Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 4.djvu/309

 CHICAGO VACATION SCHOOLS

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intended to have but forty pupils to each teacher. On the morning of July 5 nearly one thousand children came to each school, except at the Jones, and clamored for admission. At one of the schools it was found necessary to call in the police to remove the parents who crowded the halls of the building, insisting that their children must be accepted.

At the Polk Street School about fifty of the children were "held up" on their way to school and their cards of admission taken from them. It took some time to detect the thieves and give the cards to their rightful owners. If a child was absent from school two days in succession, his place was given to one on the waiting list. From twenty-five to fifty presented themselves each morn- ing to see if there were any vacant places.

In the above an exception is made in the case of the Jones School, on account of its isolation. At this school none were turned away. Four hundred and thirty-six were enrolled, fifteen of whom came from the Holden School and fifteen from St. Peter's School. The remaining 406 lived within three blocks of the Jones. This membership is very large, when we consider that there is an enrollment of only 550 in the regular school. Two hundred and sixty that came the first day remained during the entire six weeks.

Each school was equipped with a kindergarten and two man- ual-training outfits, eight aquariums, about forty window boxes twelve ant nests and six insect holders, colored chalk and water colors. The aquariums, window boxes, ant nests, and insect

A GKOUF OF VACATION-SCHOOL GIRLS