40 J^ 100 YEARS EXPLORING LIFE, 1888-1988 



dren back year after year. Special courses for different ages, a range of field 

 trips, and an informal atmosphere make kids want to go to school during 

 summer vacation. 



The Science School began in 1913 with the efforts of Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. 

 Morgan, Mrs. Lillie, Mrs. Warbasse, Mrs. Conklin, Mrs. Calkins, Mrs. 

 Crampton, and others — a virtual who's who of MBL wives. They wanted 

 to provide summer supervision and activity, including singing and dancing, 

 but also an introduction to science, with nature study and even research. The 

 women joined in the organization and developed planning committees until 

 they hired a proper teacher for the program which opened for business in 

 1914. Every year thereafter the school has had a full schedule, with the 

 exception of 1916, when a polio epidemic kept it closed. The group decided 

 not to open at all that year, though they paid the teacher anyway. A few 

 people felt that they should close during World War II, but the leaders 

 decided that however few children there were, then more than ever they 

 needed some stability and activity. An impressive number of Children's 

 School alumni have gone on to such careers as scientific research, teaching, 

 or medicine, happily encouraged by the school. 



The summer school accumulated quite a nice library as well, for which 

 the regular wdnter administrators hesitated to take responsibility. So each 

 year, most of the summer school books were taken off to the Woods Hole 

 community library, once called the Social Library. Just a few remained 

 behind for the public school teachers to use during the year. The school had 

 eight grades for a while and then six. As Woods Hole childi'en grew up, they 

 took the train (and later the bus) to the Falmouth school each day. Now all 

 the students commute to Falmouth for their full school careers. 



Food 



Returning to fundamental matters: the families, especially summer visitors, 

 must consider such obvious questions as where to eat. Those with cottages 

 can cook at home. If, that is, they have a car, are willing to walk or take a bus 

 to Falmouth, or like the limited diet allowed by the indispensable Food Buoy 

 on Woods Hole's main street. They can enjoy the restaurant offerings in 

 town, or purchase a meal ticket or a single meal at Swope. 



Not so many yeai's ago, the majority of the community still ate at least 

 lunch in the dining hall. Even many people with houses often ate "in. " The 

 community was together then, and the students mixed comfortably watli 

 instructors and the occasional Nobel laureate. Not so much any more. 

 Students eat there, along with those researchers who are staying only a 

 short time or who are single or who are staying in tlie dorms without 

 cooking facilities — or those rare, delightful few who want to cany on the 

 community experience of older times when everyone met over meals. The 



