A Brief History of Summer Vacation-- Part 3: A Short Timeline

SUMMER'S HEATED DEBATE:

1837 HORACE MANN becomes Massachusetts' first secretary of education.

1842: SCHOOL TERMS, which include summers, exceed 240 days in some cities. Urban calendars shrink as rural ones increase.

1906: The first official study documents the "SUMMER SETBACK." The long summer break causes a negative effect on learning.

2007 At an average 180 days, the U.S. public school calendar is dwarfed by those in South Korea and Japan where students attend class for 220 and 243 days a year, respectively.

What's My Name? --DaCoot

A Brief History of Summer Vacation-- Part 2: Adjusting Calendars

Urban students before the Civil War endured as many as 48 weeks of school a year with just one break per quarter. Education was not, however, compulsory and attendance was often sparse. In Detroit, in 1843, only 30% of enrolled students attended year-round.

In the 1840s, educational reformers like Horace Mann moved to merge the urban and rural claendars out of concern that rural schooling lagged. Then current medical theory held that overstimulating yound minds could lead to nervous disorders or insanity.

Summer emerged as the obvious choice for a break. It offered teachers a needed break, meshed with the rural calendar and alleviated physician concerns that students packed into sweltering classrooms would be prone to spread disease.

The modern U.S. school year, which averages 180 days, has its critics as well. Some say the long summer break is responsible for low math scores and graduation rates.

Like my wall plaque in Margaritaville says, "Three good reasons to be a teacher: June, July and August.

Can't Please Everyone. --Cooter

A Brief History of Summer Vacation-- Part 1

From the June 30, 2008, Time Magazine by Alex Altman.

I wish they'd put this page back in the amgazine.

As we prepare for yet another bout of winter storms here in the Midwest.

"This month, millions of American kids flee the tyranny of the classroom bell for lifeguard stands, grandparents' homes and sleepaway camps. But, summer vacation has not always been a birthright of U.S. school children."

Before the Civil War, U.S. schools operated on one of two calendars, neither of which included a summer vacation.

Rural schools had a winter and summer term so kids would be free to help with spring planting and fall harvesting.

And, I Remember When Summer Vacation Lasted Forever (As Did the School Year). -- Cooter

Why Dana Barron Wasn't the Daughter on "European Vacation"

It was a surprise when the second "Vacation" movie was made and the original son and daughter weren't in it. Dana Barron, who played the original, was not in the follow up because Anthony Michael Hall was working on the film "Weird Science." The producers decided to go with two new kids.

Too bad. The new ones weren't as good. Maybe the "European Vacation" would have done better with the original kids.

Of interest, Dana Barron said she got motion sickness on the rollercoaster in the first movie and that she had been up to be the sister of Matthew Broderick on "Ferris Buuehler's Day Off" but hadn't gotten the role.

It's a Movie Thing, I Guess --DaCoot