The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-04-30
SHALL MANKATO HAVE A SUM
MER SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN.

MER SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN.
Summer schools have existed fol
some time, but usually for the benefit
of teachers. Few attempts have been
made to provide them for the chill
dren. The supposition has been that
the teachers were in better condition
to do work during the summer than
their pupils. OF late, however, it has
been gradually permeating the minds
of those interested In schools, that, if
the summer school was desirable
thing for the hard-worked teachers it
might be no less desirable for those
in their charge. The few schools that
have offered summer courses in this
country have left us very little record
of their success, but verbal account
of the work done by the Education
Committee Of the Civil Federation in
Chicago has come to our ears through
the secretary, Richard Waterman, Jr.
In view of the fact that so many
streets, acquiring bad habits, aud
wasting valuable time, during the
summer months, the Civic Federation
decided to make an attempt to open
one of the public schools to them.
Money was raised to pay the teachers
and permission to use one of the
school houses secured from the board
of education. The school program
was to be the same as during the reg
ular session. The members of the
federation expected to have school
of about two or three hundred pupils.
Very little notice was given. A few
announcements were made in the
papers and the news by other indirect
means. The day came tor opening,
and long before the time hundreds of
children collected before the school
house. Finally about four hundred
children were selected to make up the
school. The next day over a thous-
and children presented themselves
for enrolment and on the following
day they were completely over
whelmed by the crowd and had to
close up for the day. After few
days of organization nearly three
thousand children were provided for
by the federation.
In New York city the same expert
ment, though under somewhat differ
ent auspices, resulted similarly.
Whether or not any attempt has
been made to provide instruction dur
ing the summer primarily for the
children, we are not informed. We
do know, however, that in connection
with the summer schools for teachers
occasionally classes of children have
been formed for the purpose of illus
trating methods. In almost all such
cases the number of children present.
ing themselves for instruction far eX-
ceeded the number desired.
1t is highly probable that Mankato
will have similar opportunity this
summer, particularly if any special
desire for the same is shown by Man |
kato parents. A course can be ar
ranged by the faculty of the Model |
school which shall be entirely supple
mentary TO the regular course in
either the Model school or the public |
schools of the city. The chief fea-
lures of the course would be nature
study, literature or reading, drawing
and music. Some time may be given |
particularly to the upper grades to re-
view work in the common branches. !
The session would not be over two
and One-half hours in length and no
work would be required outside of |
school. At least half of the work
would be in the hands of experts. 1t
will probably be necessary to charge
nominal fee in order to keep the at
tendance within desired limits.
The studies to be taken usually ap-
peal to the children. The summer
phases Of nature can be studied di- |
rectly, and in the lower grades field |
excursions will be made.
Mankato has reason to congratulate |
herself not only on the presence of s.
many from out of town in attendance
this summer at the Normal, but far |
more in the exceptional opportunity
probably to be offered her children Of |
employing mos protitably at least a |
small portion Of the time SO thought |