The Washington times., 1901-08-01
SUMMER STUDY FINISHED.
Greenleaf Vacation School Holds
Commencement Exercises.
Commissioner MncfnrTand Makes
Lnudatory Address to Principal
and Pupiis-Pnrents in Attendance
Join in the COngratuln tions.

At the conclusion of the commencement
exercises of the Greenleaf Vacation
School, held last night in the jefferson
School building. a well-deserved ovation
was rendered to Ray Riordan, principal
of the school and the originator of the
vacation school project Members of the
Board of Education present took advan-
tage of the opportunity to express their
appreciation of his devotion. enthusiasm
and self-sacriEce, and of the successful
results of his work and parents OF schol-
ars pressed his hand and expressed their
thanks for his assistance in caring for
tneir chluren through the hot summer
months. A most unique and characters
tic entertainment was rendered. mostly
with talent supplied from the school. The
entertainment closed with remarks by Mr..
Riordap. principally in the nature OF adj
vice to The parents.
The programme was inaugurated with
the laying in full view of the audience of
telegraph and telephone lines by boy pu-
pills messages sent over the wires being
typewritten by other pupils. Phonograph
songs. the instrument manipulated by the
pupils: calisthenic and military drills. reci-
tations, some in excellent dialect. by the
children; music by the Hobo Band, as
sisted by the Apollo, and choral singing
was the programme rendered by the
scholars, who entered into the spirit OF
the occasion with zest and interest
Commissioner IL. b. +. mcfarland was
present and made a short address, in
which he said:
AT the close of this third season the
principal of this school, Mr.. Riordan,
knows that he has the approval of the
community for his vacation school. 1t
passed the experimental stage two years
ago, and having become recognized as
successful by the Commissioners and the
Board of Education received the substan-
tial recognition of Congress in an appro-
priation made at the last session. 1t has
therefore become well established part
of the public school system of the Dis
trict of Columbia, and we may expect to
see it increase and Improve steadily. Al
ready the example set has been followed
by an enterprising principal and staff Of
teachers in the coiored schools, and with
good success in this their first season. 1t
may well be that other experiments of
the same kind will follow So that Mr..
Riordan and his staff have not only done
much themselves. but they have stirred
others TO do likewise. They- certainly
merit the appreciatiNe support which they
have received.
1T is no small thing fop these teachers,
after doing their full dGtg throughout
the long school year. to- work for six
weeks more in the heat of summer, but
we can well believe themsyhen they tell
us that they feel repaid II the success of
their endeavor and the &pprobation of
their fellow citizens. The happy faces of
these children and their ,parepts refecting
the affection of the teachers tell the story
of the vacation school ihArr than any
words. Learning has bee.i fnsde lovely by
a loving presentation Of it in natural ana
simple ways.
''Shakespeare's picture of the pupil go-
ing toward school with heavy looks is
too true, unfortunately. for the great ma
jority OF school children the world over:
but here. if the principal and teachers
could do without vacation altogether the
pupils would come eagerly all summer
long. And ! believe that, while must
have more drill and more discipline. per-
haps, in the winter schools, the spirit of
these teachers. which is, after all, the
spirit of the great teacher ought to be
manifested by all the teachers in the
regular schools. as it is by sery. many Of
them. and II ought to draw the pupils
in with irresistible attraction. TO stimu-
late this spirit may be the larger service
of the vacation school.