-
rate, modern and methodic instruc-
tion in arithmetic, or geography, or
grammar, or civics, or algebra, or
physics, or biology, etc. All 1ouno
what they needed. The number OF
existing classes was so great that no
new classes for their benefit were found
necessary. Moreover, in no case was
one allowed to enter a class beyond
his ability. Records or examinations
determined the status of all.
The question, "What will be the eff
feet of the summer, session of the
Normal school upon the country sum-
mer SCHOOL," has apparently been an
swered in Blue Earth county. The
summer school at AmbOy during the
month of August was one of the
largest and best ever held in the
county. Therefore, there is no con-
flict between the summer term or the
Normal school and country summer
schools. The county superintendent,
with very few exceptions, predicted
this. The county summer school is
for the Younger aspirants for certitl-
Gates and positions. These as
pirants are everywhere numerous
They have not the time or the
money or perhaps the ambition to go
to thesNormal school. Supt. Scherer's
attitude towards the summer session
of the Normal was that of nearly all
The intelligent superintendent of the
state. He advised those who could
afford to spend the term at the Nor
NAL to do so. They would by so do
ing meet no prejudice in their efforts
to secure certificates.
1t is the verdict OF teachers and
pupils alike that the term recently
closed has .been exceeding pleasant
and profitable. The building is a
model one E5for summer work
spacious, airy, scool, finely equipped
and admirably cared for. The enthu-
siastic and almost daily remarks of
visitors sduring the term have been
abundant testimony to the high at
Effectiveness and fitness of the build
ing. The health of the pupils has
been excellent, averaging better, 1t Is
believed. than that of any other term.
This really is to be expected. There
is no ventilation like summer breezes
blowing through building, be it
school or dwelling. The heat of sum-
mer has been no bar to earnest and
successful school work, In fact, so
far as:physical comfort is concerned,
the universal opinion has been in
favor of summer work. The teachers
report better results than during any
preceding term in their experience
and this is only partly due to a su-
perior class of students and to smaller
classes.
The successful experiment rof the
past term !also establishes the fact
that the Model school can be
continued in's session during the
summer months. 1t is the con-
viction of the management that
the 229Echildren we're physically,
as we'll as morally and mentally, bet
ter off for their presence in the school
during the three forenoon hours than
if they were running at large about
their homes or through the city, with
nothing to do, nobody to guide or re-
strain them, and meeting influences
too often: harmful and demoralizing.
In school for half day and amid the