The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-24
THE VACATION SCHOOL
TmE NEED OF TT WAS FIRST REcoG-
NIzED ~ PARIS EDUCATORS.
Now an Established Institution in
France-The Workings as Seen by
an indianapolis visitor.

Upon the close % the Franco-Prussian
war almost the first and most energetic
measures Of the French republic were di-
reoted toward the Improvement of the
school system. Experience had shown that
intelligence. the necessary quality of safe
citizenship in any country, was the indis-
pcnsable quality of such citizenship in re-
public The progress made by the French
III educational methods in the last twenty
1iye years probably exceeds that made by
any other country. 1T is more than de-
cade since they found that idleness during
the summer months was not less deteriorat-
ing 10 child nature than idlencss during any
other season of the year. The immediate
consequence of this discovery was the es-
Establishment Of vacation schools. The school
year on the continent is much longer than
that in the United states. For example
the schools of Paris close about The 1st of
july aud open early in September. Vaca-
tioR schools are provided for the interven-
ing two months The schools are a legiti-
pate part of the public school system, sus-
tanned at public expense. The vacation
schools We're first established in Paris, but
are now maintained in ali the large cities
OF France. While every school building is
not held open during the vacation, suf1i-
Gent number Of vacation schools are main
tanned and so distributed that people living
in a district where such a school does not
exist may during the summer months be
transferred to an adjacent district which
does support a vacation school. Mont
AIartre, while not what may be called the
worst section of Paris, includes many of the
poorest. most crowded districts, and hence
Is considered one of the best sections for IL
Illustrating the value of the vacation school
In August of 1892 we spent enough time in
inspecting the largest vacation school of
that section to get a fair idea of the per-
sonnet Of the faculty, the character of the
population from which the pupils were
drawn, and the methods of the school.
1t is most important at the outset to un-
derstand what vacation school should be-
From the French standpoint, with which in
this respect | sympathize, it should not he
& mere continuance of the ordinary school
year, but should be so conducted that pu-
pills attending it will experience the mental
relaxation which comes from change of
Occupation. and will therefore get from it the
rest and the conditions of growth which
children more fortunately situated will de-
rive from their two months in the noun
tains, at the sea side or in the country
There is another reason for not allowing the
curriculum of the vacation school to be a
continuance Of the work done in what is
considered the school year proper. Should
pupils in the vacation schools simply con-
tinue their ordinary studies, at the begin
ming of the next year the pupils who have
enjoyed their vacation out of school would
find themselves at a disadvantage, and it
would create great confusion in the classifi-
cation of pupils, making one classification
and one period of promotion and gradua-
end quite another for those not attending
them.
THE MONT-MARTRE SCHOOL.
The Mont-Martre School, we are tod, was
81 fair example of the schools of Paris We
visited some others moro richly equipped,
some others less amply furnished. The
kitchen. an essential room in a public
school in Paris. is more important to the
vacation school than to any other. For the
most part the cli1ren in the vacation
schools are the children of working people.
The day laborer's day begins early in Paris.
consequently the vacation school opens
early and is ready to receive it's pupils at
o'clock. The first lesson given to the girls
is one in marketing, which is very practical.
Each of the larger girls, armed with mar
ket basket, is made responsible for the or
derby behavior of a. group of smaller girls
who walk with her. Together all move in
orderly procession to the market under the
captaincy of the head of the culinary de-
partment. The men and women at the mar
ket seemed to understand the situation and
entered with great spirit into the lively task
OF making the marketing as perplexing as
possible TO the young purchasers. 1t had
been settled the day before what should be
bought for the days luncheon. The market
In, ,fv,ot
judgment, arithmetic and friendly banter,
and occupied about two hours.
During the time that the girls were at
market the boys of this same school were
having military drill in the grounds back
OF the building, so the division of labor be-
tween men and women had already begun:
the little women were being reared to the
constructive and conservative industries
and the little men to the destructive. At
o clock the smaller boys and girls, who up
TO this time had played fin the school yard
under the supervision of two young teach
erS, were assembled in a common ROOM
where an hour was spent in games based
on the story of some distinguished French
mans life. During this hour the older boys
were assembled in one room and the older
girls in another. Each pupil had notebook
and pencil, and in each room there was
given q conversational lecture on an his
torlcal event. This lecture was sometimes
made the occasion of a memory lesson,
sometimes the occasion of "a lesson in re-
porting. Both of the masters whom we
heard were uncommonly clever and enter
tanning takers and commanded the un-
broken attention of their youthful auditors.
Such lectures alternated with an exercise
dn which abstracts and reproductions of the
lectures by pupils were read before the
whole school, accompanied by a running
criticism from the master.
MANUAL LABOR A FEATURE.
From 10 to IL O'Clock was spent in differ
emit departments of manual labor. At this
particular school there was provided for the
boys only a carpenter shop. while the girls
had such VARIETY of training as was af-
forded by the kitchen and sewing room
The stuff purchased at the market was for
the children's dinner and was prepared for
cooking by them. In this particular kitchen
there were only the superintendent and one
assistant besides the girls themselves to do
all of the work involved in getting and
serving "a simple MONDAY meal for several
hundred children. The hour following that
devoted TO m9uual labor the pupils were
again convened, boys and girls in their re-