, 1907-06-25
A POPULAR
MOVEMENT
SUMMER SCHOOLS WORKING
THEIR WAY TO THE HEARTS
OF MANY EDUCATORS.
Opening of Summer School of Univer.
sity Ct Wyoming for Third Session
One of the Features of Better Ed
ucational FeeIing-Endorsement Of
Plan in Leading Paper.

The suspicious beginning yesterday.
a the university, of the third annual
session OF the summer school of the
University of Wyoming, with as strong
a faculty as ever assembled for similar
duties in the west, is a gratifying en-
dorsement of the movement begun
two years ago. The attendance on the
opening day was large and the list of
students includes many teachers of
rural schools and others, who thus
seek, at small cost n with splendid
surroundings, to better themselves for
the work of the coming school term.
The following from the Omaha Bee Of
Monday is approros and quite encour-
aging to the idea:
A Most Popular Phase.
When summer schools were started
a few years ago it was predicted that
they would be a success, be
cause, as the attendance would be
largely voluntary, it would be impos,
sible to find pupils willing to give up
any Of their vacation. The predictions,
however, have failed, and at present
there is not a more popular phase in
educational matters than the summer
schools. Instead Of suffering from a
lack of pupils, the registrations are
large m there is plenty of interest
and enthusiasm.
Vacation Schools Successful.
This interest is not confined to the
,ooJa,,;o ,,.,lo. ,Jnrn TO-, tho rnrn-
ton schools of the younger grades OF
the public schools have proved a sue
cess everywhere they have been adopt,
ed. In the public summer schools the
curricula are largely confined to man.
ual training, cooking, sewing and the
useful arts, and it is found that the
activity of the children which, without
restraint, might develop into lawless'
ness, can be turned happily to useful
work.
Educators Endorse Them.
These schools offer TO the boys and
girls a helpful, steadying influence of
the street, where many of them find
their only playground, and they are re.
ceiving the heartiest endorsements Of
modern and progressive educators.
Educators and parents have been
giving this vacation waste, as it is
called, considerable attention the last
few years, since the success of the
summer schools has been assured, and
there is a wide belief that young peo-
pie who are going to school should no
more spend nearly a third Of a year in
idleness than other young people who
are learning trades and professions.
Modern study is Essential.
While it is conceded that growing
boys and girls require more rest than
their seniors, many do not believe that
they require the half that is now allot-
ted to them unless there is physical
weakness. A moderate degree of study
is advocated by many parents who do
not wish to have their children idle so
many months, and teachers are often
engaged to instruct them a few hours
each day. The plan has mt the warm
approval of all who have proved its
merits.
The popularity Of the summer school
can be shown by the large attendance
of the summer school at the university,
which attracts it's hundreds Of pupils,
many of whom are teachers Of the pub
lie schools who wish to econ o
proficient.
Opportunity for Special Studies.
One of the most noticeable features
of the summer schools is the opportun-
ity they offer for special studies or
work to which time cannot De devoted
during The regular school year.. To
the boys or girls who cannot afford 10
give up many years of their life to
school work these schools, which en-
able them t o pursue their studies dur
ing the usual vacation period, are real
benefactors. The manual training
schools, the art, the music n the bust
ness schools, all offer a summer course
where the student can train and devel'
Cd any natural faculties he may pos
sess. The advocates of summer
schools point with pride to the large
number OF students who avail them
selves of this opportunity every year
and the n results the schools have
achieved as a proof that there is a
widesnread need of such schools.