The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-11-10
|0PEN AIR SCHOOL
FOR CHILDREN
Interesting Work Is Be-
gun in New Jersey
Hard Work to Persuade Pupils 10 Go
Home.

NJ. AHdSt, 3 dhu-uau6htta "a fit3 49,
Uncle" Scion Chase OF Turner. has
entered an interesting new field IN
teaching an open-air school at Mon
clair, n. J.
The open-air school at Monelair Is
an innovation aud under the direc-
ton of Miss Chase is proving Won
derful success.
a score of children selected from
the six grades OF the several schools
have been put In charge Of Miss
Chase
The children have become much
more attentive to their studies than
heretofore. have learned their lessons
more quickly, have slept better. and
in fact. seem to be brighter in APP
pearanee than ever before.
The plan OF providing them with
meals three times a day has been put
INTO practice, and marked improve
ment will undoubtedly take place, not
only in ayoirdupois, but in mental de
yelopment.
The children recite their lessons
under large tent which is protect
ed from the breeze by side curtains,
and Commander Peary never had bet
ter air than these children get.
The whole school is arranged so as
to give the children a continual sup
ply of fresh air and they are delight
ed with the work. Already Miss
Chase has some difficulty in getting
them to go home. or even to take a
recess. as they are so much in love
with the open air work.
Miss Chase herself is an ideal teach
er. She comes from the New .Hamp-
shire Normal school, and loves out
door life so that she is in her element
with this new class. Under her wise
discretion. the children are showing
wonderful Improvement Some who
were reported as very bad and unruly,
have become as gentle as lambs. This
the abundance of fresh air which has
frightened their spirits and made
them freer and happier in every way.
A number of the children of the
poorer classes have to go to school
with scarcely any breakfast at all.
Sometimes it is only a cold potato,
and sometimes only the yilest kind of
! coffee with little whiskey in 1t, while
other times it is bread made of dough-
The open air school proposes to
/ head off any starvation processes of
this kind by supplying the children
With good, wholesome food. and in
this way stop the ravages of incipi
ent tuberculosis.
AS soon as the very cold weather
comes, the pupils will sit at their
desks protected from the zero wealth
er by roomy Sitting bags" modelled
after the sleeping bags of the Arctics.
Special dress will be provided free,
including WOODEN sweaters and wool
en- caps, which may be pulled down
heated soapstone will be put in the
bottoms of the sitting bags to keep
the childrens feet warm. An outer
REFER and gloves complete the uni
form. In the morning the pupils will
receive hot milk and crackers.
Their arms filled with books and
faces aglow with excitement over the
innovation, accompanied by the school
nurse, Miss Helen d. Stephen, the pu-
oils filed into the tent at Cedar av.
enue recently. After being assigned
to their seats, the weighing of every
child was begun at once.
The program now is as follows:
The children will arrive at the school
in the morning at 8 o'clock, when
they will wash their hands and faces
in the old Cedar avenue building, af-
ter which a drill in calesthenics will
be given them on the platform in
front of the tent. Hot milk and toast
will then be given them, after par
taking of which they will begin their
days study. After more exercises
Yin the open a complete dinner will
be served in the adjoining building at
noon. An hours rest in reclining
chairs in the open will be allowed be-
fore study is again taken up. Before
going home at o'clock a light lunch
Of hot soup and crackers will be pro-
vided. Tooth brushes will be pro-
vided. and the children will be re-
quired to use them after each meal.
AS most of the pupils live distance
from the school. transportation tickets
on the trolley cars are provided by
the school board.
/ The pupils the other morning, only
had on the Jackets, In which they
came to school, because of the mild
ness of the day. The flaps on two
IFC a