--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Petersen, Elmer G. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 28 number: 5 published: 1925-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Elmer G. Petersen, “A National Center for Summer Study and Recreation,” *Improvement Era 28, no. 5 (March 1925)*: 445–452." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2805unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2805unse start_page: 445 end_page: 452 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1925-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2805unse publication_year: 1925 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1925, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A National Center for Summer Study and Recreation A NATIONAL CENTER FOR SUMMER STUDY AND RECREATION By Dr. Elmer G. Peterson, President Utah Agricultural College Utah is within reach of the very great ideal which the National Summer School set for itself in 1924; that is, the establishment of an American center in Utah for summer study and recreation. Hearing the echoes of our endeavor, Mr. I. K. Russell of Chicago, one of Utah's gifted sons, saw what we had, seen here and expressed it in these words: "The thing that has been started by the Utah Agricultural College seems to me to be a stone dropped into a national whirlpool. It has started ripples that will be years in reaching their last splash against a shore line. A National Institution can be reared there in Logan, a summer- ing spot for the disinterested intellectual leadership of America, if not the world." Mr. Russell has said what was in mind when the College launched this enterprise. Where more appropriately might the great thinkers, scientists, and philosophers, the poets and artists of our generation assemble than in Logan? Situated at the very feet of the Wasatch, in a very plethora of summer beauty, fanned by breezes from the great hills, cool from mountain snow, with the odors of pine and balsam and the lure of almost infinite mountain stretches on all sides, Logan can become one of the distinguished cities of America. Lakes and rivers and great national parks are near at hand. And the campus of the College itself, pronounced by Professor Cowles the most beautiful in America, is a fit setting for such a national undertaking. What Was Thought of the 1924 Session From a very large list of comments which have been received the following will evidence how universal was the enthusiasm which greeted the National Summer School in 1924, by many of the leaders in American thought and education: "In the whole range of the mountain region there is no institution more beautifully located than the Agricultural College of Utah. Summer work in this cool mountain atmosphere cannot fail to be restful and strenghtening in a high degree, far more so than in the crowded sessions of a city university." (Signed) David Starr Jordan, President Emeritus, Stanford University. "Certainly the idea of a National Summer School in the intermountain west is feasible. It should be continued, and should grow by attendance from all the eastern states as well as from the Rocky Mountain and Pacific states. To the eastern student a summer session in Logan will be a liberal education in itself — a revelation of what the word America means. The Utah Agricultural College is to be thanked and congratulated on having 446 IMPROVEMENT ERA established this school." (Signed) Frederick J. Turner, Professor of History, Harvard University. "I can see good reasons to believe that a National Summer School in the intermountain region can be made successful in future years as it is this year (1924). You have the attractions in scenery, the easy ex- cursions of interest and the climate which will attract students from the east if they learn about them." (Signed) E. V. McCollum, Professor of Bio-Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University. "The success of the 1924 Summer School at Logan demonstrates the feasibility of a National Summer School in the intermountain West. The Utah Agricultural College has unique advantages for the study of the natural history group of sciences while for the ordinary academic studies it is hard to imagine an environment better suited for their successful prosecu- tion." (Signed) John Adams, Professor of Education, University of London. "I have been greatly impressed with your attempt to create a National Summer School at the Utah Agricultural College. You have succeeded so well in your first venture that its permanent success seems secure. Geo- graphically, the school is splendidly situated commanding an unforgettable view. Its social and spiritual atmosphere is of equal excellence." (Signed) Edward A. Steiner, Professor of Applied Christianity, Grinnell College. "It seems to me you have already demonstrated the feasibility of a National Summer School at the Utah Agricultural College. Anyone who can go out into the mountains during the summer, will find Logan a delight- ful place, with its bracing air, cool nights and its beautiful scenery. So far as work in geology is concerned, there are few places in the West that offer such a variety of field problems and opportunities for studying nature as it does." (Signed) £/<'of Blackwelder, Professor of Geology, Stanford Uni- versity. "The Utah Agricultural College has organized for its National Summer School, a faculty unequalled in the history of America. This National Sum- mer School will present the greatest opportunities for summer study between the seas." (Signed) J. W. Searson, Editor of the Educational Digest, and Professor of English, University of Nebraska. The 1925 Plans The foundation of such an enterprise must be sunk deep in fun- damental