The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-19
State Supt. Fairchild Approves
Kansas City Plan.
Allow Pupils to Make Up Work
in Summer.
SCHEME WORKS WELL.
Twelve Hundred Retarded Pu-
pills Take the Work.
Cost to the State Large But
Could Be Afforded.

Superintendent E. T. Fairchild went
over to Kansas City, Kan. the other
day and there made discovery in con-
nection with the city schools that first
excited his admiration and later set
him to thinking about the advantage
and desirdbility of the plan that utilizes
the public school buildings and plants
of the state for IL instead of nine
moI1ths in the year.
The superintendent found that the
school buildings of Kansas City were
thrown open during the summer months
for the benefit of all children that de-
sired to catch up in any particular
study ind for those who wanted to
specialize in school work or wanted to
take the manual training branches or
desired to utilize the scnool libraries
That the plan worked we'll was borne
out by the fact that 1000 retarded pu-
pills chose behind in their studies from
one cause or other) attended the sum-
rner session of school. The manual
training departments were thrown open
and 700 boys took advantage of the
extra opportunity offered to learn useful
trades There were 900 girls who at
tended the sewing circle in the girls
manual training schools. In the library
department where the teachers read
from the classics of history and litera-
ture aloud to those who cared to hear,
over 1900 young folks gathered every
day on an average to hear this course
of useful instruction.
These figures staggered the state SUI.
perintendent who while he had given
the matter thought before, had not con-
sidered this large a proportion of at
tendance possible during the heated
term. 1T is my contention" said the
superintendent today speaking of the
matter, that the tremendous outlay of
money in the educational plants Of the
state makes it imperative as a good
business proposition that they be used
~ months of the year. They are idle
now during three months of the year.
No business house or factory or indus
trial plant of any kind is allowed to re-
main idle for that length of time dur
ing the year for the simple reason that
in such event the profits from the in
vestment would be reduced to nothing,
if indeed they were not shifted = the
wrong side of the ledger.
deep ramf INF INF INF INF INF INF
"At Kansas City saw the first con-
crete application of the principle to use
the public school buildings the year
round, and want to voice my earnest
approval of the plan in every city of
the state large enough to make it
practicable Kansas City. Mo-, is in
terested in the example of her west
ern neighhor. and Ia many of the states
of the east the matter is being dis
cussed by school people.
THE argument will be raised, 1
know, by many people. to the effect
that the children work nine months in
the year and are, therefore, entitled to
rest and recreation from school work
during the heated term. There is logic
in this argument generally applied, but
there are SO many exceptions as to
almost disprove the rule. In the first
place, this summer school is not COM
pulsory. Then the hours are much
shorter and the restraints less than at
regular term. 1 think it is more
profitable for youngster to spend a
few hours a day in the manual train
ing school than to run the streets all
day long. In Kansas City this year
there were 1900 pupils who were be-
hind in their school work who desired
to make up during the vacation period
and thus be able to start the regular
term with a clear slate I think the
picture of 900 girls attending sewing
classes and learning that useful and
necessary line of work is better than
anything else they can do during the
summer months. Just an hour or two
a day need not interfere with the
pleasures and rest of vacation time.
LAS for the teachers, it may be ar
gued that they would prefer to rest
during the summer. but large num-
Der of teachers would eagerly embrace
an opportunity to make extra money
in this way. just as they are eager to
get places in the summer Institutes.
1.-THE cost to the state would be
more, but the state has about $40, 000,-
900 invested in its public school build
ings and equipment and it cannot af-
ford to let this property lie idle three
months during each year when there
is such a demand as the statistics of
Kansas City show for its use by the
young folks of school age. The pro-
portion of attendance and interest at
Kansas City will keep up pretty close
to the average throughout the state
"I understand further that they
maintained a night school in Kansas
City last year at which there was an
average attendance of $50 pupils. !
want to congratulate Superintendent
M E. Pearson of the Kansas City
remarkable success he has achieved.
The project has my earnest approval
and I hope that all the larger cities
of the state, especially Topeka, will
try the plan. OF course 1 believe that
the opening of the manual training
departments of the public schools in
summer is more important and bene-
fetal than any of the other branches
of school work. 1t offers the oppor-
tunity the year round for boys and
girls to learn to do useful things, and
this opportunity should be always be-
fore them, ready to grasp at any time
they have the time or inclination"
Pitcher Faber Ties Record.
Davenport. Ia, Aug. 19.-Pitcher
Eaher of Dnbuoue in the Three