Evening star., 1960-07-10

has been chanted Wherever
children gather.
But last week school began
for large numbers of teachers
The outhor, q Pulitzer Prize reporter,
is education editor Of the North
Americon Newspaper Alliance.
and superintendents. TheyI
flocked to calsSroomS and cam
puses in some 400 colleges and
universities from Maine toI
California, from Michigan to-
Texas.
A record Of IL million stu
dents are attending the 1860
summer session programs. Col
leges everywhere report un-
precedented enrollments. The
summer students come from
towns and hamlets, cities and
suburbs, school systems large
and small.
They have one goal in COM
mon: To amass as many credits
as they possibly can in six,
eight or IL weeks. They are, in
the main, working for advanced
degrees, either the masters or
the doctorate. And they find in
the summer session an oppor-
tunity to discover new teaching
techniques, new methods of
handling unruly pupils, new
ways to use television and other
modern educational aids.
More Serious
Why do students flock to the
campuses during vacation
time? Who are they? What do
they seek? Do they get a sound
education in the heat of the
summer?
To get answers to these and
similar questions, MANA made
an extensive study of typical
college summer session pro-
grams, including interviews of
officials and students now at
tending summer classes.
These conclusions emerge:
/. Teachers form the most
numerous group at I'd in G
summer session classes. They
take courses to qualify for their
advanced degrees and to i'm
prove their teaching Skills.
2. A growing number of stu
dents attend summer school to
accelecate tehir college pro-
gram. By attending three sum-
mer programs they may be
able to save a year and thus
graduate from college in three
years.
3. The summer students are
more mature, more serious and
more alert than those who at
tend during the regular acad-
emic year. They try to crowd
into six or eight weeks a full
semesters work. But they en-
joy the stimulation Of studying
with classmates from other
parts of the Nation.
4. Large numbers Of foreign
students are found on the Ma
tion'S campuses this summer.
They come from Europe and
Asia, South America and Africa,
Canada and Australia.
Investment For Future
For the most part, the sum-
mer session students pay for
their own tuition and living
expenses. It is expensive, but
the teachers consider this an in
vestment in their professional
future.
when I get my Ph.D., I'll
be in line for a higher salary, E"
said Eugene De Luca, a ply
sical education teacher at
Providence, r. I.
A graduate of the University
of Rhode Island, Mr.. De Luca
started to teach five years ago.
He came to Teachers College,
Columbia University, and last
June received his master of
arts degree. Now he's taking
time out to complete his doc
torate.
THE summer session permits
me to complete my program
that much faster" said Mr.. De
Luca. I'm all for a 12-month
college year. I find everyone
;""'drg to full capacity here"
Jerome Greshum teaches
high school English in Atlanta,
Ga. This is his third summer
session at Teachers College.
Next summer he hopes to
complete work on his masters
degree. He is taking eight
credits in the study of Ian
guage, teaching improvement
in secondary schools and COM
munications.
1t costs Jerome about $500
a summer to come to "T. c."
He now earns 1856 a month.
When he gets his M. A., he
will jump to $412, and within
five years go to $470 a month.
The advanced degree will pay
off in dollars.
But more than money is
involved, the students insist.
They believe they are getting
something substantial out of
their summer courses.
I'm sure III be a better
teacher as a result of this
experience" Jerome said.
so will l." agreed Prof.
Harris Parker, a member of
the Columbia IS. c. College
faculty. This is an adventure
in learning. When I return to