^'i^'i^ ^ H HUDELSON ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE HUDELSON WORLD BOOK COMPANY '<»:!c>i'i^a:fi>:}i:>:Hi>;la^%>^^ HUDELSON ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE BY EARL HUDELSON, Ph.D. PROFESSOR OF SECONDARY EDUCATION WEST VIRGINIA UNriVERSITY YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK WORLD BOOK COMPANY 1921 ^ y THE HOUSE OF APPLIED KNOWLEDGE WORLD BOOK COMPANY M Established, 1905, by Caspar W. Hodgson Y0NKEE8-0N-HUDS0N, NeW YoEK 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago The Hudelson English Coirposition Scale is offered in the hope that it will prove a useful member of World Book Company's growing list of publications in the field of tests and measurements, a Ust which now comprises: National Intelligence Tests Otis Group Intelligence Scale Haggerty Intelligence Examination Haggerty Reading Examination Terman Group Test of Mental Ability Courtis Standard Practice Tests in Arithmetic Otis General Intelligence Examination Other tests in preparation (^^^■ J- JAN -8 192) Copyright, 1921, by World Book Company AU rights reserved ■3)CU604885 INTRODUCTION THE Hudelson English Composition Scale will appear as the Virginia Supplement to the Hillegas Scale in Part II of the Report of the Survey of the Virginia Pub- lic Schools, which is now in press. It is here printed separately and in advance, because of the repeated re- quests that have been made for it. It is believed that this scale represents a distinct improvement over the scales now available. Mr. Hudelson has worked out unusually helpful directions for the use of the scale in scoring compositions and also directions for the training of scorers through practice on compositions of known values. It is a pleasure to commend this scale to teach- ers of composition and to others who desire a usable measuring instrument in this field. M. E. Haggerty [v] CONTENTS SECTION PAGE I. Purpose and Use . 1 II. The Hudelson Scale 4 III. How TO Use the Hudelson Scale .... 20 IV. Samples for Practice in Scoring .... 29 [vii] HUDELSON ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE I PURPOSE AND USE ONE of the convictions growing out of educational surveys is the need of a more reUable means of evaluating composition ability than the individual judg- ments employed by teachers. Efforts at acquainting English teachers with the judicial use of existing measur- ing devices forces the conclusion that a scale is needed for the rank and file of teachers of composition in which the steps are uniform throughout. Admirable as the other scales are, the uneven steps between the various samples render the use of such instruments confusing to teachers untrained in the employment of these devices. The present scale has been devised to obviate this confusion. HOW THE HUDELSON SCALE WAS DEVISED The Hudelson Scale is composed of compositions written by first-year high school pupils of Virginia during the State Educational Survey, in May, 1919. Since these compositions were scored on the Nassau County Supple- ment,^ which in turn was based upon the Hillegas Scale.^ the methods employed in establishing the steps of the original scale apply to the steps in the present scale. Approximately one thousand Virginia compositions were scored on the Nassau County Scale by one experienced ^ Trabue, M. R., Nassau County Supplement to the Hillegas Scale. Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, New York City. ^ Hillegas, M. B., A Scate for the Measurement of Quality in English Composition. Bureau of Publications, Teachers College, New York City, [1] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE scorer. This scorer's reliability was confirmed by testing at frequent intervals during the scoring, and, at the end, by comparing his scores on random sets of ten composi- tions with the median rating of ten other trained scorers. His judgment averaged .14 of a scale step from the average judgment of the ten trained scorers. One hundred of these scored compositions, ranging from the poorest to the best, were then selected, and faithfully reproduced in mimeographed form; the specimens were shuffled, and finally scored by ninety-six composition teachers, most of whom had had considerable experience with composition standards, and all of whom had just been given two weeks of intensive training at Teachers College, New York, in the use of the Nassau County Supplement. No teacher's scores were counted whose average deviation from the true value was more than .5, or a half step, on the Nassau Scale. The values accompanying the samples in the Hudelson Scale (see pages 4 to 19) represent the median ^ judgments of the ninety-six scorers. When two or more samples received the same median score, that one was selected for the scale upon which the fewest number of distinctly erroneous judgments had been made. SOURCE OF THE SAMPLES The samples which constitute the scale are given on the following pages (4 to 19), and directions for the use of the scale will be found following the samples (pages 20 to 27). The first eleven specimens, values 2.0 to 7.0, are Virginia compositions. Samples 7.5, 8.0, 8.5, and 9.5 are selected from Professor E. L. Thorndike's English ' The median rating is that score above and below which there are an equal number of ratings. The values denoted in the margin at the left are accurate enough for all practical purposes. The exact medians appear at the upper left-hand corner. [2] PURPOSE AND USE Composition — 150 Specimens Arranged for Use in Psy- chological and Educational Experiments (Bureau of Publica- tions, Teachers College). The values there assigned are used here. Example 9.0 is chosen from the Thorndike Extension to the Hillegas Scale, with the value there assigned. Samples 9.0 and 9.5 are the only specimens in the Hudelson Scale not written by school children. [3] II THE HUDELSON SCALE 2.067 Sample 1 The Most Exciting ride I ever had. The Most exciting ride I ever had was a Hay ride, it was early in the morning when we went out on the hay ride it was quite a injoyable trip 2^^ every one seemed to be so cheerfuly the rode that I Iwe were travehng on it was very hilly on of the * parties took sick and far a little while no one did not think that the Girl were as sick as she was all at once she come mence comeplainning so she arroused ones curosity we found out that the girl were verry ell thought she was going to die. [4] THE HUDELSON SCALE 2.50 Sample 2 The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had One dag Friends I decided to go car riding my friend and myself started. 2— We was going arromid a sharp curve and an- ^ other car was coming toward us the driver did • not know what to do. The road was so narrow we couldn't stop. So the other car ran into us and turned us over the bank, and it hurt three of my frimses very bad. [5] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE 3.00 Sample 3 The Most Exerciting I ever Had: The Most exercitmg ride I ever had was When I was on my way to Petersburg. It was one Sunday Morning and two car's full of people went to Camp Lee and I was with in the crowd 3^,^ the car I was in was a Cadalic 8 and a very I Ismail boy was driving it, we were runing very • fast when we meet a small car and We had a great conlusion our car tore the small one all to pieces and kill three people whom were in it, We took the dead bodies and the man who was not killed on to Petersburgh with us and there found out who they were. We enjoyed the day hugely even if we did have a terrible wreck: [6] 3.5 THE HUDELSON SCALE 3.557 Sample 4. The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had Summer before last my sister was going to see her girl friend, she lived out in the country, forty miles from here, we had a car, so my brother said he would take her out there and I could go with them, we ask daddy if he cared and he, said no. So that night about seven thirty we left home, and went by town to get some gasoline, then we left for the country, we got out of town the roads were very bad at first, but we went on. we forgot the way out there so we ask someone how we could get there, they told us, so we kept on, the roads were gradually getting better, we got half of the way, then we ask some one else to direct us to the road to take, they did, we went on as they told us, we got out in the country on the wrong road, but we did not know it until we ask some one. then brother got mad and jercked the car from one side of the road to the other. I didn't think we were ever going to get there or anywhere else alive, we turned around and went back, and took the right road, and got there about twelve o'clock, that night [7] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE 4.028 Sample 5 The Most exciting Ride I ever had. It was just after a very hard Rain, and the Roads were shppery and muddy. My old friend and I honomed a car and started out for a spin. We had'nt gone far before we saw that the Road swere in no condition for motoring. We kept going thougt and never stopped for nothing that nnorning. Along about the middle of the evening wa saw just ahead of us a lantty slaping hill. We though we could make it all right so we started thourgh when we reached the middle of the clay hill we could'nt go any further we tried and tried to get out of the place but all in vain. So we had to get down and go all the way home on foot. We sent for car the next day and some one had took all the tires we had on the car. We soon had her right again and ham ben ridding on her sence then. 4.0 [8] 4.5 THE HUDELSON SCALE 4.509 Sample 6 The Most Exciting ride I ever had. One day my brother took me to Richmond in his racer. We did not go fast zoing down. We spent two day in Richmond. We had a good time there. When we started back my brother said he was going to run fast, which he did. We were going along about 40 mile an hour, when, coming around a short carne we saw an- other car coming at about an equal rate of speed. We missed him by about six inches. After that the road was stright and the speed- ometor showed that we were going seventy five mile a hour. We arrived here just one hour and a half from the time we left