The Washington herald., 1912-07-21

washington, the Capital City OF the
nation, is not abreast of other cities of
its size in the line of summer vacation
schools. Notwithstanding the volunteer
efforts of interested teachers in the past,
and the present tendency and intention
o. both school and municipal playground
instruction to be educative, no such or
ganization as a vacation school, actu-
ally exists at the Capital to-day except
those connected with private institu-
tions.
The first vacation school connected
with a city school system was organ
lied in Newark, N j., in lSSS, but II was
not until the first decade of this century
that the movement became general, and
school boards assumed control and man
agsment of such schools. Washington
was not left behind in these pioneer ef-
forts. In 1902 Congress appropriated
1900 for the maintenance of q vacation
school, being sort of seal of approval
and desire to substantially assist the
volunteer work done by a group of
teachers under the principallshp of Ray
mcnd Riordan at the Smallwood School
during the preceding three or four sum-
mers.
For some reason not known to school
authorities or those so greatly benefited
by the summer school, the estimate was
cut from the next years appropriation;
nor has It ever since been able to main-
tain recognized lodgment in the school
appropriation bill. 1t is a violation of
law to carry on schools without ade-
quately compensating those engaged in
the work, so the summer school awaits
the generosity and consideration Of Con-
gress.
Urge Summer schools.
Prominent national and local educators
are unanimous in recommending a sys-
TEN of vacation schools for the District
DR.. Philander P. Claxton, United States
Commissioner of Education, and Chief
Clerk Kalbach favor them. DR.. Fletcher
B. Dresslar, formerly professor of edu-
cation at the University of California and
now a specialist at the Bureau of Edu-
cation. suggests a definite plan for their
operation. Portable buildings should be
located outside the city within easy
reach of suburban car lines, and chill
dren accustomed only to the noise, dust. |
and din of crowded districts be given |
free or reduced transportation to these !
rural centers, where physical develop |
ment would be the basic thought and |
laws. natural history, science. |
applied manual training, and domestic |
arts could be studied under the happiest |
conditions.
DIR. William NJ. Davidson, Superinten-
lent of Schools, is heartily in sympathy /
with the organized effort throughout the
for the establishment of vaca-
lion schools, and hopes to see them be-
.ome reality in Washington.
Vacation schools are of two types-the
social or playground feature, where the
1efinite aim is to get children into whole
'ome surroundings, where they may
In ND cir n oil 1nrlta han nd-l
work under competent direction. and the
makeup" or academic school, where
pupils failing in some OF their studies of
he previous year are given an oppor-
unity to make up the deficient branches
without repeating a whole semester's
work. Both types have been found ef-
'ective in other cities, and both would
'e valuable in supplementing and per-
ecting the regular course in the WASH
ngton schools.
Many Remain in City.
The child who is able to travel, to go
c the seashore or mountains, or even
he little one who may spend a few
weeks in the country, is not the child
Who stands in great need of a summer
racation school. according to A. T. Stu
rt, director of intermediate instruction. |
uch a child is being educated, but in
Washington the large majority of chill
rem remain in the city all summer, and
ave but little opportunity for recrea-
lon, education or amusement. except on
be streets and sidewalks
Miss Anne NJ. Cooling, principal OF the
formal School, in charge Of the train
ig of young teachers, thinks that these {
tay y-at-homes should be Definitely inter-
sted each day for few hours, though
OF necessarily along the lines of grade I
york. Manual training, domestic arts I
nd science, literature, or anything that ]
Iould help the future citizen to decide
is avocation as well as his vocation,
hould be a part Of play-work school |,
uring the summer. Children Of slower I
'entality should also be given an op-
ortunity to keep pace with more for :
lnate pupils
Assistant Superintendent Thurston and
ecretary Harry o. Hine designate the
lmmer school as good thing" and
n institution which has come to stay. :
9th are optimistic regarding Washing
ms future in this line.
But the people who are doing the :
ork, which is twin-sister to the yaca-I :
on school, are the playground directors
nd their assistants. B. W. Murch, >inl
1arge of the fifteen school Fairgrounds, q
nd F. 8 Martin diroctipy ~. .t.x,n,, n