COMMENTARY: Start School After Labor Day!

I disagree with the decision of most Rhode Island school districts, including East Providence, to start school before Labor Day. The argument by proponents is that the school year can be extended well toward the end of school in June. The last day of school is sometimes dictated by the number of snow days a school system may have. In Rhode Island that number can vary from zero to several. The end of June can be very warm as can the end of August or early September! My belief is based on the premise that Rhode Island - The Ocean State - offers more leisure time in late August/early September than it does for a week and a half in June. If you like the beach, you can attest that Rhode Island waters don't warm up until well into July. In fact, late August early September is the best time to beach!

Most in Rhode Island can't afford exotic vacations like European travel, etc. For many families an annual vacation usually means a trip to the beach or camp site or maybe a trek to the New Hampshire lakes region. There are many other get-aways for people but I think going to the beach is something anyone can do. A two week beach house rental on a local shore is generally rejuvenating for families getting ready to face a long grey winter. If families can't afford a beach house rental, several day trips to the beach can work.

My objection to this change is also one of economics. As one who spends a lot of the summer boating and on Rhode Island beaches, I have noticed a drastic change after the second week of August in recent years. Now that schools open before Labor Day, parents are forced to do back-to-school shopping at least a week or two before school opens. Other arrangements are made for return-to-school logistics and the beach resort areas quiet down. There are less beach house rentals as families obviously won't rent a beach house through Labor Day if the kids are back to school. While weekends may stay somewhat busy on a hot day in early September, most days now the beaches are quieter.

School starting before Labor Day means all school-related activities begin even earlier. Band and sports practice have to gear up, teachers have to start preparing earlier and kids haven't enjoyed any down time from hectic activities like little league and other camp activities. It's like someone flipped a switch and summer is over. Gone is the smooth transition from hot summer to "Indian Summer" to Fall.

I stopped in and talked to a well known South County, RI beach realty firm and found support for my theory. While reluctant to say business wasn't good, they did confirm that late August beach house rentals have dropped considerably with the change in school year. Even local beach restaurants and souvenir shops tail off. Not good for business I say.

The photos accompanying this commentary (except the one of me in the bottle!) were taken during the last week of August on one of Rhode Island's best known beaches - Roger Wheeler or Sand Hill Cove. Traditionally the beach would be crowded with families enjoying summer's last days. It was nearly empty (except for Diane, me and a few others).

I guess in the big scheme of things, my lament of the shortening of summertime isn't a match for other problems in the world. I can hear many of you saying, 'too bad Rodericks, move on with the times!" On the other hand with all the worries of today's society, maybe rushing our traditional rite of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer isn't a good idea after all. Beach bum forever, I say!

(Bob Rodericks is a feature writer for this paper. The views expressed in this commentary are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of this publication.)