About: Martha's Vineyard Summer Institute

Martha's Vineyard Summer Institute was the first summer school for teachers in the United States. The school was started in the summer of 1878 and closed in June 1906. It was situated in Cottage City, Massachusetts, Cottage City being near the eastern end of the island of Martha's Vineyard and 6 miles (9.7 km) from Wood's Hole on the main land. The institute employed three types of classes, teaching special branches of knowledge, the arts, and pedagogy. When its work began, the current of public sentiment was adverse. Subsequently, this view changed.