New-York tribune., 1900-06-24
SCHOOLS IN SUMNER TINE.

The month of June, tWO-thiTdS spring and one
third summer, has hitherto been the month of
the closing of schools. The little red school
house" has in these rare days sent back its
throng of urchins to their native farms and the
great university has at the same time dismissed
it's degree crowned graduates TO their careers in
business and the learned professions. To this
day the season is largely marked with these
same characteristics But not to such alone is
il devoted. There is also in this month or early
in the next an opening as we'll as a closing Of
schools of various grades which is becoming
more general more important and more signiti-
cant year hy year
We may not claim for the United States
monopoly of summer schools. nor even the Ori-
gin of them. But we may unhesitatingly claim
for it a wide and intensely practical adoption
of the idea in all parts of the country and in all
grades of study. Early among the promoters of
the movement were various summer assemblies
of the camp meeting order. where a sort of
university extension" work undertaken.
too often empirical and superficial. 1t was not
long before the colleges and universities them
selves saw opportunities for extending their
usefulness on similar lines, and summer schools
were established as regular departments of
Harvard New York University, the University
of Chicago and other institutions of like rank.
ample, and so this city, which has long been
great seat of learning and also favorite place
of social resort in summer. will have the unique
distinction of possessing two important sum-
mer schools under university direction. In such
schools solid work is done, fully comparable in
thOToughness with that of the regular collegiate
year The students comprise both undergradu-
ates and graduates of colleges and consider
able proportion of teachers and other profess
siOnal men and women who during the major
part of the year are busily engaged elsewhere,
and who find it both profitable and pleasant to
spend the summer vacation in intellectual eXer
cSeS.
In recent years a further and most commend
able development of the same principle has
been effected in this city, in the form Of 'vaca-
ton schools" conducted in the public school
buildings for the benefit of the children of the
poor These We're at first opened expert
mentally, with some doubt of their success
Their success was, however, Immediately eS-
tablished far beyond all expectation. From
year to year the work has grown in magni-
tude, until now it is recognized as an i'm
portant department of the local system of pub
lie instruction. 1t is evidently far better for
children to be in cool. airy schOolrooms in the
dog days than in the streets or in Sweltering
tenementS. That they themselves prefer it is
shown by their eagerness to attend the schools
Moreover, an opportunity to attend school is
thus afforded to many who are for lack of room
unable to attend at other times of the year
The system was at first maintained at private
expense. Now the city makes an appropriation
for it, and may he expected to continue so to do
and to develop it in accordance with the needs
of the community.
1t Is an agreeable reflection that while the
great mills of physical labor and material gain
keep on grinding the year around there is also
a continuity of intellectual activity and an
unceasing care for the higher welfare of the
people. 1t has become true that in New
York any person can find instruction in any
department of learning and also that he or she
can do so at any time of the year.