University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Summer Session | University of Illinois Archives

Summer school was considered by the Board of Trustees in 1893,¹ and a successful 4-week session was held in 1894.² In 1899, after canvassed public school men responded favorably that public school teachers would be interested in summer courses, the Board of Trustees appropriated money for a summer session which was to equal half a semester.³ Scholarships were given to public school teachers and principals.⁴ In 1905 a graduate summer school in agriculture was approved.⁵ The 1910-1911 catalogue states: "The primary purpose of the Summer Session is to meet the needs of teachers in the elementary, secondary, and higher schools who wish to spend part of the summer vacation in serious study or investigation."⁶ The statutes of the University were revised in 1932 to give the Summer Session authority to make up a budget; its director, appointed by the President of the University, was to have the same duties as the dean of a college.⁷ In 1940 scholarships for Illinois teachers were discontinued.⁸ A 12-week Summer Quarter in place of the previous 8-week one was adopted in 1942 to provide accelerated programs for students.⁹ In 1943 for the duration of the war, a school year of three equal terms of 16 weeks was instituted; the 8-week summer session ran concurrently with the first half of the Summer Term.¹⁰ A special 12-week term concurrent with the regular 8-week term was authorized for 1961.¹¹

1. Board of Trustees Transactions, 17th Report, Dec. 12, 1893, pp. 198-199.

2. Op. cit., p. 272.

3. Board of Trustees Transactions, 20th Report, Jan. 13, 1899, pp. 52-53.

4. Board of Trustees Transactions, 23rd Report, June 27, 1906, p. 385.

5. Board of Trustees Transactions, 23rd Report, Jan. 17, 1905, p. 37.

6. University of Illinois Annual Register 1910-1911, p. 233.

7. Board of Trustees Transactions, 36th Report, May 11, 1932, p. 594.

8. Board of Trustees Transactions, 41st Report, Sept. 27, 1940, pp. 44-45.

9. Op. cit., Feb. 14, 1942, pp. 775-776.

10. Board of Trustees Transactions, 42nd Report, Nov. 22, 1942, p. 168.

11. Board of Trustees Transactions, 51st Report, Dec. 21, 1960, pp. 231-232.