scholarship. Learning must be the prime motive. The great scenic and recreational features, unsurpassed as they are in the world, in certain aspects must be only the beautiful and inspiring background. Education is in the foreground. With this in mind, the 1924 session was held with a resulting success which strengthened the idea of the permanency of the project. In 1925 plans approved by the Board of Trustees of the College include the assembling of an even greater array of talent than in 1924. President Burton of the Uni- versity of Michigan in a letter to the College said: "I congratulate you upon the plan which you have in mind, and I believe it ought to produce results which will be of value to the entire world of higher education." The 1925 faculty will be an at least partial fulfilment of this expectation of President Burton. Search was made for the greater NATIONAL CENTER FOR SUMMER STUDY 44? minds of America and even of foreign countries. Many of the leaders are international in repute. Certainly in the entire history of summer schools in America no more eminent group was ever assembled. It may be that none equals this. The list so far completed includes the following: Teaching Faculty Professor W. C. Allec, Department of Zoology, University of Chicago, Zoology. Miss Alma Binzel, Lecturer Columbia, Educational Director American Federation of Child Study, Child Phychology and Habit Formation, Training for Parenthood. Professor James E. Boyle, Deapartment of Agricultural Economics, Cornell Uni- veristy. Farm Organization and Marketing. Professor T. N. Carver, Department of Economics, Harvard University, Eco- nomics and Political Science. Professor Henry C. Cowles. Department of Botany, University of Chicago. Botany. Professor Peter W. Dykema, Director of Music Education, Columbia University. Music and Recreational Leadership. Professor Charles A. Ellwood, Department of Sociology, University of Missouri, President American Sociological Society. Sociology. Professor Raymond Franzen, Department of Phychology, University of Cali- fornia. Psychology. Miss Edna Giester. Lecturer in Reacreational Leadership, Columbia. Plays and Games. Miss Mary Wood Hinman, Hinman Dancing School, Speacial teacher at Col- umbia and Chicago Universities. Dancing and Pageantry. Professor R. B. Kester. Department of Accounting, Columbia University. Ac- counting Applied. Professor W. H. Kilpatrick. Department of Education, Columbia University. Education and Philosophy of Education. Professor George C. Louderbeck, Department of Geology, University of Cali- fornia, Geology. Professor E. y. McCollum, Department of Nutrition, Johns Hopkins University. Human Nutrition. Professor E. Lawrence Palmer, Department of Nature Study, Cornell University. Rural Education. Mrs. E. Palmer, Formerly Professor of Geology, University of Washington, Editor of Cornell Rural School Leaflet. Rural Education. Dr. M. J. Rosenau, Department of Preventive Medicine and Direction School of Public Health, Harvard University. Health Education, and Public Health. Professor G. G. Sedgewick, Department of English, University of British Col- umbia. English and Literature. Miss Elga M. Shearer, Supervisor of Primary and Elementary Grades, Long Beach, California. Education. Professor Frederick J. Turner, Department of History, Harvard University. History. Professor John A. Widtsoe, Formerly President of University of Utah and of the Utah Agricultural College. Irrigation Practice and Economics. Mr. M. L. Walker, Manager, Washburn Manufacturing Company, Worcester, Massachusetts. Efficiency management. Special Lecturers Professor Shailer Matthews, Dean of the Divinity School, University of Chicago. The Life of Christ and Social Problems. Professor Edward Howard Griggs, Educator, Lecturer, New York City. 1 he Five American Statesmen and the Dramas of Protest. Top row: Henry C. Cowles, Department of Botany, University of Chicago; E. Laurence Palmer, Professor of Rural Education, Cornell University. Editor of the Cornell Rural Leaflet; T. N. Carver, Professor of Economics and Political Science, Harvard University. Center row: E. A. Steiner, Head Department of Social Science and Applied Christianity, Grinnell College; Frederick J. Turner, Professor of History, Harvard University; Shailer Matthews, Dean of the Divinity School, University of Chicago. Bottom row: Charles A. Ellwood, Professor of Sociology, University of Missouri, Immediate past President of the American Sociological Society; James E. Boyle, Professor of Rural Eco- nomics, Cornell University; Alma Binzel, Lecturer at Columbia University and Educational Director of the Child Study Association of America. NATIONAL CENTER FOR SUMMER STUDY 449 Professor E. A. Steiner, Professor of Applied Christianity, Grinnell College, Iowa. Social Problems. Dr. A. E. Winship, Editor of the Journal of Education, Boston, Massachustees. Education. It will be noted that there are certain great groups into which this unusual talent assorts itself: The Educational Group, the Na- tural Science Group, History and Social Science, and the English Ac- counting, Business Management. ^ , 1 "' JMj m s ^ HpS%*. • 1 11 John A. Widtsoe, formerly President U. A. C. and U. of U., Chairman Church Commission of Education. Irrigation Practice and Economics Then we have irrigation and farm organization, the two greater problems confronting farmers of the west and students of agriculture as well as those of irrigation and of farm marketing. Dr. John A. Widtsoe, formerly President of the Utah Agricultural College, will give courses for six weeks in irrigation practice and economics. Dr. Widtsoe is so well known as to require no extensive introduction. His message is now of particular importance because of his work in connection with 450 