M SCHOOL EFFICIENCY MONOGRAPHS MAKINiG A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM RICHARDSON 1 MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM SCHOOL EFFICIENCY MONOGRAPHS Education of Defectives in the Public Schools Rural Education and the Consolidated School l$uttertoort|) Problems in State High School Finance €;otr2 Commercial Tests and How to Use Them Baton Record Forms for Vocational Schools The Public and Its School iKsfjoncs Standards in English An Experiment in the Fundamentals Pearson The Reconstructed School meetr Newsboy Service 3£lttj[)arttsott Making a High School Program ffitrsman The Teaching of Spelling SCH OOL EFFICIENCY MONOGRAPHS MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM BY MYRON W. RICHARDSON HEADMASTER GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK WORLD BOOK COMPANY 1921 WORLD BOOK COMPANY THE HOUSE OF APPLIED KNOWLEDGE Established, 1905, by Caspar W. Hodgson YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NeW YoRK 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago Publishers of the following professional works : School Efficiency Series, edited by Paul H. Hanus, complete in thirteen volumes ; Educa- tional Survey Series, seven volumes already issued and others projected ; School Efficiency Monographs, twelve numbers now ready, others in active preparation ^ -^. 0^ (Ta.^^'^^' SEM : RMHSP-I Copyright, 1921, by World Book Company All righia reserved MAY I2ii2i 0)CI.A617095 PREFATORY NOTE THE public is devoting more and more of its treasure to the school, particularly to the high school. The high school principal has a responsibility for the economy and eflSciency of his school organization. Care and economy mean more funds for education. We might raise salaries on what is now wasted. In industry, with rising labor costs has come greater attention to individual economies. The school cannot escape the tendency. Does the high school principal know whether or not he is getting full ejSficiency from his organization ? Is the work evenly divided .^^ Are teachers overworked or underworked ? Are pupil divisions evenly constructed ? Are program difficulties solved? The high school prin- cipal needs in his equipment the engineer's capacity. He is an educational engineer. The high school program, indeed, is an engineering problem. No system of making a high school program on the trial-and-error method is defensible. From mathematical reasons it must be faulty. No purely mechanical method of making a program is adequate, for the result is wrong and the pupils and teachers are the necessary victims. A high school pro- gram must be scientifically constructed if it is to be ac- cepted as adequate to the situation presented. Poor high school programs are responsible today for great waste of money in the employment of unnecessary teachers, in the uneven distribution of work, in preventing pupils' range of choice of subjects, and in unnecessary worry and con- fusion throughout the organization. The professionally trained high school principal can easily find a way out of the program difficulties. The struggle against this uni- versal problem has developed some program geniuses, and their discoveries are not esoteric but open and free to those who wish to adopt their ideas. [ v] PREFATORY NOTE For a number of years past I have been aware of the splendid work in the way of program making which has been carried on by Mr. Myron W. Richardson, Head- master of the Girls' High School of Boston. Gradually the method of high school program making evolved by him has spread throughout our Boston school system, and in fact has extended to other communities in Massa- chusetts, and even beyond the confines of the state. The following exposition of Mr. Richardson's contains the necessary information to enable a high school adminis- trator to make an effective high school program. I am personally convinced of the truth of this prophecy by reason of our experience in the city of Boston and further from my individual experience as a lecturer upon high school administration, in Columbia University. To the students enrolled in my course on high school adminis- tration I presented the material of Mr. Richardson's plan, and found invariably that the students were able to take their individual high school organizations and make an effective program upon the block system proposed by him. Personally I am glad that he has found time to put his system into definite shape, and* believe that he has made a distinct contribution to the general problem of educational engineering. Frank V. Thompson [ vi] CONTENTS PAGE I. Introduction 1 n. Preliminary Information Selection of Work by Pupils .... 3 Tabulation of Selection Blanks and Summary Sheet 4 Class Sections 5 Recitation Sections 7 H. Making the School Program The Block System 9 Distribution of Recitation Sections . . .10 Assignment of Teachers and Rooms to Recitation Sections 15 Indication of Block Numbers upon the Pupil's Se- lection of Studies Sheet 16 Tabulation and Equalization of Recitation Sec- tions 17 Determination of Home Rooms and Study Rooms 18 Schedule of Recitation and Study Rooms . .19 Making out of Pupils' Programs by Teachers . 