Richmond. [9] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE 5.062 Sample 7 The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had It was the afternoon of a day in July that we started off in an automobile to go to a place about twenty miles away. Before we had gotten half way something happened to the engine and we couldn't go very fast. We had nearly gotton to the place where we were going when another car with two negroes in it got across the road and wouldn't let us pass. They pulled out their pistols, and one shot, but he did not hit anyone. He was just coming over to our car when the sheriff happened to come along, and he took the two men and carried them away with him, and we went on our journey. It is very exciting to have anyone to hold you up on the road and I think you will find it out if you ever have anyone to hold you up. 5.0 [10] 5.5 THE HUDELSON SCALE 5.505 Sample 8 The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. One afternoon about five o'clock, a car with three boys and two girls stopped in front of my house and asked me to go riding. When we reached a narrow place in the road at a corner, another car was coming towards us but we didn't know it until we were about three feet away from that car. Both cars were going very fast and if the brakes hadn't been in good order, we would never have gottened home alive. The two cars hit each other and we were thrown out of our seats. It didn't really hurt us but we were so scared we thought we were hurt. Then we backed out of that narrow place and let the other car go on. In a few minutes we were on our way again. The boy that was driving the car never again tried to speed and we were late getting home that night. [11] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE 5.933 Sample 9 The most exciting ride I ever had. The most exciting ride I ever had was when we first got our Pony. One day we started out, and he did very nicely for a while, until he saw a automobile and then the fun began. He tried to turn around right in the road, and when he found that he could not he started to run. There were only two of us in the cart, my brother and myself and neither were very strong. But we pulled back on him for all we were worth, but he seemed to go faster instead of stopping. After a while the Pony seemed to be getting tired, so he slowed down and was soon alright. We then began to laugh and thought we had had a fine ride and all the excitement that we had been wishing for. 6.0 [12] 6.5 THE HUDELSON SCALE 6.60 Sample 10 The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. It was a beautiful afternoon in September. The air was crisp and bracing and I thought it an excellent time for a bicycle ride with my chum, so I immediately went after her. We started off in the best of spirits, but we had hardly reached the bridge when our spirits fell rather suddenly. We heard a very familiar sound behind us and upon looking back we saw just what we expected, my father's bull, coming on close behind us. The attraction for the bull seemed to be our red ties so we pulled them off as we rode and let them fly; but alas! Mine caught on the back of my bicycle and the bull was so near that it was impossible to stop to take it off, so I exerted all my energy in getting over the bridge. I had never imagined that a bridge could possibly be as long as that one seemed and it seemed I scarcely touched the bridge eitheir as I crossed it but finally in some manner we reacher the opposite shore and got into a place of safety. [18] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE 7.016 Sample 11 The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. Near the Httle town I Hved in was an Aviation Field. Each day many people could be seen standing in the streets watching the aeroplanes, for it was all very new to us. And on West Street, my street, you could always find children building and imitating the strange new things that seemed to hold such a fascination for us. I was usually among them, too, for I hoped that some day I could ride in a real one. One bright Spring afternoon all of us were at our daily tasks of making the miniature airships. It was great fun and all of us were enrapted in our work when the unexpected happened. Hearing 7 /^familiar noises over our heads we looked up to see .Vy several of our objects of imitation "looping the loop". We had never seen them do this before and all of us screamed with fright thinking that the aeroplanes were falling. But after a while we calmed down, seeing that nothing happened, and to our great delight one of the aviators came down and landed in the field back of my house. I ran to see what he wanted and found that it was gasoline, so I put on my cap and hurried to the next block bringing a man and a great deal of gas with me. The aviator was a very nice man and asked me if I didn't want to go up with him. I consented of course and then followed the most delightful adventure I ever had. High up in the air we went, and so high that I could not see my playmates. It was the most exciting ride I ever had or ever expect to have and I shall never forget it. [14] 7.5 THE HUDELSON SCALE 7.50 Sample 12 Westward Ho ! About ten years ago father bought a large ranch up in the northern part of Minnesota. We were all eager to go to this ranch, so he also bought a fine horse which we called Prince, and a double- seated buggy. We were to drive up. The day of our departiu'e drew near, and about three o'clock, one lovely morning, mother awakened me and told me to hurry as we wanted to start in an hour. I was up and dressed in a few moments, and hurried through breakfast. In half an hour we were ready to start. I had never seen so beautiful a morning. The sun was just showing its great golden face over the horizon. The birds were popping up out of their nest, and all the world seemed to awaken to their thrilling songs. We rode all that day, stopping only for food and drink, and to let the horse rest. So we went on for a week, having the most delightful ride and the best time I have ever spent. One morning about ten o'clock we arrived at our destination, all tired out, but happy. And though other occurrences on the drive have been blotted out of my mind, that one morning when all the world seemed glad will forever be fresh in my memory. [15] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE 8.00 Sample IS The Three Islands Among the beautiful islands on the Canadian side of the St. Lawrence River, there is a deep and narrow channel which separates three small wooded islands from a large fertile one. Of the three islands the largest is rocky and covered with a growth of stately pines and waving hem- locks, and a carpet of moss and ferns. On the second there is quite an assortment of trees, whose foUage during the fall turns to many shades of gold and red, which colors are greatly enhanced by the dark green background of its neighbor. On the third there is a thick growth of brush, with an occasional small tree. These three islands are so close together, that fallen trees and logs make it possible to walk one to another. 8.0 [16] 8.5 THE HUDELSON SCALE 8.50 Sample llf. Deephaven Deephaven is a forlorn and quiet little seaside town in New England. As we walked about its silent streets, even the houses seemed asleep. In the chill November air, the dry grass of the near- by marshes crackled faintly and drearily, while in low places the shifting ice creaked and groaned. Even the tall cedar-trees seemed as if they gave neither shade in summer nor shelter in winter, but stood uncompromisingly stiff and straight, as if they could only battle against the wind that threatened to tear them from the hills. The oak- trees still held fast to their dry leaves which made a mournful rustle as the wind swept through the branches. The lonely landscape reflected the desolate life of the dwellers in Deephaven. The only cheerful in the picture was the presence of a few brave pansies lifting bright faces from under the shelter of some tall stalks of china-aster. As we picked the dainty things we felt a touch of compassionate tenderness even for Deephaven. [17] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE 9.00 Sample 15 The Hunted Deer The courage of the panting fugitive was not gone; she was game to the tip of her high-bred ears; but the fearful pace at which she had just been going told on her. Her legs trembled, and her heart beat like a trip-hammer. She slowed her speed perforce, but still fled industriously up the right bank of the stream. When she had gone a couple of miles and the dogs were evidently gaining again, she crossed the broad, deep brook, climbed the steep left bank, and fled on in the direction of the Mt. Marcy trail. The fording of the river threw the hounds off for a time; she knew by their uncertain yelping, up and down the opposite bank, that she had a little respite; she used it, however, to push on until the baying was faint in her ears, and then she dropped ex- hausted upon the ground. 