When to best train glider and power?

Charles Petersen wrote:
Where I fly in Canada (www.yorksoaring.com), the cost of training to a
glider pilot's licence is about $2,000 Canadian (US$1,600), and a private
pilot's licence power training cost is around 5 times that at about $10,000
Canadian (US$8,000).

The glider training costs include club membership, tows and glider rental.
Instruction is free from volunteers. As for the youth, twice each summer,
the first two weeks of July and again the first two weeks of August, we
offer a Flight Camp where we take students from Ab Initio to Licence, for
about $1,600 Canadian (by now you can do the math). Our club gliders rent
from 30 to 50 cents a minute, and tows are $25.

Is that "dry tach"? Seriously, though, how is the time measured? Is it
"check out" time to "check in" time or is there some other kind of
instrumentation. As a power student pilot, I'm just curious.

-- Bryan