Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-15
ANNE HEYGATE.HAlL
On Summer Schools

THE summer school mas many advantages
both for pupils and teachers. says Miss
Anne Heygate- Hall. executive secretary OF
the Philadelphia Child Welfare Federation.
"1he work Of the summer school, said
Miss Heygate- Hall. ''is very different from
the usunl school work. The time of year
a time Of relaxation and often Of enervation
makes systematic work very difficult. The
children are with the teachers such short
time that the most important things about
them are almost unknown. Teachers know
the names and the personal appearance, h,it
the habits and temperament OF each child
cannot be understood as they should be.
1.-The attendance is voluntary and may
become irregular and the discipline need not
be upheld at home. nor does the cry law
stand behind. All those things make the
work difficult, but, on the other hand, there
are great advantages.
Some Of the Advantages
"In the first place. the heart is in the
work. no one would so tax herself for
pecuniary gain; the work becomes an act
Of service. There are no impossible courses
of study to be met The child need not be
fed with food wholly unsuited, nor very
distasteful, because Of his physical condi-
ton. Generally the child comes because he
TO work. He knows he Is free, or should
know this, and may regard the short session
as gift which he may enjoy.
"Children generally enjoy the things
which they select. and II they select the
aummer school instead of the summer street
they have put into the teachers hands the
greatest possible assistance. To every teacher
the first few weeks will children Is voyage
of discovery, Some teachers keep we'll out
in the middle of the stream, others pole into
little hooks and around the islands, avoid
ing the rocks and often gathering weed or
flowers.
>"Time Is not wasted when work is en-
loved without hurry. Permitting seeming
idieness Is sometimes method OF getting in
touch with the child. The different homes
from which the children come must be
ignored by the teacher at first. The time is
short and the whole must work together
to one end.
Education the End
"Whether regular school work or vacation
school work, the end Is the same--a piece
Of education to be done, a building up of
body, mind and soul body to be developed
and made more graceful and agile by di-
rected exercise.
"There are senses to be trained 10 n
rapid perception Of physical facts: memory
to be trained to retain knowledge: language
to be trained to reproduce; imagination to
be trained to make pictures OF beauty and
ideals of conduct; emotions to be trained
things will to be trained which is SO often
to decide upon the right that the right.
not the wrong. will become habit.
''These habits will soon become the child
itself--the obedient, happy, playing child.
In all this training the teacher is but one
factor, and her influence is not absolute,
but these considerations, instead Of discour-
aging her. should lead her to put forth
greater efforts to overcome any resisting
forces.
Indeed, the teacher should try to become
the sum total of good to the admiring chill
dren. Yes, a teacher should lead the chill :
dren to admire her. OF course, subject mat =
ters must be studied, but in summer work,
especially, the greater study should be given
to the Interesting subjects and to an in :
crease Of useful happiness, Children are
more valuable than the twine, the reed, the
needle and thread.
Where Labor Is Lost
"The teacher who works in ignorance OF
these laws Of human growth will find that
much of her labor will be lost We ex-
pect cook or laundress to work with ma :
| terials-not how much does she know of
other things, but does she know how to get