9.0 [18] THE HUDELSON SCALE 9.50 Sample 16 Niagara FaUs 9.5 Oh that I had never heard of Niagara till I beheld it! Blessed were the wanderers of old, who heard its deep roar, sounding through the woods, as the summons to an unknown wonder, and approached its awful brink, in all the fresh- ness of native feeling. Had its own mysterious voice been the first to warn me of its existence, then, indeed, I might have knelt down and worshipped. But I had come thither, haunted with a vision of foam and fury, and dizzy cliffs, and an ocean tumbling down out of the sky — a scene, in short, which nature had too much good taste and calm simplicity to realize. My mind had struggled to adapt these false conceptions to the reahty, and finding the effort vain, a wretched sense of disappointment weighed me down. I climbed the precipice, and threw myself on the earth feeling that I was unworthy to look at the Great Falls, and careless about beholding them again. [19] Ill HOW TO USE THE HUDELSON SCALE COMPOSITION scales are most reliable when used to establish the composition achievement of groups. Only highly trained scorers can evaluate the accomplish- ment of single pupils reUably, and then only through a series of productions. It is desirable to supplement the results of a composition test with a reliable standardized intelligence test and with a common-sense use of the teacher's information about the class or individual; but by the use of the composition scale alone a much more reliable evaluation of achievement may be made than has been possible by the ordinary personal-opinion method. PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE SCALE Before attempting to score compositions by the use of the Hudelson Scale, a teacher should become familiar with it. He must study the specimen compositions to see why the ninety-six judges ranked them as they did. Then let him rate a set of compositions with samples of the scale before him. He will read a theme, will compare it with one sample at a time until he finds the sample to which the composition most nearly compares in general merit, and will assign the theme that scale value. For example, a teacher reads a theme and then compares it with the scale samples. "This is better than 2.0," he says to him- self, "better than 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0. It is not so good as 5.5. but it is nearer in merit to 5.5 than it is to 5.0, so I shall give it the scale value of 5.5." In like manner the teacher proceeds with each theme. When the whole set of themes is finished, the median score for the class can be determined closely enough for all practical purposes by arranging the themes in order of merit and [20] HOW TO USE THE SCALE taking the score of the middle paper. If there is an even number of papers, the median score will be halfway be- tween the scores of the two middle papers. It must be borne in mind that the scores used in this scale are in no way based upon a 100 per cent, or percentile, scheme. The present system of scores is deliberately designed to wean teachers away from the percentile habit. Each sample is measured from the zero point, and specimen 5.0, for instance, represents five scale steps or units from absolutely no merit. Sample 6.0 represents exactly twice as much composition merit as sample 3.0. HOW TO USE RESULTS This scale is not intended to improve ability. No measuring device in itself does that. Solicitous parents who weigh and measure their baby every day do not sup- pose for a moment that such a practice will of itself add an ounce to the baby's weight or a cubit to his stature. They can, however, measure the baby's growth; and, by measuring him before and after various diets, they can tell which kind of food best agrees with him. They can also compare their offspring with the progeny next door or with a baby in Hongkong; and, by consulting tables of weight and height for children of the same age, they can compare their baby's physical condition with the standard of many babies of his age. Composition scales are designed for similar uses. By scoring the compositions of a class on a scale, the teacher can learn the actual achievement in writing of that class. By measuring themes written by the same group of pupils at various times, he can discover what improvement the pupils have made in composition. By measuring them before and after they have been subjected to various methods of instruction, he can deduce which method [21] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE produces best results, and can modify his teaching ac- cordingly. Finally, by comparing the achievement of his pupils with standards based on a large number of pupils of the same grade, he can tell whether his pupils are writing as well as they should. For this last piu'pose, Trabue's tentative standards, by grades, are given in Table I (page 23), together with the scores made by pupils in a number of schools throughout the country. Trabue's tentative standards represent the median scores which at least half the class should attain by the end of the respective years. For small schools, where segregation of pupils according to ability would make the cost of instruction prohibitive, there is probably need of a lower set of marks as a standard for the students who are weaker in composition. For this purpose Trabue es- tablished tentatively the following standards,^ to be equaled or excelled by at least 75 per cent of the pupils in a class: In Grade IV V VI 4.0 VII 4.5 VIII 5.0 IX 5.5 X XI XII Month Quality 3.0 3.5 6.0 6.4 6.7 June Trabue's tentative standards were set when returns were still somewhat meager. Probably a more authentic way of establishing grade norms would be to obtain the composite scores of all pupils whose results are available. This has been done, and the norms are included at the end of Table I. By smoothing slightly this curve of progress, the following more reasonable set of composite grade norms are presented for use by teachers and pupils as school standards : In Grade Quality IV 3.0 V 1 VI 3.6 1 4.2 VII VIII IX X XI XII Month 4.7 5.3 5.5 5.9 6.3 6.7 January ^ Trabue, M. R., "Supplementing the Hillegas Scale." College Record, January, 1917. [22] Teachers HOW TO USE THE SCALE TABLE I Grades High School Month IV V VI VII vni 1st 2d 3d 4th 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 yr. yr. yr. 6.9 yr. 7.2 Trabue's Tentative Standards «... 3.5 6.00 6.5 June Mt. Holly, N. J.2 5.08 Friends Schools, Brooklyn ^ . . . 2.85 3.74 4.40 4.95 4.87 5.68 7.10 6.94 7.20 Feb. St. Paul, Minn.'' 2.02 3.38 3.54 4.12 4.96 5.83 5.66 6.27 6.64 Feb. Nassau County, N. Y.i 2.76 3.42 3.82 4.18 4.5G 5.00 5.25 5.68 5.94 Spring South River, N. J.i ...... . 2.31 2.55 3.78 4.75 5.02 5.18 5.0 5.90 6.30 Mobile Co., Ala., whites outside o f Mobile city i 3.20 3.91 4.34 4.22 5.56 6.38 6.05 6.77 Mobile city whites i 3.31 2.85 4.60 4.95 6.69 6.93 7.24 7.54 54 High Schools in over 35 states ^ 4.99 5.88 6.38 6.69 Cold Springs, N. Y.6 2.95 3.69 4.89 4.9S 5.96 5.77 5.72 5.68 7.37 Woodmere, N. Y. (a private school) s 3.15 3.72 4.25 6.60 6.87 6.99 Nov. Janesville, Wis.6 2.38 2.78 3.74 3.81 4.47 6.15 6.46 Middletown, N. J.' 3.46 4.04 4.67 4.54 5.23 5.18 6.01 6.26 7.04 Xenia, Ohio s 5.25 Idaho Springs, Colo.^ 3.2 3.7 4.3 5.0 5.5 5.0 4.7 6.0 Sept. Virginia i° 5.42 May Virginia white boys '" 5.44 May Virginia col9red boys i° i.85 May Virginia white girls i" 5.58 May 5.02 May Reading, Pa., Boys H. S." .... 5.17 5.06 5.80 5.85 March Paterson, N. J.12 2.22 3.38 3.54 4.12 4.9G 5.83 5.66 6.27 6.64 Spring Salt Lake City, Utah w 3.58 3.84 4.61 5.16 6.37 May Lead, S. D." 3.57 4.11 4.65 5.02 5.57 June Butte, Mont." . . . 2.34 2.80 3.41 3.77 4.11 May Newark, N.J.18. . . 2.39 2.51 3.56 4.33 5.27 Ethical Culture School , N. Y.' City 1 4.01 4.72 5.39 5.74 Chatham, N. J." . . 2.95 2.85 4.10 4.02 5.29 Joplin, Mo. IS .... 3.60 4.19 4.85 5.34 5.59 Rocktord, 111." . . . 4.99 LaPorte, Ind.i' . . . 4.10 4.40 5.00 5.80 6.80 Delaware City, Ohio " 5.27 Sept. Delaware Co., Ohio " 3.94 Sept. Deadwood, S. D. . . 3.0 3.0 3.6 3.6 4.5 4.7 5.6 5.6 Waterloo, Iowa . . . 2.82 4.15 4.14 4.97 5.82 5.14 6.61 7.63 Chattanooga, Tenn. . 3.57 3.99 4.36 5.00 5.62 Republic, Mich. . . Baltimore Co., Md. . 3.02 3.70 4.30 4.70 4.54 4.63 5.39 6.05 5.78 5.15 5.69 Gary, Ind.^o .... 2.99 3.26 3.28 3.97 4.58 4.69 5.62 6.42 6.22 Spring Composite Standards 2.98 3.60 4.15 4.71 5.26 5.22 5.87 6.33 6.68 Jan. 1 From M. R. Trabue, "Supplementing the Hillegas Scale." Teachers College, New York. 2 From Mt. Holly Survey, Board of Education, Mt. Holly, N. J. ' From an unpublished Survey of Friends Schools, Brooklyn, 1919, by Professor N. L. Englehardt and others. Teachers College. ^ From St. Paul, Minn., Survey. Published by St. Paul Board of Education. ^ From unpublished reports by the Department of Educational Administration, Teachers College. ' From Janesville, Wis., Survey. State Board of Education, Madison, Wis. ' From Middletown, N. J., Survey. ' From Xenia, Ohio, Survey. ' From an unpublished report by Supt. C. E. Green, Idaho Springs, Colo. For footnotes 10-SO see page Si. [23] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE The best results can be obtained from this scale by using it only occasionally. It has been shown (see Hag- gerty, M. E., School and Society, IV: 761, and Van Wagenen, M. J., Journal of Educational Psychology, XI: 59) that a pupil's progress is usually not regular. A daily application of his themes to the scale would often, therefore, yield results disappointing both to him and to his teacher. Consequently it is recommended that this scale be used only at intervals sufficient to show progress. In giving a composition test for the purpose of comparing the achievements of a group of pupils with the standards, it is important that the same topic be assigned to all and that the themes be written under as nearly the same conditions as possible. The instructions given to the pupils should conform to those given when the themes which compose the standards were written, and the same length of time should be allowed for writing. Variations in procedure of testing are almost certain to modify results so greatly as to make them distinctly mis- leading. Especially is this true with reference to the choice of a topic for the theme. The present writer, for instance, had 386 pupils write upon two topics, "What I Should Like to Do Next Saturday" and "The Most Exciting Incident of My Life." The conditions under which all the pupils wrote were the same, but half of them wrote on the two assignments in the order named above, w From Virginia Public Schools, Part II, World Book Company, Yonkers, N. Y. 