The possibility of an active and duly accredited summer school on the Island, together with provisions for private tutoring by local teachers, has been proposed by Mr. and Mrs. J. Raoul St. Pierre, of the St. Pierre School Inc. of Boston and the Vineyard. Brought before the Island superintendent of schools, Charles E. Downs, and the regional school principal, Charles A. Davis, the proposal is being explored.

Briefly, the plan would allow for the admission of a selected group of students to the St. Pierre School, for two hours of intensive study and teaching daily for six weeks. The subjects proposed are English in all its branches, and United States history.

As regards private tutoring, Mr. St. Pierre told the Gazette that rooms would be provided for this purpose should any Island teacher elect to take up tutoring during the vacation months.

Their Qualifications

The qualifications of Mr. and Mrs. St. Pierre are well known to local school authorities. Mrs. St. Pierre is the head of the college group which is teaching English at the Katherine Gibbs School. Mr. St. Pierre is teaching the Kenyon Plan, originated by Dr. Bayes M. Norton, in the Newton school system.

As the Island already knows, the St. Pierre School, which has been operating seasonally in Vineyard Haven for many years, will open this season, on June 28, in new quarters, the former Marine Hospital at Vineyard Haven, which has been leased by the school with an option to purchase the property. The building is being placed in readiness for opening and the usual umber of pupils from various points on the mainland have been enrolled for this season.

The Gazette has been unofficially informed that such a summer course as is proposed would be of value to a considerable number of Island students, reference having been made to the “shrinkage” in numbers, in the average year, between the enrollment in the high school freshman year and the graduating classes.