INQUIRIES 151 



What shall we do with the children in the summer 

 vacation ? 



This is an exceedingly important question and 

 very difficult to answer. The teacher has no con- 

 trol of the child during this period. He can suggest 

 what the pupil may do, but the probability is that 

 the pupil will merely drift. 



I am convinced that there is a great loss of 

 efficiency in the overlong and undirected summer 

 vacation for both child and youth. The colleges 

 are beginning to feel this, as shown in the develop- 

 ment of four-term systems. The summer schools 

 are protests against an idle summer. Herein is 

 where the farm boy gets much of his efficiency for 

 the battle of life in the fact that he has no long 

 periods of enforced idleness, laziness and emptiness. 

 He is kept at work. He grows up with an appre- 

 ciation of the value of time. He knows what 

 industry is and what it brings. Steady effort and 

 application become the warp and woof of his life. 

 The town boy of the upper and middle class, on 

 the other hand, is likely to become accomplished 

 in feats of idleness. One-fourth his time is mere 

 vacation, or, rather, mere vacancy. He is handi- 

 capped when later he comes squarely against the 

 realities of life. 



I believe in a long vacation if the time is occupied 

 in some well-directed effort. I am glad to see the 

 development of the summer-camp idea for both 

 boys and girls, where, under competent and 

 sympathetic guidance, with firm but kindly 

 discipline and something like Spartan fare, they 