IMPROVEMENT ERA reclamation enterprise in the west. Former students of his will be greatly interested in his return to the class room for a short season again. Dr. James E. Boyle will give the courses in organization and marketing. These two teachers will be of interest to county agents, teachers in the high schools, in Smith-Hughes work, Farm Bureau leaders, canal managers and others. A large number of other courses will be given by the regular faculty of the College in agronomy, poul- try, dairy, husbandry and manufacturing, and other related agricultural courses. McCollum, Department of Human Nutrition, Johns Hopkins University Public Health and Home Economics. — Utah and the intermoun- tain west are particularly fortunate in having two of the world's great- est scientists to give courses each for six weeks in health and home economics subjects. Dr. E. V. McCollum, Professor of Nutrition at Johns Hopkins University, was at Logan last summer and the state knows of the almost sensational importance of the courses in nutrition and bodily health which he gave at that time. The state was inspired NATIONAL CENTER FOR SUMMER STUDY 451 by his teaching and by the significance, social and personal, of the great message which he delivered. As unusual as anything else connected with the 1925 Summer School is the fact that Dr. M. J. Rosenau, Director of the School of Public Health of Harvard University, will be at Logan for six weeks giving courses in Public Health. Unsurpassed in the world in authority on public health and preventive medicine, Dr. Rosenau accepted the invitation here in place of elsewhere in America where he was sought, because of his great desire to get the message of Public Health out to the intermountain west. Recreational Leadership — Of special interest to church workers in recreation as well as to scout leaders, music supervisors and teachers, is the coming of Professor Peter W. Dykema, Director of Music Edu- cation of Columbia University, who will offer two weeks of work in music and community singing. He is the undisputed leader in America in education in school music. Professor Dykema will be followed by Miss Edna Giester of Illinois, teacher at Columbia and Chicago universities, in plays and games for one week. Miss Giester has attained wide fame as leader in this work. She will be followed by Miss Mary Wood Hinman in courses in dancing and pageantry for three weeks. Miss Hinman, formerly teacher at Columbia and other universities and colleges, is considered one of the most talented and versatile leaders in dancing and pageantry, probably unexcelled in America in her mastery in these fields. Professors Claud C. Cornwall and W. O. Robinson, well known through Utah and the surrounding states, have been added, for two weeks each, to the faculty in recrea- tional leadership for the summer session. A large array of other courses will be offered by the resident faculty, thus supplying a, very comprehensive program for teachers, business and professional men, mothers, farmers, county agents, home demonstrators and faculties in high schools and colleges. Education Not a Medicine Education must be made the concern of all. It should be a part of all business undertaking, a never-ending task of all employers of labor and of all laborers, of fathers and mothers, of all in fact who deal with their fellows — a task to all alike of giving, and also receiving. It is, of course, the main business of the Church. And the home is the greatest educational institution after all, and the mother is the greatest teacher. One of the hopes entertained for the National Summer School is that it will help to break down the formalism which is coming to occupy too large a place in education. It is hoped that the great teachers brought here will make sharper distinctions than are some- times apparent between scholasticism and learning, that they will lift up the eyes of teachers and students alike to the great truths which en- compass all education, the everlasting moral and spiritual foundations upon which all learning is based. 452 IMPROVEMENT ERA This Summer School, in addition to its message to business and professional men, to farmers and mothers and others, will supply the needs of elementary and high school teachers and of teachers in colleges and universities, by way of giving them the most advanced thought in pedagogy and methods of teaching; it will do more than this. It will give them contact with great scholars, men and women who have impressed their time. There will be a certain inspiration which great characters radiate which the students will feel. There will be masterly presentation, there will be great dignity of thought and expression, there will be comprehensiveness of view, of sympathy and ideal. There will be the tone of educational authority not of mimicry. There will be great probity, personal and professional. There will be what may be called generosity of mind and disposition. It is such Miss Elga Shearer, Primary and Elementary School Teaching, California. quality as this that the teacher needs above all else, because with it good teaching must inevitably follow. For whatever service is rendered in thus adjusting our thought to proper channels, we shall be thankful. In the meantime it is not premature, I hope, to think that what has been begun is the beginning of an enterprise which will continue to attract many of the leading thinkers of our country and it may be many thousands, in time, of the more thoughtful of the student population of America. Undeniably there is here an opportunity of considerable magnitude to bring honor and distinction to Utah, yet the future only, of course, can determine the possibilities and the limitations of the National Summer School. Logan. Utah.