The atmosphere of the school is informal, but serious.
Direct observation of nature, a philosophy stated by the 19th century zoologist Louis Agassiz in his familiar motto, “Study nature, not books,” is as much in evidence today as it was when Frances C. Lillie (the founding president) and Dr. Lilian V. Morgan (the founding chairperson of the Science Committee) assembled a teaching staff for the Summer School Club. Teachers, then as now, are chosen for their scientific competence and teaching skills, and they are free to organize the details of the courses according to their particular skills and the interests of the students. As a result, the instruction is on a higher level than is usually possible for children of these ages.