Historical Significance

The open-air school movement originated in Europe. It quickly spread to the United States and the first first open-air school was founded in Providence, Rhode Island in 1908. By 1913, the Indiana Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis had established the first open-air school in Indianapolis. The purpose of these schools was to educate children who had anemia, malnutrition, tuberculosis, or exposure to tuberculosis. The schools aimed to provide children with fresh air, physical exercise, rest, and wholesome food through a curriculum that taught manual training, gardening, and crafts. Although the health of some students improved, the State of Indiana closed the open-air schools during the 1930s because of concerns about academic results.