'I From an unpublished Report of the Survey of the Boys' High School, Reading, Pa., by the Department of Secondary Education, Teachers College, March, 1920. '- From the Paterson Survey, by the Department of Educational Administration, Teachers College, Spring, 1918. " From the Salt Lake Survey. May, 1915. " From the I^ad, S. D., Survey. June, 1916. ^ From the Bulte Survey. " From the Paterson, N. J., Survey. " From the Rockford, III., Survey. " From The Indiana Univernity Bulletin. " From Ohio State School Survey. September, 1913. '" From Gary, Ind., Survey, General Education Board, New York. [24] HOW TO USE THE SCALE while the other half wrote in the reverse order. The median score of all the "Exciting Incident" themes was .78 of a step higher on the Nassau County Supplement than was the median score for all the "Saturday" themes. To compare reliably, then, the median achievement of a class which writes upon the "Exciting Incident" theme with Trabue's tentative standard for that year, it is necessary to subtract .78 from the class score, because Trabue's standards are based upon "What I Should Like to Do Next Saturday" themes. CONDITIONS REQUISITE FOR ACCURATE TESTING To have the conditions of testing as nearly as possible uniform with those under which the sample compositions of the Hudelson Scale were obtained, it will be necessary to conform to the instructions for method of procedure followed in testing the Virginia pupils whose compositions appear in the scale. The instructions were as follows: Instructions for Testing 1. Distribute writing materials. 2. Have pupils write at the top of their papers the informa- tion which you desire, such as name, grade, age, number of years spent in school, father's occupation, etc. 3. When the pupils are at attention, give them the follow- ing instructions : "I want to see how good a story you can write today. When I give you the title you will write it on the first vacant line; then you will proceed to write the best story you can on that subject. You may relate a true experience, or draw upon your imagination, or both. You will have thirty minutes in which to write your story. If you [25] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE finish before the time is up, sit quietly so as not to disturb your classmates. The title of your story is 'The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had.' [Teacher writes title on blackboard.] Now you may begin your story." 4. At the end of thirty minutes collect the papers promptly. VALUE OF THE SCALE FOR CLASSIFICATION OF PUPILS In the past the classification of pupils has been mostly arbitrary. Some attention has been paid to children of inferior ability, but even here the basis for segregation has been uncertain. Practically nothing has been done in the way of providing for children of superior ability. Pupils of all capacities have been grouped together on the assumptions that there is such a thing as an average pupil and that the good pupils encourage the poor ones. Conse- quently instruction has been adapted, as far as possible, to the capacity of the central group, with the result that pupils of low ability have been dragged along or allowed to become discouraged and leave school, while the superior pupils have been held back, until, equally discouraged, they have lost their desire to excel. Careful interpretation of the results of properly ad- ministered tests enables a teacher to classify his pupils much more competently than has been possible without such devices. Achievement is due in part to native ability; consequently general-intelligence tests are valuable in measuring adequately a pupil's capacity. But a test of accomplishment in a particular subject, as composition, likewise has great value, for it enables a teacher to classify his pupils in that subject with far greater certainty than by the haphazard method of opinion or by intelligence tests alone. [26] HOW TO USE THE SCALE TRAINING THE SCORER Any person who essays to score themes needs to make sure of the reliability of his own judgments before he bases conclusions upon the marks that he gives. This can best be done by comparing the scores which he gives to a set of papers with the average of the scores given to these same papers by a number of trained scorers. With a view to making such comparison easy and dependable, a series of compositions is printed in the following section. These compositions, all upon the same subject, range in merit from a value of 1.8 to values of 6.6, 6.8, 7.2, and 7.8. The scale values of the several themes are printed as a key at the end of the list. It is recommended that the scorer, particularly one who is using a composition scale for the first time, practice marking these sample compositions without looking at the key. When he has marked all the samples of a series, he can then compare his marks with the key values of the several themes. These key values are the medians of the scores given to the samples by ninety-four judges. If the scorer is able to evaluate groups of themes with reasonable accuracy, his average score will not err more than an average of .5 from the key scores on ten or more test compositions. To discover his percentage of error, let the teacher score at least ten of the samples given on pages 29 to 45. Let him then compare his scores with the key scores, and list the amounts of his errors, plus or minus. By subtracting his plus errors from his minus errors, or vice versa, he will get his systematic error. For example, he may find, by comparing his results with the key list, that his scores are above or below the true values as follows: +.5, -.5, +1.0, -.5, +1.0, -1.0, +.5, -.5, + 1.0, and —.5. His total plus errors are thus 4.0, while his total minus errors are 3.0. Subtracting and dividing [27] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE by 10, the number of the compositions, to find the average, he finds that he is scoring systematically high by .1 of a step ("systematic error"). This is a negligible error. If, however, his "systematic error" is more than .5 high or low, he should either correct his error by subtracting or adding the amount of his systematic error, or by further practice improve his power to rate themes so as to reduce this "systematic error" to a negligible amount. [28] IV SAMPLES FOR PRACTICE IN SCORING Series I A The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had The Most exciting ride that I had was the day after the armest was signe. And it was the best .1 had and the one I Hk the best, the truck that we were riding in, look Uk it was go to strick the one in front of it every minute. The truck moved on isd the noise of the people, that were on the street making ever kind, of nous that they could make with there hones, and other thing that they had, and this is the Exciting and best that I had for a longe time. B The most exciting Ride I Ever Had I went on a straw ride to a pickneck in an old magon and had to go over sone Very rough road there were nine or ten of us. When me reach the place where we were going we felt shuck ut muck but After running and playin at the pick- neck and then to rid home in a wagon we mished that we had came in the car but wa started on our walj when we reached home we all were very tired of riding over such a rough rode that ne thought we would not try a straw ride any more or some of the children that was with us made them slhves sick fron eating so much at the pick- neck, was long before we wanted to go to anothe one ans so we went in the cor ord we made it better. [29] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE c The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. The most exciting ride I ever had was about eight years ago in an Excursion Boat. The day was all one could wish for, until about three oclock in the afternoon when we were leaving for home. The black clouds began to gather and unite directly over our heads. Distant roars of thunder became loud crashes all about us, while the sea, — that beautiful, calm sea of an hour ago, — was rolhng and tossing like some angry beast just caught from the jungle. It neither rained nor poured, but what it did do was inexplicable. The clouds just opened and let fall all the water that they had collected during the past three hot weeks. Inside the boat was all disorder. The rain that ran in one side by the pailsful, drove the people to the other side tipping the boat. Children screamed, women cried softly, while the men stood frozen to the spot, unable to do anything. Suddenly a few men thawed out and ran to put everything possible on the rising side in order to to balance the boat. D The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. When I was but a little girl about eight years of age, my mother took me out for an horse back ride. We rode along very smoothly for some time. But finally a car came along and frightened my horse and she began to run. She was not running away, but I thought so. I iscreamed for mother, but she had gone out of sight and did not hear me. Now by this time I was so excited and nervous that I couldn't hold on any longer. So I [30] SAMPLES FOR PRACTICE jumped off and ran as fast as I could to catch mother, but all was invain. When I reached the creek I found my horse waiting patiently for me. So I junped on her and estarted for home, after having a very exciting ride. E The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. It was in the summer time when school had closed for three long months. I had worked through the fall and spring and saved up money enough to buy a bicycle which I had just received through shipment. It was one sunner day that I was just learning to ride. The other boys had there wheels and were showing me how they could do stunts on them which looked very easy to me. Having learned to balance the bicycle I soon started to try the stunts also. I rode up to the top of the hill and started down again, trying to guide with out my hands on the bicycle. At first I felt nervious but soon overcame that and before I thought I was going down the hill with all speed with my hands off of the handlebar. I thought that I was big doing a stunt like that. I soon caught sight of a half of a brick laying in the middle of the road, right in my track. I could not turn the front wheel without my hands and before I could reach the bar the front wheel had struck the brick throwing me over on the hard road several feet. The sharp fine rocks had torn my stockings a little and made a few scralches on my hand which soon began to bleed. [31] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had There were several girls going out for a ride on an automobile one day. Every one was ready, and had rode several miles out in the country through nothing, but woods for about ten miles. No one saw a car coming up the hill, and our car ran into the other car broke the lights, wind shield, and one man cut himself very badly with the wind shield before he was thrown out against a pine tree. While the car with several girls on it were not hurt but the two from wheels were smashed, and also the fender. All the girls were glad when they returned home from such an exciting ride. G The Most Exciting Ride I ever Had One morning as we were coming to school on a horse and buggy. We were driving along not noticing the horse. All at once the horse started to ba eking back, when she did we hit her with the whirp. Then she turned around and ran into the fence and turn the buggie all most over, when we got her back in the road she s tarted kicking. She kicked untill she broke the buggie shaves. My Brother jumped out and cought her in the bit untill we could take the horness of then he carried he on home. E The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had On one bright Sunday afternoon we went for a little ride to the Naval Base. We arrived all safe and enjoyed our selves very much. [32] SAMPLES FOR PRACTICE On our way back home we were crossing a bridge and two men were standing in the center of the bridge argueing. We blew oru horn for them to move one moved but the other stood still and gazed at the automobile we were in. Father pressed down on his brakes as quickly as he could but it seemed to late fortunatly the man had long legs and caught hold of the front mudfender and leaped out of the way. I was excited and do not wish to experence another ride like it. I The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. Once a man came to Union Level in a Premier car to show it the people and try to get them to buy it. He told us to get in which we did and before I got out I wished I haden't gotten in. We Rode about htree miles, I think he tried to see how fast it would go for he went nearly all the way at the speed of about fifty six miles an hour. I wanted to get out but could not so I had to stay in until he stopped, but was very scared. The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. One day last summer some friends induced my family to allow me to go to Fredericksburg with them in their automobile. Fredericksburg is a little town nestling among the hills of Virginia and is about two hundred miles from Norfolk. We started from Norfolk early on a bright morning in June. After traveling all day we reached Richmond just as twilight softly enfolded the world. We were very tired and not a little crestfallen because we had hoped to reach Fredericksburg by four o'clock, and here it was almost night and we were still seventy miles from [33] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE our destination. It was a wonderful night with a soft scented breeze playing over the earth, and as the road before us was concrete we decided to drive on and try to reach Fredericksburg that night. Half way between Fredericksburg and Richmond is a long, winding hill that slopes gently down to a large stream which is spanned by a bridge. We reached the hill and coasted slowly down. The road before us stretched like a white ribbon except in some places where tall trees bent over and formed shadows. Turning a bend in the road we saw on one side of the road a large camp fire brightly gleaming and just beyond the waters of the stream murmered among the rushes. We were going very slowly and just as we were opposite the fire a single com- mand rang out in the silent woods — "Halt!" Our car stopped and was surrounded by soldiers. The leader explained that they were a company of soldiers marching south and when attempting to cross the bride with a crash the bridge had broken and two men in two large trucks had been hurled into the sullen waters beneath. One was killed; the other was rushed back to Fredericksburg. While he was speaking the sky above had turned an angry black, and just as he concluded a streak of lightning darted across the heavens and was followed by a deep crash of thunder. The vry earth seemed to shake as crash after crash of thunder tore across the heavens. Aroused by the fury of the tempest the wind broke forth and like a cyclone tore through the trees. We turned and reached Richmond a little after mid- night, cold, wet and tired. The next day was beautiful so we rode on and reached Fredericksburg. [34] SAMPLES FOR PRACTICE Series II The Most Eeciting Ride I ever Had I am a little girl and my name is Helen. I am crazy about horses and I'll tell you about an seperience I had with them one time. Father bought me a black hunter. He realy danced with spirit. I was delighted and insisted that I should take a ride at once. Mother objected but Father said it would be all right so I went. After we, (the horse & my- self), had raced along for an hour I saw a cloud of dust coming along in front of us, a thundering noise became audible to. On one side was the Ravine about 10 feet wide, on the other was the stamp)ede. I turned towards the Ravine — the only mode of escape. The hunter was trambling with excitement. Urging him forward we galloped to the side of the ravine. He paused a moment but the thundering of the oncoming cattle spurred him on. With one tremendus leap he cleared the ravine and came down shaking with fear. I was to frightened to say a word and I sat and watched the formost steers go plung- ing down into the ravine. I rode slowly home and I believe it was the most exciting ride or incident I ever experienced B The most exciting ride I ever had. The most exciting ride I ever had was in an automobile, when, my brother and I were riding down the road to town there was something the mater with the car, and we could not do any thing with it. when we had gotton down the road about one and § miles we becan to speed up on account of a little grade. The car would not throddle [35] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE down, and the breaks were not strong enough to hold and stop the car. As we were going around a turn we met seveb or eight loaded wagons and we were going so that we could not stop the car. We tried to pull out of the road but it was too narrow to pass in this place so we pulled up on the bank, an as we did the car stopped, this was the most exciting ride I ever had. C The most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. Cranking the car, we started down the lane and were soon in the road which was crouding with many vehicles. After riding for about two miles we had to cross over a bridge nearly a mile long, we were riding swiftly over the bridge when we saw someone meeting us. Realizing that we would meet in a narrow place on the bridge we put on speed to get to a turn out, but just at the same time the gentleman confronting us, put on speed and as the driver of our car tried to pass the other on the narrow bridge the back of the car slipped, hit the railing, and came near throwing the passengers overboard into the deep water below. The air was filled with shreaks of fear as the big car rooled on the center of the bridge again, and it was a very excited group that after all of the excitement arrived safely at their destination. D The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. Once a girl and I went to a club meeting which we had gotten up. We went there in a pony cart which belonged to the girl across the street. Going up the street, we could [36] SAMPLES FOR PRACTICE not make him go fast. If we had been walking we could have made better time. Just at that time a large dog came barking out of some one's yard. The pony jumped and ran as hard as he could. We were scared ahnost to death, even too scared to have enough sense to take the whip and hit the dog. We kept at this rate for quite a ways up the street until the pony got quieted down. When he did, we sank back in our seats with relief. E The most Exciting Ride I Ever Had One day I was going down a steep hill or my buycle when all of a sodder my chain cane off and hut my brke usless faster and faster I went unable to stop at the foot of the hill was a rielroad and olorg this raid road a train was caving it seemed to me that I was gong to meet the train. I got so excited that I cauld not keepthe wheel in the road and I ron off wd hed a rade it through me over the handel bars but I landed unhurt. F The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. One summer afternoon about four o'clock my father and I were returning home from a long trip on business. The day was hot and dry. There had been no rain for several days but over the distant hill we could see the approaching thunder storm. Then the race bagen. We were in an open car which meant that if we did not hurry we would get wet. The home ward road was lonely with only a house here and there. Thinking it better to race home rather than stop my father began to speed the car until finally it seemed as if we were hardly touching the ground. We had covered [37] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE a distance of forty five miles in a few minutes. It was begining to rain lightly. Then it fell it torrents I was holding on for dear life when a loud "bang bang" made me jump. A tire had bursted and there we were, We could not see a house any where but remembering the road I remembered that I had seen a house near here. I had run a little way back when I hit some thing hard. I saw it was the pavement and followed it. I was sin-prised to see a small cottage. I called my father and we remained there until the slorm was over. G The Most Exciting Ride I Ever had. Ane day I was going to my uncle in a car. But be fore ue got there ue got in the creep and could not get out there had been a guily whash aut and if we starled to go an the car would wreck and through us out. so we had to stay there untill abaut tno mills fefore they could get any horses to pull us out of the creep- So ne did not get there un till a bout nine o clock that night. After ne got there ne Staid a few day and comiig back the car turend over his arm this was the most exciting ride I ever had. H The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. Last Sunday I was invited to go on a automobile ride with some friends. We started at 10 o'clock and our plans were to take lunch and be home promptly at 6 o'clock, because the car was promised to someone else. Every one of us were anxious to take a country ride so we went almost fifty miles out. Somehow the day passed more quickly than we thought. I looked at my watch and saw that we had only one hour [38] SAMPLES FOR PRACTICE in which to get home. Hurridly we packed in the car and our driver started it with a jerk which nearly threw me out. Then came the long, steep hills. Over them we dashed, I held tightly to the girl by me. Presently we saw that the driver was losing control of the car, so all on the rear seat began to scream. It was useless, for nothing could keep us from being thrown right into the ditch ahead. Crash! it went, turning over twice and strewing us like apples rolling out of a basket. No one was seriously injured, but we had to hire a car to get home in. We disappointed the party waiting for their car. However, it taught us that it isn't so well to hurry at a risk of a persons life. / The Most Exciting Ride I ever Had. It was on a sunday May 11. 1919 When a friend of mine came to my house and asked me if I would like to go riding with him on our bycicles. It was hot that day and we wore no coals. We had a knapsack which I straped on my back with something to eat in it,. We were about 5 miles out when one of the boys who was with us had a blow out. We fixed it so he could ride home an left him. After we had gone about 20 miles and turned back to find we a taken the wrong road. One of the boys who was an scout had a compass and at last we found the right road. We arrived at Richmond about eight O'.clock. We all were tired and slep soundly that night. J The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. When I was just a little girl I took a trip fom Phila- delphia to Petersburg, all the way I rode on a train which [39] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE was very amusing to me. I looked out of the window nearly all of the time and was very interested in every thing I saw, but the most interesting of all things to me were the people I saw along the rail road at a little distance of, they seemed no more than a bout a foot tall to me, the houses seemed little doll houses. In fact I did think that th people were dolls which had the power of moving about. I told mother that I would get me one of them to play with when we got to Petersburg, she laughed then which I could not under stand, but often since I have thought of it and have laughed at my own self. I would not mind taking that trip over for as far as I can remember it was the most interesting ride I have ever had. Series III The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. One Sunday afternoon my father told me to get on my coat and be ready to take a speedy ride as he wanted to try out the Marcer which he bought the day before. In a half hour everything was ready and we started out. We went through the city at a fair rate of speed as my father did not want to pay a fine before we had a good ride. When we reached the state road we started to speed up and at last we found ourselves going sixty miles an hour. As we flew past one car I happened to look back and I saw a country policeman stand in the middle of the road staring at us. As it had rained the day before the roads were quite slippery and but last we had to slow down but we were to late for when we came to our senses we found that the car hat hit a tree and we had to send to [40] SAMPLES FOR PRACTICE the city to get a truck to carry home the remains of our once beautiful red Mercer. B The most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. The most exciting ride I ever had was when the driver ran into a ditch. A party were going on a picnic about five miles away and so we went on cars. We were going along very fast when we saw another car comming toward us. We were going so fast it was im- passible to stop so the driver took his hands from the wheel .and let the car go into the ditch. The girls screamed but no one was hurt because the engine had choked in the mud and water. After the other car passed the boys pushed it out and we started again. We rode fast the rest of the way gat there before any body else did. we also had a good time on our way back for the took a long drive before reaching home. C The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. One afternoon I got a crowd of boy, and we had an auto so we started riding. We went about a mile when we had a blow-out it was soon fixed and we started again. As we were climing a steep mountain and at a shapr curve we met another car it was just wide enought but it was so sudden a meet that his car went over the side of the steep valley. The car happened to hit a tree and and landed on all four wheels. We got out and went down to see how hurt the people we none of them were badely hurt so we carried them to town to be treated by the doctor. We do not expect to go again soon. [41] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE D Most Exciting Ride I ever had Once in the city of Paris I made a visit to my uncle. He was a engineer to a large tank wish was to be maned to the front. Now it caught my eye as Mostly a traction engine that we used at harvest time in old Virginia I was a lad of thirteen years. Uncle told me if the chief com mander did not abject he would take me as far as alsacloren. Now I felt as large as uncle himself, as we creaping along the fareign roads. Same distance from Paris we were over looked by some Huns. Uncle George plamed through the lines and joined some others tanks which had been posted for the night, we both were happy when we reach Paris again. E The Most excited ride I every had. One day I left Home with the horse & buggy to go to see my Cousin, and papa told me not to drive fast, I started off not listing to him it was a sharp corner at the forks of the road and the horse went around the corner a little to fast, and cause the buggy to tilted a little and it got me a excited and nervious.the buggy top scered the horse which cause the horse to run, then I got so excited that I could not hold the horse back. F "The Most excitimg Ride I Ever Had". It was on one cold morning when the ground was covered with snow when we got a telegram to come to town at wonce. We left on car early that morning when going down [42] SAMPLES FOR PRACTICE asteep hill the car got under my central and ran in a deep ditch but it happened that all was safe. While going on down the road a little faather I ran in a car, and it threw us out and broke one of the little children arm and struct one on the head and was senseless, but after a little while she recovered. The car was serious damaged so I never have been able to run it sense. G The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. We were horse back riding the other day and went up by the Old Mill about 7 miles from town. We were racing on the beach when a fell and cut his lag on a large rock. And when we were going hose we had the most exciting ride I ever had wer were gall oping down the road when may horse got skeered and was running away with me on top, I was holding on for dear life but thought I would fall every leep he took I tried evey way I new to stop him but could not and he kept runing as fast as he could until we reashed the stable wear I had hired him. So I stayed there and waited for the other boys to come in and it was an half hour before the came. H Most Exciting Ride I Eere Had, The most exciting ride I ever had was a ride out in the country the car beoke down and and we had to wait a 1 ong tine after ne got it fixed we starte again and ran in a nothe automobl and brol the fenders in, we had no great damage and know body was hurt ne nan over a hog on the way back and had lots of thing happerd to us, This was the most erciting ride I ever had [43] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE The Most Exciting Ride I Ever Had. When I was a small girl, I went to visit my micle in California. He was the owner of a large stock farm and sonsequently had many cattle. There was an old cow with which my little cousins all played, got on her back without saddle or bridle and rode with extreme safety around the stock yard. But never by any inducement could I be persuaded to mount "Old Bet. Well one fine morning after 1 had stood about all the teasing and being called 'fraid cat" and such names I could, I went out and mounted "Bet" as I thought, very easily because she was lying dowTi. but soon I saw my mistake, for she almost instantly sprung to her feet while by marvelous work I retained my seat. The cow never once stopped after she got up, but curling her tail upon her back and lowering her back with a mighty bellow, set out at such a pace, I made sure I was done for. She galloped along right smooth ly until she reached a hill which she started down at break neck speed. Sud- denly she humped her back lowered her head and stopped short, and off I went terrible ly frightened but uninjured. I walked home which was only a short way and as no one had missed me, I never told the children about the most exciting ride I ever had. J The most Exciting Ride I Ever Had My Disere For a Horse The most exciting ride I ever had. Was on a old feord. I left Coutland going to Norfelk about 6 O'clock A.M. [44] SAMPLES FOR PRACTICE on the old feord. The tirer were bad. And we left Coust- land on three cyenden. After we had pane d Franklin about two Miles it began to rain. So we put up the top, but we found the top verry holy. And after we had gone about two miles more and the coils got weet. and the car would not buge. So then my greater disere was for a horse and not a shackly feord. [45] ENGLISH COMPOSITION SCALE SCORE KEY FOR PRACTICE LISTS Series Series II Series III Theme Score Theme Score Theme Score A B C D E F G H I J 1.8 1.8 7.2 5.7 6.3 4.0 3.0 4.5 5.0 78 A B C D E F G H I J 6.8 4.0 5.5 5.5 1.8 6.5 1.9 6.8 4.5 5.0 A B C D E F G H I J 5.8 4.5 3.6 3.4 2.6 3.1 3.0 1.9 6.6 2.2 [46] DinniniiminiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriiiiiiiinfiiiiiMiriiiiiiii iiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiij I SCHOOL EFFICIENCY MONOGRAPHS | I STANDARDS IN ENGUSH | I -^7 John J. Mahoney j I Principal State Normal School, Lowell, Massachusetts | I A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK FOR TEACHERS | I that sets forth standards of achievement | I attainable by pupils | I '*' I ^HIS book sets forth the minimum standards | I X that are to be expected in each year of the | I elementary English course. Teachers are told ex- | I actly what to do and how to do it with the greatest | I economy of time. I I The content of a course in English is outlined by grades | I as follows: | I 1. Specific statement of the aims of instruction. | I 2. Suggested illustrative material. | I 3. Illustrative oral efforts. | I 4. Common errors of speech and spelling. | I 5. Hints concerning what to do and how to do it. | I 6. Preparation for routine work. I I Standards in English is a workable course of study i I based on the determination of what children actually | I can do. The style is plain, direct, and non-technical. | I The extensive sale of the book attests its value to teachers. | I Kraft paper. xiv-\-igo pages. | I WORLD BOOK COMPANY i i YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NeW YoRK i 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago aiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiuimiimimimiiiiiiiiinnnniiiMiinnniiiiininuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiililllilliiiiiUl lUllU^ 0iiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiii:iiiiiiiiumiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiui!iiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiijiu I LABORATORY MANUAL OF | I ENGLISH COMPOSITION | I By STANLEY R. OLDHAM | I Principal of the High School, Norwood, Massachusetts | I 'T^'HE aim of this book is to develop the power to speak | I X and to write good English by making the high school | I student an independent worker in the field of oral and written | I expression. | I This is accomplished by means of the well-selected and or- | I ganized assignments that | I 1 Train the student in investigating and collecting data 1 1 2 Give him practice in arranging material i 1 3 Enable him to recognize and appreciate enduring literature I 1 4 Offer him a large number of opportunities to apply what | 1 he has learned in creative work. 1 I The book is one of assignments, not of definitions. The tren- | I chant, explicit assignments are what students want. In addi- | I tion, the student is taught how to carry out the directions. | I Each of the 813 exercises is as definite as mathematics | I assignment and holds to as definite a goal. | I Teachers like the method, because it transfers from the teacher | I to the student the burden that belongs to the student. There | I is no accumulation of staggering heaps of written work to | I correct. | I It aims to be comprehensive, hence the course may be made | I as difficult or as easy as the teacher desires. The book is | I built to meet the requirements of classes working under j I widely different conditions. Owing to the flexibility of the | I scheme, it may be used for a two-year, a three-year or a four- | I year course. | I The method of the book may be summed up in these words; | I investigation, comparison, and practice, and the greatest of these | I is practice. | I Cloth, via + \^8 pages. | I WORLD BOOK COMPANY | 1 YoNKERS-ON-HuDsoN, New York | 1 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago | ^nnniuiiiiiinnnimniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiMiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiniiiiiiniiiMiiiiiiiMiniiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil siniiiumiiiiiinninmniiiiiiiinuMiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ I SECOND REVISED EDITION | I HANDBOOK OF ENGLISH | I COMPOSITION I j A COMPILATION OF STANDARD RULES AND USAGE | I By LuELLA Clay Carson I 5 Head of Department of English^ Yankton College = 1 Reeentlf President t,f Mills College 3 I T T ERE is a textbook which trains the student in accuracy and | I Xjl effectiveness in the essentials of English composition; | I and the ready, rapid, and unconscious use of correct forms. | I Many valuable suggestions and clear explanations of confusing | I points assist the student in learning the rules of grammar | I and rhetoric. | I Grouping and indexing for ready reference aids in securing | I immediate results; the inclusion of many details of usage and | I fundamental processes promotes the formation of habits of | I accuracy. | I It is a compact book of reference and direction. The illustra- | I tions, notes, and suggestions are brief, definite, and at the | I same time illuminating and lucid. There is a mass of useful | I information — all supported by recognized authorities and by | I usage. I I The book is used as a textbook in high schools and colleges. | I Separate chapters deal with the following subjects: | I CAPITALIZATION PUNCTUATION ITALICS | j ABBREVIATIONS SYLLABICATION COMPOUNDS | I SPELLING CONSTRUCTION CRITICISM | I MECHANICAL AIDS PROCESSES LETTER-WRITING | I COPY FOR THE PRINTER BIBLIOGRAPHY | I The appendix contains sections on the following matters: | I POETIC FORM SYNONYMS ANTONYMS | I HOMONYMS THEME CORRECTION MARKS BUSINESS FORMS | I A FEW COMMON ERRORS WORDS OFTEN MISPRONOUNCED | I Cloth, xii + 266 pages | I WORLD BOOK COMPANY | I YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NeW YoRK | I 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago | liimniiiiiiiiuniiiiiiiiiuininiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiniiiinijiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiii MiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiMiiiiiiii^ ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiriiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiJiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriiiiiniiiiiii; I English Classics — Star Series I English Required for College i I Entrance Examinations I I Edited by College Professors fully acquainted both ivitA \ I the subject matter and luith the requirements for college j i entrance, as ivell as ivith the iveak spots continually dis- \ i co-vered. Full explanatory notes, suggestions for study and \ I interpretation, bibliography, typical examination questions, j i illustrations and maps are provided ivhere-ver necessary. l I Addison and Steele. The Sir Roger de Coverley Papers from \ I The Spectator. (Laura Johnson Wylie. ) xlvi-fzoy pages. : i Burke. Speech on Conciliation with the Colonies. (Mary A. = E Jordan.) Ixxxviii + 1 5 2 pages. j I Carlyle, Essay on Burns. (William T. Brewster.) xx+108 j = Coleridge. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. (Carleton | I Eldredge Noyes. ) lxviii-l-75 pages. | I *CooPER. The Last of the Mohicans. (William Strunk.) | i xviii-i-445 pages. I I Eliot. Silas Marner. (Arthur HobsonQuinn.) xxiv 4-231 pages. | I Goldsmith. The Vicar of Wakefield. (William Hand Browne. ) = I xiv + 226 pages. I I Macaulay. Essays on Milton and Addison. (Thomas Marc | I Parrott. ) lx+208 pages. i = Milton. L' Allegro, II Penseroso, Comus, and Lycidas. (Edward | i Everett Hale. ) 1+ 140 pages. | I Pope. The Iliad of Homer. Books I, VI, XXII, XXIV. | 1 (William Cranston Lawton. ) xxix+152 pages. | I *ScoTT. Ivanhoe. (Carroll Lewis Maxcy.) xl+ 547 pages. | I Shakespeare. Julius Caesar. (Albert Harris Tolman. ) Ixvi-f- | I 158 pages. I I Shakespeare. Macbeth. ( Wilbur Lucius Cross. ) xxviii4-i44. | I pages. I I Shakespeare. The Merchant of Venice. (Helen Gray Cone.) | I xxii + i 37 pages. | I Tennyson. The Princess. (Mary Bowen. ) xxii+138 pages. | I All cloth-hound. | I WORLD BOOK COMPANY | I Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York i I 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago | nninniiiiininiiiiiMiniiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiriiiiitiiiiiiJiuiJuiiiiriuuiiriiiiiiriititiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiniMiiiiiiiriiiiiiiitiiiiniiiriiiiiS jiiiiiimiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiinnirnimniiiriiiiiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiinriiiiiiinnniit^ I THE HAWTHORNE CLASSICS | I FOR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS | I Edited by Edward Everett Hale, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of English | i in Union College. In eight volumes. Uniformly bound in cloth. i I These classics are adapted to higher grammar grades and | I satisfy the universal demand for complete literary wholes. I I AMERICAN ESSAYS. 269 pages. I I Examples from our four greatest essayists, that can also be | = used in the lower classes of high schools. 3 I AMERICAN STORIES. 285 pages. | I Eight great American short stories from Washington Irving | I to Edward Everett Hale. Each is a model of the kind, and | I is distinct in subject and treatment. | I BALLADS AND BALLAD POETRY. 270 pages. | I Genuine ballads of the olden time with the true ballad flavor, | I a group of the best modern ballads, and three stirring poems | 3 of greater length which have the ballad character. | I ENGLISH ESSAYS. 254 pages. | i By Lamb, Addison, Goldsmith, and Thackeray. Some are | I also well adapted to high school and normal classes. | I ENGLISH STORIES. 254 pages. I I Five great English stories of varied type. This volume with | I "American Stories" will help to develop the literary sense, i I while gratifying the love for a good story. Can be used as i = low as the sixth grade. | I GREEK MYTHS IN ENGLISH DRESS. 256 pages. | i Six immortal Greek myths retold by Nathaniel Hawthorne, i g Charles Kingsley, and Thomas Bulfinch. These are easy | I enough for the fifth and sixth grades. | I LONGER NARRATIVE POEMS. 271 pages. I I Ten of the best narrative poems of the nineteenth century, = i varied in style and meter, and of thrilling interest to pupils = I of the hero-loving age. These poems might be used in the | I high school for more critical study. | I SHAKESPEAREAN COMEDIES. 320 pages. I I A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, and The | I Tempest. One, at least, of these comedies should be read in = I the grammar grades. I = All volumes bound in cloth. I I WORLD BOOK COMPANY I I YONKERS-ON-HUDSON. NeW YoRK | I 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago I 3iuiiiiuiiiiimuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiuiiiiiiiuiiiiuiiiuriiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiriiiiiiijiiiiiiii[ii[[iiiiiiitii; IJiuiiiiuuiuiininiuuiiiniMiiiiuuiNniiiiuniuiuiuuMiiiiuNiiiuiuiiiniriiiinHiiJiiniiuiuniiiiiiiiiunniiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiNiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiuniiiuiiirn i Prepared under the auspices of the National Research Council 1 I NATIONAL I I INTELLIGENCE TESTS | 1 By M. E. Haggerty, L. M. Terman, E. L. Thorndike | I G. M. Whipple, and R. M. Yerkes, Chairman 1 I ^ I ■'HESE tests are the direct result of the application of the army i 1 \. testing methods to school needs. They were devised in order to 1 I supply group tests for the examination of school children that would g I embody the greater benefits derived from the Binet and similar tests. | I The effectiveness of the army intelligence tests in problems of classifica- | 1 tion and diagnosis is a measure of the success that may be expected to | i attend the use of the National Intelligence Tests, which have been i I greatly improved in the light of army experiences. | I The tests have been selected from a large group of tests after a try-out 1 I and a careful analysis by a statistical staff. The two scales prepared | = consist of five tests each (with practice exercises), and either may = 1 be administered in thirty minutes. They are simple in application, j i reliable, and immediately useful for classifying children in Grades | I 3 to 8 with respect to intellectual ability. Scoring is unusually simple. | 1 Either scale may be used separately to advantage. The reliability 1 1 of results is increased, however, by reexamination with the other scale 1 § after an interval of at least a day. = I Scale A consists of an arithmetical reasoning, a sentence completion, | i a logical selection, a synonym-antonym, and a symbol-digit test. Scale = 1 B includes a completion, an information, a vocabulary, an analogies, 1 1 and a comparison test. | I Scale A: Form 1. 12 pages. Price per package of 25 1 i Examination Booklets and 2 Scoring Keys $1.60 net. i 1 Scale B: Form 1. 12 pages. Price per package of 25 1 I Examination Booklets and 1 Scoring Key $1.60 net. 1 i Manual of Directions. Paper. 32 pages. Price 40 1 1 cents net. s = Specimen Set. One copy of each Scale and Scoring Keys 1 g and Manual of Directions. Price 50 cents postpaid. i 1 Experimental work financed by the General Education Board 1 I by appropriation of $25,000 j I WORLD BOOK COMPANY | i YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NeW YoRK 1 1 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago I liiiiiiiiiiiMinuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMi»iiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiMiiiMiiiMi;iiiiiiMMiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiitiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiii^ Biuiiiiuiiiiniinniinniiiiiuniii»niniiiiiniiinni»ninnniiininiiiiiiiiinniininiiiiinniiniiinniiniiniiiniriiinnii[uiniinriiiimii»irnnnnuurnnnuiinnin I STANDARD EDUCATIONAL TESTS | I Arranged and standardized by | I M. E. HAGGERTY | I Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota m = Two of the first tests in this series are intended for group intelligence testing = I in the elementary schools and one for testing both intelligence and achievement = I in reading at the same time. The tests are theoretically and practically sound 3 i in every detail, scientifically constructed, and accurately standardized. 1 I EXCLUSIVE FEATURES | g 1 The age norms and grade standards are based on the very extensive | i use ofthe test in large cities, small towns, and one-room rural schools. | I 2 They can be given in thirty minutes. g I 3 They are suitable to pupils of different ages and conditions. = I SPECIAL ADVANTAGES | I 4 They are based on the best of the army tests. = I 5 They can be used by the average teacher to increase the efficiency = 1= of her worko i 6 They can test an entire class at once. _ _ 1 7 They have clever scoring keys which make the answers either right 3 or wrong. 1 FOR GRADES 1 to 3 I = Achievement Examination in Reading: Sigma 1. (Margaret | i E. Noonan, co-author.) A new type of test which takes little 1 I time for giving. Illustrated. Properly classifies children and | i measures their progress in learning to read. Price per package % I $1.40 net. I § Scoring Key for Sigma 1. Price 5 cents net. I I Intelligence Examination: Delta 1. The best parts of the | I army methods arranged with preliminary exercises for each test. § I Price per package $1.50 net. 1 I Scoring Key for Delta 1. Price 15 cents net. | I FOR GRADES 3 to 9 | I Intelligence Examination: Delta 2. Can be given to groups I 1 as large as 500 in 30 minutes. Illustrated. A standardization of 1 I the army intelligence tests. Price per package $1.50 net. | I Scoring Key for Delta 2. Price 10 cents net. | I Manual of Directions. A 64-page pamphlet with instructions for f I giving and scoring all three tests. _ Indicates proper interpreta- I i tion of results and gives a brief discussion of the means of im- 1 I proving school work, based on the results of the tests. Price 35 | i cents net. 1 I Specimen Set. Price 75 cents postpaid. | I Examination booklets are sold in packages of 25 (with 1 Class i 1 Record Sheet) ; each pupil taking the test needs one booklet. 1 1 Examiners need Scoring Keys and a Manual of Directions. Com- 1 I plete information regarding these tests will be furnished on f I request. | I WORLD BOOK COMPANY | Yonkers-on-Hudson, New York | 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago | i I §uiinunnuiiunuuiiiiun»niiiiuiiiiiiijiiiiiiiiuuiiiiiiuiiniiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiuniiii»iiuiiiiiniuniiuiiniiniuiiiuuiiin Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiniiiiriiiitiiiiiiiriiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiriiinmirniirnnmniiiiinnniiiiiiiiiiniiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiitifi I Especially designed for use in high schools | i (Also usable as low as Grade 6 and as high as first year in college) i I TERMAN GROUP TEST of \ I MENTAL ABILITY j i By Lewis M. Terman | i Professor of Educational Psychology, Stanford University; joint author 1 = of the National Intelligence Tests and of the army mental tests; S = author of the Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon Scale, and S i of a number ot books on the measurement of intelligence = I This test is unique in many respects. Each of its 886 | I items was measured against a composite outside | I criterion. A try-out resulted in a reduction to 370 | I items, each helping to differentiate bright pupils from | I dull ones. The items retained are more highly se- | I lected than will be found in any other group mental | I test. I I The Terman Test is an eleven-page booklet. The I I pupil does no writing. The backs of the Scoring Keys I contain the scoring rules. Only 30 to 35 minutes will I be required to test a group with it. The procedure i has been so simplified that it can be mastered by any I teacher in a few minutes. The size of the booklets I makes their use without desks easy. i Examination: Form A. Price per package of 25 booklets, I including Scoring Key and Manual of Directions, $1.60 net. I Examination: Form B. Price per package of 25 booklets, I including Scoring Key and Manual of Directions, $1.60 net. I Specimen Set, Price 15 cents postpaid. WORLD BOOK COMPANY YoNKERs-oN-HuDSON, New York 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago BiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiuimiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiMuiiiiiiiiimiimiiiiuiuuiumiiiiiiuiiuiiuiiiiuiiiiiiuuiiiimiinnnuiinnininiiiniuiiu snnmniimiiniiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiniiiniiiiimmniiiiinniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniinimniinnninninniiiinininiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiu! Modern Language Tests By CHARLES HART HANDS CHIN THE author of these tests is a well-known teacher, and is the secretary of the National Federation of Modern Language Teachers. He knows testing methods, as well as languages, and has used these tests in mimeo- graphed form in many classes. His tests are designed to provide teachers with a con- venient and accurate method of measuring the ability of students of elementary French and Spanish. Their use enables the teacher to rate each pupil according to a well- defined standard. Such rating will in some measure determine the advisability of having pupils continue their language study beyond the elementary stage. The unfit may be removed from the class with consequent profit to themselves, their fellows, and the teacher. The material consists of the folloiuing: Silent Reading Test A: French Silent Reading Test B : French Silent Reading Test A: Spanish Silent Reading Test B : Spanish These are similar in aim and scope. They differ in con- tent in order to provide material for alternate examina- tions and to eliminate memory as a factor in the results. Either may be used for first- or second-year work in a four-year high school. | Comprehension and Grammar Test A: French I This is to be used with students of first-year French in | a four-year high school. i Each of the above five tests is furnished in packages | containing material sufficient to supply 50 pupils. Each | package includes four Record Sheets which give com- | plete instructions for administering the tests and con- | tain a key to the answers. i In ordering any of the above itemsi please give the full | title of the test desired. | Price per package $1.00 net. (Sold only in packages.) Trans- | portation is additional. Sample set sent postpaid for 20 cents. 3 WORLD BOOK COMPANY I YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NeW YoRK | 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago | iiiiiinnnmiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 021 774 215 8 ^