We’re almost halfway through the summer, and are nearing the time when we think about going back to school.

One of the concerns that often gets raised relates to how some young people lose knowledge during the summer months. They might be performing at grade level in the spring and then be behind when they get back in the fall.

It might be because they don’t get time on task with reading and math. They aren’t sitting at their desks doing work sheets or skill building exercises.

Even so, I don’t think year-round school is the answer. Children need a break in the action, something different that can get them to go beyond the classroom. Many teenagers need summer work to save up for college or for a car.

There’s no shortage of learning opportunities in the summer. I had many of them back in the 1970s and 1980s. There’s even more available in 2025.

One of my first summer learning opportunities centered around the upstairs children’s department at the downtown Marshall Lyon County library.

Mrs. Doyle always had interesting class sessions. She knew how to make sure that everyone learned something at story hour and that we read the books we took home. From what I’ve observed, that’s still the case at the current library next to the middle school.

I remember the Wednesday night summer band concerts at Liberty Park, which have traditions such as Sousa marches and a kids march that have continued over the years. Summer was a time for many of my friends to take band lessons.

The Marshall Area Stage Company has done a great job of having a summer musical every year. There are plenty of parts for children, and it doesn’t require any special musical gifts.

I recall attending the Lyon County Fair each year. I walked through the animal barns to see farm animals that I rarely saw at other times of the year. I could tell there was something for everyone in 4-H. That’s still true.

We have summer camps at Lake Shetek and the Marshall Area YMCA. My main memory of camps was a spring trip for 6th graders to Camp Foley in northern Minnesota. I learned how to paddle a canoe and made an attempt to shoot arrows.

Sports camps and leagues have grown larger and more competitive in the past 50 years. I remember when we had tee-shirts rather than uniforms, ribbons instead of trophies.

In youth baseball I had a couple of memorable moments. I once hit a foul ball that rolled into my mother’s purse. I made an unassisted double play one year to end the final game of the season.

I remember swimming lessons, when I cruised through the programs until I had to blow up clothes in the Swimmer’s class. I decided that lifeguarding probably wasn’t right for me, but learned enough to enjoy pools and lakes.

Summer jobs still usually offer excellent chances to learn. I found my seasonal college job in the late 1980s very rewarding. I was part of the city’s playground staff that planned a program called Adventure Center. We did games, crafts, sports and field trips.

Many families take advantage every year of the chance to travel. My family took several trips to San Antonio, Texas to visit my aunt and uncle. I saw a lot of the United States. both in Texas and by taking car trips through the heartland of America. We also made many shorter trips to the Twin Cities to visit relatives.

Sometimes really good learning happens at home. I remember cooking, gardening and looking things up in the World Book Encyclopedia.

My sister and I also played school. We each had a classroom in back rooms of the basement. We’d use the workbooks we’d brought home at the end of the year and pretend to teach the reading and math. It definitely helped as far as retaining knowledge.

I think parents play a big role in whether students benefit from summer activities. They should take an interest, help their children choose from the many possibilities. It shouldn’t all be left to activities staff and daycare providers.

Summer could be boring toward the end or potentially an adventure that lasts the full three months. It all depends on how families approach it.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent