PROBLEMS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADA\1NISTRAT10N FRANK PBACHM AN SCHOOL EFFICIENCY SERIES PAUL H.HANUS Neui fork s'tate QJoUege af J^^griculturc At Qfornell Uniuecaitg Hibrarg Cornell University Library LB 1555.B32 Problems in elementary school administra 3 1924 013 407 105 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013407105 THE School Efficiency Series comprises about twelve volumes by as many educational experts on Elementary School and Kindergarten, High School, and Vocational Instruction, Courses of Study, Organ- ization, Management and Supervision. The series con- sists of monographs based on the report of Professor Hanus and his associates on the schools of New York City, but the controlling ideas are applicable as weU in one public school system as in another. Among the authors contributing to these volumes are Professor Paul H. Hanus, Professor of Education, Harvard University, who is also general editor of the series; Dr. Frank P. Bachman, formerly Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Cleveland; Dr. Edward C. EUiott,'^Director of the School of Education, University of Wisconsiu; Dr. Herman Schneider, Dean of the College of Engineering, University of Cincinnati; Mr. Frank W. Ballou, Joseph Lee Fellow for Research in Education, Harvard University (formerly Assistant Professor of Education, University of Cincinnati); Dr. Calvin O. Davis, Assistant Professor of Education, University pf Michigan; Dr. Frank V. Thompson, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Boston; Dr. Henry H. Goddard, Director Department of Psycho- logical Research, New Jersey Training School for Feeble-Minded Boys and Girls; Mr. Stuart A. Courtis, Head of Department of Science and Mathematics, Detroit Home and Day School (Liggett School), Detroit; Dr. Frank M. McMurry, Professor of Elemen- tary Education, Teachers CoUege, Columbia University; Dr. Ernest C. Moore, Professor of Education, Harvard University (formerly of Yale University). SCHOOL EFFICIENCY SERIES Problems in Elementary School Administration SCHOOL EFFICIENCY SERIES Edited by Paul H. Hanus Problems in Elementary School Administration A constructive study applied to New York City By FRANK P. BACHMAN, Ph. D. Author of " Principles ot Education," etc. YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK WORLD BOOK COMPANY 1916 Cofyright, igi5, by World Book Company All rights resernied SES: BPESA— z LB I 556 B3Z .\\iooS EDITOR'S PREFACE THREE important contemporary problems in the ad- ministration of elementary schools are treated in this volitme by a method which is commending itself increasingly to students of Education, and has a special significance for all officers of school administration and supervision. These problems arise when the establishment of intermediate schools (or junior high schools) is under consideration; when we seek to ascertain what a satisfactory rate of promotion is, and under what conditions we may hope for a maximum rate of promotion; and when we try to secure age-grade standards that will yield us usable and vaHd information concerning the number of normal-age, over-age, and under-age children in the schools: and the method employed in dealing with these problems is the statistical or objective method — the method that is free from personal bias or general opinion, and seeks to arrive at valid conclusions on the bcisis of incontestable and well-organized data. Dr. Bachman's brief but. comprehensive introduction states these problems clearly, and also the principles of method on which his studies are based. The main body of the volume consists of three parts, each dealing with one of the problems under consideration. Parts I and II constitute Dr. Bachman's contribution to the report submitted by me to the Committee on School Inquiry of the Board of Estimate and Apportion- ment of the City of New York in 191 2; and Part III is a report made to that Committee after my term of service had closed. I welcomed the opportunity to publish these three important reports substantially unchanged in a volume of the School Efficiency Series, both because they contain comprehensive vii via Editor's Preface data of much intrinsic value, and because they illustrate in detail Dr. Bachman's objective method of reaching con- clusions, a method that can be advantageously employed in the study of school administration anywhere. Paul H. Hanus. Harvard University. CONTENTS Pagb Editor's Preface vii Introduction 3 PART I. THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL Chapter I. Educational Eiticiency or the Intermediate School 9 II. Economy of the Intermediate School .... 33 III. Educational Opportunities Afforded by the Intermediate School 55 PART n. PROGRESS AND CLASSIFICATION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IV. The Problem of Promotion and Non-Promotion 65 V. The Rate of Promotion 81 VI. The Maximum Rate of Promotion 9S VII. Size of Class and Non-Promotion ' 122 Vin. Absence and Non-Promotion 132 IX, Over Age and Non-Promotion 142 X. Inability to Use the English Language and Non-Promotion 156 XI. Part Time and Non-Promotion 164 Xn. The Problem of Pupils Who Leave School . . 185 X Contents Chapter Page XIII. Conclusions and Recommendations as to Non- Promotion AND Part Time 193 XrV. The Significance of Over Age 199 XV. Age-Grade Standards to Use in Age-Grade Reports 205 XVI. When and How to Make Age-Grade Reports 234 XVn. When and How to Take the Ages of Pupils . 242 XVIII. What Children to Include in Age-Grade Reports 252 XIX. Conclusions and Recommendations 263 Index 267 Problems in Elementary School Administration PROBLEMS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION INTRODUCTION THE objective or statistical method is applied, in this volume, to the solution of certain practical problems related to the administration of the elementary schools. In the solution of administrative problems there are three general methods of procedure in common use. The first of these may be called the method of personal judgment. A superintendent or principal studies the question of forming a class for backward children, and gives his judgment, which is essentially his personal opinion. Again, a number of per- sons canvass a field — for example, the causes of non-pro- motion — ^and submit a joint report. In such a report, the opinion of the individual is modified by the opinion of the group. This method may be termed the method of collec- tive or group judgment. Finally, there is the objective or statistical method. Here the facts collected and presented, or the objective standards of measurement employed, be- come the prime factor in determining the conclusion reached, and there is little place left either for the opinion of the individual or of the group. Each of these methods has its use and its value. It is conceded, however, that, where ap- plicable, the objective or statistical method is the preferable one to employ, and that in a judicious use of this method lies our hope of education becoming a science. Few topics in the field of the elementary school are re- 4 Introduction ceiving to-day as much attention as the intermediate school, called also the junior high school. Part I of this volume is devoted to a consideration of a number of questions to which superintendents want satisfactory answers before they are willing to recommend the bringing together of the seventh and eighth grade pupils into a central building. For example, when children are sent from the home school to a distant intermediate school, will fewer or more of them continue beyond the sixth grade; will a larger or smaller number complete the elementary course of study ; will their progress through the school be more or less rapid? What educational opportunities and advantages does the inter- mediate school offer over the ordinary school having all grades ? What is the difference in the cost when the regular seventh and eighth grades are in a central school? These and other questions are answered in the light of the experi- ence of New York City with the intermediate school. This experience should be helpful to those who have under con- sideration the segregation of the children of the upper grades. In the management of the elementary school it is of the highest importance that children be properly classified and that they advance regularly from grade to grade. Accord- ingly, Part II of this volume has to do with the classification and progress of school children. Progress from grade to grade is conditioned on promotion and non-promotion. In the first section of Part II, the general problem of promo- tion and non-promotion, what the rate of promotion should be, and the conditions favorable to a maximum rate of pro- motion are treated in detail. An analysis is also made of the factors which contribute to non-promotion, such as size of class, absence, over age, inability to use the English language, and the short school day or part time. The data presented in this connection not only shed light on the causes of non-promotion, but also on the value of special classes, such as classes for children unable to speak the English language and classes for backward children, Introduction 5 The relation between the age of the child and the grade in which he should be enrolled, and the relation between the length of time a child has been in school and the number of units of work or the grades he has completed, have of late years been widely discussed. Indeed, we have come to ap- preciate that insight into these age-grade relations is funda- mental, not only to the proper classification of children, but to the adaptation of the work and the life of the school to their capacities and needs. While the value of definite knowledge of the relation between the ages of the children and the grades they have completed is generally accepted, there is by no means a like unity of opinion with regard to the method to be employed to determine whether or not a child is under age, normal age, or over age. There should be a common method of determining over age, both for the sake of exactness and for the sake of comparison of one system of schools with another. The second section of Part II takes up the essential features of such a method, dealing with the age-grade standards to be used, when and how to make age-grade reports, when to take the ages of children, how to take the ages of children, and what children to in- clude in an age-grade report. This volume thus contains a large amount of data that may be used in determining educational policies. Useful par- ticularly to those who would base their policies on facts and who would measure the results of their work are the ex- amples contained herein of the application of the objective or statistical method to the solution of administrative prob- lems. Part I The Intermediate School CHAPTER I EDUCATIONAL EFFICIENCY OF THE INTER- MEDIATE SCHOOL AN intermediate school in the City of New York is an elementary school which receives only pupils pro- moted from the 6B grade,^ and in which the instruction is restricted to the seventh and eighth years of the elementary school course of study. There are three such schools in Greater New York, all in Manhattan: Public School Number 24, opened in 1905; 62, opened in 1905; and 159, opened in 1907.^ These schools were organized to relieve congestion. The seventh and eighth year classes in several neighboring buildings were small, and, by bringing these pupils into one school, it was possible to set free a number of rooms for the use of chil- dren of the lower grades. The organization of these inter- mediate schools at once made clear the worth of this kind of school as a means of relieving congestion, also the economy of such schools in caring for seventh and eighth year pupils, as compared with schools having all grades. The amount of congestion is steadily increasing — the number of pupils on part time having increased from 69,035, on September ^ In New York City each year of the elementary school comprises two grades, A and B. Thus, Grade 6B means the second half of the sixth year. 2 Public School No. 159 has classes below the 7A grade. It is, how- ever, ofificially recognized as an intermediate school. lo Problems in Elementary School Administration 30, 1907, to 79,338, on September 30, 1911,^ but no new in- termediate schools have been established. Our study of the intermediate schools now in operation not only will shqw that the intermediate school, apart from its serviceabletji^s in relieving congestion, affords oppor- tunity for eco|pmy, but will show besides that it affords peculiar oppoi|unities to adapt the education of seventh and eighth year pupils to their varying needs. Our investiga- tion accordingly comprises ( i ) a study of the educational efficiency of the intermediate school; (2) a study of its economy ; and ( 3 ) a review of the peculiar opportunities it affords for adapting the instruction to the varying needs of seventh and eighth year pupils. SOME OBJECTIONS MADE TO THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS The City Superintendent of Schools records the estab- lishment of intermediate schools as one of the achievements since the consolidation of Greater New York. Both the City Superintendent of Schools and the Board of Education are favorable to intermediate schools and to increasing the num- ber of them. There are, however, supervisors and princi- pals who are unfavorable and who express the opinion : (i) That, when the seventh and eighth grades are re- moved from a school, in order to organize an intermediate school, a larger per cent, of pupils leave the 6B grade with- out completing it in schools having only 1A-6B grades than leave the 6B grade in schools having all grades. (2) That a larger per cent, of pupils promoted from the 6B grade fail to enter the 7A grade when they must go to an intermediate school than fail to enter the 7A grade when they can advance to this grade in their home school. (3) That a larger per cent, of seventh and eighth year pupils leave the seventh and eighth grades without complet- ing these grades in intermediate schools than leave these grades in schools having all grades. 1 Annual report of the City Superintendent of Schools, 1907, and special report made to the Committee on School Inquiry. Uducational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 1 1 No data have ever been collected by the Board of Edu- cation on these points. First Objection: That More Pupils Leave the 6B Grade without Completing this Grade Do a larger per cent, of pupils leave the 6B grade with- out completing it in schools having only 1A-6B grades than leave this grade in schools having all grades? A final answer to this question would involve collecting data for a number of terms on children leaving 6B classes in schools having only 1A-6B grades, and on children leav- ing the same classes in schools having all grades. With the time at our disposal it was impossible to do this. We have, however, collected such data for the February- June term of 191 1, not only for the 6B, but also for the 5B and 6A, grades. See Table I.^ Table I shows, for the February-June term of 191 1, the enrollment ^ in the 5B, 6A, and 6B grades, and the number of pupils who left ^ these grades in schools having all grades (1A-8B) ; and also, by grades and for the same schools, the per cent, of the enrollment leaving. The same facts are also shown for neighboring schools having 1A-6B grades. * The schools having all grades (1A-8B) compared in this report with intermediate schools are attended by about the same type of pupils as attend the intermediate schools; hence the cost of operation and the educational results achieved in the two kinds of schools should be about the same. The data in all the tables of this study, unless it is otherwise stated, were taken from schools located in the same districts with interme- diate schools 24, 159, and 62, or located in districts contiguous to these intermediate schools. Also, the data collected are from all the schools in the given districts of the particular kind under discussion ; that is, from all the schools in the given districts having only 1A-6B grades, from all the schools in the given districts having all grades (1A-8B), and from the three intermediate schools. 2 Enrollment, as used here and throughout this study, includes all pupils, exclusive of transfers, on the register during the term. 5 Leaving, as used here and throughout this study, includes all pupils, exclusive of transfers, who left school during the term. 12 Problems in Elementary School Administration pq § < o Oh ■ low 00 ^ ■ . r-M M iofOo«o ro ooci • • o e* t> MwovH t-MOO no POO »■ • ■ . ro • • « ■ w ... < r-'^Moo'O ■ OlIOTffO^Cfl H "*t.HW(«)OQ0«O r-OO t-Tl-Oit^^N H M M OOO fO«OOi"3 ■^ ^WOHOvHC* H r-wro O O(H00 « r~ H^dH MHMHMMM OtO r»sr- dbotibpdtuaboabotibOtibotibpdboC&ciabDdbotit a-2 s>2 a^ s^J a>J a-^ S'^ a^ S'^ a^^ ^^ a^^ l gg' (4 •a Hducational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 13 ^_ ooMM Tfusro'*«oino or*r*« ^ '■^tCO Tt-O ro«0 ■ ■^r-o >floo>o N Oiw Oi « Os 00 ■^00 Tfo »« f*) N oi tn w *o*Ofp «Tfarous 1 e:i M 00 t- 3 w H«ro cowoirom ^w Oiro wo 1 -<*• t* ;^^ S S . . . . .\o ro ■<1- Ot Oiirt • 10 PO ?;'rA 11 -^aw ■ • • N m fO 1 M OiH ioro>OH CO N ro tJ-h noo ■00 W N -^H TfH 00 10 WMMNH CI MM • H Ht N H M ^ H N c< » fO OUHCO ^ OHOO * CI M (/I H p n b « P- Httt*««0 • -roo ■ -OO - • • lOH Tf l-t H . H « m n < M •^ «o H HI t- t- 10 N CI Oi t- ro re ^vO ■^ -oocnoococi • 00 r- « 10 1^ fooo 00 « 10 Oi t- w M « M Tt N »o ■^O "t fO r- w ^ r-H N 00 ■r- CIHOHt^HINW fOM ro U M (H E- « ^ 1 H M t- 1^ us lo^o 'd- CI - •rO'^'OfO't • M 100000 M fO w N 2 H t- < g b-O N t^r-ro : : : : :S"S"S" f*) l-t •00 I> • H OiM w M M row » m • M z . 5 ■^ M U3 W rOH « fOt^N rf N C* m OtHlOHOO • OlMMMNMWMrOM H «MPOtJ-M CI CIH . M M M W l-t C/l 1 H ro 5 T)- ro p- 10 w Oi ■* Oi ■* ■ • mil POOO t-i M w Tj-rOTj-Oi . . . ^M . . POOOOO 00 ro Ot 10 13 l-t lOH 00 M ■^ ro to »0 lOMoo fO w CI M ►- n M H H l-« w W M »OM H r- •^ • 00 M • ■ nw'O ■ • . 0«M . . N M w &« s '< N meir^ci ■ -OiM - • 10 - • • N fOH -• --H ... ■ M • . « M 10 w « H i . +3 . JJ . 4J • JJ .AS . JJ ■ CiDti&odtJOdbocJbaa&otibodbaiiltiodbDiiibonf&AdbiKl&fititiaCboa&o a (u ;; f |-g|-Fl'? s-g S'F e-? a-? a-? e-p s? e-? e-p e >|-? fi-pj-? ^ Is 1 1 "^ a^ w WWWWWWWHWWW W W pLl H W w i t? t> W fC CI W (q p 'S w 1 M n g 3 3 s 10 t« (O « M > £ > 4 H 3 Ov ■" t t * C e; H !8 14 Problems in Elementary School Administration It will be observed that the losses, both in schools having all grades and in schools having only 1A-6B classes, are large. These large losses in the 5B, 6A, and 6B grades are due to the fact that many children are fourteen years old or over by the time they complete the 5A grade. Twenty- five per cent, of the children in these grades of the fore- going schools on the lower East Side were found to be four- teen years old and above.^ These over-age children, being able to obtain labor certificates, leaye school, from choice or necessity, in large numbers. The total loss in the 5B, 6A, and 6B classes of schools having all grades is 7.88 per cent, of the total enrollment; in schools having 1A-6B grades, 7.99 per cent., or a differ- ence of .11 of I per cent, in favor of schools having all grades. So slight is the difference in the holding power of these two kinds of schools in the 5B, 6A, and 6B grades that, had the 8,169 pupils in these grades in schools having only 1A-6B grades been in schools having all classes, only nine fewer pupils would have left these schools during the February- June term of 191 1. It should be observed, however, that the losses in schools having only 1A-6B grades are i per cent, less in 6A classes, and in 6B .43 of i per cent, less than in the corresponding classes of schools having all grades, and that only in 5B classes are the losses in schools having all grades less than in schools having only 1A-6B grades. If more 5B pupils drop from schools having only 1A-6B grades, there are of course fewer left to drop from the 6A and the 6B grades, hence it may be that .11 of one per cent, represents the actual difference in the holding power of these two kinds of schools. Such a difference is, however, too small to serve as a basis of judgment. There are, however, reasons why schools having only 1A-6B classes should be able to hold relatively more 6B pupils than schools having all grades. The highest class in any school is the object of special attention and considera- 1 From reports to the Committee on School Inquiry, June, 191 1. Educational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 15 tion. In schools having all grades this class is the 8B ; in schools having only 1A-6B grades it is the 6B. Hence, more attention and consideration are given to 6B pupils in schools having only 1A-6B grades than are given such pupils in schools having all grades. The inevitable effect of this special attention and consideration is to increase the power of schools having only 1A-6B grades to hold 6B pupils who might otherwise drop out. From the foregoing it appears that there is at least no ground in the data collected for the February-June term, 191 1, for the prevailing opinion that more children leave the 6B classes in schools having only 1A-6B grades than leave the corresponding classes in schools having all grades. Indeed, the reverse seems to be true. Second Objection: That More Pupils Promoted from the 6B Grade do not Enter the 7 A Grade Do a larger per cent, of pupils promoted from the 6B grade fail to enter the 7A grade when they must go to an intermediate school than fail to enter the 7A grade when they can advance to this grade in their home school ? Table II shows the total number ° ^";B promotions Janu- ary 31, 191 1, in schools having aix ^^;ades, and the total number of 7A beginners ^ in these scl'v*ls for the February- June term of 191 1; also the per riat. of 6B proirotions entering the 7A grade. The taWe afeo shows the same ij'^ts for contributing schools and for intermediate schools 24, 159, and 62. (See page 16.) Few pupils in the foregoing schools, promoted from the 6B grade in January, 191 1, failed to enter the 7A grade in February — only twenty-eight out of a total of 3,008. In neither kind of school does the number failing to enter the ^ Includes all pupils along with transfers to other schools, in attend- ance at least one school day. i6 Problems in Elementary School Administration 7 A grade amount to i per cent, of the 6B promotions, whereas .03 of i per cent, measures the difference in the total per cent, of loss. This difference is in favor of the schools having all grades; but it is so small that, had the same rate of loss prevailed as prevailed in schools having TABLE II 1 (i) 6B Promotions and 7A Beginners — Schools Having All Grades (1A-8B) Total 6B Promotions Jan. 31, 1911 Total 7A Beginners Feb.-June Term 1911 Per Cent, of 6B Promo- tions Entering 7A Grade 1.524 i>5io 99.08 (2) Promotions and 7A Beginners — Contribtjting Schools and Intee- MF.niATE Schools 24, 159, and 62 Total 6B Promotions from Contributing Schools Jan. 31, 1911 Total 7A Beginners P. S. 24, 159, and 62, Feb.-jime Term 1911 Per Cent, of 6B Promotions Entering 7A Grade 1,484 1,470 99 OS all grades, not a single additional pupil out of 1,484 would have entered the 7A of intermediate schools. In a word, the same relative number of 6B promotions actually entered the 7A grade of these fawo kinds of schools during the Feb- ruary-June term of "^Qli- Table III shows the number of 6B promotions June 30, 1 911, in schools ^ having all grades, and the number of 7 A beginners ^ in these schools, for the September- January term of 1911-12; also the per cent, of all 6B promotions entering the 7A grade. The table also shows the same facts for contributing schools and intermediate schools 24, 159, and 62. 1 The figures for this table were taken from special reports made by the principals and are for the schools given in Table III. 2 See note on page 11. 3 From reports to the Committee on School Inquiry, June, 191 1. Hducational Efficiency of the Intermediate School i 7 « . 3M» lis n t^l— > I ■43 S . now 00 M Ol vOOO gco . a " ■c .a Q ■S CO O u . M'rJ ti O iH M ■ 10 • 10 .10 . t*i .VI g.§ 0+3 ' tell ^§ as a a £e S5 "5 u a i8 Problems in Elementary School Administration The number of children leaving school is always smaller between the Fall and Spring terms when there is practically no interruption in the work of the school than between the Spring and Fall terms when there is a long vacation. It is, therefore, not surprising, as shown in Table III, that, in the schools having all grades, 4.89 per cent, of the pupils promoted from the 6B grade in June failed to enter the 7A grade in September, and that 5.56 per cent, of the 6B pupils promoted from contributing schools failed to enter the yh grade of intermediate schools. The pupils lost in going from contributing schools to intermediate schools were, however, greater by only .67 of i per cent. (5.56 — ^4.89) than the pupils lost between the 6B and 7A of schools hav- ing all grades — a difference of ten pupils. The factors influencing the exact number of 6B promo- tions entering the 7A are so many and so complex that the small difference revealed by the foregoing data might have been due to the action of any one of several factors. To illustrate : In Public School Number 159^ forty 6B promo- tions from contributing schools failed to attend during the September- January term a single day : Disappeared (moved, leaving no address)'. 5 Working papers 15 Parochial schools 8 At home, over age S Moved to the country 5 At home, illness 1 Horace Mann School 1 Total 40 Had the five children that disappeared and the five chil- dren that moved to the country asked for transfers, this simple fact alone would have erased any difference for the September- January term of 1911-12 in the number of 6B promotions entering the 7A of these two kinds of schools. Apart from losses due to such causes as sickness, entering a private or parochial school, moving to another city, there ^ From special report made by the principaL Educational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 19 is only one group of pupils, promoted from the 6B grade, that can fail to enter the 7A, viz., children who are fourteen years of age and over. There are large numbers of such children — approximately each fourth child in the schools of the city in the 6B grade has attained his fourteenth year. Any considerable difference, therefore, between the number of 6B promotions entering the 7 A of schools having all grades and of intermediate schools must lie in the differ- ence in attractiveness of these two kinds of schools for pupils fourteen years of age and over. There is no inherent reason why intermediate schools should not be even more attractive to such children than schools having all grades. It has been shown, therefore, that the only ground for believing that more pupils promoted from the 6B enter the 7A of schools having all grades than of intermediate schools lies in the fact that for the spring term of 191 1 the differ- ence in per cent, of 6B promotions entering these two kinds of schools was .03 of i per cent., and for the September- January term of 1911-12 .67 of i per cent. — differences so small that out of 3,069 promoted pupils from contributing schools for the calendar year 191 1 only ten fewer pupils failed to enter the 7A of intermediate schools than would have entered had these 6B promoted pupils been able to enter the 7A of their home school. These differences sup- ply no adequate basis for the foregoing belief, and hence supply no grounds for the City Superintendent and the Board of Education to change their favorable attitude toward intermediate schools. Third Objection: That More Pupils Leave the 7A-8B Grades without Completing these Grades Do a larger per cent, of seventh and eighth year pupils leave the seventh and eighth grades without completing these grades in intermediate schools than leave these grades in schools having all grades? 20 Problems in Elementary School Administration 4 fe "f? lOOO w oi ■*o »oio W N ^ h 1- 00 Mr<3 . .coo • ■Ofoocor^ro - -OvwwfOOW • -Ow ^tro 'O 3 1 1" 00 ■ -wo*- -loio roa- ■rofoWHOooNOilOiTj- • • ^O '-Oiro OOO- ■ >0 -^ N 1 « N m ro 00 O « O H O W I0 10'01M- ■ H . Ol m N n m O W Oi t>00 -^00 t* w \0 ■* I^^O «0»OI^iH 0\OOrOTl-H fOM'^ -^tMrO «0t-10 C* r-HOOMHHMWnM - lOM i H 00 loo • ■ t*CO ■ -t^wO^^O • 't^MMO^W ■ • fOH • . -^w . .-o *-i o N ■ -00 M O OH ■ . Ot o rl • 00 00 s ■ ■ M Oi ■ ■ ■^00 -OlO- ■OOOOH'-d-M O '^ M H c~ B •«d■H«(N^o^^(N oo rj-cqciHNiNoo i/iwo t^i-ii. lOOi HNMH iHHM MM Ci OlM 1 E- H NOO ■ -lOOv- -Mt^ONIMM ■ • O ■^TtOO fOOO • -00 ■^ lOM ■^M . .«0 M • •« •■tNNM . -00 O O ■ -C M -.H -- MH •■ MH -'M 0_H h" o M ^- ..000'-WO\ t-io- NO lO • ^H t-. •* O fO o ■■NN--N NN- to - t-H O GOO •-N • ■ M M m nj WOO OiM « NioWfOOiO O»00 a ID r- O* t^O h t^o ro OiOO CO r-a OS lo -* ro M -^t" *t H Oi M ro M N r^ O ro O O o MNNM MMN POWMN N N ■s H N M Noo • ■ « N ■ -MOiOOiooa • • ov t^oo ya •^'O - ■ "^ M HI ■'« -• HM MHI ..M HI HI o M o M « ■ . lOM - O ■^ W MM 00 N . . O M m M M 1 J s J s^ p e^ p §^ s J §^ e^ s^ s^ s s ^g a > ■J S-J ^ pqp^EiqpLipilpqfLi. fLii;c)Et]Ei^EL]|x] s w 4J V •c O (0 Cj Q *S eipQooMoo oo.«M r-o^tt^ •3 1 eS fR Cli Bducational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 21 •3 N ■«*o « ^ ^h N « roci f ' 3*" - 00 3 1 h" h n w 03 • • t^o t>a s ■* •c ■ - w «\C •*yc a "d * ■ 'I:*-' ■* (» H 3 ' ^ H M « 10 M « Tj- - ■ moc t*« CO W f*3 • ■ l:~--C ac r- rj-M • ■ w UJCi n w : : « N t* ■3 M MM lOTi-O OOC 00 00 t-i t- r^H M CS M ^ H M « *1 N 03 - . w 100 1/ - . **u- t^CC « >. 00 H ■ • w OM- « . . to >o m CO 1 000 N row -^c fO M i-i rOd M f oce fO 1 fO fO H 01 • • N r»)co ^ f- r M T3 • ■ rONvO es ■<: 1- l> - • ro (*J t- b S w Oco ■ ■ -^i/ i ■*(* J 10 >t •O f > 00 fO • ■ N 10 m ui loiN inco H {N »o t-Ttr- w tj-Tj 1- 0\*- ro (O m>- 1 H w 00 M • -iOOvOlH '^C w M s • • t^« -^CT N U 1 o» - . ro ro I> « pq c- 03 WN . . w c (N M >, r-'^ • - Old o>c ro fO ■ • N M 1 ■^ H H roo r- t^ ■* -^ -o ■ \0 u 0} H IH a 01 ■ - w roO ^ H c< - n 2 43 '-iS .4^ 44 D a b 1 U IIIII1 1 g^s^s^ s s Bi- - www « g 1 1 1 ■; w TO ■1 M n 1 1 u C i _ a 1 { 1 -* « 3 t « JO .0 ^ 1 22 Problems in Elementary School Administration Table IV shows for the February- June term, 191 1, the enrollment in schools having all grades in 7A, 7B, 8A, and 8B grades, and the number leaving each of these grades; also grade for grade and for the same schools the per cent, of the total enrollment leaving. The table also shows the same facts for intermediate schools 24, 159, and 62. (See pages 20-21.) The per cent, of pupils leaving these two kinds of schools varies grade for grade, and is different for boys and girls. While the per cent, of loss of boys in the 7A, 7B, and 8B grades is slightly greater in intermediate schools than in schools having all grades (less than i per cent, in each case, amounting to a difference of six, one, and one pupils re- spectively), when boys and girls are taken together, .71 of I per cent, more 7A pupils, 1.93 per cent, more 7B pupils, 2.05 per cent, more 8A pupils, and 1.03 per cent, more 8B pupils left schools having all grades than intermediate schools. The highest per cent, of loss, it will be observed, is in the 7A in both kinds of schools. The 7A grade is ap- parently the most trying of the four upper grades, and par- ticularly trying in the intermediate school. Friendships in the old school are broken off ; new acquaintances need to be formed, and the pupil must adjust himself to a new school life. Despite these facts, the holding power of the 7A grade in intermediate schools is apparently greater than the hold- ing power of the 7A grade in schools having all classes. The total per cent, of 7A-8B pupils leaving schools hav- ing all grades is 1.75 per cent. (8.56 — 6.81) greater than the total losses in intermediate schools. Had the same rate of loss prevailed as prevailed in intermediate schools, 122 fewer pupils, out of the total of 6,973, would have left schools having all grades. There is, therefore, no basis in the foregoing for the ex- pressed opinion that more children leave the seventh and eighth year classes in intermediate schools than leave the corresponding classes in schools having all grades. Bducational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 23 FURTHER COMPARISONS That further comparisons might be made between schools having all grades and intermediate schools, data were col- lected on promotions and on terms of work lost and gained. Relative Rate of Promotion in the ^A-8B Grades Table V shows for the February- June term, 191 1, the enrollment in schools having all grades in the yA, 7B, 8A, and 8B grades, and the number of pupils promoted June 30, 191 1, in each of these grades; also grade by grade and for the same schools the per cent, of the total enrollment pro- moted. The table also shows the same facts for intermedi- ate schools 24, 159, and 62. (See pages 24-25.) The per cent, of boys promoted in the 7A, 7B, and 8B grades, as shown by Table V, is less by 7.87 per cent., 4.97 per cent., and 4.42 per cent, respectively in intermediate schools than in schools having all grades. A larger per cent, of boys in the 8A by 4.42 per cent., and a larger per cent, of girls in all four grades by 5.78 per cent., 11.40 per cent., 5.72 per cent., and .73 per cent, respectively were, however, promoted in intermediate schools than in schools having all grades; so that while in schools having all grades 83.65 per cent, of the total enrollment was promoted, in the intermedi- ate schools the per cent, of promotion was 85.69 per cent. — a clear difference in favor of intermediate schools of 2.04 per cent. Had the same rate of promotion prevailed in the two kinds of schools, 142 more pupils, out of a total of 6,973, would have been advanced in schools having all grades. A high percentage of promotion does not necessarily indi- cate a high degree of efficiency. Yet when due regard is paid to proper standards, that school is best which succeeds in advancing the largest percentage of its children. 24 Problems in Elementary School Administration n tn r*i -^ tt rt ui r*0 - ro Oi • ■ rOQO »0 ■^ O Os M N ■ 0000 • -r^r^MHHHini-i i> ro qioo_ aoo roa \0 >0 O t^ 00 c- M 00 moo aio r H IH H IH r r- C M N r~ a ■* 01 "5 wo C*3l>OQ00000lOO a lOO »0 t^ w ro fOCO o iJDN 'd-O'H ■^•d-Ma'^w aroo MOO t*>o o»ooooooa"i S aM es al g| bM bS s J p b a i J a5 aj a OiHOiHOuOv^ot,oi-.ofc;oCioi:;ot;ofioKotr §0h ^Ah gCl, Hd^ ^fx, ^d, ^O^ ^fl^ ^CU ^&. gfL, gfl^ ^fln »0 M OOO OO at- CO a ooo 2o 5s Bducational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 25 m M H t-T M ei" « 000 t* 10 f*5 -^W 00 Ttio 00 '^•t^ »o r* (o P* C4 CI nOvO • NOO 00 O O « row --t M fOOO Oi no roro o o rOC» «0 >OCO O \r) t* r* r* M Tt r- fO « fO COO W ■ WOO Oi rf • t-« ■*« • f) ro fO f*3 WO (*5CI in O ■*>rt«OCO ■^W^MO W w CKOO ^ CO ro <*J Tj-rt- - -O O in O • • t-t t- ■^PO • - fOc« fOOi *o W w o o o « Ml O ■* t^in =32 ad. 26 Problems in Blementary School Administration Number of Terms of Work Lost and Gained by /A-8B Pupils Table VI ^ shows, for certain schools having all grades, the number of graduates June 30, 191 1, the terms of work lost and gained in the seventh and eighth years by these graduates, and the net terms of work lost; also the same facts for intermediate schools 24, 159, and 62. These fig- ures were taken from special reports made by the principals of the schools represented in the table. ( See page 27. ) Table VI shows that the 881 graduates from the schools having all grades together lost, during their seventh and eighth years, 186 terms of work and gained fifty-eight, a net loss of 128, or the equivalent of a loss of a term's work for each group of seven pupils; the 1,137 graduates from intermediate schools, while losing 215 terms of work, gained 203, a net loss of only twelve, the equivalent of a term's work for each group of ninety-four pupils. Hence, had the same rate of loss prevailed in the two kinds of schools, the 1,137 graduates from intermediate schools would have lost 165 terms of work (I28-^-88IX 1,137), or thirteen times as many terms of work as were actually lost by these graduates. This difference between the number of terms of work lost in schools having all grades and in intermediate schools suggests a wide difference in the two kinds of schools in the chances of losing or gaining a term's work. In schools hav- ing all grades, during the seventh and eighth years, three terms of work are lost to one term's work gained, whereas in intermediate schools the terms of work lost and gained are about equal. This difference in terms of work lost and gained suggests also that schools having all grades afford small opportunity 1 Table VT contains data from certain schools having all grades in the same districts with intermediate schools 24, 159, and 62, and in districts contiguous to these intermediate schools. It was impossible, owing to the rush of work at the closeof the school year, to collect data from all such schools in these districts. Educational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 27 to children to complete the course of the seventh and eighth years in less than the regular time — four terras, and that TABLE VI Acceleration and Retardation (l) SCHOOLS HAVING ALL GRADES (iA-8b) Number Terms of Work Terms of Work Net Terms of Schools Districts Graduated Lost during Gained during Work Lost dur- June 30, Seventh and Seventh and ing Seventh and 1911 Eighth Years Eighth Years Eighth Years 72 17 84 10 2 «3 17 124 4S 4 168 17 94 38 . . . 171 17 89 20 6 22B 4 163 10 I . . . 31 4 48 ' II lie 4 96 26 147 4 183 63 8 Total 881 186 S8 128 (2) INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS (7A-8b) Schools Districts Number Graduated June 30, 191 1 Terms of Work Lost during Seventh and Eighth Years Terms of Work Gained during Seventh and Eighth Years Net Terms of Work Lost dur- ing Seventh and Eighth Years 24 IS9 62 21 20 3 244 258 63s 83 41 91 Si 16 134 ... Total 1.137 21S 203 12 intermediate schools afford large opportunities to shorten the course. The difference in such opportunity is reflected in the number of terms required by the foregoing graduates 28 Problems in Hlementary School Administration to complete the course of the seventh and eighth years. In schools ^ having all grades 6.58 per cent, did the work in 3 terms; 75.82 per cent, did the work in 4 terms; 14.08 per cent, did the work in 5 terms; 3.52 per cent, did the work in 6 terms. In intermediate schools ^ .97 per cent, did the work in 2 terms; 15.92 per cent, did the work in 3 terms; 68.07 P^r cent, did the work in 4 terms ; 1 1 . 1 7 per cent, did the work in 5 terms ; 3.87 per cent, did the work in 6 terms. Though terms of work lost and gained and the time re- quired to do the last two years of the elementary school are not in themselves measures of efficiency, yet, when all things are taken into account, that school is the most effi- cient which does most to accelerate the progress of its pupils and which contributes the least to their retardation. In these respects, the superiority of the intermediate school over schools having all grades is marked. Only 6.58 per cent, of the graduates from schools having all grades completed the last two years of the course ahead of time; this was accomplished by 16.89 per cent, of the graduates from intermediate schools. Further, 17.60 per cent, of the graduates from schools having all grades were retarded in the last two years of their course, while but 15.04 per cent, of the graduates from intermediate schools took more than the regulation time. To be sure, pupils may be advanced from grade to grade without regard to their attainments. That pupils are not so advanced in intermediate schools is indicated by a study made by Mr. Coleman D. Frank.^ Mr. Frank studied the successes and failures of pupils entering in 19 10 the Febru- ary class of the DeWitt Clinton High School. The schools selected were 160, 188, and 10, Manhattan, schools having all grades, and 24 and 62, intermediate schools. These five schools send, as a rule, the largest number of pupils to De- Witt Clinton High School. 1 Based on special reports by principals of these schools. 2 Report of the Committee on Secondary Education, New York City, 1911. Educational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 29 The per cent, of pupils of these schools who succeeded and who failed to do all the work of the first and second terms was: First Term: School Successes Failures 160 80% 20% 188 69% 31% 10 47% 53% 62 72% 28% 24 67% 33% Second Term: School Successes , Failures 160 80% 20% 188 72% 28% 10 52% 48% 62 72% 28% 24 96% 4% When the schools of the two kinds are grouped, the per cent, of successes and failures is : First Term: Schools Having All Grades Intermediate Schools Second Term: Schools Having All Grades Intermediate Schools Successes 68% 70% 72% 82% Failures 32% 30% 28% 18% It appears that the highest per cent, of successes was at- tained in the first term by pupils from a school having all grades ; in the second term, by pupils from an intermediate school. When the pupils coming from the different schools of each of the two kinds are taken together, the highest per cent, of successes was achieved in both terms by intermedi- ate school graduates — at least partial evidence of the quality of the work done in these schools. SUMMARY OF THE FOREGOING CONSIDERATIONS Schools having all grades and contributing and intermedi- ate schools hav^ now been compared with reference to fiv^ points : 30 Problems in Elementary School Administration 1. Number of pupils leaving the 6B grade without com- pleting this grade. 2. Number of pupils promoted from the 6B grade not entering the 7A grade. 3. Number of pupils leaving the 7A-8B grades without completing these grades. 4. Relative rate of promotions in the 7A-8B grades. 5. Number of terms of work lost and gained by 7A-8B pupils. The difference in the efficiency of the two kinds of schools with respect to the foregoing points may be summarized as follows : 1. Number of pupils (per 1,000) leaving the 6B grade without completing the grade : a. In schools having all grades 90 b. In schools having only 1A-6B grades. . 86 2. Number of pupils (per 1,000) promoted from the 6B grade not entering the 7A grade: a. In schools having all grades 49 b. In intermediate schools 56 3. Number of pupils (per 1,000) leaving the 7A- 8B grades without completing these grades: a. In schools having all grades 86 b. In intermediate schools 68 4. Relative rate of promotion (per 1,000) in the 7A-8B grades: a. In schools having all grades 836 b. In intermediate schools 857 5. Net terms of work (per 1,000) lost by 7A-8B pupils : a. In schools having all grades 145 b. In intermediate schools 11 Educational Efficiency of the Intermediate School 31 Hence, we conclude: (a) That fewer pupils leave the 6B classes in schools having only 1A-6B grades by .43 of i per cent, than leave the corresponding classes in schools having all grades. (b) That more 6B promoted pupils by .67 of i per cent, fail to enter the 7A grade of intermediate schools than fail to enter the 7 A when they can advance to this grade in their home school. (c) That fewer pupils leave the seventh and eighth year classes of intermediate schools by 1.75 per cent, than leave the corresponding classes of schools hav- ing all grades. (d) That more seventh and eighth year pupils are pro- moted in intermediate schools by 2.04 per cent, than are promoted in schools having all grades. (e) That thirteen times as many terms of work are lost by seventh and eighth year pupils in schools hav- ing all grades as are lost by such pupils in inter- mediate schools. In only one respect do schools having all grades show a higher efficiency than intermediate schools, and in this respect the higher efficiency is slight. In all other points the intermediate schools show a greater efficiency than schools having all grades. The data on which the foregoing conclusions rest, with the exception of the data on pupils promoted from the 6B grade and not entering the yk grade, cover but the Febru- ary-June term of 191 1. These data, however, in the case of 6B losses cover 4,409 pupils ; in the case of losses between the 6B-7A grades, 6,270 pupils ; in the case of losses from the 7A-8B grades, 12,417; in the case of relative rate of promotion, 12,417; in the case of terms of work lost and gained, 2,018 graduates — numbers sufficiently large and 32 Problems in Elementary School Administration taken from schools operating under conditions sufficiently similar to the conditions surrounding intermediate schools to indicate tendencies. Final conclusions with respect to the educational efficiency of schools having all grades and intermediate schools would, of course, require the collection of data similar to the above for a number of terms. CHAPTER II ECONOMY OF THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL EDUCATION should be conducted as economically as possible. Hence, in carrying on any given kind of school work, the expense of different ways of accomplishing the same end should be considered. Any difference in the expense of schools having all grades and intermediate schools is due almost exclusively to dif- ferences in (i) the number of schoolrooms needed; (2) the number of teachers required; and (3) the supplies and equipment needed to instruct a given number of seventh and eighth year pupils. Comparisons with respect to these three points will, therefore, bring out the difference between the cost of instructing seventh and eighth year pupils in these two kinds of schools. The schools having all grades selected for the purpose of these comparisons are, with few exceptions, the same as those selected for the foregoing comparisons with respect to educational efficiency. Their selection, however, does not imply the suggestion that the 7A-8B pupils in them could be brought into intermediate schools. Hence, the compari- sons to be made will merely indicate what the probable sav- ing would be where conditions are such that 7A-8B children in schools having all grades can be brought into intermedi- ate schools. (l) DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLROOMS REQUIRED To instruct seventh and eighth year pupils, at least four different kinds of schoolrooms are needed: regular class- 33 34 Problems in Elementary School Administration rooms, manual training shops, cooking rooms, and gym- nasiums. Difference in Number of Regular Classrooms Required Table VII shows for the February- June term of 191 1, the enrollment in 7A-8B classes in schools having all grades, the number of regular classrooms used in instructing these classes, and the average number of 7A-8B pupils per regu- lar classroom. The table also shows the same facts for intermediate schools 24, 159, and 62. The average number of 7A-8B pupils per classroom varies, as shown by Table VII, in the foregoing schools from thirty-five to fifty-two. These variations are due to differences in size of classrooms and to the particular num- ber of 7A-8B pupils to be instructed. TABLE Vn Classrooms REQimtED (l) SCHOOLS HAVING ALL GRADES (iA-8b) Schools Districts 7A-8B Enroll- ment, Feb.-June Term, 191 1 Number of Regular Cla.ssrooms Average Nimi- ber of Pupils per Classroom 72 17 SIS II 46 83 168 17 17 741 634 IS 13 49 48 171 68 17 21 49S 30s 12 8 41 38 90 21 424 12 3S 119 22 21 4 474 783 12 18 39 43 31 4 294 7 42 no 4 423 8 S2 147 4 962 23 41 34 3 410 10 41 7 ' S13 12 42 Total 6.973 161 43-31 Hconomy of the Intermediate School 35 (2) INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS (7A-8b) Schools « Districts 7A-8B Enroll- ment Feb.- June Term, 1911 Number of Regular Classrooms Average Num- ber of Pupils per Classroom 24 62 21 20 3 1,422 1,420 2,602 28 32 59 50 44 44 Total 5.444 119 i'i.TK It will also be observed that the average number of pupils per classroom in schools having all grades is 43.31, in inter- mediate schools, 45-75 — an average difference in favor of the intermediate school of 2.44 pupils. Hence, had the average number of pupils per classroom been the same in the two kinds of schools, to provide for the 6,973 7A-8B pupils in schools having all grades would have required only 152.42 classrooms (6,973-^-45.75) instead of i6i, or 8.58 fewer than were used. It therefore appears that when 7A-8B pupils are brought together in intermediate schools the number of regular classrooms required is 5.33 per cent. (8.58-=-i6i ) less than when seventh and eighth year pupils are taught in schools having all grades.^ 1 It will be observed that the average number of pupils per classroom in both schools having all grades and intermediate schools is high. Because comparisons are made under these conditions, the inference should not be drawn that we favor overcrowded classrooms. We 36 Problems in Elementary School Administration Difference in the Number of Manual Training Shops Required Table VIII shows, as of April, 191 1, for schools having all grades the number of single shops, the number of seventh and eighth year pupils instructed in each shop, and the average number instructed per shop. The table also shows the same facts for intermediate schools 24 and 62. Inter- mediate school 1 59 is a girls' school, and hence has no shop. In schools having all grades the average number of sev- enth and eighth year pupils instructed per shop is 260; in intermediate schools, 358 — an average difference in favor of intermediate schools of ninety-eight pupils. Had the same average prevailed as prevailed in intermediate schools, to provide for the 4,945 seventh and eighth year pupils in schools having all grades, only 13.81 shops (4,945-^-358) instead of nineteen would have been required, or 5.19 fewer than were used. It therefore requires 27.32 per cent. (5.19-^ 19) fewer shops to care for a given number of seventh and eighth grade pupils in intermediate schools than to care for the same number of such pupils in schools having all grades. Manual training is regularly taught only in the seventh and eighth years. The Board of Superintendents, however, may authorize the giving of such instruction to other than seventh and eighth year pupils. This is done particularly in case of over-age boys in the 6 A and 6B grades. Manual training shops may consequently be used by other than seventh and eighth year pupils. Table IX shows, as of April, 191 1, for schools having all grades, the number of single shops, the total number of pupils instructed in each shop, and the average number in- favor the opposite. The comparisons are made on the assumption that whatever the average number of pupils per classroom in theory, in practice the difference in the actual number of pupils per classroom in schools having all grades and in intermediate schools would be similar to the difference found for the February- June term, 191 1, Bconomy of the Intermediate School 2)7 TABLE VIII (i) Shops Required — Schools Having All Grades (1A-8B) Seventh Average Num- Schools Districts Number of Single Shops and Eighth Year Pupils as of April, 1911, Instructed in Each ber Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils Instructed per Shop 20 6 I 438 21 I I 161 23 I I 190 2S 6 I 40s 29 I I 31 34 3 2 408 44 I I 74 64 7 I SOI 79 6 2 334 83 17 2 728 114 I I 257 147 4 2 527 160 S 2 569 i88b 7 I 322 Total 19 4-94S 260 (2) Shops Required — Intermediate Schpols (7A-8B) ' Schools Districts Number of Single Shops Number of Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils as of April, 1911, Instructed in Each Average Num- ber Seventh and Eighth Year Pu- pils Instructed per Shop 24 62 21 3 3 4 1,368 1.138 Total 7 2,506 3S8 ^The figures for this table were taken from the Teachers' Schedule of Assignment and from the Principals' Statement of Shop Work, on file at the office of the Board of Education. 38 Problems in Blementary School Administration structed per shop. The table also shows the same facts for intermediate schools 24 and 62. (See page 39.) In schools having all grades the average number of all pupils instructed per shop was 289 ; in intermediate schools, 358 — an average difference in favor of intermediate schools of sixty-nine pupils. Had the same average prevailed as prevailed in intermediate schools, to provide for the total of 5,501 pupils in schools having all grades, only 15.37 shops (5,501-^-358) instead of nineteen would have been required, or 3.63 fewer than were used. When, therefore, manual training is extended to other than seventh and eighth year pupils, thus increasing the total use of shops, only 19.11 per cent. (3-63-7-19) fewer shops are required in intermediate schools than in schools having all grades, to provide for the same number of pupils.^ Hence, intermediate schools require 27.32 per cent, (see above) fewer shops than schools having all grades, only when the instruction of seventh and eighth year pupils alone is taken into account. Difference in the Number of Cooking Rooms Required Owing to a lack of uniformity in the method of using cooking rooms, it is impossible to compare intermediate schools and schools having all grades with respect to the number of seventh and eighth year pupils taught per cook- ing room. In schools such as 13, 71, 72, and 137, Manhat- tan, the group method of instruction is followed, i. e., in- stead of doing the work themselves, the pupils observe cook- ing done in whole or in part by the teacher. In some schools, such as 90, 159, and 188 G, due to the lack of ade- quate individual equipment, children are given considerable theory ; this reduces by one half or one third the amount of actual cooking. In other schools, the entire time assigned ''■ See closing sentence of this section, page 44. Bconomy of the Intermediate School 39 TABLE IX 1 (1) Shops Required — Schools Having All Grades (1A-8B) Total Number Number of Single Shops of Pupils as of Average Num- Schools Districts April, 1911, Instructed in ber Instructed per Shop Each Shop 20 6 I 438 21 I I 180 23 I I 190 2S 6 I 405 29 I I 63 34 3 2 641 44 I I 127 64 7 I SOI 79 6 2 483 83 17 2 728 114 I I 332 147 4 2 527 160 S 2 564 i88b 7 I 322 Total 19 S.Soi 289 (2) Shops Required — Intermediate Schools (7A-8B) Schools Districts Number of Single Shops Total Number of Pupils as of April, 1911, Instructed in Each Shop Average Num- ber Instructed per Shop 24 62 21 3 3 4 1,368 1,138 Total. 7 2,506 3S8 'The figures for this table were taken from the same sources as the figures in Table VIII. 40 Problems in Elementary School Administration TABLE XI (i) Cooking Rooms Required — Schools Having All Grades (1A-8B) Schools Districts Number of Single Cooking Rooms Single Periods Used per Week for Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils, April, 1911 Average Num- ber Single Periods Used per Week for Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils I 4 21 23 31 63 68 90 91 no 119 168 i88g I S I I 4 6 21 21 6 4 21 17 7 _ 28 30 12 26 28 34 26 28 30 30 30 27 24 Total 13 3S3 271S (2) Cooking Rooms Required — Intermediate Schools (7A-8B) Schools Districts Number of Single Cooking Rooms Single Periods Used per Week for Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils, April, 191 1 Average Num- ber Single Periods Used per Week for Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils 62 159 3 20 2 2 63 68 ' Total. 4 131 32-75 1 The figures for this table were taken from the Teachers' Schedule of Assignment and from Principals' Statement of Cooking, on file at the ofBce of the Board of Education. Hconomy of the Intermediate School 41 to the study is given to cooking. It is possible, however, to compare schools having all grades and intermediate schools with reference to the periods per week cooking rooms are used. Table X shows, as of April, 191 1, for schools having all grades the number of cooking rooms ; the number of single periods each cooking room was used per week for the in- struction of seventh and eighth year pupils ; and the average number of single periods per week in use. The table also shows the same facts for intermediate schools 62 and 159. ( See p. 40. ) Table X shows that in schools having all grades, cooking rooms were used in the instruction of seventh and eighth year pupils on the average 27.15 single periods per week; in intermediate schools, 32.75 — an average difference in favor of intermediate schools of 5.60 periods. Had the same average prevailed as prevailed in intermediate schools, the 353 periods of instruction given in schools having all grades could have been given in 10.78 cooking rooms (353-^32.75) instead of thirteen, or in 2.22 fewer than were used. It therefore appears that 17.10 per cent. (2.22-^-13) fewer cooking rooms are required to provide for a given number of seventh and eighth year pupils in intermediate schools than to provide for the same number of such pupils in schools having all grades. Like manual training, cooking is regularly taught only in the seventh and eighth years. The Board of Superin- tendents may, however, authorize the giving of cooking to other pupils. This is done particularly in case of over-age girls in the 6A and 6B grades. Cooking rooms may conse- quently be used by other than seventh and eighth year pupils. Table XI shows, as of April, 191 1, for schools having all grades, the number of cooking rooms, the total number of 42 Problems in Blementary School Administration TABLE XI 1 (i) Cooking Rooms REQtnRED — Schools Having All Grades (1A-8B) Total Number Average Nimi- Number of of Single Periods ber Single Peri- Schools Districts Single Cooking Used per Week ods Used per Rooms forAU Pupils Week for AU Pupils I I iS 4 S 30 21 I 30 23 I 30 31 4 30 63 6 34 68 21 28 90 21 32 91 6 30 no 4 30 119 21 30 168 17 30 188G 7 30 Total 13 399 30.69 (2) Cooking Rooms Required — Intermediate Schools (7A-8B) Schools Districts Number of Single Cooking Rooms Total Number of Single Periods Used per Week for AU Pupils Average Num- ber Single Periods Used per Week for AU Pupils 62 IS9 3 20 2 2 63 68 Total . ... 4 131 32-75 '^The figures for this table are taken from the same sources as the figures in Table X. Economy of the Intermediate School 43 single periods each cooking room was used per week, and the average number of single periods per week in use. This table also shows the same facts for intermediate schools 62 and 159. Cooking rooms are used on the average, in schools having all grades, a total of 30.69 single periods per week ; in inter- mediate schools, 32.75 — an average difference in favor of intermediate schools of 2.06 single periods. Had the same average prevailed in the two kinds of schools, the total of 399 periods of instruction given in schools having all grades could have been given in 12.18 cooking rooms (399-^32.75) instead of thirteen, or in .82 fewer than were used. When the total use of cooking rooms in intermediate schools is compared with the total use in schools having all grades, it appears that only 6.31 per cent. (.82^-13) fewer are required in intermediate schools than in schools having all grades to instruct the same number of pupils. Hence, it is only when the instruction of seventh and eighth year pupils is taken into account that intermediate schools require 17.10 per cent, (see pages 41-42) fewer cooking rooms than schools having all grades. The foregoing difference of 27.32 per cent, in the number of shops and 17.10 per cent, in the number of cooking rooms needed by intermediate schools and by schools having all grades, to instruct a given number of seventh and eighth year pupils, is due to the fact that shops and cooking rooms in the intermediate schools are kept in use practically the entire school day. In consequence, they cannot be used to instruct pupils below the 7A grade, even were it practical to send such pupils to an intermediate school merely for manual training and cooking. To provide for the pupils below the 7A grade now instructed in schools having all grades would, therefore, require shops and cooking rooms in addition to those needed in the intermediate schools. Hence, in considering the saving in shops and cooking rooms that might be effected by bringing 7A-8B pupils into 44 Problems in Elementary School Administration intermediate schools, the use of shops and cooking rooms to instruct other than seventh and eighth year pupils in schools having all grades should be taken into account (see the first note, page 45). Moreover, should intermediate schools be made universal and manual training and cooking be made general for over-age 6A-6B pupils, the saving in shops and cooking rooms might be less than the above esti- mates, even when the instruction of pupils below the 7A is taken into account, because under such conditions, to pro- vide manual training and cooking for such over-age pupils might require relatively more shops and cooking rooms than under present conditions. Difference in the Number of Gymnasiums Required Table XII gives the number of gymnasiums in schools having all grades, the number of single periods per week each was used during the February- June term, 191 1, for the instruction of seventh and eighth year pupils, and the aver- age number of single periods per week in use. The table also shows the same facts for intermediate schools 24, 159, and 62. (See page 45.) Gymnasiums, it appears, are used in schools having all grades on the average 34.17 single periods per week; in intermediate schools, 41.75 — an average difference in fa- vor of intermediate schools of 7.58 single periods. Had the same average prevailed in the two kinds of schools, the total of 205 periods of instruction in schools having all grades could have been given in 4.91 gymnasiums (205-^-41.75) instead of six, or in 18.17 per cent, fewer gymnasiums than were used. Summary In view of the foregoing data, it appears that to provide for a given number of 7A-8B pupils in intermediate schools requires : Economy of the Intermediate School 45 5-33 per cent, fewer regular classrooms 27.32 per cent, or 19.11 per cent, fewer shops ^ I7-IO per cent, or 6.31 per cent, fewer cooking rooms ^ and 18.17 per cent, fewer gymnasiums than to provide for the same number of such children in schools having all grades. The saving in money, represented by these differences in the number of rooms required in intermediate schools and in schools having all grades, is brought out, if these differ- ences are considered in relation to caring for 20,000 7A-8B pupils.^ On the basis of the rooms required to care for the foregoing 7A-8B pupils in schools having all grades, and TABLE XII (i) Gymnasiums REQraEEo — Schools Having All Grades (1A-8B) Schools Districts Number of Gymnasiums Single Periods Used per Week for Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils Average Num- ber of Single Periods Used per Week for Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils I 4 23 44 91 114 I S I I 6 I I I I I I I 36 4S 36 16 40 32 Total 6 20s 34.17 1 According as the use of shops and cooking rooms in schools hav- ing all grades to instruct other than seventh and eighth grade pupils is disregarded or taken into account. 2 This illustration does not imply the suggestion that 20,000 7A-8B pupils out of the 100,000 now in the schools of New York could be brought into intermediate schools. With the time at the disposal of the Committee on School Inquiry, it is impossible to determine the exact number that could be advantageously segregated in intermediate schools. 46 Problems in Elementary School Administration (2) GYMNAsrtTMS Required — Intermediate Schools (7A-8B) Schools Districts Number of GjTnnasiiuns Single Periods Used per Week for Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils Average Num- ber of Single Periods Used per Week for Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils 24 159 62 21 20 3 I I 2 45 22 TOO Total 4 167 41-75 in intermediate schools, to provide for 20,000 such pupils, equally divided between boys and girls, there would be needed in : Difference Schools Having Intermediate in Favor of All Grades Schools Intermediate Schools Regular classrooms 462 438 24 Manual training shops 39 28 11 or 41 Cooking rooms 35 27 8or4» Gymnasiums 27 21 6 563 514 49 or 38' To care for 20,000 7A-8B pupils, there is a difference of forty-nine in the number of rooms needed in these two kinds of schools — a difference of 8.70 per cent. (49H-S63) in favor of intermediate schools ; when the use of shops and cooking rooms in schools having all grades to instruct other than seventh and eighth year pupils is taken into account, there is a difference of thirty-eight, or 6.75 per cent., in the rooms required. This difference, at the least of thirty- eight rooms, represents not less than $400,000 ^ in original ^ See first note on page 45. ^The estimated cost of a thirty-nine-room building is $330,000; of the site $70,000. These estimates are based on the cost of new build- ings as given in the Corporate Stock Requirements submitted by the Board of Education, March, 191 1, and on the cost of sites, as given in the annual Financial and Statistical Report of the Board of Edu- cation for 1910. Economy of the Intermediate School 47 investment, and an annual difference of 6.88 per cent, in cost of upkeep and operating expenses. (2) DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS REQUIRED ^ In the instruction of seventh and eighth year pupils, three kinds of teachers are employed : regular class teachers, man- ual training teachers, and cooking teachers. Difference in the Number of Regular Class Teachers Required Table XIII shows, for the February-June term of 191 1, the enrollment of 7A, 7B, 8A, and 8B classes in schools hav- ing all grades, the number of regular class teachers in each grade, and the average number of pupils per teacher. The table also shows the same facts for intermediate schools 24, 159, and 62. (See page 48.) It will be observed that the number of pupils per teacher in schools having all grades ranges from thirty-two to fifty-five, and that there were at least twenty over-size classes — classes having an enrollment of more than fifty pupils. The average number of pupils per regular class teacher in schools having all grades is 43.31; in intermediate schools, 45.75 — an average difference in favor of intermediate schools of 2.44 pupils. Hence, had the average number of pupils per regular class teacher been the same as in inter- mediate schools, the 6,973 7A-8B pupils in schools having all grades would have been instructed by 152.42 teachers (6,973-^45-75) instead of 161, or by 8.58 fewer teachers than were engaged. Further, had these 6,973 pupils been in intermediate schools, it would have been possible, with- out increasing the number of teachers, to have reduced the foregoing over-size classes, whereas in schools having all grades to have done this would have required additional teacherg, 48 Problems in Elementary School Administration 3 •a J3I10B3X siidTid w 3 MMMM MI-tM NMM w so w Itiain g CO sjidnd ro ro tn r- M -^ fO tflOO ovoo o» ■ •^ Tj- lo ■* ro ro ^ W) ^ <* ro ■* • 5 «COMM Oi ■* f*5 >0 M ^ fO »0 N fTJ • ■* ^ ■*■*(*> ro ■* 'T ■* lO tJ- fO ■ SJ3IJ0E3X (O ro ro (*5 « ro fO ^ Cfl Cfl »o -^ • -ipjua w> oi I- ■* I>xO 1>0 l> O O --^ • fO -eJ- ^ roo O N r-oo M w r^ . MWMW www WP))-* ■ 1 o PQ sjidnj SJ3qDB3X (O ■^ ■^ fO « Ti- d'O CI CI >o « o -nojog ■^(^i^o^^*co ■^o nooo »or-M WNWM WWM WN N 1 o < siidnj O Oi too OO ■^OOiroPO'H Ov o SJ3qOB3X f0»O'^'>i-c^ PO'^ion «r-MO § jTj3ra -noraa (MOiMmnOOOIOOv t^O fOOO MNCNH WWM wniHM & SIOUISIQ H W W W PI (N M •§ C» fOOO MOOO OiNt-iOt^^I> HI H H W M i n o I3I13E3X sjidnj %tt in -* ai3l[0E3X 00 C4 Oi C« rom Oi IH W 1U3UI -noina MOM M W oT 1 1 o PQ CO J3II0E3X jad spdnj to i aistpsax iBin33H -OO w pi -noJ"a row -* 00 t-r' PI «o I < 00 jaqoBax sndtid; 1-t r--* M 00 4 sraqorax jEinSa^ or--* « -nojTia O « CI w focq «(^0 jsqoBsx sijdnj -* 00 5 SJ3tIDE3X JB]Tl33-g[ t-Ol W w w :^a3m -noma ifliOO sndnj o ■*■* »«■*■* H Ov sraqoBSX JBin33>j ao to w w -noma ■■d-w-o % SJOinSIQ won N PI S -*OlM cq mo H 1 Hconomy of the ^Intermediate School 49 It therefore appears that to instruct the same number of 7A-8B pupils, intermediate schools require fewer regular class teachers than schools having all grades by 5.33 per cent. (8.58-^-I6I). Also that classes can be made more nearly uniform in size. This tends to equalize opportunity and to add to the effectiveness of the instruction. Difference in the Number of Manual Training Teachers Required Table XIV shows, as of April, 191 1, for schools having all grades, the number of seventh and eighth year pupils in- structed in manual training, the number of manual training teachers giving their whole time to the instruction of seventh and eighth year pupils, and the average number of seventh and eighth year pupils per teacher. The table also shows the same facts for intermediate schools 24 and 62. The average number of seventh and eighth year pupils per manual training teacher in schools having all grades is 338; in intermediate schools, 368 — an average difference of thirty pupils. Hence, had the same number of pupils been instructed per manual training teacher in schools hav- ing all grades as were instructed in intermediate schools, to have taught manual training to the 4,945 seventh and eighth year pupils in schools having all grades would have required 13.44 manual training teachers (4,945-^-368) in- stead of 14.61, or 1. 1 7 fewer than were engaged. It therefore appears that intermediate schools need fewer manual training teachers than schools having all grades by 8.01 per cent. (i.i7-=-i4.6i) to give shopwork to the same number of seventh and eighth year pupils. * ^ The extension of manual training and cooking to over-age 6A-6B pupils might, as stated above, lessen the estimated saving in manual training and cooking rooms, but such an extension would not affect the estimated saving in manual training and cooking teachers, because this extension would in no wise affect the number of teachers required to instruct a given number of 7A-8B pupils in the two kinds of schools. 50 Problems in Elementary School Administration TABLE XIV 1 (i) Manual Training Teachers Required- Grades (1A-8B) -Schools Having All Number of Schools Districts Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils Manual Train- ing Teachers Giving Whole Time to Sev- Average Nimi- ber of Seventh and Eighth of April, 1911 enth and Eighth Year Pupils Year Pupils per Teacher 20 6 438 1. 00 21 I 161 ■ 46 23 I 190 ■SI 25 I 40s .96 29 I 31 ■ 17 34 3 408 1.38 44 I 74 ■23 64 7 SOI 1. 00 79 6 334 1.40 83 8 728 1-93 114 I 257 .80 147 4 327 1.94 i6o S S69 1.94 i88b 7 322 .89 Total 4.94S 14.61 338 (2) Manual Training Teachers Required — Intermediate Schools (7A-8B) Schools Districts Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils Instructed as of April, 1911 Number of Manual Train- ing Teachers Giving Whole Time to Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils Average Num- ber of Seventh and Eighth Year Pupils per Teacher 24 62 21 3 1,368 1,138 3.00 3.80 Total 2,506 6.80 368 ^ The figures for this table were taken from the Teachers' Schedule of Assignment and from the Principals' Statement of Shop Work, on file at the office of the Board of Education. Bconomy of the Intermediate School 51 Difference in the Number of Cooking Teachers Required Owing to dififerences iil cooking instruction, it is impos- sible to compare the number of cooking teachers needed, in schools having all grades and intermediate schools, to in- struct the same number of seventh and eighth year pupils. Cooking classes are, however, organized and conducted in the same way as classes in manual training, and the same general conditions afifect the size of class and the number of pupils per teacher. It is, therefore, fair to infer that were it possible to com- pare the number of cooking teachers required, in schools having all grades and in intermediate schools, to teach a given number of seventh and eighth year pupils, the same difference would be found in the number of cooking teachers needed as is found in the number of manual training teach- ers required — that is, it is but fair to infer that intermediate schools require fewer cooking teachers than schools having all grades by 8.01 per cent, to give cooking to the same number of seventh and eighth year pupils. Summary In view of the foregoing data, it appears that to instruct a given number of 7A-8B pupils in intermediate schools, in comparison with instructing the same number of such pupils in schools having all grades, requires : 5.33 per cent, fewer regular class teachers 8.01 per cent, fewer manual training teachers 8.01 per cent, fewer cooking teachers The saving in money, represented by these dififerences m the number of teachers required in intermediate schools and in schools having all grades, is brought out, if these dif- ferences are considered in relation to instructing 20,000 52 Problems in Elementary School Administration 7A-8B pupils.^ On the basis of the teachers required to instruct the foregoing 7A-8B pupils in schools having all grades, and to instruct such pupils in intermediate schools, to provide for 20,000 7A-8B pupils, equally divided between boys and girls, there would be required in : Difference Schools Having Intermediate in Favor of All Grades Schools Intermediate Schools Regular class teachers. ... 462 Manual training teachers.. 30 Cooking teachers 30 438 24 28 2 28 2 522 494 28 In caring for 20,000 7A-8B pupils, there is a difference of twenty-eight in the number of teachers required in these two kinds of schools — a difference of 5.36 per cent. (28-^^22) in favor of intermediate schools. This differ- ence of twenty-eight teachers represents an annual differ- ence in cost of not less than $35,000.^ (3) DIFFERENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF SUPPLIES AND EQUIP- MENT REQUIRED The term "supplies" is used by the Board of Education to include all material aids to instruction. A distinction, how- ever, should be drawn between supplies which are directly consumed by pupils — for example, paper pads, pencils, ink, textbooks, etc. — and supplies which are to a greater or less extent permanent — for example, maps, globes, science ap- paratus, gymnasium, cooking room, and shop equipment. It is obvious that bringing 7A-8B pupils into intermediate schools would effect no saving in supplies which are directly consumed. It is, however, equally obvious that great sav- ing would thereby be effected in supplies which are to a * See second note on page 45. 2 Estimated on the basis of the average annual salary of 7A-8A, 8B, and of manual training and cooking teachers, as stated in the Board of Education's Estimate, 1912. Economy of the Intermediate School 53 greater or less extent permanent. The saving on equipment in shops, cooking rooms, and gymnasiums would be in di- rect relation to the difference in the number of these re- quired in intermediate schools and in schools having all grades to instruct a given number of 7A-8B pupils. Hence, there would be a saving of 19. 11 per cent, or 27.32 per cent, on equipment for shops; of 6.31 per cent, or 17.10 per cent, on equipment for cooking rooms — according as the use of shops and cooking rooms in schools having all grades to instruct other than seventh and eighth year pupils is taken into account or disregarded — and a saving of 18.17 per cent, on equipment for gymnasiums. It was impossible to obtain data on what is spent for seventh and eighth year pupils on such permanent equip- ment as maps, globes, science apparatus, etc. Hence, it is impossible to estimate what saving would be effected by bringing 7A-8B pupils into intermediate schools. This sav- ing would, however, be no inconsiderable sum. SUMMARY OF THE FOREGOING CONSIDERATIONS Schools having all grades and intermediate schools have been compared with respect to economic efficiency on three points : 1. The number of schoolrooms required. 2. The number of teachers required. 3. The amount of equipment required. It has been shown : (a) That intermediate schools require fewer rooms by 8.70 per cent, or by 6.75 per cent. ^ (b) That intermediate schools require fewer teachers by 5.36 per cent. ^ According as the use of shops and cooking rooms in schools having all grades to instruct other than seventh and eighth year pupils is disregarded or taken into account. 54 Problems in Elementary School Administration (c) That intermediate schools require less equipment in shops by 19. ii per cent, or by 27.32 per cent.,^ in cooking rooms by 6.31 per cent, or by 17.10 per cent., ^ and in gymnasiums by 18.17 per cent. In view of these differences in requirements, and hence differences in cost, could 20,000 7A-8B pupils be brought into intermediate schools ^ the immediate saving would be sufficient to provide at the very least for the erection of a school building of thirty-nine rooms, and for the annual total cost of operating such a school.^ ^See note on page 53. ' See second note, page 45. ' See note on page 46 and second note on page 52. CHAPTER III EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AFFORDED BY THE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL np HE intermediate school should not be judged, how- -■- ever, only by what it now is, but also by what it might become. Intermediate schools, at the present time, are conducted in most ways like schools having all grades. The two kinds of schools have the same course of study for the seventh and eighth years, the same departmental organization, and practically the same methods of classifying and promoting pupils. In a word, the intermediate school is merely an en- largement, with slight modifications, of the seventh and eighth grades of schools having all classes. But to limit the activities of the intermediate school in this way is to fail to take advantage of important educational opportuni- ties it may be made to afford. These educational opportunities suggest themselves when we consider the wisdom of ofifering to seventh and eighth year pupils more than one course of study; of a better adap- tation of the instruction to the two sexes ; of a more thor- oughgoing classification of pupils ; of a more just method of promotion ; and of a better adaptation to the needs of sev- enth and eighth year pupils of certain general features of school organization. OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER DIFFERENT COURSES OF STUDY The wisdom of ofifering more than one course of study in the elementary schools of New York City to seventh and 55 56 Problems in Elementary School Administration eighth year pupils is discussed elsewhere. ^ By reason of the large number of pupils in attendance in the same grade, the intermediate school affords peculiar opportunity for different courses of study. As is pointed out in our discus- sion on the course of study, these courses meet the needs of three classes of pupils: (a) those who are planning to go to an "academic" or "general" high school, and perhaps to college; (b) those who look forward to entering a voca- tional high school; and (c) those who intend, as soon as they are fourteen years old, to enter an elementary voca- tional school, or who must leave or choose to leave school as soon as they are legally exempt from further school at- tendance. In all these courses the separate educational needs of the two sexes, as well as their common needs, should be provided for, as is indicated in the next section. OPPORTUNITY TO ADAPT THE INSTRUCTION TO THE TWO SEXES AND TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF HIGH SCHOOLS AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS The differences between boys and girls point to the neces- sity of differences in the instruction they should receive. The desirability of making the instruction of boys and girls different is already recognized in providing for boys manual training, and for girls cooking and sewing; also in providing different physical training for boys and for girls. This differentiation of work, however, should be carried much further in the elementary school than it now is. The intermediate school affords particular opportunity to differentiate, according to the needs of the two sexes, both in the general scope of the different courses of study and in their details. Good opportunity is also afforded by the intermediate school to experiment with courses of study, to the end that these may on the one hand be adapted to the capacities, de- sires, and intentions of different groups of children, and 1 See Part II, pages 114-117. Educational Opportunities 57 may on the other hand be brought to articulate so closely with the courses in high schools and vocational schools, that pupils graduating from the intermediate school are well prepared to profit by and do the work of the particular kind of subsequent school they may enter. Again, by reason of the number of children in intermedi- ate schools who are approaching the time when they must choose a pursuit, and who need advice that they may choose wisely, and by reason of the number of teachers having to deal only with such children, the intermediate school afifords the best possible opportunity to experiment with and to de- velop systematic vocational guidance. Hence, in judging of the worth of the intermediate school, the opportunity it afifords to adapt the instruction to the needs of the two sexes, and to the needs of different groups of children, and to lay the foundation for work in a subse- quent school should be given serious consideration. OPPORTUNITY TO CLASSIFY PUPILS ACCORDING TO ABILITY In schools having all grades, it is impracticable, because of numbers, to group pupils within a particular grade, to any considerable extent, according to ability. Children of widely different capacity must, in consequence, work in the same class, with the inevitable result that one part of the class is kept comfortably busy ; a second part has too much to do, and a third part too little. But, so far as possible, every child has the right to work at all times up to his capacity. The intermediate schools can supply such conditions of work more easily than other schools; for, by reason of numbers, the pupils of a given grade may at least be grouped as slow pupils, normal pupils, and exceptionally bright pupils, and the instruction adapted to the requirements of each group. Further, in schools having all grades, when a pupil is not promoted, he must, because of the relatively few failing in a given grade, take the work over with pupils who are in the 58 Problems in Elementary School Administration class for the first time. The pupil consequently has no op- portunity to pay special attention to the particular subjects in which he has failed. In the intermediate school, how- ever, it is possible, by reason of numbers, to bring together into one class children who have failed in the same branches. Such a grouping affords opportunity to help pupils where there is need, and hence to strengthen them where they are weak. OPPORTUNITY FOR PROMOTION BY STUDIES In schools having all classes, children are promoted by grades. Hence, if a pupil is not advanced, he must go over a second time all the work of the grade instead of having to repeat only the studies in which he is deficient. The pupil has the right, so far as possible, to be ad- vanced as rapidly or as slowly as his several abilities permit or require. His advancement in all studies, therefore, ought not to be conditioned by his weakness in certain branches. Whether promotion by grades is necessarily in- herent in schools having all grades should be made the subject of consideration. However that may be, the inter- mediate school can readily adopt such a system of promo- tion that each child may go forward whenever he is pre- pared to advance. That is, the intermediate school can be so organized that promotions are made by studies rather than by grades. The administrative difificulties of promo- tion by studies should be no greater in the intermediate school than they are in the high school ; and no one would think of promoting high-school pupils otherwise than by subjects. OPPORTUNITY TO ADAPT TO THE NEEDS OF SEVENTH AND EIGHTH YEAR PUPILS CERTAIN GENERAL FEATURES OF SCHOOL ORGANIZATION It is well understood that at about the age of twelve or fourteen years boys and girls need a kind of care and dis- Bducational Opportunities 59 cipline different from the care and discipline of younger children. In schools having all classes, relatively the same organization prevails throughout the school. To be sure, certain modifications are made in favor of seventh and eighth year pupils — for example, departmental teaching — but these modifications must necessarily be few. The inter- mediate school, however, having to do only with seventh and eighth year pupils, can adapt its organization to the par- ticular needs of children passing from late childhood into the period of early youth. The intermediate school may be so organized that larger place is given than it is possible to give in the average school having all grades to athletics and competitive games, to club work, and to social activities; larger opportunity can be given for pupil self-government; larger individual free- dom of thought and action can also be permitted. In a word^ the intermediate school can be so organized, such opportunity can be given for the expression of spontaneity, and for the exercise of initiative, judgment, and self-direc- tion, that school life will make a stronger appeal to seventh and eighth year pupils than it now does, as a rule, in miost schools. The need of this stronger appeal is revealed in the fact that 4,218 7A-8B boys and 3,948 7A-8B girls, a total of 8,166 7A-8B pupils, left the elementary schools of the City of New York during the spring term of 191 1 with- out completing these grades.^ PROBABLE EFFECTS OF REALIZING THE FOREGOING POSSIBILITIES Certain of the foregoing possibilities are now being re- alized, to a limited extent, in intermediate schools — notably in Public School Number 62; but should different courses of study be introduced; should a differentiation of the in- struction for boys and girls be made and the courses of study be made to articulate with high schools and vocational 1 From reports made to the Committee on School Inquiry, June, 191 1. 6o Problems in Blementary School Administration schools ; should pupils within a grade be grouped according to ability; should promotion by studies be inaugurated; should an organization be developed, that is adapted to the particular needs of seventh and eighth year pupils, and should the effects of these innovations be studied carefully for a series of terms, it would be found, it is believed, that such an intermediate school would not only be far more efficient in caring for seventh and eighth year pupils than a school having all grades, but also far more efficient than are the intermediate schools already established. LOCATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL Finally, there are two fundamental conditions that di- rectly influence the location of an intermediate school : first, there must be adequate school provision within ready reach of the 1A-6B pupils who would live in the immediate vicin- ity of the intermediate school; and, second, there must be a sufficient number of 7A-8B pupils within ready walking distance to justify the establishment of such a school. A serious difficulty to be reckoned with in the establish- ment of intermediate schools is the attitude of the princi- pals and of the teachers in the schools afifected. The sched- ule of salaries is higher for 7A-8B than for 1A-6B teachers; also, in schools having from six to seventeen rooms in which there are grades above the 6B, the head teacher or as- sistant principal in charge is relieved from teaching a class. There is necessarily, however, no such exemption in schools having the same number of rooms but in which the highest grade is the 6B.^ It is, therefore, only natural, when the 7A-8B grades are removed from given schools in order to organize an intermediate school, that the principals and the teachers of these schools feel that their professional stand- ing is unfavorably afifected. Unless som.e way is found to allay this feeling it will continue to make difficult the active 1 Schedule of Teachers' Salaries, 1912, pages 8 and 9. Educational Opportunities 6i extension of the intermediate school. In planning to in- crease the number of intermediate schools, there is also the question, which should be carefully considered, of the effect of removing from a school seventh and eighth year pupils. The question to be considered is whether the removal of seventh and eighth year pupils affects favorably or unfavor- ably the conduct, the ambition, and the work of younger children. RECOMMENDATIONS In view of the educational and economic efficiency of the intermediate schools now in existence, when judged on the basis of the data collected for the February-June term, 191 1, and in view of the educational possibilities of such schools, we recommend : (i) That similar data be collected for a number of terms, and should the foregoing findings be sub- stantiated, we would further recommend: (2) That an immediate study be made by the Board of Education of all localities where conditions seem favorable to the establishment of intermediate schools. (3) That intermediate schools be established wherever conditions are favorable. (4) That, when established, intermediate schools should not only serve the purpose they now serve, but should be planned and carried on so as to aim at the fuller realization of the educational oppor- tunities they may be made to afford, as outlined in this report. (5) That special care be taken to maintain sympathetic relations between the intermediate schools and the contributing schools on the one hand, and the closest articulation possible with high schools and 62 Problems in Blementary School Administration vocational schools on the other; and that the pe- culiar opportunity to develop systematic vocational guidance be fully utilized. (6) That complete records of the work and cost of such schools be kept and that these records be used to improve intermediate schools and to judge of their efficiency. Part II Progress and Classification of School Children CHAPTER IV THE PROBLEM OF PROMOTION AND NON- PROMOTION THE State, through its Compulsory Education Law, seeks to guarantee to each child of the City of New- York, by the time he is fourteen years old, an education equal to graduation from the elementary school.^ Physical and mental defects, as well as conditions in the home and in the school, which militate against children completing the elementary school course of study are, therefore, of both social and educational interest. The factors which contribute to prevent children from graduating from the elementary schools of the City of New York by the time they are fourteen years of age, as is con- templated by the Compulsory Education Law, fall under three heads : late entrance into school, slow progress through the school, and late entrance and slow progress together. Failure to complete the elementary school course of study by the fourteenth year, in so far as this is due to slow prog- ress, is the direct result of the child's failure to secure regu- lar promotion. To determine the causes which prevent children from receiving promotion, eight committees were appointed, in the fall of 1909, by the City Superintendent of Schools. These eight committees were in substantial ac- cord in reporting the following, among others, as the chief causes of failure on the part of pupils to secure regular pro- motion : ^ 1 See Section 622 of Compulsory Education Law. 2 Twelfth Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools of the City of New York, pages 80 and 81. 65 66 Problems in Elementary School Administration "Part time, which prevents pupils from doing the work of the lower grades thoroughly." "Excessive size of classes, which prevents teachers giving necessary individual instruction." "Irregular attendance. Due to poor home conditions; looseness of parental control; ignorance of parents; lack of opportunities for home study; poverty of home, requiring pupils' assistance ; sickness of other members of the family; lack of proper clothing; feeble health of individual pupils; poverty of sur- roundings." "Late entrance into school. Due to two causes : the pres- ence of immigrant children, and the fact that many children are sent to private schools before they enter the public schools." "Sluggish mentality. Sometimes this feature takes the form of positive mental defect, and sometimes it characterizes pupils as slow in receptivity and re- sponse. Sometimes it takes the form of moral de- fects, such as dishonesty, lying, and cheating, which are intensified by improper reading, the following of bad examples, and petty defiance of law in the streets." "Ignorance of the English language. Due to foreign birth and to the fact that English is not the lan- guage of the home." From conference with members of the foregoing com- mittees, it was learned that no comprehensive study of the causes of non-promotion was made by these committees, and that their conclusions were based on the personal im- pressions of the several members. The studies made of the causes of non-promotion up to the present time may be characterized as descriptive studies, or as preliminary surveys. They are, nevertheless, very Promotion and Non-Promotion 67 valuable. Their worth lies, however, in focusing the at- tention of teachers and superintendents on the problem of non-promotion, in suggesting probable causes, and in indi- cating where improvements should be made and the need of further investigation, rather than in having determined finally the causes of non-promotion and the extent to which non-promotion is due to each cause. Even the data collected, and herewith reported in the fol- lowing tables, supply no adequate basis for tinal conclusions. Because, although there appears to be, for example, a direct connection between the per cent, of promotion and the num- ber of days absent, there is no way of telling from the table on absence whether part of the difference in the per cent, of promotion might not be due to causes other than absence — ^to the fact that pupils were in different kinds of classes (in part-time classes or whole-time classes), or in classes of different sizes, or were of different ages, or were of differ- ent nationalities. Until the retarding force of these and other probable causes is equalized or neutralized — i. e., until the pupils in the several groups, when grouped, for example, on the basis of the number of days absent, are from the same kind of class, from classes of the same size, are of the same age, of the same sex, of the same nationality — until this is done — and it was impossible to do it in this investi- gation — it is unscientific to draw more than tentative con- clusions about the causes of non-promotion and the retard- ing force of particular causes. Though no final conclusions can be properly drawn from the collected data, with regard to the causes of non-promo- tion or with reference to what extent non-promotion is due to each cause, these data do supply the basis for tentative conclusions, and for certain recommendations, and supply, also, a fund of valuable information. The register in regular classes at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, the number promoted, and the number not promoted — the basis of this report — were, for the several grades and the sexes, as follows : 68 Problems in Elementary School Administration > tJ- ^cococOCO«'NM -^ C3 H (H NO ° M T3 S -t O On a o" Tl w \o o O ooo f'-oo o r^ t^ lovo "^ M lo On o ^r^isc^YAt^Mt-t ih"mmhmmh" o~ CO (^ a jj 3 Ol^ Iz; - tJ- O lO^O « > HOsrOHMMwOlH OOO f^O o» ^O CO o low - CM^ t>.00 Ol^«f^l>-'~\0 O t>~ t^\o "O !>-« coco-^coO ■^lO 00 Tl 0>CO « O C> lO « 00 CO^D r-* O^ "^ "N t^ -^ CI g o lO w t^ !>. O r^ t-^vO vO -"^ CO w M o» O* C4 WOHCNHHHIHHHHWHM lO 13 ■g \000 H\0 M cor^O t-< tOWCOOO wioiN c* a Ul M lO-O coo t>.co>-< OO cOOOOsiOO t^ >. j>.coo COM co-^M cor^ looo oo oo M o ON s ■O c*00 OOO O.i>-00^ lO-^coH o 0\0\ HI f^ WCqiHC^I-tHHMMHMMMM lO c^ (S t^oO O w cOO\cOiOcO"^t^M W lO w ri M coo Geo Mr^oiN cot>. coO On hi -"^f M H ni o CO vo vo w o\ in oco o oo M NO !>. H lo "O _o CO o> o\ -^ w co" C>^ vcT 3 M Tf 0\ c^ Ov HI Os OvCO oo -O lO ■^ CI o o CO "t§ WWHlC^MCIMHtHiHHIHiMHHI OO CI P^-X3 o s 00 w CO rhvO O -d-O CO M w O^O CO t^ •^ m On O t^OO NO OO t>. in in -u-} ro t^ t^ "^OO CO S >^ OO COCO'*0 MtOW H00*0« M O^ coco VO ^ i>- 10 w TO li^M Tj-eoeo« COPOCI cow«3 lOco lOCO .2 a M l-t H ^-00 O^coOOr^tot^w w «n lo OvcO CO t^cor^p*oo OsO lOcococNvO cor^O* COOH(N(N(MM01HWHMO\MHTi- a l-l Mt^woOt^CN .oO ot 00 H VO NO t^NO CO lONO ■^ lO ^ ■^ C4 rj- 1000 r^OO OOCOCOCOOOCOOOOOOOCX)COCOCOOO CO M NO CO CO loco 10 ON CONO iH 1>- w NO w ONior^r»-t-»iOM locoO 0*0 coh CO CO CO On to lONO lONO »OiOcoco t^oo 00 ^ The Rate of Promotion 85 the entire February- June term, 191 1, may have been due either to an increase in promotions during the term, or to an increase at the end of the term, or it may have been due to both an increase during the term and at the end of the term. Table XXI gives, by grades, for the February- June term, 1910, the rate of promotion during the term, and the rate at the end of the term; also the same facts for the February- June term, 191 1. It shows, besides, the increase in the rate of promotion during the February- June term, 191 1, over the rate during the same term, 1910; also the increase in the rate of promotion at the end of the February-June term, 191 1, over the rate at the end of the same term, 1910: TABLE XXII Grades Feb.-June Term, 1910 Rate of Promotion during Term Rate of Promotion at End of Term Feb.-June Term, 1911 Rate of Promotion during Term Rate of Promotion at End of Term Increase in Rate of Promotion Feb.- June Term, 191 1, over Feb.-June Term, 1910 Increase during Term Increase at End of Term lA... iB... 2A... 2B... 3A... 3B... 4A... 4B... SA... SB... 6A... 6B... 7A... 7B... 8A... 8B... Total 2.42 1.64 2.21 1-93 2.28 ..56 1.86 I-S2 1.99 I-7S 1.98 1. 71 3-SS 2.03 2.00 0.005 71.19 85.13 85.60 86.26 85.69 86.87 85.76 86.20 83.85 84.37 83.67 88.07 82.22 83.96 84.88 91.04 3.04 2.60 2.66 2.60 2.78 2.4S 2.41 2.23 2.75 2.63 2.44 1.77 2.03 2.31 2.30 .71 75 88 88 90 89 90 89 89 89 87 89 89 94 76 16 73 19 45 44 S8 83 80 74 88 45 59 05 49 .62 .96 .45 .67 .50 .89 .55 .71 .76 .88 .46 .06 -1.52 .28 .30 .70s 57 03 13 93 76 57 82 63 95 37 21 38 37 09 61 24 1.93 84.37 2.44 .42 SI 405 1 These figures are exclusive of special classes. 86 Problems in Elementary School Administration There was an increase in the rate of promotion during the February- June term, 191 1, over the rate during the same term, 19 10, in all grades, except the 7A, where there was a decrease of 1.52 per cent. The rate during the term was higher by from .06 of i per cent, to .28 of i per cent, in two grades, by from .30 of i per cent, to .50 of i per cent, in four grades, by from .55 of i per cent, to .75 of i per cent, in six grades, and by from .88 of i per cent, to .96 of i per cent, in three grades — while the increase in all grades, taken together, was .51 of i per cent. It will also be observed that there was an increase, in all grades, in the rate of promotion at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, over the rate at the end of the same term, 1910. The rate was higher by 1.38 per cent, in one grade, by from 3.03 per cent, to 3.93 per cent, in eight grades, by from 4.57 per cent, to 4.95 per cent, in three grades, and by from 5.09 per cent, to 5.37 per cent, in four grades, while the increase in all grades, taken together, was 4.05 per cent. Of the 4.56 per cent, increase in the rate of promotion for the entire February-June term, 191 1, over the rate for the entire February-June term, 1910, .51 of i per cent., or 1 1. 18 per cent., of this increase was, therefore, due to the larger- number of promotions during the term, and 4.05 per cent, or 88.82 per cent, of the increase was due to the larger number of promotions at the end of the term. The fact that the increase in the rate of total promotion for the entire February- June term, 191 1, over 1910, was greater than the total increase for the same term from 1906 to 1910 inclusive, and the fact that 88.82 per cent, of the extraordinary increase in the rate of total promotion for the entire February- June term, 191 1, was due to the in- creased number of promotions at the end of the term, raises the question: How was this extraordinary increase in the rate of promotion effected? A part of it was, doubtless, brought about through an increase in the efficiency of the school. The importance of making more liberal promotions having been emphasized, teachers and principals put forth The Rate of Promotion 87 unusual effort to fit pupils for advancement. Yet, when due allowance is made for whatever increase in efficiency there may have been, it must be admitted, by all who are ac- quainted with school conditions and school work, that the extraordinary increase in the rate of promotion in the Feb- ruary-June term, 191 1, was due, in most part, to the "pres- sure" exercised by the City Superintendent of Schools "to secure more generous promotions." Increase Justified The important question, therefore, is : Was the City Su- perintendent of Schools justified in using "pressure to secure more generous promotions"? In view of the number of over-age pupils, and of the amount of elimination in the elementary schools of the City of New York, we believe the City Superintendent was justified in his endeavor to increase the rate of promotion. Number of Over-Age Pupils The course of study in the elementary schools of the City of New York comprises sixteen units, each in theory one- half school year in length. Accordingly, a child, entering school at six or seven, should complete the elementary school by his fourteenth or fifteenth year. If, for any reason, a pupil enters school late or remains a whole year or more in a single grade, such a child becomes over age for his grade. Table XXII gives the register in regular classes, after promotion June 30, 191 1, in the grades of each year, the number of pupils in the grades of each year and among the elementary school graduates of 1910-11, under normal age, normal age, under one year over normal, etc. ; it shows, be- sides, the total number of over-age pupils in the grades of each year and among the elementary school graduates ; also the per cent, of the register of each grade and the per cent. of the graduates over age : 88 Problems in Elementary School Administration \h ^ . . O.VO O CO N w « 1>- 00 Eleme tary Schoo Grad uates ---i 0^ H « W CO Ov 10 00 to ir^ <> q q CO *^ '-' CO ^^1 lo m" h" o" ^ cT i;; CO VO \0 f^ CO CO M 1-1 lO ro ^n ■<^00 o\ o t^ 0^ H !>. to O yD r^ i>- ■^ 00 V) 10 lOvO »0 "O H_ CO « ■i^i •^ lood tC ci" d CO C4 •^ Ol "^ enth ear ades CO "^^ t^ M 00 uo ** Ov «o «o o W t-^ CO M H CO CO H N VO 00 w Ov 0^\0 ^ "" ** iC CO lO CO M M « •^ \n O^ 00 t^ 10 . VO OO 00 ON VD 0. 9, "- q^ e;SJ tC CO M CO CO ■^sl H 00 O VO 10 N CO H C^ H lO VO -^l- -^ 10 CO b s?^ Ht CN ^o h" oi oi c^ 10 cJ" M 00 ■* M CI ' Third j Year Grades O VO M to lO CO '^ VO lO io\o -^ VO CO Ov CO CO VO CO H CO VO -• t! II 11 egister in Classes Promotio: 30, 191 1. nder Norr ormal Age ess Than Over Age etween 1 U M ^ tH ix So i&g^^s^s ^ > h<|ho^ph |o ^ tiZhj PQ m H Eh & ■f> to w Sad § ° •!. 3" > ,3 c o -a S« ra ^ U -M a c o CI J3 e X CJ _ . o C (h w o a o !i >=! 'S 2 g-C m flj ,0 d JS ^ ■a G a ° !rt •« ■" fcV p +j o .. 43H „ 5™ " 6™ •' 7™ .< 8™ •• ElemciitaiTl School f Fig. I. Black indicates per cent, of over-age pupils in the grades of each year and the per cent, of over-age pupils among the graduates of 1910-11, as reported by the City Superintendent of Schools. June 30, 191 1, according to the City Superintendent of Schools, 131,858 over-age pupils, or 23.30 per cent, of the pupils on register after promotion were behind their grade for their age. The grades of the sixth year show the highest per cent, of over age, 34.44 per cent., and the grades of the first year, the lowest, 7.96 per cent. _ Were the foregoing over-age pupils registered m the grade where they should be by reason of their age, these pupils would have been distributed, when distributed accord- ing to the age-grade standards as fixed by the City Superin- tendent of Schools, among the several grades as follows : 10% 10% 30X 4Q« ■ 50^ eoX 70^ 80^ 90X 1®^ 1 1 1 r 1 1 1 1 1 , , ■II^^^H 1 , ^l^^^l^ri 1 . . ■■■iB^ 1 . . 1 1 , , . 1 1 . . 1 . kH^^hHiiH^ri 1 . ■■iH^H^ril~ 1 1 90 Problems in Blementary School Administration l-s ^1 ■g.H 2 " 11 •"1 "J bOO °^ S^ 1° o College First Year ......■!>. On H. S. Fourth Year fO -* H -* NO oo H. S. Third Year O « Ov ■* « 00 M CO H. S. Second Year • ■ - M O . ■ . w CO ^^"^ h" cT ■^li^ t^ H COVO 2 ' 1 lO M IC lO^O CO • . -^ -^ o ■* c>o . . M t^ t>- O *1 • • 1 1 On h iO\0 On • ■ . '"^5'g.vS' : : : : "-^3 ■ • • • O »H lO O W 0\"0 NO ■ . . . M On to ^ • • ■ ■ -fs 5 1 C^ H CO « r^ NO M 'jh ■^ CO Tj- 1000 t^ 00 C- Cfl ^ 00 M H co * M t « W 00 -^ w 00 NO 1 °oo IH ON ■<* lO'O CO CO -^ 10 t>* 10 00 04 CO . •3 ON -^ CO -* 10 !>. NO e<3 H •^ 100 J^od <> cT 3 •* •s ■^ ■"^l- -^-O H CO NO ■* 00 ° V, M CO Os O) M M 00 NO H r^NO 00 CO N 00 15 t^ r>.co ON IH M CO to NO CO . M NO CO^O 00 t '^- On to g •H ^ T? -.f lOVO NO Cfl CO •S CO O* PO «N NO CO CO NO t^NO ^ CO CO to M g> : *5 " 1- 1 1 1 1 W m : 3 . NO r^oo Ov HI 1 ■i-i H M Si <« On On 0\ On On H H H H H M I no Problems in Elementary School Administration cational needs of different groups of children and of the failure to provide a number of different elementary school courses of study of varying quantitative requirements is re- vealed in the fact that, of the pupils in regular classes thir- teen to fourteen years old on register after promotion June 30, for the five years, 1907-11, inclusive, but 20.82 per cent, had attained the eighth grade; 29.92 per cent, the seventh; 25.57 P^^^ cent, the sixth; 15.44 per cent, the fourth; and 2.19 per cent, were still lingering in the third and lower grades. (See Table XXVIII on page 112.^) The effect is also revealed by the fact that, of all the pu- pils on register in regular classes June 30, 191 1, after pro- motion, 23.30 per cent., or practically each fourth child, was behind his grade for his age ; ^ and further, despite the fact that many pupils remain in the elementary schools of the city one, two, and three years after they are fourteen, of all those entering but 88.71 per cent, reach the sixth grade; 61.45 PC'' c^^i- the seventh grade; 47.57 per cent, the eighth grade, and only 41.33 per cent, are ever able to complete the course.^ Summary It is evident, in view of the foregoing, that the present elementary school course of study has been developed and is administered, first, without due regard to the length of the elementary school period, i. e., to the age limits within which children may with profit be subjected to the regime of the elementary school ; second, without due regard to the actual length of time children are in attendance by fourteen, hence to the actual length of time the school has in which to give children an elementary education ; and, third, with- out due regard to the varying abilities and educational ^The table on page 112 shows for each of the years 1907-11, in- clusive, the number of children thirteen to fourteen years old in each grade from the first to the eighth, inclusive; also the total number for the period in each grade, the total in all grades, and the per cent of the total number in each grade. 2 See Table XXII, page 88. 3 See table, page 92. Maximum Rate of Promotion in needs of different groups of children, hence to the number able to complete the course; all of which has reacted to keep the rate of promotion below what it might have been under more favorable conditions. CHANGES NEEDED TO ATTAIN THE MAXIMUM RATE OF PROMOTION From the foregoing it is apparent that the changes needed in order to attain in the elementary schools of the city the maximum rate of promotion are: (i) That the actual total length of each of the differ- ent elementary school courses of study be made to corre- spond (a) with the length of the period between six ^ and fourteen,^ i. e., to the period children may with profit be kept under the regime of the elementary school, and (b) with the length of time pupils may reasonably be expected to be in actual attendance during this period. (2) That the requirements of the elementary school be adapted to the varying abilities and educational needs of different groups of children, and such that all normal * chil- dren in regular attendance are able by fourteen to complete an elementary school course of study ; hence as many courses of study of varying requirements as there are distinct groups of children of different abilities and educational needs. A brief discussion of each of these suggested changes follows. Adjusting the Length of the Different Courses of Study While the elementary school course of study is, in theory, as a rule, eight years in length, what its actual total length is has seldom been taken into account. The course of study 1 Probably the best age of entrance. 2 Probably the beginning of pubescence and the age when children need a regime different from that of the elementary school. 2 Among normal children are included all pupils other than those physically and mentally defective, for whom special classes and special instruction should be provided. 112 Problems in Blementary School Administration > X H pq < rf M SO 00 O *o 3 o ■^ w •^'^'^ H ^ ■^vo c5\oo tC so lo lo io»mo 00 c^ 00 O lO H o« a \ M •a| lO M lO O ro t^ 00 r- lo O O « V 5 ; "cS c> d N «^ ■* c l-l H M l-t 1/ 3 ** m Ov O c*3 "N ■<1 d^od i>^ 3 s IS w OO H VO OlO o s so M \0 O C3^ -^ . M w O 00 r^ H H H 1/ ; " u OO -^ O vO w o N Tl- i| MD r^ lO CO *!*■ so PO « W H HI M a rtj 00 M W 00 TO rj h OO ^•a lo lo ■^ CO -^ V* 3 O « ^ w IH l-l O ■8 ta o M CO a I-. ■a o H \o O -"tvO M MMtHt-lM MMW W -• ro t^ Oi ^ r^oo M M IH M « Tft-»MM\0 • ■ - CO « t^ Tj q qoo -* CO H H M ... ■^ Cl" IH m" l-T H '.'.'. CO H s O O tHTOCioO -^OvwcOOOOO CON 0*0 \0 COVO lOCMOO PO« H .(Ot^cOlOH O lo-^r^H lo^-^N locoO cocow^O od" r^ lovo \d" lo -^ -^ «~ (N~ IH hi" ON o M lO 2 OMt M r*\0 to w O \0 N I>-00 COI>-«OOOOCiO t^O HI M COH ■^00 loMD r^vo tC tC rCoo d\ m d di tCio M Classes Under 35 rt l>.vO vO O u^ O O 00 Tf\0 Th\0 I^ Th ts M 00 i^ c^ H oi tj- coco "O lO o\ t^ o to to O "^00 l>.0\M w pocOm IOC"! ^OoOO eocfcr«NeoeotoeOTf''t»o lovo lO lO 3 « N t^OO O H POO>CO^OCO-*I>M N lO HcOOOoOHf^O- tO*0 0\ tH ■^ 000"0_yD_M_OvV)0\00 000 IHVO t^w lo CO O* ON ^ O w OO O^vO vcT oT h" tC tJ h" ^ ■^■^cO'^^^tOtOtocococO'N W w H to sap BJO 1 M H Pfl « coeO**-*iO lovo ^ «^ ts.00 00 Size of Class and Non-Promotion 125 Twenty and thirty-one one-hundredths (20.31) per cent., or one-fifth, of all the pupils in over-size classes at the end of the February-June term, 191 1, it will be observed, were in the lA grade; 54.56 per cent, in the 1A-2B grades; 87.10 per cent, in the grades 1A-4B; and 97.78 per cent, in the grades 1A-6B. In short, over-size classes were confined, at the end of the February- June term, 1911, to the 6B and lower grades. If comparison is made, grade by grade, between the pu- pils within each grade in the classes of each of the several sizes (see Table XXIX) it will be noted that the per cent, of pupils in small classes gradually increases from the lowest to the highest grade. In classes under thirty-five the per cent, increases from 7.01 per cent, in the lA to 28.82 per cent, in the SB, and, in classes having thirty-five to forty, from 10.70 per cent, to 26.14 per cent. A corresponding decrease will be noted from the lA to the 8B grades in the per cent, of pupils in over-size classes. In classes having fifty-one to fifty-six the per cent, decreases from 18.74 per cent, in the i A to 3.12 per cent, in the 8B; in classes having fifty-six to sixty from 10.09 P^^ cent, to zero; and in classes having over sixty from 6.10 per cent, to zero. It, therefore, appears that the size of a class varies with the grade; that the lA has the smallest number of small classes and the largest number of large classes, and the 8B has practically the largest number of small classes and the smallest number of large classes. The presence of large classes in the grades 1A-6B and of small classes in the grades 7A-8B is due partly to policy and partly to necessity. There is a feeling among the school officials of the city that classes in the upper grades should be smaller than in the lower grades. Hence, in schools where there are ample accommodations for all pupils, classes in the 7A-8B grades are so organized as to have from thirty-five to forty pupils, whereas, in the grades 1A-6B, classes range from forty to forty-five. In most cases, small classes in the upper grades and large ones in the lower grades 126 Problems in Elementary School Administration are, however, due to necessity. In many districts, so many pupils leave school in the 6B grade and before that the num- bers remaining in the 7A-8B grades are small. Unless these pupils are transferred to a central school, it is impossible to do otherwise than to have small classes. In contrast, the lower grades are crowded. To care for all the pupils in these grades, it is necessary to make the classes large. RATE OF PROMOTION IN CLASSES OF EACH SIZE The rate of promotion at the end of the February- June term, 19 11, in the classes of each of the several sizes is shown by Table XXX. This table gives, by grades, the per cent, of the register in each size of class promoted at the end of the February- June term, 191 1 ; also the per cent, not promoted. (Seepage 128.) When the several grades are considered as a whole it will be observed that the highest per cent, of promotion was in classes under thirty-five, the rate being 89.36 per cent. The rate of promotion in classes of thirty-five to forty was, however, only .22 of i per cent, less, and, in classes of forty- one to fifty, only .41 of i per cent, less than in classes under thirty-five. Hence, for practical purposes, the rate of pro- motion was the same in all classes having fifty and under. But the rate of promotion in classes of fifty-one to fifty-five was lower than in classes under thirty-five by 1.68 per cent., in classes of fifty-six to sixty by 5.91 per cent., and in classes over sixty by 18.17 per cent. The major part of the dif- ference in the rate of promotion, at least in classes of fifty- six to sixty, and in classes over sixty, in comparison with the rate of promotion in classes under thirty-five, was, how- ever, due to the fact that pupils in the classes of these two sizes are principally in the lower grades, where the rate of promotion is relatively low. No such differences, it will be observed, appear, if comparison is made, grade by grade, between the rate of promotion in the classes of the several sizes. Size of Class and Non-Promotion 127 The differences, such as they are, in the rate of promotion within each grade, in these different-size classes, become clearer, if all classes of fifty and under are combined and all classes of over fifty, and comparison is made between the rate of promotion in classes of these two sizes only. Table XXXI gives by grades the per cent, of promotion in classes of fifty and under, in classes of over fifty, and the per cent, of promotion in classes of fifty and under, above or below the per cent, of promotion in classes over fifty; also the increase in number of pupils that would have been promoted in classes of over fifty at the rate of promotion in classes of fifty and under. (See page 129.) In nine out of sixteen grades the higher rate of promo- tion at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, was in classes of fifty and under; in seven the higher rate was in classes of over fifty. The rate of promotion was higher in classes of over fifty in the iB by .29 of i per cent. ; in the 4B by .59 of I per cent. ; in the 5 A by 1.29 per cent. ; in the SB by .09 of I per cent; in the 6B by 1.58 per cent.; in the 7B by 3.09 per cent.; and in the 8B by 2.18 per cent. But the difference in the rate of promotion was either so small or the pupils in the given grade were so few that the higher rate of promotion in classes above fifty in these seven grades is found to make a difference of only 134 promo- tions. In each grade of the grades 1A-4A — containing 80 per cent, of all pupils in over-size classes ^ — the rate of promo- tion, with the exception of the iB grade, was higher in classes of fifty and under. But, with the exception of the lA grade, the differences in the rate of promotion are too small materially to affect the number of promotions. Thus, although the higher rate of promotion is found, in the majority of grades, in classes of fifty and under, this higher rate is so small that, had promotions in each of the several grades been the same for classes of over fifty as for classes of fifty and under, there would have been, in classes 1 See table, page 123. 128 Problems in Elementary School Administration •a o 2 a og u o \0 H TtOMO-^OOOW t^-vO CO iooc7vOOooa>oo«o\t^ >-oo po O "N o o ■* O.H« O^O^O OO^OO O Ow H oo ThoicOOO OiO-Ot^H o o w 1-1 pq .9 U3 ^P4 .20 tj > o o^ 13 S3 o 3 Size of Class and Non-Promotion TABLE XXXI 129 Grades Per Cent. of Pro- motion in Classes of so and Under Per Cent. of Pro- motion in Classes of Over 50 Per Cent, of Promotion in Classes of 50 and Under above or below the Per Cent, of Promotion in Classes Above so Increase in Number That Would Have Been Promoted in Classes Over 50 at Rate in Classes of so and Under lA iB 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B SA SB 6A 6B 7A 7B 8A 8B 77.40 88.68 89.10 90.76 89.92 90.83 90-15 90.10 88.77 89-73 89.06 89.38 88.07 89.08 89.62 94-38 73-46 88.97 88.8s 89.80 89.20 90.23 88.6s 90.69 90.06 89.82 88. IS go. 96 81.29 92.17 81.8s 96.56 3-94 —.29 -25 .96 -72 .60 I -SO — 59 —1.29 — .09 .91 -1-S8 6.78 —3-09 7-77 —2.18 592 —29 19 79 52 40 78 —29 —33 —2 14 —18 29 — 10 20 —13 Net Increase 789 of over fifty, a net increase of only 789 promotions out of a total of 73,991 pupils — the equivalent of one additional promotion to each ninety-four pupils in classes of over fifty. OVER-SIZE CLASSES AS A FACTOR IN NON-PROMOTIO'N AND CONGESTION There were, as we have seen, only 789 fewer promotions among the 73,991 pupils in over-size classes than there would have been had these pupils been promoted at the rate for classes of fifty and under. But, in the lA grade alone, by reason of the lower rate, the promotions were, as we have seen, fewer by 592 — the equivalent of one less promo- tion to each twenty-five lA pupils in over-size classes. 130 Problems in Elementary School Administration Hence, as promotions were made at the end of the Febru- ary-June term, 191 1, over-size classes were no material fac- tor, except in the lA grade, in increasing the number of non-promotions. It is reasonable to assume that the small number of non- promoted children (197) caused by the slightly lower rate of promotion prevailing in the grades above the lA was absorbed in the classes already found in these grades, and that, to care for the non-promotions (592) caused by the decidedly lower rate of promotion in the i A grade, it would be necessary to form only a few, if any, additional lA classes. Hence, as promotions were made at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, over-size classes contributed but slightly, if at all, to congestion. CONCLUSIONS The foregoing discussion may be summarized thus : ( 1 ) There were, at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, 73,991 pupils in over-size classes — ^that is, in classes having fifty and above. The greater number of over-size classes was in the grades 1A-6B. (2) The size of class varies with the grade; the lA grade has the smallest number of small classes and the largest number of large classes, while the 8B grade has the largest number of small classes and the smallest number of large classes. (3) The rate of promotion for all grades, with the ex- ception of the I A grade, at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, was practically the same in the classes of the several sizes. (4) As promotions were made at the end of the Feb- ruary-June term, 191 1, over-size classes were no material factor, except in the lA grade, in increasing the number of non-promotions, and contributed but slightly, if at all, to congestion. Size of Class and Non-Promotion 131 (S) Although there was only a very slight difference, with the exception of the lA grade, in the rate of promotion at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, for classes under fifty and for classes over fifty, and although data de- rived from tests of the educational achievements of children are not at hand to prove to what extent classes having over fifty offer less favorable opportunities for work than smaller classes, teachers and school officials are a unit in the opinion that classes having over fifty pupils should be eliminated and that all classes should be reduced to at least not more than forty-five pupils. CHAPTER VIII ABSENCE AND NON-PROMOTION THE school year in the City of New York is forty weeks in length, divided into two terms of twenty weeks each. Holidays reduce the actual length of a term to somewhat less than one hundred days. Any considerable absence, due either to irregular attendance or to late en- trance, naturally affects the educational progress of chil- dren. NUMBER OF CHILDREN ABSENT FOR CERTAIN INTERVALS For the purpose of studying the effect of absence * on the educational progress of children, pupils have been grouped on the basis of their being absent a given number of days during the February- June term, 191 1. Table XXXII gives by grades the number of pupils on register in regular classes June 30, 191 1, absent ten days and less, eleven to twenty, twenty-one to thirty, etc. ; also the per cent, of the total register of each grade absent ten days and less, eleven to twenty, etc. (See page 133.) Of the 568,612 pupils on register in regular classes June 30, 191 1, 382,406, or 67.25 per cent., were absent during the February- June term, 191 1, ten days and less; 97,512, or 17.15 per cent, eleven to twenty days; 39,391, or 6.93 per cent., twenty-one to thirty days; 19,297, or 3.39 per cent., thirty-one to forty days; and 30,006, or 5.28 per cent., forty-one days and above. 1 It is impossible to distinguish in this report between absence due to irregular attendance and absence due to late entrance. 132 , Absence and Non-Promotion 133 Per Cent, of Total Register in Each Grade 00 w in 00 iO-*eOP0P0C0^cOTj-c0P0« m m H •^CO^OOOO 0»H OCO •O'^O u-jo, Ov CO r-Tf-^cOC* W row COPOW « - 000 ^D CO CO « 00 « CO Ov vo* w O^OO i>-vO v0^00'0>0\0 »OiO-^--t^-^MC50vO -"^-O '^i- wvo 100 0^ r^-^O to-tj-ot^r^^M to M M ONCO r^^O <^ t^vo vo "^ ■^ ■^ CO .t" a N CO 00 O* O\00 lOH CO^tHO CO^OM CO 000*0 ti w woo too« ^co« 000 10 vo 0\0- !>■ r>. t^ i>. r-*co 01 So Pi lo> H coo to 'd- t^ r^vo vo ov r^ to H cooo O^O 00 t^ 0*0 OvvO -"^OO "N vo t>. 00 00 M "^oo ^vo -^i-ioiococoOoovo -^c^ odtO'N'lHIHIHHMIHMIHH 8 2 M 00 W .ovioCMn T^-oo -^oo vo m m 00 M ^VQ^OM W H M H Ovr-*0^0(OM 3 M 000 Ti--«t« TtcoocoM r^ioH M CO T^ CO o^oo ov m ^O0 vo rCvO vo vo to 10 ') rl-0»>- -^OO O M Th- tn lo to c5v C> ■*? C3 cTod Ovvo vo - t^oO 00 134 Problems in Elementary School Administration The Compulsory Education Law operates primarily on children between the ages of seven and fourteen ; according to its provisions, children between these ages must be in attendance the entire time school is in session. The great majority of the children in the grades 2A-6B are between these age limits. It is, therefore, astonishing that 65,450, or 17.10 per cent., of all the children in these grades should be absent during the P'ebruary-June term, 191 1, eleven to twenty days ; 25,359, or 6.63 per cent., absent twenty-one to thirty days; 11,939, o'" 3-12 per cent., absent thirty-one to forty days; and 15,705, or 4.10 per cent. — ^the equivalent of one in each twenty-five — absent forty-one days and above. If comparison is made grade by grade between the per cent, of all pupils within a grade absent each of the several periods, it will be observed that the per cent, of children absent ten days and less is the lowest in the lA grade and the highest in the 8B, increasing from 40.02 per cent, in the lA to 85.03 per cent, in the 8B. With each of the less favorable periods of absence, the reverse is true. Absence eleven to twenty days decreases from 20.25 P^*" cent, in the I A to 10.14 per cent, in the 8B; twenty-one to thirty days from 11.65 P^r cent, to 2.52 per cent; thirty-one to forty days from 7.41 per cent, to .94 per cent. ; and absence forty- one days and above from 20.67 P^i" cent, to 1.37 per cent. Hence, the largest amount of absence is in the lA grade; this gradually decreases to the 8B, in which grade there is the least amount of absence. The difference in the amount of absence in the several grades and the gradual decrease from the lA to the 8B become clearer if the pupils on register June 30, 191 1, 'are grouped according to (i) absence twenty days and less, and (2) absence twenty-one days and more. Table XXXIII gives the per cent, of the register of each grade in regular classes as of June 30, 191 1, absent twenty days and less and absent twenty-one days and more. Absence and Non-Promotion TABLE XXXIII 135 Grades lA... iB... 2A... 2B... 3A... 3B... 4A... 4B.. SA... SB... 6A... 6B... 7A... 7B... 8A.. 8B... Total Per Cent, of Total Register as of June 30, 1911, Absent Twenty Days and Less 60.27 78.5s 82.23 85.27 86.38 86.93 86.56 86.78 86.10 86.78 86.82 88.34 88.99 90.79 92.21 9S-I7 Per Cent, of Total Register as of June 30, 1911, Absent Twenty-one Days and More 39-73 21-45 17.77 14.73 13.62 13.07 13-44 13.22 13.90 13.22 13-18 11.66 II. 01 9.21 7-79 4.83 84.40 15.60 The amount of absence in the two lowest grades, and especially in the lA, is particularly large, because pupils in these grades are young; the amount of sickness among them is greater than among older children ; they have not as yet acquired the school-going habit, and parents generally do not feel it necessary to keep such young children in school regularly. From the 2A to the 6A grade, absence is checked to a greater or less extent by the enforcement of the Compulsory Education Law. The further decrease in the 6B and later grades is probably due to the withdrawal of larger numbers of pupils who were more or less irregular in attendance,^ and to the more steady habits and fixed pur- poses of those remaining. But the amount of absence in all grades is large; whether it cannot be greatly reduced is a question worthy of earnest and immediate consideration by the school authorities. 1 See tables on pages 146 and 188. 136 Problems in Blementary School Administration RATE OF PROMOTION IN EACH OF THE SEVERAL PERIODS OF ABSENCE The effect of absence on the progress of children is shown by Table XXXIV. This table gives by grades and for each period of absence the per cent, of the register as of June 30, 191 1, promoted; also the per cent, not promoted. When the several grades are considered together the high- est rate of promotion at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, was among children absent ten days and less, the rate of promotion being 93.16 per cent. The rate of promotion was lower for pupils absent eleven to twenty days than for pupils absent ten days and less by 5.56 per cent. ; lower for pupils absent twenty-one days to thirty days by 11. 01 per cent. ; lower for pupils absent thirty-one to forty days by 18.62 per cent. ; and lower for pupils absent forty-one days and above by 40.34 per cent. The same relative effect of absence on promotion is to be observed in each of the grades. The promotions out of each hundred pupils on register ranged in the several grades from — ■ 89 tx) 97 for pupils absent ten days and less 82 to 90 for pupils absent eleven to twenty days 75 to 86 for pupils absent twenty-one to thirty days 60 to 81 for pupils absent thirty-one to forty days 40 to 67 for pupils absent forty-one and above The highest rate of promotion at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, in every grade, was, therefore, for pupils absent ten days and less ; the rate decreased in every grade with each succeeding period of greater absence; and the lowest rate of promotion in every grade was for pupils absent forty-one days and above. The difference in the effect of absence on the rate of pro- motion in the several grades becomes more apparent if pupils are grouped according as they were absent twenty days and less, and twenty-one days and more, and the rate of promotion for the two groups is given by grades. (See Table XXXV, page 138.) Absence and Non-Promotion 137 H 1-1 m < >° II 1—. 41 and Above ■^vO t|-\0 vO low M 10 t>-00 N H PO 10 ■^ 00 w Ov^O 00 vO 00 O^iOH OMOH O^iO •* « 0\^ i>-'0 CMOrl-rJ-HOO M -t O 10 00 H '^ 10 00 lowoO t^M f^t^ct M ■^■^r^O* fOOO t^ t^O r-vO "O t^O ^ 'O t^\o t^ w l-l 11 1 H 41 and Above vO -^0 ■* -i^ 1000 CMO ro -^00 roo "O C* -^ H w 00 10 CO r^o n cooo loM H o\ioo« Ot^ w H M J>.\0 w O-^O^OOW O^IOO CO CN COO N MOO COO O^O^OOO 0*0 10 M OOOH OOOlOTj-H MOOOOOOOHt^ t^oo J>-oOoo i>-t^t^i>-t^v0O'0O'0 r^ 2 C»-t>.i>- CI 2 H M iOo t^OO^f^f^'OH c^ POO H Oh Oh m 00 10 O\o0 O\Q0 000 00 i>-00 r- tJ- -tt »o p* oooooooooooocooooooooooooooooooo Absent 10 Days andL^s t^ c^o r-w t^toooo f^O r^iooi -^00 H CM l>.o w r^ooovo mcoOO h H On. t^ t>-0 »o ro w M M Between 2 and 3 Years Tj- t^ roO OH t^ 10 10 0*00 'O P0\0 M low cO'^'O ^^-O^O lOiO'i'O 6 lOvO CX3 CTsOsH W rOTffOW OOOO 10\0 Between I and 2 Years 00' Under Year 000 i>. ii-> •<+ CO M -^ covo ■<+ ONOO 00 M lO 0000 -^MVO -"d-roO I>-00 -^00 M -"^ -^ < u 12; 3 Years and More locol>•■^c^»oo^c^H ci -"^oo r^« t^Oi Tj-\o !>. CO i>-00 r- co\o t^ocTod c> dsod ocTod 00 00 ^o ■^ 00 H d" C*) M Total Number Over Age vO N N N N t^\o 00 r^\o w r- tJ- 1000 0* H H H .C)00 ■^vO H "NSOO co-^OO OsO\co iooic> l«m ' ' I I I I I aa feffli i B — Fig. 4. Black indicates the per cent, of the register of each grade on part time. GRADES:1A IB 2A 2B SA 3B 4A 4B 5A 5B 6A 6B Fig. 5. Black indicates the per cent, of all part-time pupils in each grade. terests of children conserved by permitting them, as now, to be in part-time classes one or more terms in the grades be- low 7A ? In a word, is part time an evil in all grades ? Or 1 68 Problems in Elementary School Administration is it an evil only above the iB grade? Or does it do chil- dren in the elementary school no harm to be on part time one term or more? A definite answer to these questions would require an investigation exceeding the means and the time at the dis- posal of the present inquiry. It would need to consider the problem from at least three points of view — ^the physical, the educational, and the social or ethical. It would be necessary, among other things, (i) to measure the effect of the two kinds of classes on the health and physical devel- opment of children; (2) to examine the school achieve- ments of the children in each kind of class; and (3) to study the differences in the interests, habits, and conduct of children in school the whole day (five hours) and of children in school only a part of the day (three hours and three-quarters). With the time and means at our disposal it has been pos- sible, in addition to holding conferences with principals and teachers, to collect data on but one phase of the educational aspect of the problem — the rate of promotion in the two kinds of classes. RATE OF PROMOTION IN WHOLE-TIME AND IN PART-TIME CLASSES Table XLVII gives by grades, both for whole-time classes and for part-time classes, the per cent, of the register as of June 30, 191 1, promoted and the per cent, not pro- moted ; also the per cent, of promotion in whole-time classes over or under the per cent, of promotion in part-time classes. (See page 169.) In the twelve grades in which there were both whole- and part-time classes it will be observed that the rate of promo- tion in whole-time classes was higher than in part-time classes in nine and lower in three grades. The rate of pro- motion was lower in whole-time classes in the 4 A, the 4B, and the 6B grades and higher in the 1A-3B, the 5A, the Part Time and Non-Promotion 169 5B, and the 6A grades. The largest difference was in the 6A, where 4.78 per cent, more pupils were promoted in whole-time classes than in part-time classes. A difference in the rate of promotion in the lower grades is, however, more significant than in the higher grades, because 88.84 per cent of all part-time pupils are in the 1A-3B grades,^ TABLE XLVII Whole-Time Classes Part-Time Classes Per Cent, of Promotion in Grades Per Cent, of Register as of June 30, 1911, Promoted Per Cent, of Register as of June 30, 1911, Not Promoted Per Cent, of Register as of June 30, 1911, Promoted Per Cent, of Register as of June 30, 1911, Not Promoted Whole-Time Classes Over or Under Per Cent, of Pro- motion in Part- Time Classes lA iB 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B SA SB 6A 6B 7A 7B 8A 8B 76.96 88.87 89.29 90.86 89.87 90.84 89.91 90.16 88.94 89.74 89.03 89-45 87.97 89.12 89.52 94-44 23.04 II. 13 10.71 9.14 10.13 9.16 10.09 9.84 11.06 10.26 10.97 10-55 12.03 10.88 10.48 5-56 74-56 88-45 88.24 89-39 89-34 90.03 90.32 90-43 86.32 89.38 84.25 90.48 25-44 11-55 11.76 10.61 10.66 9-97 9.68 9-57 13-68 10.62 15-75 9-52 2.40 -42 1-05 1-47 •53 .81 — .41 —.27 2.62 -36 4-78 —1-03 and in each of these grades the rate of promotion was lower in part-time than in whole-time classes. The significance of the higher rate of promotion in whole-time classes than in the part-time classes in nine out of twelve grades is clearly seen if the actual number of pupils promoted in part-time classes is compared with the 1 See Table XL VI, page 166. 170 Problems in Elementary School Administration number that would have been promoted had the rate of promotion, grade for grade, been the same in part-time as in whole-time classes. Table XLVIII gives by grades the register in part-time classes as of June 30, 191 1, the number in part-time classes promoted, Juhe 30, 191 1, and the number that would have been promoted at the rate in whole-time classes; and also the difiference between the last two numbers. TABLE XLVIII Grades Register in Part-Time Classes as of June 30, 191 1 Number in Part-Time Classes Pro- moted, June 30, 191 1 Number in Part-Time Classes Who Would Have Been Promoted at the Rate in Whole-Time Classes Increase in Number That Would' Have Been Promoted at the Rate in Whole-Time Classes lA 16,902 IS. 776 9.230 8,307 S.693 S.043 3.2S3 2.341 1,199 678 146 42 12,602 13.954 8,I4S 7.426 S.086 4.S40 2.938 2,117 1.03s 606 123 38 13.008 14,020 8,241 7.548 5. 116 4,S8i 2.92s 2,111 1,066 608 130 38 406 66 iB 2A 96 2B :iA 30 41 —13 —6 3B 4A 4B cA 31 2 ■jB 6A 7 6B Total 68,610 58,610 59.392 782 (Net Increase) Had the rate of promotion been the same in the part-time classes of the lA grade as it was in the whole-time classes of this grade the number of part-time promotions would have been increased, it will be observed, by 406 ; in the i A- 3B grades, which contain 88.84 P^r cent, of all part-time pupils, by 73 1 ; and in part-time classes as a whole there would have been a net increase of 782. That is, the lower Part Time and Non-Promotion 171 rate of promotion prevailing in part-time classes resulted m the I A grade in one less promotion to each forty-one lA pupils; in the 1A-3B grades in one less promotion to ^ach eighty-three pupils in these grades ; and in part-time classes as a whole in one less promotion to each eighty-seven part- time pupils. Rate of promotion taken by itself is not a satisfactory measure of school achievements; because, as stated above, promotions are at times made for other rea- sons than that pupils are prepared for the work of the next grade — i. e., because of the crowded conditions of a school. Hence, there is no reason to believe that the school achieve- ments of pupils promoted in part-time classes were higher by reason of the lower rate than the achievements of pupils promoted in whole-time classes. Indeed, since part time indicates congestion, and congestion may tend to "forced" promotions, it is quite probable that the achievements of the pupils promoted in part-time classes were not higher, to say the least, than the achievements of pupils promoted in whole-time classes. PART TIME AS A FACTOR IN NON-PROMOTION AND CON- GESTION The lower rate of promotion prevailing at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, in part-time classes resulted, as we have seen, in but 782 fewer promotions out of a total of 68,610 part-time pupils than would have been the case had the rate of promotion been the same as in whole-tirhe classes.^ Hence, the direct effect of part time on promo- tions, as promotions were made at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, was small. There may, however, be cer- tain important indirect eifects, such as indifference to school work, bad conduct, and truancy, which affect materially the future progress of children. These possible indirect effects of part time should be thoroughly investigated. If part time was a small factor in increasing the number 1 See Table XL VIII, page 170. 172 Problems in Blementary School Administration of non-promotions at the end of the February-June term, 191 1, it was a still smaller factor in contributing to conges- tion. At most, owing to the lower rate of promotion pre- vailing in part-time classes, there were but 782 additional pupils left in the several grades to augment the numbers in these grades in September. There is every reason to believe that these 782 additional pupils, distributed as they were among nine different grades, were all absorbed with- out the formation of a single additional class and without materially adding to the numbers in any one class. Part time, therefore, when judged solely in view of pro- motions as they were made at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, is but a slight factor in increasing the number of non-promotions, and probably had no effect on increasing congestion. KINDS OF PART-TIME CLASSES In the foregoing discussion the rate of promotion at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, in part-time classes has been contrasted with the rate of promotion in whole- time classes; hence, part-time classes have been treated as a whole — that is, as if there were but one kind. There are, however, four different kinds of part-time classes : A. m. part-time classes, p. m. part-time classes, alternating part- time classes, and "Ettinger" part-time classes. In A. M. part-time classes pupils attend school for at least a term in the forenoon only ; in p. m. part-time classes for at least a term in the afternoon only ; while in alternat- ing part-time classes pupils attend a part of a term in the forenoon only and a part of a term in the afternoon only. The length of the school day in these three kinds of part- time classes varies from three hours and three-quarters to four hours. When the day is three hours and three-quar- ters in length, A. M. part-time classes begin work at 8.30 and stop at 12.15 ; p. m. part-time classes begin at 12.30 and continue to 4.15. When the school day is four hours, the Part Time and Non-Promotion 173 time is divided thus : a. m. part-time classes, 8.15 to 12.15, and p. M. part-time classes, 12.15 to 4.15. The hours are the same for alternating part-time classes, but the fore- noon classes alternate with the afternoon classes. These changes from forenoon to afternoon and from afternoon to forenoon are made in some schools at the end of each fourth week, and in others at the end of each ten weeks. While three hours and three-quarters to four hours is the length of the school day in these three kinds of part- time classes, pupils in each kind, falling behind and in need of special help, are brought back for an hour to an hour and a quarter for individual instruction. Children in a. m. part-time classes return in the afternoon and children in p. M. part-time classes come in the forenoon. Any avail- able nook or corner of the school building is used for this individual work. In this way a considerable number of the children in these three kinds of part-time classes not only receive a whole day's schooling (five hours), but receive a considerable amount of personal attention.^ Ettinger part-time classes are distinguished from a. m., p. M., and alternating part-time classes by the fact that in Ettinger part-time classes the school day is practically five hours in length. Children in Ettinger part-time classes are not under actual instruction five hours per day, but they are under the influence of the school for that length of time daily. This is accomplished by alternating each two classes between a classroom and the "yard." ^ When one class is receiving instruction in the classroom the other is in the "yard," where they have play, physical training, and drill — particularly in the three R's. Each class is thus kept under educative direction the whole day (five hours).* 1 Manual of Board of Education, Section 45, Paragraph 12, page 60. 2 "Yard" is the term used in New York City to designate that portion of the first floor of a school building which serves as an assembly place for children prior to the opening of school and for play and physical training. 8 As the yard takes the place of a classroom for a part of the school day, it is obvious that Ettinger part-time classes are to be found only in schools having yards. 174 Problems in Elementary School Administration The following is an illustrative daily time schedule for two Ettinger part-time classes : First Class Second Class 8:30 — 10 Classroom 9:30 — 10 Yard 10: — 10:4s Yard 10: — 10:45 Classroom 10:45 — 11:45 Classroom 10:45—11:45 Yard 1 1 :4s — 1 2:45 Noon Recess 1 1 :45 — 1 2:4s Classroom 12:45 — 1 :45 Classroom 12:45— i :4S Noon Recess 1 :4S — 2 :3o Yard i :45 — 3 :30 Classroom The reasons why principals prefer one kind of part time to another kind are revealed in the following quotations taken from special reports from principals to this Com- mittee : "I do not believe in alternating the time . . . because it leads to irregular habits of living, both in sleeping and eating. The boys are best in the morning, when they come clean and not all tired out with hard play. I find that the mothers let the girls sleep later for the after- noon work, and they, too, come clean and rested." "Part-time boys are held to better attendance and less truancy, from homes where the mother is employed, by attendance in the morning classes. If on the street dur- ing the forenoon it is hard for the mothers to find the boys at 11.30 for luncheon and prepare them for school." "The mid-term alternation I have tried thoroughly and found impracticable because ,of the interference with the formation of habits of punctuality. It is al- most impossible to secure regular attendance and a habit of being on time if every ten weeks the time to come changes. It also makes serious trouble for the parents." "We aim to alternate them [classes] each term. Any more frequent change is troublesome to the home do- mestic arrangements for luncheon, work hours, etc. Many of the mothers are washerwomen or otherwise Part Time and Non-Promotion 175 employed . . . and frequent changes discommode them very much." "I believe, in order to be just to every part-time pu- pil, it is necessary so to distribute the period of instruc- tion that no classes or group of classes will receive instruction during an entire term only in the afternoon, when physical and mental rhythm are at greater or less ebb. Pupils who report in the afternoon are generally tired because of a morning's play on the street. They are less receptive than those who come in the morning." NUMBER OF PUPILS IN EACH KIND OF PART-TIME CLASS The distribution at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, of part-time pupils among the several kinds of part- time classes is shown by Table XLIX. This table gives by grades the register and the per cent, of all part-time pupils on register June 30, 191 1, in Ettinger part-time classes; also the same facts for alternating part-time classes, for A. M. part-time classes, and for p. m. part-time classes. The 68,610 pupils on part time June 30, 191 1, were dis- tributed, as follows: 5,723, or 8.34 per cent., in Ettinger part-time classes; 43,939, or 64.04 per cent., in alternating part-time classes; 9,461, or 13.79 P^^ cent., in a. m. part- time classes; and 9,487, or 13.83 per cent., in p. m. part- time classes. The part-time pupils in each of the grades 1A-3B were distributed in about the same proportion among the different kinds of part-time classes. It will be noted also that there were no pupils in Ettinger part-time classes above the 4A grade, that the per cent, of all part-time pupils of each grade in alternating part-time classes decreases in each of the grades above the 4A, and that there is a corre- sponding increase in the per cent, in these grades in a. m. and in p. m. part-time classes. If, therefore, the dififerent kinds of part time are ar- ranged in view of the total number of pupils in each kind June 30, 191 1, the order would be as follows (page 177) : 176 Problems in Elementary School Administration I— I X < U Si o.S 5P ti eg IS f3 rt flj ■*-> o .2 O oj H '+:; CV3 M « ri g^^rT o.-t-'S 60" S CO H CO 't 10 t^ M hH M M M r^ 0* ■ M CO w • \0 H 1>-100 w O^H COIOCO -^lOTj-i^ior^ioO coo ^ Mvo H MOO r*ioioeo« C« M M W CO H *0 l*~ IJ^ O^VO H ^O H N W O H CO -^^O 00 »0 CO M O^vO -* \0 MOO t^I>.coO "^lOW C3 cfioiococow"!-!" CO « ■* ■* O ■* to O M O 'O io\0 O 0\ M O "O O vO t^ M M vo 10 r^ w O lOQO w 10 o) 10 r^ CO VI 10 c^ O* 10 CO CO w . CIO O t^cococOM OsOO "O « Oi t^ 0 Part Time and Non-Promotion 177 Alternating part-time classes P. M. part-time classes A. M. part-time classes Ettinger part-time classes This same order also holds, with slight exceptions, for each of the grades. RATE OF PROMOTION IN A. M. AND IN P. M. PART-TIME CLASSES Principals are generally agreed that better educational' results are obtained in A. m. part-time classes than in p. m. part-time classes. Table L gives by grades the rate of pro- motion in A. M. and in p. m. part-time classes at the end of the February-June term, 191 1 ; also the rate of promo- tion in A. M. part-time classes over or under the rate of pro- motion in p. M. part-time classes. The rate of promotion was higher, it will be observed, in A. M. part-time classes in all grades, with the exception of the 2A, the 2B, and the 5A, than in p. m. part-time TABLE L Grades Rate of Promotion in A.M. Part-Time Classes Rate of Promotion in P.M. Part-Time Classes Rate of Promotion in A.M. Part-Time Classes Over or Under Rate of Promotion in P.M. Part-Time Classes lA 78.8s 89.40 8S-79 87-36 90.58 89-75 89.62 go. 02 82.28 90.73 81.40 72-34 88.36 86.51 90.50 88.70 88.69 87.89 86.80 86.00 87-36 78 -OS 6-Si 1 .04 iB... . 2A — .72 2B — 3.14 3A 1.88 aB 1.06 4A 1.73 4B 3-22 SA 3-72 cB 3.37 6A. 3 -35 Total 86.13 83-99 2.14 178 Problems in Elementary School Administration classes, varying from 6.51 per cent, in the lA to 1.04 per cent, in the iB; also the total rate in a. m. part-time classes was higher than in p. m. part-time classes by 2.14 per cent. It therefore appears that a. m. part-time classes afford more favorable opportunities for advancement than p. m. part- time classes, and hence, on the assumption that conditions of instruction and standards of promotion were the same in the two kinds of part-time classes — a legitimate assump- tion — A. M. part-time classes are preferable to p. m. part- ' time classes. It is thus possible to compare the rate of promotion in A. M. and in p. m. part-time classes and to judge of the relative efficiency of these two kinds of part time; but it is impossible to compare the rate of promotion in a. m. part- time classes and in p. m. part-time classes separately with the rate of promotion in whole-time classes or in alternating and in Ettinger part-time classes. The conditions which give rise to part time require that one room accommodate two classes. Hence, that there may be classes which attend school for a term in the fore- noon only, there must also be classes which attend school for a term in the afternoon only. A. M. and p. m. part- time classes are, therefore, inseparably connected; they are two parts of a whole and one part cannot exist without the other. Consequently, a. m. and p. m. part-time classes must be combined and viewed as one kind of part time if com- parisons are made between the relative efficiency of whole- time classes and different kinds of part-time classes. RATE OF PROMOTION IN WHOLE-TIME AND IN EACH KIND OF PART-TIME CLASS Table LI gives by grades ^ the number out of each one hundred pupils on register promoted June 30, 191 1, in ^ There were only sixty-two pupils in the 6A and forty-two in the 6B grades in alternating part-time classes, and only eighty-four pupils in the 6A and none in the 6B of a.m. and p.m. part-time classes com- bined ; hence these grades have been omitted from this table. See table on page 176. Part Time and Non-Promotion 179 whole-time classes, in Ettinger part-time classes, in alter- nating part-time classes, and in a. m. and p. m. part-time classes combined: TABLE LI Grades Number Promoted June 30, 1911, Out of Each 100 on Register in Whole-Time Classes Number Promoted June 30, 1911, Out of Each 100 on Register in Ettinger Part- Time Classes Number Promoted June 30, 1911, Out of Each 100 on Register in AltematingPart- Time Classes Number Promoted June 30, 1911, Out of Each 100 on Register in A.M. and P.M. Part-Time Classes Combined lA iB 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B SA SB 77 f9 89 91 90 91 90 go 89 go 78 91 92 91 92 9S 97 74 88 89 89 go go 92 89 90 75 89 86 89 go 89 89 89 84 89 Whole-Time and Ettinger Part-Time Classes It will be observed that one more pupil out of each hun- dred was promoted in the lA grade in Ettinger part-time classes than in whole-time classes; in the iB two more; in the 2A three more; in the 3A two more; in the 3B four more; and in the 4A seven more. In the 2B the number promoted was the same in the two kinds of classes. With this one exception, more pupils were promoted in Ettinger part-time classes in each grade in which there were such classes than were promoted in whole-time classes in the same grades. Judged solely by rate of promotion, Ettinger part-time classes appear to be preferable to whole-time classes. But part of the difference in rate of promotion in favor of Et- tinger part-time classes may be due to the difference in the i8o Problems in Elementary School Administration number of pupils on register. There were, for example, in lA whole-time classes, 26,115 pupils and in lA Ettin- ger part-time classes 1,526; in 3B whole-time classes 37,868, and in 3B Ettinger part-time classes 370. Also part of this, difference in rate of promotion might be due to the in- fluence of congestion. Further, rate of promotion throws no light upon the relative educational superiority of these two kinds of classes. To determine their relative superior- ity would require an extensive investigation, among other things, of the educational achievements, of the punctuality and regularity of attendance, of the school conduct, and of the health of the children in these two kinds of classes. Hence, Ettinger part-time classes cannot be declared pref- erable to whole-time classes merely on the ground of a higher rate of promotion for the February-June term, 191 1. Whole-Time and Alternating Part-Time Classes If the promotions in whole-time and alternating part- time classes are compared, it will be observed (a) that in only one grade, the 4B, was the number of pupils promoted per hundred in alternating part-time classes higher than the number promoted in whole-time classes; (b) that the rate of promotion in the 2A, 4A, 5A, and 5B grades was the same; and (c) that, in each of the grades 1A-3B (with the exception of the 2 A, as noted above), containing 90 per cent, of all the children in alternating part-time classes, the number of pupils promoted per hundred was less than in whole-time classes. Hence, when judged solely on the basis of the rate of promotion at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, alternating part-time classes afford less favorable opportunities for advancement than whole-time classes. Whole-Time and A. M. and P. M- Part-Time Classes Further, it will be observed that in two grades, the iB and the 3A, the number of pupils promoted per hundred Tart Time and Non-Promotion i8i in A. M. and p. m. part-time classes combined is the same as in whole-time classes, but that in all other grades the num- ber promoted per hundred pupils is less. Hence, the oppor- tunities for advancement in a. m. and p. m. classes combined are less favorable than in whole-time classes. Ettinger Part-Time and Alternating and A. M. and P. M. Part-Time Classes Since the rate of promotion was higher at the end of the February-June term, 191 1, in Ettinger part-time classes than in whole-time classes, and the rate of promotion was lower both in alternating part-time classes and in a. m. and p. M. part-time classes combined, it follows that the rate of promotion was higher in Ettinger part-time classes than in either of the two other kinds of part-time classes. Hence, Ettinger part-time classes afford more favorable conditions for advancement than either alternating or a. m. and p. M. part-time classes. Considering the higher rate of promotion in Ettinger part-time classes, also the fact that in these classes children are under the influence of the school the whole day (five hours), and the favorable experience of teachers and prin- cipals with these classes, we are of the opinion that the Board of Education should insist, when part time is neces- sary, that principals establish, wherever possible, Ettinger part-time classes.* At least this should be done until fur- ther investigation into the efficiency of the different kinds of part time affords evidence that it is better to do other- wise. Alternating and A. M. and P. M. Part-Time Classes Finally, it remains to consider the relative efficiency of alternating and a. m. and p. m. part-time classes. Table LH gives by grades the register as of June 30, 191 1, in 1 Ettinger part-time classes can, of course, be introduced only in schools having suitable yards. 1 82 Problems in Elementary School Administration A. M. and p. M. part-time classes combined, the actual num- ber promoted, the number that would have been promoted had the same rate of promotion prevailed in a. m. and p. M. part-time classes as in alternating part-time classes; also the increase in number that would have been promoted at the rate of promotion in alternating part-time classes: TABLE LII Grades Register as of June 30, ign, in A.M. and P.M. Part-Time Classes Combined Actual Number Promoted June 30, igii.in A.M. and P.M. Part-Time Classes Combined Number That Would Have Been Promoted at the Rate in Alternating Part-Time Classes Increase in Number That Would Have Been Promoted at the Rate in Alternating Part-Time Classes lA 4-683 3.910 2,467 2,008 ^.SS8 1.319 939 910 683 387 84 3.S34 3.472 2,126 1,781 1.398 i,r78 83s 806 S7S 34S 67 3.4S2 3.434 2,184 1.797 1,384 1,184 846 833 609 347 76 — 82 iB -38 58 16 2A sB 3A —14 6 sB 4A :.:: 4B 27 34 cA 5B 6A 9 Total 18,948 16,117 16,146 29 (Net Increase) Table LII shows that, had the rate of promotion been the same in a. m. and p. m. part-time classes as in alternat- ing part-time classes, eighty-two fewer pupils would have been promoted in the lA grade; thirty-eight fewer in the iB; and fourteen fewer in the 3A; whereas fifty-eight more would have been promoted in the 2A ; sixteen more in the 2B; and eighty-nine more in the grades 3B-6A; or, in all grades combined, there would have been a net increase of only twenty-nine additional promotions out of 18,948 pupils. There is, therefore, no practical difference between the rate t Part Time and N on-Pr amotion 183 of promotion in alternating and in a. m. and p. m. part-time classes combined. It will, however, be remembered that the rate of promo- tion in A. M. part-time classes, when considered separately from p. M. part-time classes, was found to be considerably higher in all but two grades than in p. m. part-time classes.^ Hence, the disadvantages of part time fall most heavily on those pupils who attend school for a term in the afternoon only. A. M. part-time classes and p. m. part-time classes are alternated — that is, pupils who attend one term in the fore- noon only attend the following term, as a rule, in the after- noon only. The disadvantages of attending in the after- noon only are thus somewhat equalized. • There is, how- ever, no assurance that a pupil on part time one term will be on part time the next ; hence, no assurance that the dis- advantages suffered by attending school one term in the afternoon only will be equalized by attendance the following term in the forenoon only. In view, therefore, not only of the slight difference in the rate of promotion in favor of alternating part-time classes, but also in view of the proba- bility of a more equitable distribution of the disadvantages of part time in such classes, we are inclined to believe that alternating part-time classes are to be preferred to a. m. and p. M. part-time classes. CONCLUSIONS The conclusions from the foregoing discussion may be summarized as follows: ( I ) The rate of promotion at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, was higher in whole-time classes than in part-time classes in nine out of the twelve grades in which there were both kinds of classes, but, had the higher rate of promotion in whole-time classes prevailed in part-time classes, the number of promotions in part-time classes would have been increased by only 782. 1 See table on page 176. 184 Problems in Elementary School Administration (2) Part time, so far as our data go, is but a very slight factor in increasing the number of non-promotions, and probably augments congestion not at all. (3) The rate of promotion at the end of the February- June term, 191 1, was not only higher in Ettinger part-time classes than in whole-time classes, but higher than in any other kind of part-time class. For this reason, and also because pupils in Ettinger part-time classes are under the influence of the school for five hours daily, the Board of Education may well insist, when part time is necessary, that principals establish, wherever possible, Ettinger part-time classes. (4) The rate of promotion differs little in alternating and in a. m. and p. m. part-time classes combined, but, since the disadvantages of part-time are probably more equally distributed in alternating than in a. m. and p. m. part-time classes, alternating part-time classes are preferable. (5) Considering the difference in rate of promotion in favor of whole-time classes, the physical, the educational, and the social questions involved in judging of the relative merits of whole-time and part-time classes, the custom in other cities of the country of making every effort to pro- vide accommodations for an all-day schooling for all ele- mentary school pupils, the strong demand in the community that each child, whatever his grade, have a whole day's schooling, and the legal and social right of each child to a whole day's schooling, the Board of Education is justified in attempting to eliminate part time from all the grades. But should the Board of Education request the funds to eliminate part time from all the grades, the Board of Esti- mate and Apportionment, in view of the differences of opinion and questions involved, would be justified in re- questing of the Board of Education an investigation into the relative merits of whole- and part-time classes, to the end that a definite policy with regard to school accommo- dation may be fixed on and carried out. CHAPTER XII THE PROBLEM OF PUPILS WHO LEAVE SCHOOL! IN all the foregoing discussions the pupils on register at the end of the term only have been, considered. But the register at the end of the term does not include the thou- sands of pupils, exclusive of transfers, who have been on register and who have left before the end of the term. FAILURE TO COLLECT DATA ON PUPILS LEAVING SCHOOL The By-laws of the Board of Education provide that "the principal of each school shall keep a record which shall contain the names of all pupils dropped from the school register, with a statement of the reason therefor." ^ But no report has ever been made for the city as a whole on the number of pupils leaving the elementary schools during a term or a school year and on the reasons therefor. NUMBER OF PUPILS LEAVING DURING FEBRUARY- JUNE TERM, 191 1 Table LIII ® gives the number of pupils, by sexes, leav- ing the regular classes of each grade during the February- June term, 191 1 ; also, by sexes, the per cent, of the total enrollment in the regular classes for each grade leaving: 1 Leaving is used to include pupils who leave school temporarily and also pupils who leave permanently. 2 Manual of the Board of Education, Section 45, 2 a, pages 57-58. 3 These data have to do with pupils leaving regular classes only. Pupils dropping from special classes are not included. I8S i86 Problems in Elementary School Administration TABLE LIII Grades Number of Pupils Leaving Regular Classes Feb.- June Term, 191 1 Boys Girls Total Per Cent, of Total Enroll- ment in Regular Classes Leaving Boys Girls Total lA... iB... 2A... 2B... 3A... 3B... 4A... 4B... SA... SB... 6A... 6B... 7A... 7B... 8A... SB... Total r.24S 1,128 816 831 74S 703 6Si 726 788 1,141 1,409 1, 456 1,611 1,247 9SS 40s 1,219 1,066 810 818 732 768 727 72s 813 1,050 1,250 1,212 1.444 1.225 923 3S6 2,464 2,194 1,626 1,649 1.477 1,471 1.378 i.4Si 1,601 2,191 2.659 2,668 3.0SS 2,472 1,878 761 42 22 94 S6 SS 31 45 SI 17 73 48 89 94 07 17 75 iS,8S7 1S.138 30,99s S-26 507 S-I7 Fifteen thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven (15,857) boys and 15,148 girls, a total of 30,995, or 5.17 per cent, of the total enrollment,^ dropped from the regular classes of the elementary schools during the February- June term, 191 1 ; or one pupil in each twenty enrolled in regular classes left school before the end of the term. The number leaving the several grades varied from 761, or 3.75 per cent, of the total enrollment, in the 8B grade, to 3,055, or 9.94 per cent., in the 7A. From the lA to the 5 A the per cent, of boys leaving was slightly lower than the per cent, of girls leaving, whereas, from the 5B on, the reverse was true. Taking the several 1 Total enrollment is the sum of the register at the end of the term plus all pupils, exclusive of transfers, leaving before the end of the term. Pupils Who Leave School 187 grades together there was, however, little difference between the losses among boys, 5.26 per cent., and the losses among girls, 5.07 per cent., a difference of but .19 of i per cent, in favor of girls. AGES AND GRADES OF PUPILS LEAVING SCHOOL Whether pupils leaving school are out temporarily or permanently depends largely on the grade they are in and on their age at leaving. Table LIV gives by grades the number of pupils leaving the regular classes at each of the several ages : under six, six to seven, etc. ; also the total number leaving at each age, and the per cent, leaving at each age of the total number dropping out. ( See page 188. ) The number of pupils leaving the regular classes at each of the several ages from six to seven up to thirteen to four- teen, inclusive, is quite uniform, varying from 1,843 (^2 to 13) to 2,515 (7 to 8), or from 5.95 per cent, to 8. 11 per cent, of the total number leaving. The losses from four- teen to fifteen were the largest, 6,312, or 20.37 per cent. The number dropping out from fifteen to sixteen was like- wise large, 4,571, or 14.75 P^r cent., as was also the number from sixteen to seventeen, 2,381, or 7.68 per cent. Seventeen thousand three hundred and twelve (17,312), or 55.84 per cent., of the pupils leaving regular classes, were under fourteen. Of these, 2,190 were less than seven years of age and were, therefore, not of compulsory school age; 15,122 were, however, between seven and fourteen, and, in consequence, were subject to the Compulsory Edu- cation Law; 13,683, or 44.16 per cent., were fourteen and above. Of these, 822 were between fourteen and sixteen, and were also in the grades 1A-5A, hence could not qualify for labor certificates; the remaining 12,861 were, however, free, by reason of their age and their grade, to drop from school permanently. 15,944 (15,122 plus 822), or 51.44 per cent, of those leaving regular classes, were, therefore, subject to the Compulsory Education Law, and 2,190 were i88 Problems in Blementary School Administration P4 Number Leaving at Each Age H Ot H 00 Oi t- ro Otoo ro c«« h e *oco t^xd'd'diosd d Tj-t^M CI M } 1 ^ O 0»OWtfOW)fOI>« w woo 1- wi-^w NO Oiwi^« t-t t-00 »n< M m Tt iH o CJjoo M fo in to ro CJ cT m" C» N h m" « so -^ IN ^ m 00 ■ r-00 o '*OiN 1- fO i> fO roo •■ M PJ P» i* HI ^ HrowfOtOOt^C n roo O PIOO e M ino <* i 00 DO H s OitOHi fo woo 00 a C4 H m t^ t^O 3 C« pi" p* r- ro oi fo t»- »o M P» Oiro S m m 9. CO g .iHi-tO*OHt^t»tO roO P M r- N o> rooo in N ! H t 00 o 5 HI m p) rooo 00 fO PI fO ^ rOPOOO O rooOO p* H M coq me* M s o_ Qi ^OOO ro fO O 0\0 r « P« wo ■*« ? a M Pi 11 H C3l fO a N fO t-00 00 ^O H ri-fo^t^p* « ro en PI pq H Ht M • O ■ij H 00 r- Tj-oo P) fo Oi o N r- H i-w rotfOioo t> H roro« H HI ^ O 00 fO ro fOO m in HI 't romt-CM^OO "tfO ei to n M M 00 ro H 'S Oit^inw wr^oo o o w t* ^O ro o O fO w « w TJ-fOW w M n « fo t-o '^oo a « o t-oo w (a «w PONfOTfOMOOOOO MOO H WOO (-roc* «»0 ^H 1 ^ iOIO« O P* vq hT M m o o o o mo 00 M -^ fc H t- t^ fO ^^ w lOOi^w St M P« < ■^SfiS^" : : : « < 1 o 5 -o oo s 8 00 o HI H 2 o Cfl ro^ino r-o< M M H M HI H( M HI n fo^mo t- ot HI o H Pupils Who Leave School 189 under compulsory school age. Hence, of the 30,995 pupils leaving during the February-June term, 191 1, 18,134 (15,944 plus 2,190), or 58.51 per cent., will doubtless, in most part, return to school; but that 15,944 pupils of com- pulsory school age dropped from school during a single term is a serious matter and investigation should be made as to what extent these pupils had legal reasons for being out of school, and to what extent their being out was due to inefficiency on the part of the Department of Compulsory Attendance. EFFECTS ON REPORTS OF TAKING NO ACCOUNT OF PUPILS LEAVING The fact that no account is taken of the thousands of pupils leaving school leads to a defect in certain of the re- ports of the City Superintendent of Schools. A report on the number of pupils in the elementary schools of each of the several ages — under fiVe, five to six, etc. — will illus- trate this defect. Table LV gives the number of pupils in the elementary school on register June 30, 191 1, of each of the several ages — under five, five to six, etc. ; the number of each age, together with the pupils leaving regular classes during the February- June term, 191 1; also the number of pupils of each age leaving regular classes. (See page 190.) The number of pupils of each age given in column (i) is taken from the Annual Report of the City Superintend- ent of Schools for 191 1. Excepting that the number of pupils of each age is given by totals instead of by sexes, this is his entire report on the ages of pupils in the elementary school. This report gives an idea of the number of pupils of each age on register at the end of the term, but gives no idea of the number of pupils of each age on register during the whole term. For this number one must turn to column (2).^ A report on ages that has to do only with pupils on ^ Column (2) gives the number of pupils of each age on register during the February-June term, 1911, with the exception of pupils leaving school from special classes, igo Problems in Elementary School Administration register at the end of the term is, therefore, a partial report, and, unless supplemented by the ages of all pupils on regis- ter during the term as a whole, is incomplete. What is true of the foregoing report of the City Super- intendent of Schools is true of all of his reports, when made only in view of conditions at the end of the term or at the end of the school year ; they are incomplete and to that ex- TABLE LV Elementary Schools Ages Number of Pupils of Each Age on Register June 30, 191 1 (2)^ Number of Pupils of Each Age on Register, June 30, 1911, Including Pupils Leaving Regular Classes during the Feb.- June Term, 1911 (3) Number of Pupils of Each Age Leaving Regular Classes Not Accounted for in Cohimn (i) i8 and Over 17 to i8 104 636 3,884 18,086 42,163 63,369 66,806 70,155 68,864 67,860 ■ 70,934 66,652 51,707 6,358 i6s 994 6,265 22,657 48,475 65,496 68,649 72,110 70,957 70,024 73,359 69,167 53,847 6,408 61 358 2,381 4,571 6,312 2,127 1,843 1,955 2,093 ' 2,164 2,425 2,515 2,140 50 16 to 17 IS to 16 13 to 14 .... 10 to II . . . . 8 to 7 to 8 e to 6 Total 597,578 628,573 30,995 ^Data for column (i) were taken from Table XXVII, page 52, Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 191 1. ^ Data for column (2) were taken from the foregoing table and also from the reports made to the Committee on School Inquiry, June, 191 1. Pupils Who Leave School 191 tent misleading. This is particularly true of the reports on promotion and on over age.^ REDUCING THE NUMBER LEAVING SCHOOL There is no reason to assume that the fact that 30,995 pupils left the regular classes alone during the February- June term of 191 1 is exceptional. There is every reason to believe that a similar number drop from school every term. Since, if pupils leave school prematurely, the very purpose for which the school exists is defeated, the problem of reducing the total number leaving and particularly of reducing the number leaving who are subjejct to the Com- pulsory Education Law demands immediate and earnest at- tention. Though principals and teachers may be doing much to keep down the number leaving, so long as the reports of the several schools on pupils leaving and on the reasons therefor are not tabulated, it is impossible for District Su- perintendents, Associate Superintendents, and the City Su- perintendent to give the help in the solution of this problem that they should give. As a preliminary step in the reduc- tion of school losses, we, therefore, recommend that the reports from the several schools on pupils leaving and on the reasons therefor be collected and tabulated, term by term, for the Greater City, to the end that the number dropping from school and the reasons therefor may be known and that the causes of their leaving, in so far as these lie within the school, may be eradicated. CONCLUSIONS The foregoing discussion may be thus summarized : (i) Thirty thousand nine hundred and ninety-five (30,995) pupils, or 5.17 per cent, of the total enrollment, in regular classes dropped from the elementary school dur- 1 See Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 191 1, Table XXVIII, page 54, and Table XXXVII, pages 66-67. 192 Problems in Elementary School Administration ing the February- June term, 1911 ; or one pupil out of each twenty in regular classes left school before the end of the term. (2) Taking the several grades together, there was little difference between the losses among boys, 5.26 per cent., and the losses among girls, 5.07 per cent. — a difference of but .19 of I per cent, in favor of girls. (3) The number of pupils leaving regular classes at each of the several ages from six to seven up to thirteen to fourteen, inclusive, was quite uniform, varying from 1,843 (12 to 13) to 2,515 (8 to 9), or from 5.95 per cent, to 8. 1 1 per cent, of the total number leaving. The losses from fourteen to fifteen were the largest, 6,312, or 20.37 per cent. The number dropping out from fifteen to sixteen was like- wise large, 4,571, or 14.75 P^r cent., as was also the number from sixteen to seventeen, 2,381, or 7.68 per cent. (4) Of the 30,995 leaving regular classes during the February- June term, 191 1, 15,944, or 51.44 per cent., were subject to the Compulsory Education Law. (5) Because no account is taken of the number of pupils leaving school, certain of the reports of the City Su- perintendent of Schools are incomplete. (6) The reduction of the number dropping from school and particularly the reduction of the number leaving who are subject to the Compulsory Education Law demand im- mediate and earnest attention. (7) To the end that the number leaving and the reasons therefor may be known, and that the causes of their leav- ing, in so far as they lie within the school, may be eradi- cated, we recommend that the reports from the several schools on the number dropping out and the reasons there- for be collected and tabulated term by term for the Greater City. CHAPTER XIII CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO NON-PROMOTION AND PART TIME A SUMMARY of conclusions and recommendations is given at the end of each of the several sections of the foregoing report. It will, therefore, be necessary to bring together only certain of our conclusions and the more im- portant of our recommendations. THE CHIEF CAUSES OF NON-PROMOTION Among the chief causes of non-promotion assigned by the eight committees appointed in the fall of 1909 by the City Superintendent of Schools were Part Time, Excessive Size of Classes, Irregular Attendance, Late Entrance to School, Sluggish Mentality, and Ignorance of the English Language. Basing our conclusions on the rate of promotion at the end of the February-June term, 191 1, we find, when each of these assigned causes is considered apart from the others : ( 1 ) That part time and excessive size of classes are re- sponsible for the non-promotion of relatively few pupils. (2) That irregular attendance is a decided factor in increasing the number of non-promotions. (3) That late entrance to school and sluggish men- tality, as expressed in over age, are material factors in causing non-promotion. 193 194 Problems in Blementary School Administration (4) That inability to use the English language increases decidedly, in the relatively small group of pupils affected, the number of pupils failing of promotion. SIZE OF CLASSES Considering the slightly lower rate of promotion at the end of the February-June term, 191 1, for over-size classes, but more particularly the acknowledged educational disad- vantages of over-size classes, and the prevailing practice in other cities of the country, we recommend that whenever practicable all classes having more than fifty pupils be re- duced to classes of forty-five pupils. INABILITY TO USE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE Basing our judgment on the decidedly lower rate of pro- motion at the end of the February-June term, 191 1, for over-age pupils, and for pupils unable to use the English language, we recommend : (i) That classes in which special attention and direc- tion are given to over-age pupils be provided at least for all pupils two and more years behind their grade. (2) That "C" classes — classes for the instruction of pupils unable to use the English language — be pro- vided at least for all pupils in lA classes unable to use the English language. FURTHER DATA NEEDED In this report certain of our conclusions and recommen- dations — for example, our recommendation to reduce all classes having above fifty pupils to forty-five pupils — do not rest so much on the facts presented as on educational opinion. Educational opinion, to have proper weight, should be supported by facts. To determine, on the basis Conclusions and Recommendations 195 of fact, the relative worth of whole-time and part-time classes, the proper size of class, and to answer, on the basis of fact, other questions raised in this report, such as the actual length of the present course of study, the actual length of time pupils are in school between six and four- teen, inclusive, etc., further data are needed. To collect some of the needed data it will be necessary to conduct special investigations ; other data can be collected from the current and cumulative records of the schools. Among the more important special investigations we rec- ommend are investigations to determine : (i) The relative educational achievements of pupils in whole-time and part-time classes. (2) The relative educational worth of classes of each of the several sizes. (3) The proper limits of the period of elementary edu- cation. (4) The different groups of pupils of varying abilities and educational needs. (5) The extent to which pupils now in "E" classes are classified and instructed according as their over age is due to late entrance or to slow progress — retarda- tion. The Blank Form Recommended for the Collection of Fur- ther Data The more important items of the data we recommend to be collected, at least for a time, by terms from the current and cumulative records of the school, are shown in the blank following page 198. All the items called for in this blank are not now both matters of current and cumulative school record. The causes of absence due to late entrance, for example, are not now a part of the current record. Further, owing to the 196 Problems in Elementary School Administration fact that the pupil's record card (a cumulative record) was not introduced until June, 1909, it is impossible to give for all pupils now in school, who entered the lA grade, the date of entrance and the total number of days in school from entrance in the lA grade to June 28, 191 2. These facts could be given only for pupils entering the lA grade in the February- June term, 1909, and thereafter. Simi- larly, with regard to pupils entering later than the lA grade. It is also impossible to give the total number of terms a pupil has been on part-time since entrance to school. But the current and cumulative records of the school are such, or can easily be made such, that all the items called for in the blank could, in due time, be supplied, and it is possible even now to supply the major part of them. If the recommended blank is adopted and those data which can now be supplied are collected and tabulated, data will be at hand similar to those presented in this report, and additional data as follows : (i) Data on the actual ages of children (Item 2), and these data, in connection with the data on grade (Item C) and on promotion and non-promotion (Items II and 12), will make possible for the first time an accurate estimate of the amount and de- gree of over age in the entire system (exclusive of classes for the deaf, the blind, and crippled and de- fective children). (2) Data to show the amount of absence due to late entrance ("(i)" of "a" of Item 3). These data, together with data on absence due to irregular at- tendance ("b" of Item 3), will make it possible for the first time to determine the actual total amount of absence. Should teachers and principals be no- tified, at the beginning of a term, it would be pos- sible at the end of the term to collect data on the causes of late entrance. With a knowledge of the causes of late entrance, it would be possible to de- Conclusions and Recommendations 197 termine to what extent such absence is due to home and other conditions, and to what extent it is due to failure to enforce the Compulsory Education Law. (3) The data supplied on tardiness, conduct, and tru- ancy (Items 4, 5, and 6), along with the data on absence (Item 3), will go far to substantiate or to disprove the prevalent belief that part time has an unfavorable effect on the attendance, punctuality, and conduct of children. (4) The data on pupils leaving school (Item 7), and the causes thereof (Item 8), will not only make it possible to make a complete report on register, ab- sence, promotion, non-promotion, and over age, etc., which is not now done, but the knowledge of the causes of leaving might make it possible to re- duce greatly the number dropping from school. (5) Data will also be at hand (Item 14) to determine the number of beginners in the lA grade, hence will supply the basis of estimating what portion of all pupils entering the school continue to the end of each grade. (6) Data (Items 10, 11, and 12) to determine, with ac- curacy, the actual rate of promotion and of non- promotion, also the number of pupils receiving double promotion. (7) Data (Item 13) to determine the actual length of time it takes pupils to complete each of the grades. (8) Data (Items 14 and 15) to determine: (a) The actual total time pupils are in school between six and fourteen; also the total length of time they are in school. (b) The actual total length of the elementary school course of study, also the actual total length of time it takes to complete a given num- 198 Problems in Blementary School Administration ber of grades, e. g., the 1A-6B grades, inclusive. (c) The best age of entering the lA grade, when judged solely in view of progress through the school. Although it is impossible, as suggested above, to supply now the data called for in Items 14 and 15 for all pupils, the data that can be supplied now will answer for practical purposes. (9) Should provision be made to collect the data called for in Item 16, some light will be thrown on the question whether part time affects unfavorably the school progress of children. (10) From Items 17 and 18, data will be at hand to deterniine whether the transfer of pupils from school to school affects unfavorably their advance- ment. The blank is drawn so that the data called for can be tabulated by a general tabulating machine. This method of tabulation deprives teachers and principals of the value to be derived from tabulating the data for their own school, but it minimizes the work imposed on them, and makes possible a larger use of the data than when the reports of the several teachers are summarized on a princi- pal's blank. Should the data called for in this blank be collected, as we recommend, these data would not only supply a reliable basis for answering certain of the questions raised in this report, but would also supply currently a reliable basis for various kinds of administrative action in relation to them. Should data also be collected currently, as we would rec- ommend, on deficiencies in the several studies of the cur- riculum, these would supply the basis of adjusting the qualitative and quantitative requirements of the course of study to the varying abilities and needs of different groups of children. Read Directions Carefully Public School A. (1) Register for Term Boys. (2) Left School Before June 28, 1912 Boys. . (3) On Register June 28, 1912 Boys. Giifa.. Girla.. Gills. District. Total.. Total.. Total. TEACHERS' BLANK-DAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Report for Term Ending June 38, igia Borough B. Kind of Class: (1) Whole-Time Class (2) Ettinger Part-Time Class (3) Alternating Part-Time Class (4) A. M. PartrTime Class (6) P. M. Part-Time Class Tcwsher. . (8) "C" Class (7) "D" Class (8) "E" Class (9) Ansmic Class (10) Tubercular Class I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 u 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 2 3 4 5 e Dati or Birth Absence 1 •3 1 3 § a ea E H S •s 1 -a s en -3 """ S 00" ^o ■^ i-lZ 1 I s g « a W il •si i § a i S S g 1 2 OS *-» 1 1 s 1 "0 1 1 1 M Pupils Entering the 1A Grade in New York Public Schools Pupils Entering the New York Public Schools Later Than the lA Grade a 1 i g ll 22 ! •3 (5 1 ■i « 1 h ■§■: 1 a Names of All Pupils on Register Between t- ^ 1 3 a Late Entrance b 1-1 c 1 C3 P S •s 1 Jan. 29, 1912, and June 28, 1912, Exclu- a Date of En- trance b ^1 ao li "o lis sag sive of All Pupils Transferred to Other a 2 a •3 1 b ■-"°s !ii III Rooms or to Other Public Schools of the City of New York, and of All PupiU Promoted Prior to June 28, 1912 (1) S 1 a (2) (§ 1 1 1 g 1 I ( 2 8 3 4 4 . t 5 ( 6 7 7 g 8 g 9 10 10 11 11 12 12 11 13 14 15 16 18 17 . . . 17 .':'. ;.'■■.' 18 18 19 i« 20 20 21 21 22 22 23 33 24 24 25 25 26 28 27 37 28 28 29 28 30 .. . 10 31 11 32 12 33 »» '^ ... DIRECTIONS A. "(1) Regiater for the term" includes all pupils whose names have been on the register between January 29, 1912, and June 28, 1912, inclusive, exclusive (a) of pupils promoted prior to June 28, and (b) of all pupils transferred to other rooms or to Other public schools of the City of New York. Hence, "register for term" is the sum of the pupils leaving before June 28, and the register as of June 28. B. Indicate by check mark ( V) tbe kind of class. Consider part-time classes, A. M. part-time classes when the pupils have attended school for the entire term in the forenoon only; and consider part-time classes P. M. part-t ime classes when the pupils have attended school for the entire term in the afternoon only. All otherpart-t ime classes should be considered as either Ettinger or alternating part-time classes. d. For all kinds of classes excepting ' 'C," * 'D," and ' 'E " classes and those for axuemic and tubercular children, the ^rade before promotion can be given for the whole class, e. g., lA. In case of ' 'E " classes, if all the pupils in the class are from the same grade, e. g., 4A, the grade before promotion can be given for the whole class as 4A. But if the pupils in an *'E" class have come from different grades, i. e., part from the 5A, part from the 5B, etc., then indicate after the name of each child the grade last completed before promotion June 28, 1912. Similarly, in case of "C" and "D" classes, indicate after the name of each pupil the grade last completed before promotion June 28, 1912; likewise, in cases of classes for amemic and tubercular children. Further, where one teacher has two grades in one whole-time class, indicate the grade before promotion June 38 1912, after the name of each pupil. 1. When a class consists of pupils of one sex, write names in the alphabetical order of surnames. In mixed classes give names of boys, then names of girls arranged in accordance with the foregoing regulation. Leave two blank spaces between the sexes. The total nmnber of different names in column 1, including the names of both boys and girls, should correspond with the register for the term A (1). 2. Give year of birth as recorded on pupil's record card. Give the month of birth by name, e. g.. Jan. 3. Under "half days lost by late entrance" record the actual number of half days lost by not entering school on the first day of the term, e. g., if a pupil was seven half days late in entCTing school, the number should be recorded as seven and not as 3H (aays). Under "causes" of late entrance, should the cause be one of the following, merely insert the number of the cause as here given, e. g.. if the cause is moving to the city, insert ' '1," otherwise q>ecify the cause. CAUSES OF LATE ENTRANCE 1. Moving to city. 6. Quarantined. 2. Under legal school age prior to entrance. V. Truant child. 3. Illness of child. 8. Parental neglect. 4. Illness in family. 9. Unknown. 6. lUegaUy employed. Under "number of half days lost by irregular attendance" i^ to be recorded the actual number of half days lost after entering school. Pupils in alternating part-time dasses and in A. M. and P. M. part-time classes absent the entire morning session or the entire afternoon sfeion should be counted as having been absent two half days. To find the half days lost by irregular attendance of pupils leaving school before June 28th and entering no other public school of the City of New York, pubtract the number of half days such a pupil was in attendance after entrance from the total number of i half days the school was in session after the date of entrance of such a pupil. The absence of a pupil received on promotion during the term should be the sum total of his absence in the grade from which he was received and his absence in the grade in which he is registered before promotion June 28, 1912. The tardiness of such a pupil should be counted in the same way. 4. Give actual number of times pupil was tardy, counting tardiness on the basis of a morning session and an afternoon session separately. 6. Under "conduct" give the pupil's rating for conduct, e. g., A. 6. Indicate by check mark { y) whether the pupil was reported at any time during the term as a truant. 7. Under ' 'left school " a check mark ( V) will be inserted to indicate that the pupil was not transferred but withdrew during the term and entered no other public school of the City of New York. Cart thovld bt nveutd that the record of nch a pupil u complete on aery poijit. 8. Under "cause of leaving" should the cause be one of the following, mer cause, as here given, e. g., if the cause was "incapacity (physical)" Insert "2," oi CAUSES OF Under compulsory school age. Incapacity (physical). Incapacity (mental). Indifferent to school work. Left to go to a school of Uie city oilier than a public school. Removed from the city. Illness in the family. Economic status of the family (obtuned employment certificate). LEAVING 9. Economic statu taining emp 10. Exfffilled in acc< 11. Committed to reformatory 12. Committed b^ ] table institi 13. Kept at home f( 14. Unknown. 9. Under "unable to use the English language" are to be included all pu| stand and to use the English language on entrance to t^e grade is such, in Uke interfere decidedly with their ichool work. Indicate mich pupils by a check : TEACHERS' BLANK-DAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Report for Term Ending June a8, 191a Total.. Total. Total. Doroush Kind of rinm: (1) WluJo-Timo CInm (2) lOttiiiBM J'lirt-'riino Clam (3) AlU^rnatiiiK rnrt-Timo CbUB (4) A. M. ParUTimo Cluai (8) P. M. Part-Timo Claaa Teach V. («) "O" C\m (7) "D"Clam m "E" ciiuB (0) Aiuomio ('Iftffl (10) Tubercular Claao O. QrKlo Time Taken to Fill Out Thia Blank (minutca) Plipilifl Kntkrino tub 1A UltAON IN NhW YoHK Piinuic HciiooLa Datm or Kn- tiuni:b 1 IS SO IB I'liflliH MNTKttINd TIIM Nkw \ actual number of half days loitt l).v not entering 'ou half days lato in entering ndtool, the number no of the following, merely insert the number uf y, insert "1," otherviio tpeoify tho oaun. iNTRANCE Quarantinnl. Truant child. I'arcntal nogloot. Unknown. 17 18 Under ''number of half days lost by irregular attendance" u to bo reoordod the actual number of half days lost after entering school. Pupils in alternating part-time i 'lassos and in A. M. and P. M. part-tiino classes absent the entire morning session or the entire afternoon si 'ssion should be counted as having been absent two half days. To find tlie half dnvs lost by irregular iittciii lance of pupils leaving school before Juno 2Kth and entering no other public school of the City of New York, mbtract the number of half days such a pupil was in attendance aftor cntranoo from the total number uf half days the school was in session after the date of ontranre of such n pupil. Tho absence of a pupil roc( ived on promotion during tho term should bo the sum total of his absence in tho grade from which ho was irccoivod and his alwcnce in the grado in which ho is registered before promotion Juno 28, 1012, Tho tardiness of such a pupil should bo counted in tho same way. 4. Qivo actual numbor of timoa pupil was tardy, oounting tanlineas on tho basis of a morning aossion •nd an afternoon session separately. fi. Undor "conduct" givo tho pupil's rating for conduct, e. £., A, 0. Indicate by chock mark ( y) whether the pupil was reported at any time during the term as a truant. 7. Undor ' 'left school " a chock mark ( V) will bo inserted to indicate that the pupil was not transferred but withdrew during the term and entered no other public school of the City of Now York. Cart ihoM 6« mrtiud that oi3 91S 17 147 122 106 73 102 108 131 3-24 16.26 13-01 11-35 8.21 10.10 10.66 14-32 476 663 662 603 S49 561 578 575 90.67 73-34 70-57 64.56 61.76 55-54 57-06 62.84 32 94 IS4 225 267 347 327 209 6.09 10.40 16.42 24.09 30.03 34-36 32.28 22.84 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year Sth Year 6th Year 7th Year 8th Year Total 7,128 806 II. 31 4,667 65-47 1.655 23.22 Age-grade Table LVII-i conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports as made by the City Superintendent since 1905.^ Age-grade Table LVII-2 conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports as made by the City Super- intendent since 1905 ; with one exception, the report is for each of the grades separately. Consequently, Table LVII shows what the efifect was, on the reported number of un- 1 See Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 1905, pages 58 flf.; and for 1911, pages 53 ff. 2i8 Problems in Elementary School Administration TABLE LVII (Continued) (2) rOR EACH OF THE SEVERAL GRADES SEPARATELY Grades Roister as of June 30 after Pro- motion Number Under Age Under Age Per Cent of Register Under Age Number Normal Age Normal Age Per Cent. of Register Normal Age Number Over Age Over Age Per Cent. of Register Over Age lA... iB... 2A... 2B... 3A... 3B... 4A... 4B... SA... SB... 6A... 6B... 7A... 7B... 8A... 8B... Total 131 394 486 418 486 4S2 477 4S7 473 416 S48 462 436 577 51S 400 4 129 144 73 106 81 89 73 63 4S S9 74 80 lOI 68 3 -OS 32-74 29.63 17.46 21.81 17.92 18.66 iS-97 1332 10.82 15-33 12.77 16.97 13-86 ig.6i 17.00 106 240 292 278 298 26s 271 230 256 210 255 204 188 287 26s 214 80.92 60.91 60.08 66.51 61.32 58.63 56.81 50.33 54-12 50.48 46.53 44.16 43-12 49-74 51-46 53-50 21 25 50 67 82 106 117 154 154 161 209 199 174 210 149 118 16.03 6-35 10.29 16.03 16.87 23-45 24-53 33-7° 32-56 38.70 38-14 43-07 39-91 36-40 28.93 29.50 7,128 1.273 17.86 3,859 54-14 1,996 28.00 der-age, normal-age, and over-age pupils, of the City Super- intendent of Schools making his age-grade reports for the grades of the school year instead of for each of the several grades. Table LVII-i, in which the number of pupils under age, normal age, and over age is reported for the grades of the Standards in Making Age-Grade Reports 219 several years, shows that 11.31 per cent, of the pupils on register June 30th after promotion in the five schools in question were under age, 65.47 per cent, normal age, and 23.22 per cent, over age, whereas Table LVII-2, in which the number of pupils under age, normal age, and over age is reported for each of the grades, shows that, of the same pupils on register June 30th, after promotion in the same schools, 17.86 per cent, were under age, 54.14 per cent, were normal age, and 28 per cent, were over age. In a word, the City Superintendent of Schools, by making his age- grade reports for the grades of the several years, is able to report, judged on the basis of Table LVII, 4.78 per cent, fewer over-age pupils in the elementary schools of the City TABLE LVIII Shows the Number and Per Cent, of Under-Age, Normal-Age, and Over- Age Pupils, When an Age-Grade Report is Made after Promo- tion, ON the Basis of Age-Grade Standards for "Being in the Grade" (As Made by the City Superintendent of Schools since 1905) (i) for the grades of the several years Register as of June 30 after Pro- motion Under Age Normal Age Over Age Grades Number Under Age Per Cent. of Register Under Age Number Normal Age Per Cent. of Register Normal Age Number Over Age Per Cent. of Register Over Age ist Year 525 904 938 934 889 1,010 i>oi3 915 17 147 122 106 73 102 108 131 3-24 16.26 13.01 11-35 8.21 10.10 10.66 14-32 476 663 662 603 S49 S6i 578 S7S 90.67 73-34 70.57 64.56 61.76 55-54 57-06 62.84 32 94 154 225 267 347 327 209 6.09 10.40 16.42 24.09 30.03 34-36 32.28 22.84 3rd Year 4th Year 5th Year 6th Year 7th Year 8th Year Total 7,128 806 II. 31 4,667 65-47 1.655 23.22 220 Problems in Elementary School Administration of New York than if he made his age-grade report for each of the several grades. The combined effect, on the reported number of under- age, normal-age, and over-age pupils of the City Superin- tendent of Schools making his age-grade reports after pro- motion and for the grades of the several years, instead of making them before promotion and for each of the grades separately, is shown by Table LVIII. (See page 219.) TABLE LVIII (Continued) (2) FOE. EACH OF THE GRADES Grades Register as of June 30 before Pro- motion Number Under Age Under Age Per Cent. of Register Under Age Number Normal Age Normal Age Per Cent of Register Normal Age Number Over Age Over Age Per Cent, of Register Over Age lA... iB... 2A... 2B... 3A... 3B... 4A... 4B... SA... SB... 6A. .. 6B... 7A... 7B... 8A... 8B... Total 481 47S 40s 502 448 472 459 477 424 528 462 430 S83 S38 436 380 7.S00 17 S 3 S 18 II 17 7 10 16 18 19 35 35 33 32 281 3-53 I -OS ■74 1. 00 4.02 2-33 3-7° 1-47 2.36 3-03 3-9° 4.42 6.00 6.50 7-57 8.42 3-75 402 393 294 363 27s 312 234 263 17s 255 188 195 232 272 200 202 4.255 83 58 82.74 72.59 72.31 61.38 66.10 SO. 98 55-13 41.27 48.30 40.69 45-35 39.80 50-56 45-87 S3 -16 56.73 62 77 108 134 149 208 207 239 257 256 216 316 231 203 146 2,964 12.89 16.21 26.67 26.69 34.60 31-57 45-32 43-40 56-37 48.67 55-41 50-23 54-20 42.94 46.56 38-42 39-52 Standards in Making Age-Grade Reports 221 Age-grade Table LVIII-i conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports as made by the City Superintendent of Schools since 1905. Age-grade Table LVIII-2 conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports as made by the City Superintendent of Schools since 1905, with two exceptions, whether or not pupils are under age, normal age, or oveir age is determined before promotion^ and the age-grade table is for each of the several grades. Consequently, Table LVIII shows what the effect was, on the reported number of under-age, normal-age, and over-age pupils, of the City Superintendent making his age-grade reports after promotion and for the grades of the several years. Table LVIII-i, in which the number of pupils under age, normal age, and over age is reported after promotion and for the grades of the several years, shows that 11. 31 per cent, were under age, 65.47 per cent, normal age, and 23.22 per cent, over age. Table LVIII-2, in which the number of pupils under age, normal age, and over age is reported before promotion and for each of the several grades, shows, for the same pupils (with the one exception noted) and for the same schools, that 3.75 per cent, were under age, 56.73 per cent, of normal age, and 39.52 per cent, were over age. In a word, the City Superintendent of Schools is able to report when judged on the basis of Table LVIII, 7.56 per cent, more pupils under age, 8.74 per cent, more pupils nor- mal age, and 16.30 per cent, fewer pupils over age, than if he made his age-grade reports before promotion and for each of the sixteen grades separately. The age-grade reports of the City Superintendent of Schools are, therefore, not only inexact, by reason of the inexact basis thereof — age-grade standards for being in the grade — but they are rendered still more inexact by being for the grades of the several years instead of, as they should be, for each of the several grades. ^That is, before the classes and grades are organized for the new year. 222 ' Problems in Elementary School Administration 2. AGE-GRADE STANDARDS FOR ENTERING AND FOR COMPLET- ING EACH OF THE SEVERAL GRADES What the normal-age limits for entering and for com- pleting each of the several grades of the elementary schools are, when determined, depends on the age accepted for com- pleting the entire elementary school course of study. Fourteen as the Upper Age Limit One group of writers and school officials rest their case on the following facts : ( i ) that the legal age of entering the elementary school is six; (2) that children entering at six years of age have the best chance of advancing regularly and completing their elementary education prior to their fourteenth birthday ^ ; (3) that the state only directly guar- antees the child to the school up to his fourteenth birth- day^; (4) that children in large numbers, either from necessity or from choice, drop permanently from school on becoming fourteen years old ; ( 5 ) that, under present meth- ods of school administration and organization, children dropping from school have not advanced much beyond the grade of the sixth or the seventh year; and (6) that chil- dren cannot, with the greatest profit, be held under the re- gime of the elementary school much, if any, beyond their fourteenth birthday. Resting their case on these facts and also on the belief that a democratic school must serve equally all the children and all the people of the community, this group of writers and school officials fixes the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school just prior to the attainment of the fourteenth birthday.^ The elementary school course of study of the City of New York is divided into sixteen units or grades, each in ^ Ayres : The Relation between Entering Age and Subsequent Prog- ress among School Children. 2 Compulsory Education Law of the State of New York, Section 621. ^ Report of Committee on Uniform Reports, National Education Association Proceedings, 191 1, pages 288-291. Standards in Making Age-Grade Reports 223 theory one-half year in length. When just prior to the attainment of the fourteenth birthday is made the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school, the normal age for entering and the normal age for completing each of the several grades is respectively as follows : TABLE LIX Shows the Normal Age to Enter and the Normal Age to Complete Each OF the Grades of the Elementary School, When Up-to-Fotjrteen IS Accepted as the Upper Normal-Age Limit for Completing THE Elementary School Course of Study Grades Normal Age to Enter Normal Age to Complete lA 6 (Sixth Birthday) 8 9 9M 10 JI 12 12H 13 I3J^ up to 6}^ iB up to 7 2A up to 7J^ 2B . up to 8 ^A... up to 8J^ ^B up to 3^ aA up to qJ^ iB up to 10 cA up to 10}^ tB up to II 6A up to llj^ 6B up to 12 7A up to I2j^ 7B up to 13 8A up to isJ^ 8B up to 14 By reason of the date of birth and the date of the open- ing of the school term, it is obviously impossible for all children to enter school on their sixth birthday. But it is possible, so far as the date of birth and the date of the opening of the school term are concerned, for all children to enter school between their sixth birthday and the time just prior to becoming six and a half years old. Accord- ingly, even when just prior to fourteen is accepted as the upper normal-age limit to complete the elementary school, for the foregoing practical reasons, a range of a half year 224 Problems in Elementary School Administration is allowed for entering and for completing each of the sev- eral grades. Hence, the normal-age limits for entering and the normal-age limits for completing each of the sev- eral grades are respectively: TABLE LX Shows the Normal-Age Limits for Entering and the Normal-Age Limits FOR Completing Each of the Grades of the Elementary School When Up-to-Fotjrteen-and-a-Half is Accepted as the Upper Normal-Age Limit for Completing the Elementary School Course of Study Grades Normal-Age Limit for Entering Normal- Age Limit for Completing lA, iB, 2 A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B SA SB 6A 6B 7A 7B 8A 8B 6 up to 6% 6}4 up to 7 7 up to 7J^ y}4 up to 8 8 up to 8}4 8^2 up to 9 9 up to gl4 9/^ up to 10 10 up to loJi loj^ up to II 11 up to IlJ-^ iij^ up to 12 12 up to 12}/^ I2>^ up to 13 13 up to 13^ isJ^ up to 14 6}4 up to 7 7 up to 7}^ 7J4 up to 8 8 up to 8ii &y^ up to 9 9 up to gj| 9J^ up to 10 10 up to loj^ loj^ up to II 11 up to 11}^ 11}^ up to 12 12 up to I2j^ I2j^ up to 13 13 up to 13}^ isJi up to 14 14 up to 143^ These are the normal-age limits for entering and for com- pleting each of the several grades which, we believe, con- form most closely to the actual working conditions and to the real purpose of the elementary school, viz., to give each normal child of the community a complete elementary edu- cation. Hence, these are the age-grade standards accord- ing to which under age, normal age, and over age can be most accurately determined, and, therefore, the age-grade standards which should be used in determining the number Standards in Making Age-Grade Reports 225 of pupils in a school system under age, normal age, and over age. Fifteen as the Upper Age Limit A second group of writers and school officials rest their case on the following facts: (i) that, notwithstanding the legal age of entrance, six, children in large numbers do not enter school until they are seven years of age and older ^ ; (2) that the child is not directly guaranteed by the state to the school until he is seven years old ; and ( 3 ) that to give the child a full eight years' elementary school course of instruction the school must have eight years in which to do its work, hence the upper normal-age limit for complet- ing the course must be eight years higher than the lower age Hmit of the Compulsory Education Law; resting their case on these facts, this second group of writers and school officials fixes the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school just prior to the attainment of the fifteenth birthday. If up to fifteen years of age is accepted as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school, the normal-age limits for entering and the normal- age limits for completing each of the several grades are respectively as shown in Table LXI. If comparison is made between the normal-age limits for entering and for completing each of the several grades of the elementary school as these are given in Tables LX and LXI, two differences will be observed : ( i ) the normal age for entering and the normal age for completing each of the several grades are a half year higher in Table LXI than in Table LX; and (2) the age-grade standards for entering and for completing each of the several grades in Table LXI permit a range in ages of an entire year, whereas the age- grade standards in Table LX permit a range in ages of only 1 Twenty-two per cent, of the pupils entering the lA grade of the elementary schools of the City of New York in 1910-11 were seven years of age and older. See Annual Report of the City Superin- tendent of Schools for 1910-11, page 61. 226 Problems in Hlementary School Administration TABLE LXI Shows the Nokmal-Age Limits for Enteeing and the Normal-Age Limits FOR Completing Each oe the Grades of the Elementary School, When Just Prior to Fifteen is Accepted as the Upper Normal- Age Limit for Completing the Elementary School Course of Study Grades Normal-Age Limit for Entering Normal-Age Limit for Completing lA iB 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B SA SB 6A 6B 7A 7B 8A 8B 6 up to 6J^ up 7 up to 7Hup 8 up to 8^ up 9 up to gj^up 10 up to loj^ up 11 up to iij/^ up 12 up to 12^ up 13 up to I3HUP 7 t0 7M 8 to8J^ 9 togj^ 10 to loj^ II to IlJ^ 12 to I2j^ 13 to 133^ 14 to 14}/^ 6}/i up 7 up to 7Kup 8 up to 83^ up g up to gj^up 10 up to io}4 up 11 up to 11}^ up 12 up to 123^ up 13 up to 133^ up 14 up to t0 7M 8 to 83^ 9 to 93^ 10 to io3^ II to ii3^ 12 to 123^ 13 to 13}^ 14 to 143^ IS a half year. This difference of a half year in the upper normal-age limit for entering and a half year in the upper normal-age limit for completing each of the grades, to- gether with the difference of a half year in the range of the normal-age limits for entering and for completing each of the grades, materially affect the reported number of pupils normal age and over age.^ In consequence, to determine whether or not pupils are under age, normal age, or over age, in view of the age-grade standards given in Table LXI, is to report for a school system a maximum number of pu- pils of normal age and a minimum number of pupils over age. ^ See Table LXI I, pages 229 and 230. Standards in Making Age-Grade Reports 227 To accept up to fifteen years of age as the upper normal- age limit to complete the elementary school and to use the age-grade standards based thereon, as given in Table LXI, in making age-grade reports, is not only unwise, because of the facts cited (see page 222) in support of making up to fourteen and a half the upper normal-age limit for finishing the elementary school course of study, but unwise because of the following additional reasons : ( 1 ) Because to make up-to-fif teen the normal age for completing the elementary school course and to report this as the normal age fails to impress parents with the fact that unless their children enter school at the legal age of entrance (six), and continue regular in attendance, they will probably drop from school without being able to com- plete the course. (2) Because to make up-to-fif teen the normal age for completing the elementary school fails to impress on school officials the necessity of so adapting the standards of the school and the course of study to the abilities and needs of different groups of children, that children entering at six but only able to continue until they are fourteen or shortly thereafter may complete an entire elementary school course of instruction. Effect on Statistics for New York City of the Age-Grade Standards Used Reference to the age-grade standards for "being in the grade," proposed and employed by the City Superintendent of Schools ( see page 211), will reveal the fact that he is in the second group of writers and school officials; that is, among those who hold that the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school is just prior to the attain- ment of the fifteenth birthday. Had the City Superintend- ent of Schools made up-to-fifteen, together with the legal age of entrance (six), the basis of determining the normal- age limits for entering and for completing each of the sev- 228 Problems in Elementary School Administration eral grades, lA, iB, 2 A, etc. (see Table LXI), and had he determined under age, normal age, and over age from the point of view of the normal-age limits for entering and for completing each of the several grades, even then he would employ the age-grade standards which yield a larger re- ported number of pupils of normal age and a smaller re- ported number of over-age pupils than when the age-grade standards (see Table LX) are employed, based on finishing the elementary school just prior to becoming fourteen and a half. (See Table LXII.) The City Superintendent of Schools, however, did not use up to fifteen years of age, together with the legal age of entrance (six), to determine the normal-age limits for entering and for completing each of the several grades, the I A grade, the iB grade, the 2A grade, etc., but, as we have seen, he used these ages to determine the normal ages for "being in the grades" of the several years, first-year grades, second-year grades, etc. ; he does not make his age-grade reports from the point of view of entering or of completing each of the several grades, the lA grade, the iB grade, etc., but, as we have seen, from the point of view of "being in the grades" of each of the several years ; and finally, since 1905, his age-grade reports are not only for "being in the grades" of each of the several years, but, as we have seen, are made after promotion. All of which contribute to one end, viz., a very high reported number of pupils of normal age and a very low reported number of pupils over age in the elementary schools. (See Tables LXII-i, LXII-2, and LXIII.) 3. DIFFERENCES IN REPORTED PER CENT. OF OVER-AGE PUPILS WHEN DIFFERENT AGE-GRADE STAND- ARDS ARE USED Age-grade Table LXII-i conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports as made by the City Superintendent of Schools, with two exceptions: the age-grade standard? Standards in Making Age-Grade Reports 229 TABLE LXn Shows the Number and the Per Cent, op PtrpiLS Under Age, Normal Age, AND Over Age, When an Age-Grade Report is Based on the Age- Grade Standards for Entering and for Completing Each OF THE Grades (i) when the age-grade standards are determined in view OF UP-TO- FIFTEEN as the upper normal-age LIMIT FOR COMPLETING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Grades Register as of June 30 after Pro- motion Under Age Number Under Age Per Cent. of Register Under Age Normal Age Number Normal Age Per Cent, of Register Normal Age Over Age Number Over Age Per Cent. of Register Over Age lA.. iB.. 2A.. 2B.. 3A.. 3B.. 4A.. 4B.. SA.. SB.. 6A.., 6B.. 7A.., 7B.., 8A.., 8B.., Total 131 394 486 418 486 4S2 477 4S7 473 416 S48 462 435 S77 SIS 400 7,128 4 I2g 144 73 106 81 89 73 63 4S 84 S9 74 80 lOI 68 1.273 3 -OS 32-74 29.63 17-47 21.81 17.92 18.66 iS-97 13-32 10.82 iS-33 12.77 16.97 13-86 19.61 17.00 17.86 82 203 234 216 234 197 216 168 190 138 184 141 I2S igr 147 2,8SS 62.60 SI-S2 48. IS 51-67 48. IS 43-58 45.28 36.76 40.17 33-17 33-58 30-52 28.67 32.76 37-09 36.75 40.05 45 62 108 129 146 174 172 216 220 233 280 262 237 308 223 185 3,000 34-35 15-74 22.22 30.86 30.04 38.50 36.06 47-27 46.51 56.01 51.09 56.71 54-36 53-38 43-30 46-25 42.09 230 Problems in Elementary School Administration TABLE L:?ai {Continued) (2) WHEN THE AGE-GRABE STANDARDS ARE DETERMINED IN VIEW OF tTP-TO- EOURTEEN-AND-A-HAI-r AS THE UFPER NORMAL-AGE LIMIT FOE COMPLETING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Register on June 30 after Pro- motion Under Age Normal Age Over Age Grades Number Under Age PerCent. of Register Under Age Number Normal Age PerCent. of Register Normal Age Number Over Age PerCent. of Register Over Age lA iB 2A 2B 3A 3B 4A 4B 5A 5B 6A 6B 7A 7B 8A 8B 131 394 486 418 486 452 477 457 473 416 548 462 436 577 515 400 4 129 144 73 106 81 89 73 63 45 84 59 74 80 101 68 3-05 32-74 29-63 17-47 21.81 17.92 18.66 15-97 13-32 10.82 15-33 12.77 16.97 13-86 19.61 17.00 5° 134 162 128 126 115 105 100 99 78 91 71 45 96 78 77 38.17 34.01 33-33 30.62 25-93 25-44 22.01 21.88 20.93 18.75 16.61 15-37 10.32 16.64 15-15 19-25 77 131 180 217 254 256 283 284 3" 293 373 332 317 401 336 255 58.78 33-25 37-04 51-91 52.26 56.64 59-33 62.15 65-75 70-43 68.06 71.86 72.71 69.50 65.24 63-75 Total 7,128 1.273 17.86 1.555 21.81 4.300 60.33 are for entering and for completing, and are for each of the several grades when up-to-fifteen is accepted as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school. Age-grade Table LXII-2 conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports of the City Superintendent of Schools, with three exceptions: the age-grade standards are for entering and for completing, and are for each of Standards in Making Age-Grade Reports 231 TABLE LXIII Shows the Number and the Per Cent, of Pupils Under Age, Normal Age, AND Over Age, When an Age-Grade Report is Based on the Age-Grade Standards for Being in the Grade, of the Several Years, When These Age-Grade Standards are Determined in View of Up-to- FlFTEEN AS THE UpPER NoRMAL-AgE LiMIT FOR COMPLETING THE Elementary School, and When the Age-Grade Report is Made AFTER Promotion (As age-grade reports have been made by THE City Superintendent of Schools since 1905) Register June 30 after Promo- tion Under Age Normal Age Over Age Grades Number Under Age Per Cent. of Register Under Age Number Normal Age Per Cent. of Register Normal Age Number Over Age Per Cent of Register Over Age ist Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 4th Year Sth Year 6th Year 7th Year Sth Year 525 904 938 934 889 1,010 1.013 91S 17 147 122 106 73 102 108 131 3-24 16.26 13.01 II-3S 8.21 10.10 10.66 14-32 476 663 662 603 S49 S6i S78 S7S 90.67 73-34 70.57 64.36 61.76 SS-S4 S7.o6 62.84 32 94 154 22s 267 347 327 209 6.09 10.40 16.42 24.09 30-03 34-36 32.28 22.84 Total 7,128 806 11.31 4,667 65-47 1-6SS 23.22 the several grades, when these are determined in view of up-to-fourteen-and-a-half as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school. Age-grade Table LXIII conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports as made by the City Superintendent of Schools since 1905 ^ ; the pupils are those on register June 30th; the ages are as of June 30th; the age-grade standards are those for being in the grades of the several years when determined in view of up-to-fifteen as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary schools ; and whether pupils are under age, 1 See Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 1905, pages 58 fif.; and for 1911, pages 53 flf. 232 Problems in Elementary School Administration normal age, or over age is determined after promotion. In consequence, age-grade Table LXII-i shows for the five schools in question the per cent, of pupils under age, nor- mal age, and over age, as it should be reported when an age-grade report is based on the register as of June 30th, and when up-to-fifteen is accepted as the upper normal-age Per Cent. Under Age Normal Age Over Age Table LXII-i — Shows for the pupils and schools in question when under age, nor- mal age, and over age are correctly de- termined, and when-up-to fifteen is taken as the normal age to complete the ele- mentary school 17.86 17.86 II. 31 40.0s ai.8i 65-47 42.00 Table LXII-2 — Shows for the same pupils and the same schools, when under age, normal age, and over age are cor- rectly determined and when up-to-four- teen-and-a-halt is taken as the normal age to complete the elementary school Table LXIII — Shows for these same pupils and these same schools as would be re- ported by the City Superintendent of Schools, who takes up-to-fifteen as the normal age to complete the elementary 60.33 23.22 limit for completing the elementary school. Table LXII-2 shows for these same pupils and the same schools the per cent, of pupils under age, normal age, and over age, as should be reported, when up-to-fourteen-and-a-half is ac-' cepted as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school. Age-grade Table LXIII shows for the same pupils and for the same schools the per cent, under age, normal age, and over age as would be reported by the Standards in Making Age-Grade Reports 233 City Superintendent of Schools. (Up-to-fifteen is accepted by the City Superintendent of Schools as the upper normal- age limit for completing the elementary school. ) The City Superintendent of Schools, by using the age- grade standards for "being in the grades" of the several years, and by making his age-grade reports as he does, re- cords, therefore, in view of Table LXII-i, 6.55 per cent, fewer pupils under age, 25.42 per cent, more pupils of normal age, and 18.87 per cent, fewer pupils over age than there probably are in the elementary schools of the City of New York, and in view of Table LXII-2, he reports 6.55 per cent, too few pupils under age, 43.66 per cent, too many pupils of normal age, and 37.11 per cent, too few pupils over age. These differences, varying according to whether up-to-fifteen or up-to-fourteen-and-a-half is ac- cepted as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school, are to be found in all the age-grade re- ports made by the City Superintendent of Schools for 1905 to 191 1 inclusive. CHAPTER XVI WHEN AND HOW TO MAKE AGE-GRADE REPORTS WHETHER or not a pupil is under age, normal age, or over age can be accurately determined, as we have seen, only from the point of view either of the normal- age limits for entering or of the normal-age limits for com- pleting each of the several grades. Accordingly, age-grade reports to be reliable and accurate must be made either at the end or at the beginning of a school term or school year. AGE-GRADE REPORTS MADE AT THE END OF A SCHOOL TERM OR YEAR The laws of most of the states, including the State of New York, require superintendents of schools to make an annual report for the official school year to the State De- partment of Education. With the recognition of their sig- nificance, over-age tables showing the ages and grades of pupils — the basis of age-grade reports — have been included in the annual report required of superintendents of schools by the educational departments of several states. Owing, at least partly, to the state requirement of an annual report for the official school year on the ages and grades of pupils, superintendents of schools make age-grade reports, as a rule, at the end of the year only. When age-grade reports are made at the end of the year, to be included in the annual report for the official school year, such age-grade reports are based, almost always, on the age and grade, at the end of the year, of each and every 234 When and How to Make Age-Grade Reports 235 pupil who has been on the register during the course of the official year, of any one of the several schools of the sys- tem.^ Such an age-grade report gives, therefore, for all the different pupils who have been on the register during the official year, the number, at the end of the year, under age, normal age, or over age. Indeed, the primary object of state authorities in requir- ing such age-grade reports and the primary object of su- perintendents of schools in making such reports is to gain definite information with respect to the number of pupils, at the end of the year, of the total or net register for the official year, under age, normal age, and over age, to the end that definite data may be at hand on which to base such administrative policies and action that the number of over- age pupils may be reduced during the succeeding official school year. Requirements of an Exact Age-Grade Report Where Pro- motions Are Annual A reliable and accurate age-grade report for the official school year for a system of schools having annual promo- tion involves : ( 1 ) That the age-grade report be made for each of the several grades. (2) That the age-grade report for each grade be based on the total or net register of the grade for the official school year, that is, be based on the age of each and every pupil on the register of the grade at the end of the year and on the age of each and every pupil — exclusive of pupils transferred or promoted — who has been on the register of the grade during the course of the year, but who has dropped from school either temporarily or permanently, and conse- quently is not on the register of the grade at the end of the year. 1 Annual Report of the Schools of Cincinnati for 191 1, page 81. 236 Problems in Blementary School Administration (3) That the age-grade report be made after promo- tion and non-promotion, but before the grades and classes are reorganized for the new year; that is, both promoted and non-promoted pupils should be reported as of the regis- ter of the grade in which they have been during the whole or part of the official year, and in which they are regis- tered at the end of the year before the reorganization of the grades and the classes for the new year. (4) That whether promoted pupils are under age, nor- mal age, or over age be determined in view of the normal- age limit for completing the grade in which they have been registered a part or the whole of the year ending and hence in view of the normal-age limits for completing the grade from which they are to be advanced. (5) That whether non-promoted pupils are under age, normal age, or over age be determined from the point of view of the normal-age limits for completing the grade they last finished. Since non-promoted pupils are for all practi- cal purposes just entering the grade from which they have failed to be advanced, whether non-promoted pupils are under age, normal age, or over age may be determined prac- tically as well from the point of view of the normal-age limits for entering the grade in which they have been regis- tered during the whole or a part of the year ending, and from which they have failed to be promoted.^ (6) That all pupils — exclusive of those transferred or promoted — who have been on the register of a given grade sometime during the official year, but who have dropped from school either temporarily or permanently, hence are not on the register of the grade at the end of the year, be ^The probable error in determining non-promoted pupils from the point of view of the age-grade standards for entering the grade in which they have been registered during the whole or a part of the year, but from which they have just failed to be advanced, is only .028 of one per cent. When and How to Make Age-Grade Reports 237 regarded as non-promoted pupils. Whether such pupils are under age, normal age, or over age is then determined in the same way as in the case of other non-promoted pupils. The age-grade report for promoted pupils, for non-pro- moted pupils, and for pupils who have dropped from school either temporarily or permanently should be made sepa- rately in order to distinguish between the per cent, of under- age, normal-age, and over-age pupils, among promoted and non-promoted pupils and among pupils who have dropped out. These separate reports should then be combined to show the per cent, of under age, normal age, and over age for the grades as a whole. Age-Grade Reports Where Promotions Are Semi-Annual The foregoing considerations have to do, as stated, with the making, at the end of the year, of an age-grade report for the official school year, in a system of schools having annual promotions. In a system of schools having semi- annual promotions, such as in the City of New York, it is better not to attempt to make an age-grade report for the official year as a whole, but to make a separate age-grade report for each of the official terms. If this is done, the age-grade report for the official term is made in the same way as such a report for the official year. If, however, in a system of schools having semi-annual promotions it is deemed desirable to make an age-grade report for the official year as a whole, the age-grade report for each of the grades should be made on the basis of the ages of all pupils on the register of the grade, at the end of the year ; and on the basis of the ages of all pupils, ex- clusive of those transferred or promoted, who have been on the register of the grade during the course of the official year, but who have dropped from school either temporarily or permanently, the report itself is made in the same way as in a system of schools having annual promotions. 238 Problems in Elementary School Administration AGE-GRADE REPORTS MADE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL TERM OR YEAR In contrast to age-grade reports made at the end of a term or year for the official year, the primary purpose of an age-grade report made at the beginning of a term or year is to give definite knowledge of the number of pupils ac- tually in each classroom and in each school of the system under age, normal age, and over age, to the end that this information may be used by school officials, principals, and teachers in properly classifying pupils and in properly adapting the materials and methods of instruction to the varying abilities and needs of different groups of children. In a word, age-grade reports made at the end of a term or year shed light on age-grade conditions in the system as a whole and supply the basis of general administrative poli- cies, such as making provision for special classes and pro- viding different courses of instruction for over-age pupils; whereas age-grade reports made at the beginning of the term or year place at the disposal of school officials, princi- pals, and teachers information which enables them so to apply their general administrative policies that the best in- terests of each child are conserved. An age-grade report for the beginning of a term or school year, to be most helpful to principals and teachers in classi- fying and carrying on the instruction of pupils, should be made on the first day that schools open for instruction, or as soon as possible thereafter. Such a report should include all pupils who were in the particular class and grade who failed of promotion and all pupils who were promoted to the particular class and grade when the schools closed for instruction at the end of the preceding term or year. There should also be included in such a report all pupils who enter the particular classes and grades from time to time after the beginning of the term.^ In a word, an age-grade report 1 For a suggestive method of tabulating and exhibiting such an age- grade report for a given class see the card prepared by Dr. Leonard Ayres of the Russell Sage Foundation, When and How to Make Age-Grade Reports 239 for the beginning of a term, to be most helpful, should show- correctly the age-grade condition in the particular class. It also follows from the foregoing discussions that such an age-grade report, to be reliable and accurate, must be made from the point of view of the normal-age limits for entering each of the several grades. Where it is deemed desirable to make an age-grade re- port at the beginning of the term for the system as a whole, sufficient time, after the opening of the schools for instruc- tion, must be permitted to elapse, at least one or two weeks, so that a large part if not all of the pupils who are to be in school are actually in attendance. Otherwise, the report will give but a partial view of the actual existing age-grade conditions. WHEN AGE-GRADE REPORTS ARE MADE BY THE CITY SUPER- INTENDENT OF SCHOOLS The annual reports of the City Superintendent of Schools are for the official year beginning August ist and ending July 31st. The age-grade reports made by the City Super- intendent of Schools appear in his annual reports. This being true, it would be expected that his age-grade reports would be for the official year, and give, by official terms or for the official year as a whole, the number of pupils of the total or net register under age, normal age, and over age. While this may have been the intention of the City Super- intendent of Schools, an examination of his age-grade re- ports reveals the fact that they are neither for the official term nor for the official year as a whole. Aside from the method employed in making them, the age-grade reports of the City Superintendent of Schools are based on the register as of June 30th, instead of being based on the total or net register for the official year, as should be done when the report is for the official year. Thus the tens of thou- sands ^ of pupils who have been on the register during the 1 See pages 185-189. 240 Problems in Blementary School Administration course of the official year, but who have dropped from school either temporarily or permanently, are entirely ig- nored; instead of his age-grade reports being made after pupils are promoted and non-promoted, but before the grades are reorganized for the new year, they are made after the grades and classes are organized for the new year; hence, pupils are not reported from the grade in which they have been during the whole or a part of the year past, but from the grade they will be in at the begin- ning of the new year.^ In consequence, the age-grade re- ports of the City Superintendent of Schools do not have the value for administrative purposes which belongs to age- grade reports made at the end of the year for the official year as a whole. Notwithstanding the age-grade reports of the City Su- perintendent of Schools appear in his annual reports and for this reason the inference is that they have to do with the official year for which the annual report is made, his reports have certain of the characteristics of age-grade reports made at the beginning of a school term or year for the system as a whole. His age-grade reports, however, in- stead of being based on the ages and grades of the children on the register in the new year, as should be done when the report is for the beginning of the new term or year,^ are based on the ages and grades of the children on register June 30th after promotion, and instead of his age-grade re- ports being made after the greater part, if not all, of the pupils who will be in school during the new term or year are actually in attendance, they are made at the end of the preceding year when the schools are closed for instruction, hence no account is taken of the ages and grades of the army of pupils who will enter the elementary schools of the City of New York for the first time during the new term or year. In consequence, the age-grade reports of the City ^ See Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 1905, pages 58 ff. ; and for ipii, pages 53 flf. 2 See pages 238-239. When and How to Make Age-Grade Reports 241 Superintendent of Schools are lacking the practical worth which belongs to age-grade reports made at the beginning of a school term or year, for the system as a whole, or of a current age-grade report made at the beginning of a term, for a particular class and grade. The age-grade reports made annually by the City Su- perintendent of Schools since 1904 have, therefore, neither the value for administrative purposes belonging to age- grade reports made at the end of the year for the official year, nor the practical worth belonging to such reports made at the beginning of a new term or year, for neither do they supply definite information on the age-grade status in the system as a whole, nor do they supply definite in- formation useful to principals and teachers in the classifi- cation and instruction of children. CHAPTER XVII WHEN AND HOW TO TAKE THE AGES OF PUPILS IF the school term or the school year, i. e., the period during which the schools are open for instruction, began and ended on the same date as the official term or the official school year, there would be no question about when the ages of children should be taken in making age-grade reports. But the official school year may begin August 1st, whereas the schools may not be open for instruc- tion until September ist; the schools may close for instruc- tion June 30th, whereas the end of the official school year may not be until July 31st. This being so, confusion has arisen about the proper time to take the ages of children to be used as the basis of age-grade reports. In conse- quence, there is no consensus of opinion on when the ages of children should be taken, and there is little uniformity in the time they are taken ; the time often varies within the same system of schools and within the same age-grade re- port.^ The time to take the ages of pupils depends on whether the age-grade report is for an official school year and made at the end of the year or is for the beginning of an official school year and made at the begirming of the year. WHEN THE AGE-GRADE REPORT IS MADE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND FOR THE OFFICIAL SCHOOL YEAR It should be obvious that when an age-grade report is to be made at the end of the school year for the official year '■ Annual Report of the Superintendent of Public Schools of the City of Philadelphia for 191 1, pages 104 ff. 242 When and How to Take Ages of Pupils 243 as a whole, the ages of the children cannot be taken as of the date of their first enrollment in the schools in the given official year.^ Because, should the ages of the pupils taken in this way be used as the basis of such an age-grade report, the ages of all children would be lower from one to eleven months than the actual ages at the time the report was made. It is equally obvious that the ages of children cannot be taken as of the birthday occurring within the official school year for which the age-grade report is made.^ Because to take the ages of children in this way would be to use as the basis of the age-grade report ages lower by from zero to twelve months than the actual ages of the children. Similarly, and for a like reason, it is incorrect to take the ages of children as of a specific date during the course of the official school year, e. g., December 8th.* When an age-grade report is made at the end of the year for the official year as a whole, there are but two dates for taking the ages of pupils which need to be considered : (a) the date at the end of the year when the schools close for instruction; and (b) the date of the close of the official school year. The argument for taking the ages of children as of the date of the closing of the schools for instruction is that the real work of the schools is done when they close for in- struction, hence this is the proper date on which to take the ages of children in judging of their progress through the schools. The arguments for taking the ages of children as of the date of the close of the official school year are : (i) The question of taking the ages of children as of the date of closing of the schools for instruction only arises 1 See Report of Board of Education of the City of Chicago for 1911, pages 147 ff. 2 See Directions of the United States Bureau of Education for 1910-11. s Strayer : Age-Grade Census of Schools and Colleges, page 10 ; Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Public Schools of the City of Philadelphia for 191 1, pages 104 ff. 244 Problems in Elementary School Administration when this date does not coincide with the date of the end of the official year. For example, in the City of New' York, the schools close for instruction about June 30th, whereas the official school year ends July 31st. (2) The end of the official year remains the same from year to year, whereas the date of the closing of the schools for instruction fluctuates; hence, to take the ages of the children as of the date of the close of the official year gives uniformity to the time of taking the ages and gives a corre- sponding uniformity to the age-grade reports made on the basis thereof. (3) The primary purpose of an age-grade report made at the end of the year is to show the actual age-grade status, at the end of the official school year, of all the different pupils who have been in the schools during the course of the official year; hence, to take the ages of the children as of a date other than of the close of the official year is to give the age-grade status as of that date and not as of the end of the official year, hence is to lose sight of the object of such an age-grade report. (4) Finally, the normal length of time to complete each of the several grades is fixed and miust necessarily be fixed, in school systems having semi-annual promotions on the basis of the calendar half year (six months), and in school systems having annual promotions on the basis of the calendar year (twelve months).^ The normal length of time to complete a grade (either six calendar months or a calendar year), together with the accepted normal age for completing the elementary school and the legal age of entrance, serve as the basis of determining the normal-age limits for entering and for completing each of the several grades. The age-grade standards, in view of which under age, normal age, and over age are judged, are, therefore, based on calendar units of a half year or a year. In making age-grade reports, to take the ages of children 1 See page 223. When and How to Take Ages of Pupils 245 as of the date of the closing of the schools for instruction at the end of the mid-year, or as of the date of the closing of the schools for instruction at the end of the year, is equivalent to making the actual length of time the schools are open for instruction during the term, or during the school year, the normal length of time for completing each of the several grades, hence is to introduce a second, and, as a rule, a shorter measure of the normal length of time for completing each of the several grades, shorter by from one to two months, than the calendar unit of time employed in fixing the normal-age limits for entering and for com- pleting each of the several grades. Or, it is to use one unit of measure — a short one — in taking the ages of children, and a second unit of measure — a long one — in judging of whether or not they are under age, normal age, or over age. The result of which is to report too high the number of pupils under age and to report too low the number of pupils of normal age and over age.^ For the foregoing reasons, when an age-grade report is made at the end of the year for the official year, the ages of the children should be taken as of the date of the close of the official school year. WHEN AN AGE-GRADE REPORT IS MADE FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR Confusion about when to take the ages of the children, when an age-grade report is made for the beginning of the year, arises (a) from the fact that the date of the begin- ning of the official school year does not always coincide with the date of opening the schools for instruction, and (b) from the fact that an age-grade report for the begin- ning of the year, to be reliable and accurate, must be made at the beginning and during the course of the term, or sometime after the schools are opened for instruction. There are four possible dates on which the ages of the chil- dren may be taken in making an age-grade report for the I See Table LXIV, page 248. 246 Problems in Elementary School Administration beginning of the year: (a) the date of the beginning of the official school year; (b) the date of the opening of the schools for instruction; (c) the date on which the child enters school; and (d) the date on which the register is taken for the report, when made for the system as a whole. An age-grade report for the beginning of the year and for a given class and grade should be made currently as children enter the given class, and when for the system as a whole, it should be made sometime after the opening of the schools for instruction. To take the ages of the chil- dren as of the date of their first entrance to school or as of the date the register is taken for the report when for the system as a whole is, as a rule, to record ages from zero to one, two, and three months older than if the ages were for the beginning of the official year. In an age-grade re- port for the beginning of a school term or year, under age, normal age, and over age are determined in view of the normal-age limits fixed for entering each of the several grades, and these age limits in turn date from the begin- ning of the official year. Hence, to take the ages of the children as of a date later than the date of the opening of the official school year is to increase the reported number of over-age pupils. Ages as of the date of the entrance of pupils to school cannot therefore be used in a report at the beginning of the year for a given class and grade, nor can the ages as of the date the register is taken be used for such a report when for the system as a whole. The remaining possible dates for taking the ages in mak- ing such an age-grade report at the beginning of the term or year are (a) the date of the beginning of the official school year, and (b) the date of the opening of the schools for instruction. The respective arguments for using each of these dates parallel the respective arguments given above for taking the ages of the children, in making an age-grade report at the end of the year, as of the date of the closing of the schools for instruction, and for taking the ages as of the date of the end of the official school year. Conse- When and How to Take Ages of Pupils 247 quently, it is not necessary to repeat the arguments for tak- ing the ages of the children, to be used as the basis of an age-grade report, for the beginning of the year, as of the date of the opening of schools for instruction, or to repeat those for taking the ages as of the date of the beginning of the official school year. The primary purpose of an age-grade report for the be- ginning of the school year is, as we have seen,^ to supply definite knowledge of the number of pupils in each class- room and in each school under age, normal age, and over age. In view of this purpose, there can be but one time for taking the ages of children to be used as the basis of such a report, viz., the date of the beginning of the official school year. WHEN AGES ARE TAKEN BY THE CITY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS The ages of children used by the City Superintendent of Schools, in making his age-grade report for the elementary schools for 191 1, were taken as of June 28th, the date of the closing of the schools for instruction.^ In making an age-grade report at the end of the year, to use as the basis thereof, the ages of children as of the date of the closing of the schools for instruction is, as we have seen,* to use a short measure of the time to complete a grade — ^the length of time the schools are open for instruc- tion, approximately ten months — and to use a long measure of the time to complete a grade — twelve months — when judging whether or not pupils are under age, normal age, or over age. The effect is the same as when goods are bought on long measure and sold on short measure. Hence, for the City Superintendent of Schools to take the ages of children as of the date of the closing of the schools for instruction and to use these ages as the basis of his age- iSee page 234. 2 Elementary School Circular No. 27, 1911-12. 3 See page 244. 248 Problems in Blementary School Administration grade reports is for him to report the number of pupils under age too high and to report the number of pupils of normal age and over age too low. TABLE LXIV Shows the Number and the Per Cent, of Pupils Under Age, Normal Age, AND Over Age, When an Age-Grade Report is Made, as Made by THE City Superintendent of Schools since 1Q05 (I) WITH the AGES OF PUPILS AS OF JUNE 30TH Register as of June 30 after Pro- motion Under Age Normal Age Over Age Glades Number Under Age Per Cent. of Register Under Age Number Normal Age Per Cent. of Register Normal Age Number Over Age Per Cent, of Register Over Age 525 904 938 1,010 1,013 915 17 147 122 106 73 102 108 131 3-24 16.26 13 01 II -35 8.21 10.10 10.66 14 32 476 663 662 603 549 S6i 578 575 90.67 73-34 70.57 64.56 61.76 55 54 57.06 62.84 32 94 154 225 267 347 327 209 2nd Year 10.40 3rd Year 16.42 4th Year 24.09 Sth Year ^0.0? 6th Year 34 36 7tli Year 32.28 22.84 8th Year Total 7,128 806 II. 31 4,667 65-47 1.655 23.22 Age-grade Table LXIV-i conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports as made by the City Superintendent of Schools since 1905. Age-grade Table LXIV-2 conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports as made by the City Superintendent of Schools since 1905, with one exception, the ages of the pupils are as of July 31st, the close of the of- ficial year. In consequence, Table LXIV shows the effect on the reported number of pupils under age, normal age, and over age, of taking the ages of pupils as of June 30th, When and How to Take Ages of Pupils 249 the usual date of the closing of the schools for instruction, instead of, as should be done, when the age-grade report is made at the end of the year, as of July 31st, the end of the official school year. Table LXIV-i shows for the five schools in question that of the pupils on register after promotion 11.31 per cent. TABLE LXIV {Continued) (2) WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THE AGES Or PUPILS AKE AS OF JULY 31ST Register as of June 30 after Pro- motion Under Age Normal Age Over Age Grades Number Under Age Per Cent. of Register Under Age Number Normal Age Per Cent. of Register Normal Age Number Over Age Per Cent, of Register Over Age ist Year 525 904 938 934 889 1,010 1,013 915 13 97 87 82 54 84 8;, 105 2.48 10.73 9.28 8.78 6.07 8.32 8.39 11.47 473 699 677 612 554 547 573 583 90.09 77-32 72.17 65-52 62.32 54- 16 56.57 63.72 39 108 174 240 281 379 355 227 7-43 2nd \ ear II .0^ 18. ss 4th Year 25.70 Sth Year 31.61 6th Year 37-52 7th Year ^■5.04 Sth Year 24.81 Total 7,128 607 8-52 4,718 66.19 1,803 25.29 were under age, 65.47 per cent, were of normal age, and 23.22 per cent, were over age. Table LXIV-2 shows for the same schools and for the same pupils that 8.52 per cent, were under age, 66.19 per cent, were of normal age, and that 25.29 per cent, were over age. In a word, the City Superintendent of Schools, by taking the ages of pupils as of June 28th or June 30th, as the case may be, is able to re- port, in view of Table LXIV, 2.79 per cent, more pupils un- der age, .72 of I per cent, fewer pupils of normal age, and 250 Problems in Elementary School Administration 2.07 per cent, fewer pupils over age, than he would probably be able to report were the ages of the children taken as they should be, when age-grade reports are made at the end of the year, viz., as of the date of the close of the official school year. HOW TO TAKE THE AGES OF PUPILS But little less confusion exists with respect to how to take the ages of pupils than exists with respect to when to take their ages. The basis of determining the ages of children, as of a given date, is the date of birth : year, month, and day. In getting the date of birth — ^year, month, and day — great care should be exercised. Under no condition should the teacher ask the pupils in her classroom the dates of their births and record these dates in her register to be used later in deter- mining the ages of pupils. The date of birth — year, month, and day — recorded in the teacher's register should in all cases be taken from the pupil's record card. In getting the date of birth — year, month, and day — for the pupil's record card, the parent should be made to go on record, and in all cases of doubt documentary evi- dence should be demanded, such, for example, as birth cer- tificates. To repeat, too much care cannot be exercised in getting the exact date of birth, and this should be acquired once for all when the pupil enters school for the first time. With the date of birth — ^year, month, and day — as the basis, the age of a child as of the beginning or the end of the official school term or school year can be readily deter- mined. For reasons which will appear later, the ages of children should always be computed in terms of years, months, and days, thirty days being counted as a month. ^ The normal-age limits for entering and for completing each of the several grades are fixed, it will be remembered,^ ^In case pupils are born in the month of February, 28 days should be counted as a month. 2 See pages 222-225. When and How to Take Ages of Pupils 251 in terms of years, months, and days. For example, when up to fifteen is accepted as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school, the normal-age limits for completing the lA grade are from 6 years, 6 months, and no days through 7 years, 5 months, and 29 days inclusive ; for the iB, from 7 years, no months, and no days, through 7 years, 1 1 months, and 29 days inclusive, and so on. Ac- cordingly, if pupils are to be grouped with accuracy on the basis of age, it is necessary to have their ages in years, months, and days. When their ages are so taken, it is possi- ble to group them with absolute accuracy according to the age limits fixed for entering or for completing each of the several grades. CHAPTER XVIII THE CHILDREN TO INCLUDE IN AGE-GRADE REPORTS THE BASIS OF THE QUESTION A DECADE ago the elementary school was a simple in- stitution, having as a rule one organization, one course of study, and one general classification of pupils. The present-day elementary school is a complex institution comprising a number of different schools, each having its own organization, its own course of study, and caring for a distinct class of pupils. Within the present-day elemen- tary school are included : ( i ) regular classes, to which normal children are assigned; (2) rapid-advancement classes, in which over-age pupils may do three terms of work in two terms; (3) E classes — classes for over-age and retarded pupils; (4) C classes — classes for non-Eng- lish-speaking pupils; (5) D classes — classes for over-age and retarded pupils seeking employment certificates; (6) defective-speech classes — classes for children having speech defects; (7) classes for anaemic children; (8) classes for tubercular children; (9) truant, probationary, and parental schools; (10) classes for the blind; (11) classes for the deaf; (12) classes for crippled children; (13) ungraded classes — classes for mentally defective children; (14) trade-schools for boys; (15) trade-schools for girls; and, at times, still other classes for children having special needs and interests. In view of the diversified activities and the complex or- ganization of the present-day elementary school, the ques- 252 The Children to Include 253 tion arises: What pupils should be included in an age- grade report having as its purpose to give, at the end or at the beginning of the official school term or year, the number of under-age, normal-age, and over-age children in the ele- mentary schools? THE CHILDREN TO INCLUDE In making an age-grade report, in addition to having fixed normal-age limits for entering and for completing each of the grades and having the ages of the children as of the date of the close or the beginning of the official school term or year, it is also necessary to have the children classified either as to completion or as to entrance to one or the other of the grades. Otherwise it is impossible to deter- mine whether or not pupils are under age, normal age, or over age. Only those pupils, therefore, can be included in an age-grade report for the elementary schools who can be classified as having completed or as entering one or the other of the grades. In classes for the blind, for the deaf, for crippled chil- dren, for mentally defective, for anasmic and tubercular children, and in trade-schools for boys and for girls, the grades of the elementary school are, as a rule, ignored. It is, therefore, impossible to classify with any degree of ac- curacy children in such classes as having completed or as entering one or the other of the grades, and, in consequence, it is impossible to include the children of such classes in the body of an age-report.^ In rapid-advancement classes, in E classes, C classes, D classes, in defective-speech classes, in truant, parental, and probationary schools, the instruction follows more or less 1 But the number of such children in each kind of special class and the ages of such children should be reported and incorporated in an age-grade report as a separate item. In case such pupils can be clas- sified with reasonable accuracy on the basis of entrance or completion of one or the other of the several regular grades, they should, of course, be included in the body of the age-grade report under the heading of the respective kind of special class to which they belong. 254 Problems in Elementary School Administration along the lines of the regular elementary school course of study. In consequence, it is possible to classify the chil- dren in such classes with more or less accuracy according as they have completed or are entering one or the other of the grades. Hence, the children in such classes can be included. While all pupils, except those in ungraded classes for physically and mentally defective children, and probably those in trade-schools for boys and for girls,^ should be in- cluded in an age-grade report for the elementary schools, it adds both to the clarity and to the value of such a report if a separate report is made for each sex and for each dis- tinct class of pupils; for example, a separate age-grade re- port for pupils in regular classes, for those in rapid-ad- vancement classes, for those in E classes, and so on. These several and separate age-grade reports are then combined to show the total nuipber of under-age, normal-age, and over-age pupils in the elementary schools, exclusive of those in ungraded classes ^ for physically and mentally defective children and those in trade schools.^ Finally, in view of the purpose of an age-grade report made at the end of the year for the official year, such an age-grade report should include not only all pupils, exclu- sive of those transferred or promoted, in the foregoing classes, on register at the close of the official year, but all pupils who have been on the register of these classes for a whole or a part of the official year, but who have dropped from school either temporarily or permanently ; that is, age- grade reports made at the end of the year for the official year should be based on the total or net register. (See pages 234-237.) Whereas, when an age-grade report is made at the begin- ning of the year for a given class and grade, there should be included all pupils in the foregoing classes, exclusive of * See note, page 253. 2 For a good example of such separate age reports, see Annual Re- port of the Superintendent of Public Schools of the City of Philadel- phia for ipii, pages 104 ff. The Children to Include 255 those transferred, who were in the given class during the whole or a part of the previous term or year, and who were not promoted, and all pupils promoted to the given class at the end of the previous year ; there should also be included all pupils who have entered the given class for the first time during the given term ; when such a report is made for the system as a whole, it should be based on the total or net register for such classes up to and including the day on which the register is taken for the report. CHILDREN TO BE INCLUDED IN AGE-GRADE REPORTS FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK In view of the foregoing discussion, there should be in- cluded in a complete and exact age-grade report for the elementary schools of the City of New York, both when the report is for the official year, and when the report is for the beginning of the term or year, at least the pupils in the following classes : (i) In the regular classes of each of the several grades (2) In rapid-advancement classes (3) In E classes (4) In C classes (5) In D classes (6) In defective-speech classes (7) In truant, parental, and probationary schools CHILDREN INCLUDED IN AGE-GRADE REPORTS MADE FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK In making his age-grade reports for 1904 and for 1905, there were included by the City Superintendent of Schools all the different children on register June 30th, but he did not include in these reports all the different children, exclu- sive of those transferred or promoted, who were on the register during the course of the official school year. While 256 Problems in Elementary School Administratiur, there were, therefore, included in the age-grade reports for 1904 and for 1905, children — a few hundred — who should have been excluded, viz., pupils in classes for men- tally defective children,^ there were omitted from these reports the tens of thousands of children who dropped from schools temporarily or permanently during the course of the official year, and who were not on the register June 30th. In his Annual Report for 1905 the City Superintendent of Schools announces what pupils are to be excluded there- after from his age-grade reports, viz., "pupils in special classes (classes to teach English to immigrant children) and ungraded classes (classes for defective or atypical children)." As a matter of fact, the foregoing children — a total of 2,1 15 — were not only excluded from his age-grade report for 1906, but there were also excluded some 17,544 pupils on register in the newly formed Special D and E classes.^ In a word, the age-grade report of the City Su- perintendent of Schools for 1906 included only the pupils on the register at the end of the year when the schools closed for instruction, in the regular classes of the several grades,® and this is true of all his later age-grade reports.* In consequence, the age-grade reports of the City Superin- tendent of Schools, since 1905, are not age-grade reports for the elementary schools as a whole, but merely age-grade reports for the regular classes of the several grades, and, by reason of taking no account whatever of the tens of thousands of pupils who drop from the regular classes dur- ing the course of the official year, they are but partial re- ports even for the pupils in the regular classes. '■ Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 190S, page 63. 2 Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 1906, pages 57-58- 3 Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 1906, page 57. * See Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 1907, page 58; and for 191 1, page 54. (the Children to Include 257 TABLE LXV Shows the NtniBER and Pee Cent, of Pupils Under Age, Normal Age, AND Over Age, When an Age-Grade Report is Correctly Made, IN a System of Schools Having Semi-Annual Promotions, at the End of a Term for the Offioal Term (l) WHEN UP-TO-FIFTEEN IS ACCEPTED AS THE UPPER NORMAL-AGE LIMIT FOE completing the ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Net or Under Age Normal Age Over Age Total Register Percent. Percent. Percent. Grades for 2nd Number of Number of Number of Official Under Register Normal Register Over Register Term Age Under Age Normal Age Over igii Age Age Age '• lA.... S17 90 17.41 315 60.93 112 21.66 iB.... 487 95 19-51 280 57-49 112 23.00 2A.... 436 SO 11.47 23s 53-9° 151 34-63 2B.... 524 74 14.12 272 51-91 178 33-97 ^ 3A.... 463 60 12.96 203 43-84 200 43.20 S 3B.... 488 70 14-34 228 46.72 igo 38.93 2 4A.... 468 63 13-46 166 35-47 239 51-07 U 4B.... 498 46 9-24 20S 41.16 247 49.60 ^ SA.... 441 31 7-03 146 33-11 264 59-86 e sB.... i 6A.... SS7 72 12.93 188 33-75 297 53-32 491 48 9-78 131 26.68 312 63-54 ^ 6B.... 466 61 13.09 141 30.26 264 56-65 ^h.... 658 73 11.09 172 26.14 413 62.77 7B.... 588 82 13-95 191 32.48 315 53-57 8A. . . . 483 60 12.42 157 32-51 266 55-07 8B.... 388 76 19-59 141 36-34 171 44.07 Total... 7.9S3 iiOSi 13.22 3.171 39-87 3.731 46.91 f lA.... iB.... 6 6 100.00 2 2 100.00 S 2A.... S 5 ICO. 00 S 2B.... 16 16 100.00 2 3A.... 20 20 100 . 00 u 3B.... 23 23 100.00 W 4A.... 40 I 2.50 39 97-50 e 4B.... 48 I 2.08 2 4-17 45 93-75 1 SA.... 77 I 1.30 76 98.70 Q sB.... 24 2 8.33 I 4-17 21 87-50 56A.... " 6B.... 7A.... 23 I 4-35 2 8.70 20 86.95 9 9 100.00 3 3 100 . 00 Total... 296 S 1.69 6 2.03 28s 96.28 Grand Total.. 8,249 1,056 12.80 3.177 38-51 4,016 48.69 258 Problems in Hlementary School Administration TABLE LXV {Continued) (2) WHEN TTP-TO-FOURTEEN-AND-A-HALP IS ACCEPTED AS THE UPPER NORMAI,- AGE LIMIT FOR COMPLETING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS Net or Under Age Normal Age Over Age Total Register Percent. Percent. PerCent. Grades for 2nd Nvimber of Number of Number of Official Under Register Normal Register Over Register Term Age Under Age Normal Age Over 1911 Age Age Age f lA.... S17 90 17.41 199 38.49 228 44.10 iB.... 487 9S 19-51 194 39-83 198 40.66 2A.... 436 so 11.47 ^35 30.50 253 58-03 2B.... 524 74 14.12 153 29.20 297 56-68 S 3A.... 463 60 12.96 120 25.92 283 61.12 S 3B.... 488 70 14-34 "S 23-57 303 62.09 2 4A.... 468 63 13-46 92 19.66 313 66.88 U 4B.... 498 46 9-24 104 20.88 348 69.88 3 SA.... 441 31 7-03 80 18.14 330 74-83 g sB.... S57 72 12.93 86 15-44 399 71.63 5 6A.... ^ 6B.... 491 48 9.78 67 13-64 376 76.58 466 61 13.09 50 10.73 355 76.18 7A.... 658 73 11.09 84 12.77 501 76.14 7B.... S88 82 13 -95 83 14. II 423 71-94 8A.... 483 60 12.42 75 15-53 348 72.05 8B.... 388 76 19-59 64 16.49 248 63.92 Total. 7.9S3 1,051 13-22 1,699 21.36 5,203 65.42 f lA.... iB.... 6 6 100.00 2 2 100.00 S 2A.... S 5 100.00 S 2B.... 16 16 100.00 2 3A.... 20 20 100.00 <-> 3B.... 23 23 100.00 H 4A.... 40 40 100.00 g 4B.... 48 I 2.08 I 2.08 46 95-84 « sA.... 77 I 1-30 76 98.70 « I?--- 24 2 8-33 I 4-17 21 87-50 6A. . . . 23 I 4-35 I 4-35 21 91.30 6B 7A.... 9 9 100.00 3 3 100.00 Total. . . 296 S 1.69 3 1. 01 288 97-30 Grand Total.. 8,249 1,056 12.80 1,702 20.63 5,491 66.57 The Children to Include 259 TABLE LXVI Shows the Ntjmber and Pee Cent, op Pupils Under Age, Normal Age, and Over Age, When an Age-Grade Report is Made as Age-Grade Re- ports ARE Made by the City Superintendent op Schools Register as of June 30 after Pro- motion Under Age Norma] Age Over Age Grades Number Under Age Per Cent. of Register Under Age Number Normal Age Per Cent. of Register Normal Age Number Over Age Per Cent, of Register Over Age ist Year 525 904 938 934 889 1,010 1,013 91S 17 147 122 106 73 102 108 131 3-24 16.26 13.01 11.35 8.21 10.10 10.66 14-32 476 663 662 603 549 561 578 575 90.67 73-34 70 -57 64.56 61.76 55-54 57.06 62.84 32 94 154 225 267 347 327 209 6.09 10.40 16.42 24.09 30 -03 34.36 32.28 22.84 and Year 3rd Year 4th Year 5th Year 6th Year 7th Year 8th Year Total 7,128 806 II. 31 4,667 65-47 1.655 23.22 -A-ge-grade Table LXV-i is made as an age-grade table should probably be made for the elementary schools of the City of New York, if up-to-fifteen is accepted as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school. Age-grade Table LXV-2 is made as an age-grade report should probably be made for the elementary schools of the City of New York, if up-to-fourteen-and-a-half is accepted as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school. Age-grade Table LXVI conforms in every respect to the age-grade reports as made by the City Superintendent of Schools since 1905. Age-grade Tables LXV and LXVI show, therefore, the effect of the City Superintendent of Schools making his age-grade reports as he does, on the reported number of pupils under age, normal age, and over age. 26o Problems in Ulementary School Administration The City Superintendent of Schools, by limiting his age- grade reports to the regular classes of the several grades, by including in his reports only the pupils on the register in these classes at the end of the term, and by making his age-grade reports as he does, reports, in view of Table LXV-i, for regular classes, 1.91 per cent, fewer pupils un- der age, 25.60 per cent, more pupils of normal age, and 23.69 per cent, fewer pupils over age, than there probably are in the regular classes of the several grades; while, if his reports are taken as age-grade reports for the elemen- tary schools as a whole, he reports, in view of Table LXV-i, 1.49 per cent, fewer under-age pupils, 29.96 per cent, more pupils of normal age, and 25.47 per cent, fewer pupils over age than there probably are in the elementary schools. Whereas, in view of Table LXV-2, he reports 1.91 per cent, fewer pupils under age, 44. 1 1 per cent, more pupils of normal age, cind 42.20 per cent, fewer pupils over age than there probably are in the regular classes of the several grades, and if his reports are taken as age-grade reports for the elementary schools as a whole, he reports in view of Table LXV-2 1.49 per cent, fewer pupils under age, 44.84 per cent, more pupils of normal age, and 43.35 per cent, fewer pupils over age, than there probably are in the ele- mentary schools of the city. Only by including in his age-grade report the children that he does, and by making his age-grade reports as he does, was the City Superintendent of Schools able in 191 1 to report as follows : "That the decrease in the number of over-age children in the grades has been steady and progressive since 1904, when I first called the attention of the world to this over- age problem, is shown by the following table : The Children to Include 261 "TABLE XXXII "Showing the Number of Over-Age Children in the Grades since 1905 Year Number of Over-Age Pupils Per Cent of Whole Number 190S 160,549 32.0 1906 150,500 30.1 1907 158,466 30.4 1908 161,373 30.0 1909 156,208 28.4 1910 146,326 26 . 1 1911 131.858 23-3"' It is possible for the City Superintendent of Schools, making his age-grade reports as he does, to report a reduc- tion of over-age pupils "in the grades" from 32 per cent.^ in 1905 to 23.3 per cent, in 191 1, a reduction of 8.78 per cent. But the City Superintendent of Schools failed to point out in connection with "Table XXXII" that the per cent, of over-age pupils "in the grades" was only for those pupils on register "in the grades" June 30 when the schools closed for instruction, and that no account whatever had been taken of the thousands of pupils who had been "in the grades" during the course of the official year, but who had dropped from school temporarily or permanently.® He failed to point out the fact that the number of pupils taken from the regular classes of the several grades and put into special C, D, and E classes had increased from a few hun- dred in 1905 to 28,838 in 191 1.* Naturally, when thou- 1 Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 1911, page 59. 2 It should be noted in this connection that the per cent, of over-age pupils in the regular classes of the grades was not 32 per cent, as given in "Table XXXII," but that 32 per cent, is probably the per cent, of over-age pupils in the elementary schools as a whole, because in this age-grade report pupils in certain special classes were included. See Annual Report of City Superintendent of Schools for 1904, page 43. 3 30,995 pupils dropped temporarily or permanently from the ele- mentary schools of the city during the course of the February-June term of 191 1. See page 188. * Annual Report of the City Superintendent of Schools for 1911, page 55- 262 Problems in Elementary School Administration sands of pupils — all presumably over age — are taken from the regular classes in the grades and entirely ignored in an age-grade report, the per cent, of over age in the grades is reduced. By the same mechanical methods the per cent, of over-age pupils in the grades could be reduced to zero. Until an exact and complete age-grade report is made no one will know what the actual age-grade conditions are in the elementary schools of the city; until such a report is made, it is impossible to judge whether the schools are effi- ciently or inefficiently administered, to judge whether or not the materials and methods of instruction are adapted to the varying abilities and needs of different groups of chil- dren, or to determine the number of pupils for whom special classes should be provided. CHAPTER XIX CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSIONS THE discussion of over age and the method of deter- mining it may be summarized briefly : (i) Over age has social, educational, and financial significance, because : (a) Over-age children tend to fail to complete the work of the elementary schools, just to the extent that they fall behind their grade for their age. (b) Over-age children, by tens on tens of thou- sands, falling behind the grade for their age, enter practical pursuits with only a sixth or seventh grade education. (c) To provide special classes for the instruc- tion of over-age pupils, as is now done,- in- creases the cost of instructing such pupils, and the presence of a large number of over-age pupils in a system of schools increases the number of classrooms, and, hence, the number of buildings needed to care for a given school population. (2) Age-grade standards for "being in the grade" are an inexact basis for age-grade reports, because : (a) A child is not under age, normal age, or over age by reason of being of a certain age and by reason of "being in a certain grade." 263 264 Problems in Elementary School Administration A child is under age, normal age, or over age in view of the task in hand, viz., completing the entire elementary school course of study by a given age. (b) To make age-grade reports on the basis of age-grade standards for "being in the grade" is to decrease decidedly the reported number of over-age children. (3) Whether or not a child is under age, normal age, or over age can be determined exactly only in view of the normal-age limits fixed for entering and for com- pleting each of the several grades of the elementary school. (4) The age-grade standards for entering and for completing each of the several grades of the elementary school will differ according to whether up to fifteen years of age or up to fourteen and a half years of age is accepted as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school. (5) Age-grade reports are most reliable and exact when made on the basis of age-grade standards for en- tering and for completing each of the several grades of the elementary school, and when these age-grade stand- ards are determined in view of up to fourteen years and a half as the upper normal-age limit for completing the elementary school. (6) Age-grade reports, to be valuable as a means of guidance to the Board of Education and to administra- tive officers, should be made at the end of the year for the official school year as a whole. Age-grade reports, to be valuable to principals and teachers in the proper classification and instruction of pupils, should be made at the beginning of the school term or year. (7) When an age-grade report is made at the end of the year for the official year as a whole, the ages of Conclusions and Recommendations 265 the children should be taken as of the date of the close of the official school year. When an age-grade report is made at the beginning of the school term or year, the ages of the children should be taken as of the date of the beginning of the official school year. (8) In making age-grade reports the ages of the children should be based on the date of birth — year, month, and day — and taken in terms of years, months, and days. (9) There should be included in an age-grade re- port for the elementary school, all children who can be classified with reasonable accuracy as having completed or as entering one or the other of the several grades of the elementary school. The only pupils in the elemen- tary school who probably cannot be included in such a report are those in ungraded classes for physically and mentally defective pupils and those in trade-schools. (10) Age-grade reports, whether made at the end of the year, for the official year, or made at the begin- ning of the year, for a given class of a given grade, or for the system as a whole, should be based on the total or net register. RECOMMENDATIONS In view of the foregoing conclusions we recommend : ( 1 ) That the methods employed by the City Super- intendent of Schools in making age-grade re- ports be materially modified. (2) That an age-grade report be made at the end of the year for the official school year as a whole, to supply the Board of Education and its administrative officers with the basic infor- mation needed for their guidance. (3) That an age-grade report be made at the begin- ning of the year to supply principals and teach- 266 Problems in Elementary School Administration ers with the facts upon which they may rely in making classification and in carrying on the in- struction of pupils; that these reports be for the several classes of each school and for each school, but not for the system as a whole. (4) That up to fourteen years and a half be ac- cepted as the upper normal-age limit for com- pleting the elementary school. (5) That age-grade reports be made according to the provisions of this report. (6) We would also recommend : (a) That data be collected at once by the Board of Education on the ages and grades of children ; that complete and ex- act information may be had with respect to the age-grade condition in the ele- mentary schools of the city. (b) That data be collected at once on the causes of over age in the elementary schools, and ,(c) That an immediate investigation be made of to what extent pupils now in special classes are classified and are instructed in view of the causes of their being over age. Index INDEX Ability, classification of pupils accord- ing to, in intermediate schools, 57-58; attention necessary to vary- ing degrees of, in children, 107. Absence from school, as a cause of non- promotion, 66, 13 2ff.; as a factor in low rate of promotion in lA grade, 76-77; specimen statistics of, 132- 13s; question of reduction of, 135; figures to show effect of, on rate of promotion, 136-138; as a factor in non-promotion and congestion, 139- 140. Academic standards set for children graduating from elementary schools, 114-117. Acceleration and retardation, in inter- mediate schools as compared with schools having all grades, 26-29. Administrative problems, methods of solution, 3. Age, for entering elementary school, 97^8, in; for leaving elementary school, 98, 187-189; fourteen as the upper limit for attendance on ele- mentary school, 100, 222-225; disre- gard of limits of, in elementary schools of City of New York, loi- 103; recommendations concerning age of entrance and age of leaving, 120; meaning of "under," "nor- mal," and "over," 142; standard set by law for schools of New York, 199-200; definition of limits estab- lished, 200-201; when and how to take pupils, 242-251. See also Over age. Age-grade reports, right basis for, 206-207; age-grade standards for "being in the grade" a wrong basis for, 207; case when made before promotion, 207-208; when made after promotion, 208-211; question of when and how to make, 234-241, 242ff.; what children to include in, 252-262; conclusions and recom- mendations concerning, 263-266. Age-grade standards, fixed by City Superintendent of Schools, 143, 211-216; to use in making age-grade reports, 2052.; for entering and for completing each of the several grades, 222fiE.; effect of City Super- intendent's, on statistics for New York City, 227-228; effect of using different, on reported per cent, of over-age pupils, 228-233. Ages, normal, of children in the grades, 205-206, 211. Alternating part-time classes, 172- 173; number of pupils in, 175-177; rate of promotion in, 180, 181, 184. A.M. part-time classes, 172-173; num- ber of pupils in, 175-177; rate of promotion in, 180-183, 184. Attendance, irregular, a cause of chil- dren's failure to secure promotion, 66; irregular, as a factor in low rate of promotion in lA grade, 76-77; problem of how to improve, in lA grade, 78-80; disregard of length of, within limits of elementary school period, in City of New York, 103- 106. Ayres, Leonard P., The Relation be- tween Entering Age and Subsequent Progress among School Children, cited, 98, 222; Laggards in Our Schools, quoted and cited, 205, 207, 210; card prepared by, for giving age-grade reports, 238n. Backward children, classes for, 252; to be included in age-grade re- 269 270 Index ports, 253-254. 255. See Over age. Blank form recommended for collec- tion of data, 195-198. Boys, age of beginning of pubescence in, 98-99; compared with girls as to leaving school, 186-187, 192- "C" classes, organized to help chil- dren ignorant of English language, 156, 160, 163, 194, 252; children in, to be included in age-grade reports, 253-254, 255. City Superintendent of Schools, im- portance of advancing rate of pro- motion urged by, 81; justification of, in using pressure to secure more generous promotions, 87 ; maximum rate of promotion according to, 95; age-grade standards fixed by, 143; efiects on reports of, of taking no account of pupils leaving school, 189-191; why reports of, are gen- erally incomplete and misleading, 190-191 ; effect on statistics for New York City of age-grade standards used by, 227-233; criticism of time when age-grade reports are made by, 239-241; children included in and omitted from age-grade reports of, 255-262; general inadequacy of reports of, 262. Classes, relation between size of, and non-promotion, 66, i22fE., 126-129; maximum size of regular, 122-123; distribution of pupUs among the different, 123-126; over-size, as a factor in non-promotion and con- gestion, 129-130; conclusions as to proper size of, 130-131, 194-195; kinds of part-time, 172-175; kinds included in elementary school, 252. Classification of pupils according to ability in the intermediate school, Classroom, number of pupils to a, 34-3S- Classrooms, difference m mmiber of, made necessary by intermediate schools, 34-35. Collective-judgment method of solu- tion of administrative problems, 3- Committees appoioted to determine causes of non-promotion, 65. Compulsory Education Law, New York, 65, 78, 134, 135, 222; neces- sity for appljang to children in lA grade, 79, 80; upper age limit imder, 100, 103; age standard set by, 199- 200. Conduct of pupils, effect of part time on, 171. Congestion, increase in, in New York schools, 9-10; absence as a factor in, 139-140; over age as a factor in, 152-153; inability to use English language as a factor in, 161-162; no effect of part time in increasing, 171-172; effect of over age on, 203. Cooking rooms, difference in number required by schools having all grades and by intermediate sdiools, 40-44. Cooking teachers, number required by schools having all grades and by intermediate schools, 51, 52. Courses of study, opportunity for different, afforded by intermediate school, 55-56; adjusting length of, to length of period in which children may be kept under regime of ele- mentary school, 111-114; sets of data lacking in City of New York, 114; adjusting the requirements and determining number of, 114-117; recommendations concerning, 120, 121. Crampton, C. Ward, quoted on age of pubescence, 98-99; cited, 100. Data, need of, on causes of non-pro- motion, 193-195; blank form rec- ommended for collection of, 195- 198. "D " classes, for over-age and retarded 1 pupils, 252; children in, to be in- cluded in age-grade reports, 253- 254, 255. Defective-speech classes, 252; children in, to be included in age-grade re- ports, 253-254, 255. Index 271 "E" classes, for over-age pupils, 150, 151, 252; provision other than, recommended for over-age pupils, 155; children in, to be included in age-grade reports, 253-254, 255. Economy, opportunity for, afforded by intermediate schools, 10, 333. Educational needs, attention neces- sary to varying, of different groups of children, 107-108. Educational significance of over age, 201-202, 263. Efficiency, relation between rate of promotion and, 23; over age a test of, of a school system, 201-202. Elementary school, relation between proper length of period of, and maxi- mum rate of promotion, 97; dis- regard of age limits in, in City of New York, 101-103; adjusting length of courses of study to period of, 111-114; varieties of classes included in, 252. Elimination, meaning of term, 92; amount of, in City of New York, 92-93; statistics of, 200. English language. See Ignorance of English language. Equipment, difference in amount re- quired by schools having all grades and by intermediate schools, 53. Establishment of an intermediate school, questions concerning, 60-61. Ettinger, Superintendent, experiments by, relative to adjustment of courses of study, ii7n. Ettinger part-time classes, I72ff.; daily time schedule for, 174; no pupils in, above 4A grade, 175; number of pupils in, 175-177; rate of promotion in, 179-180, 181, 184. Expense, difference in, caused by inter- mediate schools, 33-S4- Fifteen as upper age limit for com- pleting elementary school, 225-227. Financial significance of over-age problem, 202-203, 263. Forced promotions, 94. Foster, cited as to age of puberty in girls, 99. Fourteen as upper age limit for com- pleting elementary school, 100, 222-225. Frank, Coleman D., investigation work of, 28-29. Girls, average age of puberty in, 99; compared with boys as to leaving school, 186-187, 192. Grades, of pupils leaving school, 187- 189. Group-judgment method of solution of administrative problems, 3. Gymnasiums, difference in number of, required by schools having all grades and by intermediate schools, 44-47- Hall, G. Stanley, Adohscence by, cited, 98. High schools, opportunity afforded by intermediate school to adapt in- struction to requirements of, 56-57; influence of entrance requirements on promotion in elementary schools, ii4ff.; entrance requirements should not determine rate of promotion in elementary school, 118. Home conditions, importance of re- gard for, io7ff.; effect on rate of promotion, 149-150. Ignorance of English language, rela- tion between non-promotion and, 66, I56ff.; a minor factor in low rate of promotion in lA grade, 72-73; number of pupils in regular classes affected by, 156-157; recom- mendations concerning, 194. Immaturity, as a factor in low rate of promotion in lA grade, 73-75. Intermediate school, questions to be solved concerning, 4; grades includ- ed in, 9; advantages of, 10; objec- tions to, made by supervisors and principals, 10; first objection, that more pupils leave the 6B grade with- out completing this grade, 11-15; second objection, that more pupils promoted from the 6B grade do not enter the 7A grade, 15-19; third 272 Index objection, that more pupils leave the 7A-8B grades without complet- ing these grades, 19-22; rate of promotion in, compared with that in schools having all grades, 23-25; niuuber of terms of work lost and gained by pupils, 26-29; summary of conclusions concerning, 29-32; difference in expense due to, 33ff.; difiference in number of school- rooms required, 33-47; difference in number of teachers required, 47-52; difference in amount of sup- plies and equipment required, 53; summary of saving effected by, 54; educational opportunities afforded by, 5Sff.; opportunity afforded by, to offer different courses of study, 55-56; opportunity to adapt in- struction to the two sexes and to the requirements of high schools and vocational schools, 56-57; opportunity to classify pupUs ac- cording to ability, 57-58; oppor- tunity for promotion by studies, 58; opportunity to adapt to needs of seventh and eighth year pupils cer- tain general features of school or- ganization, 58-59; recommenda- tions concerning, 61-62. Intermediate schools, three which have been organized in Greater New York, 9; points to have in mind as to location and establish- ment of, 60-61. Late entrance into school, a cause of children's failure to secure promo- tion, 66; as a factor in low rate of promotion in lA grade, 77. Leaving school by pupils, statistics, ■ and problem of, 185-192. Location of intermediate school, 60. McMurry, F. M., Elementary School Standards, cited, 102, 120. Manual training equipment, required by schools having all grades and by intermediate schools, 36-39, 44, 49- Si. 52- Maturity, proper mdex of, 73. Maximum rate of promotion, 95S.; City Superintendent of Schools quoted on, 95; conditions determin- ing, 96-97; disregard of conditions favorable to, 97-1 1 1 ; changes needed to attain, 1 1 iff . ; should be uniformly about 100 per cent., 118, 119. Nationalities, number of different, in elementary schools of City of New York, 108. Newark, Report of Board of Educa- tion, quoted on ages of children in the grades, 205. Non-promotion, study of causes of, 65-80; over-size classes as a factor in, 129-130; relation between ab- sence and, I32ff.; over age as a fac- tor in, I42ff., 152-153; relation between inability to use EngUsh language and, is6ff.; relation be- tween part time and, i64ff.; direct and indirect effects of part time on, 171; conclusions and recommenda- tions as to, 193-198. Normal age, defined, 142, 201; effect of age-grade standards used in mak- ing reports, on statistics of, 205ff. Normal ages of children in the grades, 205-206, 211. Objections made to intermediate schools, 10-22. Objective method of solution of administrative problems, 3, 5. Opportunities, educational, afforded by the intermediate school, 55-62. Organization of school, opportunity to adapt to needs of pupils, afforded by intermediate school, 58-59. Over age, degree of, in City of New York, 87-91, 145-148; educational significance of, 91, 199, 201; relation between non-promotion and, I42ff., 148-152; meaning of, 142, 201; figures as to, of pupils in regular classes, 143-145; as a factor in non- promotion and congestion, 152-153; conclusions and recommendations concerning, 153-155, 263; social, educational, and financial signifi- Index 273 cance, igpff.; a test of the effidency of a school system, 201-202; reason why more serious in upper grades than in lower grades, 202n.; points to have in mind in determining num- ber of pupils, 203-204; effect of age- grade standards used in making reports, 2osfi. Over-size classes, a cause of non-pro- motion, 66, 122B.; as a factor in low rate of promotion in lA grade, 75. Parental schools, 252; children in, to be included in age-grade reports, 253-254, 255. Part time, increase in number of pu- pils on, 9-10; a cause of children's failure to secure promotion, 66; as a factor in low rate of promotion in lA grade, 75-76; meaning of, 164; conditions giving rise to, 164-165; different attitudes of school author- ities toward, 165; statistics of, 166; questions to be decided concerning, 166-168; rate of promotion in classes on, 168-171; as a factor in non-pro- motion and congestion, 171-172; A.M., P.M., alternating, and Ettin- ger part-time classes, 172-175; pref- erences of principals for different kinds of classes, 174-175; distribu- tion of pupils in each kind of class, 175-177; rate of promotion in differ- ent kinds of classes, 177-183; con- clusions and recommendations as to, 193-198. Personal-judgment method of solu- tion of administrative problems, 3- P.M. part-time classes, 172-173; num- ber of pupils in, 175-177; rate of promotion in, 180-183, 184. Principals, attitude of, affected by establishment of an intermediate school, 60-61; varying views of, on part-time classes, 174-175. Probationary schools, 252; children in, to be included in age-grade re- ports, 253-254, 255. Promotion, effect of intermediate schools on, 15-19; relative rate of. in schools having all grades and in intermediate schools, 23-25; oppor- tunity for, by studies, afforded by intermediate school, 58; chief causes preventing children from receiving, 65-66; rate of, in each borough and in entire City of New York, 70-71; causes of low rate of, in lA grade, 72-77; problem of increasing per cent, of, in lA grade, 78-80; rate of, uniformly about 90 per cent., 81; importance of advancing rate, urged by City Superintendent of Schools, 81; extraordinary increase in rate of, in February- June term (1911), 82-87; over age due to pupils' fail- ure to receive regular, 87-91; adjust- ment of standards of, so as to remedy elimination, 93-94; forced promotions, 94; question of what should be maximum rate, 95ff.; conditions determining maximum rate, 96-97; disregard of conditions favorable to a maximum rate, 97- III ; changes needed to attain maxi- mum rate, 11 iff.; effect of setting certain academic standards, 114- 117; rate of, should not be deter- mined by high school requirements and arbitrary assmnptions, 117-118; relation between rate of, and size of class, 1 26-131; relation between absence and rate of, 132-141; rela- tion of over age to, I42ff.; rate of, for over-age pupils, 148-152; rela- tion between inability to use English language and, 156-163; part time and, 1645.; rate of, in whole-time and in part-time classes, 168-171; rate of, in A.M. and in P.M. part- time classes, 177-178; rate in whole- time and in each kind of part-time class, 178-183; time for making age-grade reports in relation to, 205-221. Promotion and non-promotion, gen- eral problem of, 6sff. Pubescence, should mark end of ele- mentary school period for children, 98; significance of, 98n.; age in years for beginning of, 98-99. 274 Index PupUs, number of, per classroom, 34- 35 ; average number per teacher, 49; special educational opportunities afiorded to, by the intermediate school, 55-62; number of, in lA classes, 75; number of over-age, 87-91, 203-204; record cards for, 92n., 195, 250; maximum number in regular classes, 122-123; dis- tribution of, among different grades, 123-126; problem of those who leave school, 185-192; number of, in over-age classes, 203; when and how to take ages of, 242-251; classes of, to be included in age-grade re- ports, 252-262. Races represented in elementary schools of City of New York, 108. Rapid-advancement classes, 252; chil- dren in, to be included in age-grade reports, 253-254, 255. Record cards, pupils', 92n., 195, 250. Reports, recommended on pupils leav- ing school, 191; right and wrong bases for making age-grade, 205- 221. See Age-grade reports. Requirements of courses of study in elementary schools, changes in, 114-117. Retardation, over age due to, 150-151. School buildings, cost of, 47. School organization, opportunity to adapt certain features of, to needs of pupils, afforded by intermediate school, 58-59. Schoolrooms, difference in number of, required by intermediate schools, 33-47- School system, amount of over age a test of efficiency of, 201-202. Sexes, adaptation of instruction to the two, afforded by the intermedi- ate school, 56-57; comparison of, as to leaving school, 185-187. Size of class, relation between non- promotion and, I22ff. Sluggish mentality, as a cause of non- promotion, 66, 193. Social significance of over age, igg- 202, 263. Standards for children graduating from elementary schools, adjust- ment of, 114-117. Statistical method of solution of ad- ministrative problems, 3. Strayer, Age-Grade Census of Schools and Colleges, dted and quoted, 100, 205, 243. Subjects, opportunity for promotion by, afforded by intermediate school, S8- Supplies, difference in amount required by schools having all grades and by intermediate schools, 53. Tabulation of data, blank fonn for, 195-198. Teachers, difference in number of, required by schools having all grades and by intermediate schools, 47-52; attitude of those affected by establishment of an intermediate school, 60-61. Terms of work lost and gained by pupils in schools having all grades and in intermediate schools, 26- 29. Truancy, effect of part-time on, 171. Truant schools, 252; children in, to be included in age-grade reports, 253-254, 255. Under age, defined, 142, 201; effect of age-grade standards used in making reports, on statistics of, 205ff. Vocational schools, opportunity af- forded by intermediate school to adapt instruction to requirements ■ of, 56-57. Whole time, part time and, i64ff.; rate of promotion in classes on, and in part-time classes, 168-171 178-1S4. Yards, use of, by Ettinger part-time classes 173, 181. THE HAWTHORNE CLASSICS FOR GRAMMAR GRADES Edited by Edward Everett Hale, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of English in UnioD College. In eight volumes. Uniformly bound in doth. List price per volume for class use, 40 cents j maillDg price for single volume, each 48 cents. These classics are adapted to higher grammar grades and satisfy the universal demand for complete literary wholes. AMERICAN ESSAYS. For grades 7 and 8. xii -|- 257 pages. Examples from our four greatest essayists, that can also be used in the lower classes of high schools, AMERICAN STORIES. For grades 6 and 7. xvl -|- 270 pages. Eight great American short stories from Washington Irving to Edward Everett Hale. Each is a model of the kind, and is dis- tinct in subject and treatment. BALLADS AND BALLAD POETRY. For grades 7 and 8. xvi + 154 pages. Genuine ballads of the olden time with the true ballad flavor, a group of the best modern ballads, and three stirring poems of greater length which have the ballad character. ENGLISH ESSAYS. For grades 7 and 8. xiv -)-- 24° pages. By Lamb, Addison, Goldsmith, and Thackeray. Some are also well adapted to high school and normal classes. ENGLISH STORIES. For grades 6 and 7. xiv -(- 240 pages. Five great English Stories of varied type. This volume with *' American Stories*' will help to develop the literary sense, while gratifying the love for a good story. GREEK MYTHS IN ENGLISH DRESS. For grades $ and 6, xii + 244 pages. Six immortal Greek myths retold by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Charles Kingsley, and Thomas Bulfinch. LONGER NARRATIVE POEMS. For grades 6 to S. xiv 4- 257 pagee. Ten of the best narrative poems of the nineteenth century, varied in style and meter, and of thrilling interest to pupils of the hero- loving age. These poems might be used in the high school for more critical study. SHAKESPEAREAN COMEDIES. For grades 7 and 8. xxii-l-298 pages. A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, and The Tempest. One, at least, of these comedies should be read Ic the grammar grades. WORLD BOOK COMPANY Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York English Classics — Star Series English Required for College Entrance Examinations Edited by College Professors fully acquainted both ivith the subject matter and 'with the requirements for college entrance, as loell as ivith the iveak spots continually dis' covered. Full explanatory notes, suggestions for study and interpretation, bibliography, typical examination questions, illustrations and maps are provided -wherever necessary. These books are uniformly bound in cloth. List Price 3 o cents each ; by mail, 36 cents each. Starred books 50 cents; by mail, 60 cents. Addison and Steele. The Sir Roger de Coverley Papers &om The Spectator. (Laura Johnson Wylie). xlvi -j- 207 pages. Burke. Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies. (Mary A. Jordan). Ixxxviii -\- 152 pages. Carltle. Essay on Burns. (William T. Brewster), xx -\- 108 pages. Coleridge. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. (Carleton Eldredge Noyes). Ixviii + 75 pages. Cooper. The Last of the Mohicans. (William Stnink). xviii -|- 446 pages. * Eliot. Silas Marner. (Arthur Hobson Quinn). xxiv+ 231 pages. Goldsmith. The Vicar of Wakefield. (William Hand Browne) . xir -{- 226 pages. Macaulat. Essays on Milton and Addison. (Thomas Marc Parrott). Ix -\- 208 pages. Milton. L' Allegro, II Penseroso, Comus, and Lycidas. (Edward Everett Hale). 1 + 14° pages. Pope. The Iliad of Homer. Books I, VI, XXII, XXIV. (William Cranston Lawton). xxix -|- 152 pages. Scott. Ivanhoe, (Carroll Lewis Maxcy). xl -)- 547 pages. * Shakespeare. Julius Caesar. (Albert Harris Tolman). Ixvi -|- 158 pages. Shakespeare. Macbeth. (Wilbur Lucius Cross), xxviii -|- 144 pages. Shakespeare. The Merchant of Venice. (Helen Gray Cone). xxii + '37 pigss- Tennyson. The Princess. (Mary Bowen). xxii -(- 138 pages. WORLD BOOK COMPANY Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York INTERESTING jfS A NOVEL INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE By ViDA D. ScuDDER, A.M. Professor of English Literature at WelJesley College* Cloth. 542 pages. List price $1,20, mailing price $1.44 Forthehigh school and the younger classes in college. It gives a clear and correct idea of each great period of English Literature and guides in the direct and copious reading of texts. Each part begins with a picture of the period treated: the significance of our origins and the imaginative achievement of'^the great medieval centuries are clearly shown and the student is enabled to trace the many strands, racial^ physical, ethical, and spiritual, of which the glorious fabric of English Literature is woven. Special prominence is given to the greatest or most significant figures in our literature. In addition to the bibliographical references at the end of each chapter there are practical suggestions for discussions by the students and for talks by the teacher. A full outline of authors with their works and contemporary events in tables arranged for easy reference is also given. The book is thoroughly human, interesting, attractive, and inspiring, and has a literary charm not found in the ordinary text-book. There is not a dry page in it and there is no book that presents the story of English Literature in a manner more likely to awaken the desire for further acquaintance with the books that are so alluringly described. TRE RIGHT trORD IN THE RIGHT PLACE HANDBOOK OF ENGLISH COMPOSITION A Compilation of Standard Rules and Usage By LuELLA Clay Carson President of Mills College, California, formerly Professor of Rhetoric and American Literature^Universityof Oregon Trains the student in accuracy and effectiveness in the essentials of English Composition, in the ready, rapid., and unconscious use of correct forms, and deals clearly and conclusively with doubtful questions and confusing points. For classes in English composition and rhetoric, it is invaluable, as it presents in compact form material which must be sought in many sources. It is authoritative and it is a book of ready reference. It contains instructions on Capitalization, Punctuation, Italics, Abbreviations, Syllabication, Compounds, Spelling, Construction and Criticism, Mechanical Aids and Processes, Letter- Writing, Copy for the Printer, Bibliography. Each chapter includes material valuable forgcneral reference or for some special need as well as the regular text-book material intended for class use. The pages are interleaved with blank pages for notes. The mailing price of the book in cloth is 72 cents; leather, $1.00. Discounts on quan- tities for class use may be had on application to the publishers. A fuller description with specimen page and many important and valuable opinions upon the book will be sent upon application. WORLD BOOK COMPANY YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK THE BEST OF GIFTS — A BOOK For the many occasions when a present is to be given, there is nothing of more permanent value than an interesting boo);. It may also be an inexpensive gift. Read the following selected list of World Book Com- pany books which make acceptable gifts, and note the range of prices. All these books are well suited for gifts. They are interesting; the pictures are the work of excellent illustrators ; the type is large and plam ; the paper is good; the printing is clear; the binding is both strong and attractive. FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN Chadwick-Freeman : Chain Stories and Playlets, i. The Cat that was Lonesome. 2. The Woman and Her Pig. 3. The Mouse that Lost her Tail. Each, 18 cents. Chancellor: Easy Road to Reading, i. A Book of Animals. 2. A Book of Children. 3. A Book of Fun and Fancy. 4. A Book of Letters and Numbers. Each, 18 cents. Thompson-Cooper : Making Faces with Pencil and Brush. Book I. Book II. Each, 18 cents. FOR BOYS AND GIRLS Bailey : Sure Pop and the Safety Scouts. 42 cents. Burks : Barbara's Philippine Journey. 72 cents. Brown: Nature and Industry Readers, i. Stories of Woods and Fields. 2. Stories of Childhood and Nature. 3. When the World was Young. Each, 48 cents. Curtis : Indian Days of the Long Ago. Gift edition, ^i.20. Curtis: In the Land of the Head-Hunters. Gift edition, ^1.20. McGovney: Stories of Long Ago in the Philippines. 4^cents. Sims-Harry : Dramatic Myths and Legends. Book One : Norse Legends. Book Two : Greek and Roman Legends. Each, 30 cents. A post card to the publishers will bring you more detailed informa- tion with regard to any or all of these books. The books will be sent postpaid at the prices given above. It is requested that payment in stamps, by registered letter, or by money order accompany all orders. WORLD BOOK COMPANY YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, new YORK ^UlillHiE^i;