The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-24

| other States have been rapidly falling
| into line and chat the University OF
! Virginia In her splendid summer school
! has given the people OF the State the
right and duty to be proud OF her
| splendid achievements.
! In nj least five ways is the univer-
sity now meeting splendidly some
needs that have been for years very
real and vital. Their first and perha ps
most important is filled In supplying
an opportunity for the training from
a professional standpoint OF the teach
ers shat the rapid multiplication Of
high schools has made necessary to
efficient and worthy service in tho
proper training of the next generation
in the things that they must know
In ORDER 10 become the good citizens
that modern conditions demand. AS an
index to the real service that Is being
accomplished, It is Interesting to note
that last session there were about
500 students pursuing the ad
vanced courses. OF course. these &C
tivitics arc in addition to those of
the regular session OF the university.
The summer session trains both men
and women for high school work. and
there is no other place in the State
whore women can receive this train
ing.
The summer school is also meeting
another demand heretofore untitled in
that II Is Offering u large number OF
courses for which university college
credit is given. thereby enabling Indus
trious and ambitious boys and young
men to work during tho summer
months and thereby shorten materially
the tine heretofore required for taking
either the Is. y. or b. S. degree. Year
by year this feature is appealing more
and more to college students. and
A..
10 say that there Will be much
larger number this session OF this
class OF students than ever before.
The third great need that the sum-
mer school is fulfilling is that OF the
Who'll, south the need for socialized
school which. while Offering necessary
academic preparation, provides at the
same tiino courses OF study which are
most distinctly vocational to prepare
%oung men and women for the duties
of life after they shall have left school.
This splendid vocational training
finds its best expression IN farm dem
onstration work, canning clubs. school
fairs and the like. And in manual
training, domestic science, agriculture
and practical sanitation. the university
is carrying out the belief of the Ger
mans that whatever wo would wish to
see coming out of the life of 4 nation
we must put first In the schools.
But It is not enough for us to pro-
vide merely for the material needs of
the hundreds of Intelligent and soul
thirsty men and women who, during
June and July frequent the assic
shades of the university. The spiritual
needs are looked after In the fourth
place by the truly splendid musical
festival that has been arranged. and
which VIII be treated in another
paper.
The NTH Of the ways in which the
summer school ia seeking TO render
service Is the rural life conference,
lasting several days, during which val
| liable papors on pressing problems are
read by experts In their individual
field-men and women at the front
IN the ranks now growing so rapidly
of those who are seeking TO make the
conditions on the farm more attrac-
tive and healthy. and fuller and richer
In the better things of life.
! These new departures are even now
| bearing rich fruit, but the harvest,
| though rich, is but an earnest OF what
/ is bound to come in the near future
| The teachers OF State are conser-
them do not rapidly change their
| views. Many Of them who entered
| upon school work without this special
| training will continue in active and
/ useful service for some time TO come
! but they Will Inevitably sooner or later
/ be succeeded by the adequately trained.
| 1t Is this thing that the summer school
( Is doing. II has been and must con-
I tlnue TO be the effective agency for
/ the Introduction OF rural life and vo-
/ cational subjects and the vitalizing OF
/ their study In no other institutions
except the normal schools with com
| paratively few students, are these
/ subjects taught
AS IL is. however. thanks to the
summer school there are going out
/ from the university each year, nun
dreds or tea chcrs. carrying with then
an expert knowledge of these subjects
for use in the schoolroom, and Hit!
their interest reawakened and vital
lied in II new enthusiasm for increased
efficiency in their chosen profession.
The vocational courses are certainly
accomplish'n positive and speedy re
suits, but when we take into consid-
Grafton the men who are in charge o
the work and the sterling quality o.
the courses themselves, It could hard
~ he otherwise.
In the essential work OF agriculture
for example. there is given work tina
could not bc improved on as far a:
genuine worth is concerned Irndel