Connecticut western news., 1910-06-02
OPEN-A|R SCHOOL
 A GREAT SUCCESS
HOW IT WORKS IN HARTFORD
The School Opened January 1. 1910, With Thirty Scholars and the Results
 of Five Months Practical Experience
 Prove Highly Satisfactory. .. .

of Five Months Practical Experience
 Prove Highly Satisfactory. .. .
 THE NEWS of January 27, 1910, pub
 ished detailed description of the Hartford open-air school which was then just started, and the Hartford Post publishes the following concerning the school as it is now being conducted and an idea of what has been accomplished in the past five months.
 Summer breezes which are beginning to blow softly over the heads of the tent ful of children at the Sigourney outdoor school which Hartford has maintained since January on the grounds of the Sigourney playground, half way up Asylum hill, find the little people who were sent there from the public schools to make them stronger in health, a very happy set of individuals, indeed. An average gain of five pounds for each child shows on the weight chart at the school, and a morning spent ill hearing few recitations i'll the tent will coll vince any one that they have not lacked mental training as well. Those in charge of tba schools of Hartford are very proud of what the outdoor school has accom- plished At the start, during the cold days of January in one of the hardest winters in several years, there was some doubt ill the minds of many as to whether the fresh air treatuent was not a bit radical. The members of the school board and those interested ln the move ment against tuberculosis, who believed that 1t might be prevented If treated in this way, however, relied firmly ill the possibilities of the school ,and the results show, they think, that they were not wrong. ,'tr-"
 When it comes tirce for final school examinations and the 80 little pupils, who have changed from sickly, unen- thusiastic invalids, who puzzled their teachers, to rugged. happy, romping children, who can take their places at the head of their class, those who have been watching the progress of the school think they will have good reason to ask for bigger accommodations for more children another winter.
 The weight charts at the school last week showed that one little girl had gained 1314 pounds since January 1. When she first appeared she was pale little person who registered 76 on the scales. Now she has ruddy cheeks and boasts of reaching the 89 mark with de- signs on the 90. An enumeration of some other cases would show similar re- suits. A boy of II has jumped from 81 to 91A. He is also one of the brightest boys in his class and takes the lead in the afternoon games.
 Miss Clara A. Pausch and her assist ant, Miss Houghmaster, who have served as nursery teachers" this win ter at the school, are, without doubt, ln 8 large measure responsible for this change. Methods Of instruction have UGSh b10 LuOSb IhOO0Ah 1IllS instruction has extended to every branch of hygiene, manners and the develop ment of brain power in the frail little bodies they have had in their care. To note that not one of these is unhappy at the winters experience, and that not one has fallen behind in weight or ability to study, is in itself evidence of the success of the school.
 The children are eager to stay on in- definitely and do not want to be dis missed for summer vacation as they will have to be at the end of June when the summer playground vacation school. which is free to to all children in thu city, takes the place of the outdoor school.
 For a number of the pupils, Dr. Henry F, Stoll and others who have charge of the institution have arranged for quar- ters for them at the school at Goodwin park, which was so successful last sum- mer. This school, however, is not so thoroughly organized as the outdoor winter school and most of the children will have to wait until the next winter term to take up their actual work.
 Miss Pausch receives daily original compositions in English which illustrate surprisingly the happiness of mind of her pupils. These compositions arouse desire to get back of them into ful thoughts. The thoughts are absolute ly their own, 8 part of them, indeed, and you can find out much more if you care to journey to the school some after noon and watch the play which comes after the days work is done.