19 Teachers' Schedules of Work . . . .20 V. Summary Efficiency . . . . . . , .23 The Program in Relation to Expenses . . 24 The Program in Relation to the Interests of the Pupils 26 General Importance of the Program . . .26 [vii] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM Introduction WHILE every high school program is so dependent upon local conditions of one kind or another as to be very much of an individual problem, yet there are -ertain fundamental considerations that underlie all program making. This book is an attempt to set forth these fundamental considerations. It uses for illustrative purposes the steps followed in making the program of the Girls' High School of Boston, a school of 2100 pupils, but the type of program and the method of procedure outlined here have been applied successfully to high schools ranging in size from 200 to 2000; to high schools with fixed courses of study, and to those with a large amount of freedom in election ; to high schools with programs made up largely of academic work, and to those with much shop or industrial work. Every high school has its own limitations and peculi- arities which are inseparably associated with the school program. Thus the number and seating capacity of rooms has a direct and important relation to the size of recitation sections and study rooms ; the personnel of the teaching force, particularly in a small high school, de- termines when and where subjects may be taught; and the different courses of study make special demands upon the school program. These local limitations may neces- sitate change in many of the details of the plan which has been outlined in this book, but the general method of procedure can be followed in all high schools, and there will be found much here that can be applied to all high school programs. [1] n Preliminary Information selection of work by pupils THE first step in making a high school program is to find out what studies each pupil desires to select for the ensuing school year. The first week in May is set apart for this purpose. The task is one of great importance, requiring time and careful attention. The pupil is given a printed blank, headed Selection of Studies, upon which to indicate his choice of work, and a printed copy of the course of study offered in the school. The selection of studies blank, a copy of which follows, lists all the subjects taught in the school, and gives informa- tion about them in four columns. The first column tells in what year the subject may be first chosen, the second the number of consecutive years of instruction, the third the year of the subject desired by the pupil, and the fourth its value in diploma points. The blank also contains general directions for selection of work and a space for the parent to express his approval of the choice of work. The objection may be raised that the first week in May is too early to secure this information, because the year's work is not yet completed, and the pupil is uncertain whether or not he is going to pass. In reply it may be said that his record for eight months is known, and upon this and the advice of his subject teachers can be based his choice of work for the ensuing year. Some adjustments of individual programs must of necessity be made in September in accordance with final marks in June ; but in the long run the losses will offset the gains, and the difference will not be sufficient to affect the number of classes Upon the opening day of the first week in May pupils of [3] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM the three lower classes are called to the assembly hall by classes, at which time the courses of study are explained to them by the principal and by teachers whom he may select for this purpose. This requires from 30 to 45' minutes to a class, and is the only interruption of the school session that is found necessary. Home-room teachers accompany their pupils to the assembly hall to| listen to the instructions and explanations, so that laterj they may assist their pupils intelligently in the selection! of studies for the next year. At least one week is allowed the pupil for the completion of this task of selecting his next year's subjects, during which time he may get needed advice from his teachers. His home-room teacher finally inspects the blank and approves with his signature the selection made. Often other approving signatures are required ; thus, a college pupil is required to get the signature of the college ad- viser for the particular institution which he is preparing to enter. A similar procedure is followed with pupils from the elementary or junior high schools who intend to enter the high school the following September. TABULATION OF SELECTION BLANKS AND NUMMARY SHEET Upon a tally sheet containing a list of all subjects and years of subjects each home-room teacher furnishes the principal with a tabulation of subjects and years of sub- jects chosen by the pupils in his room. With a tally sheet of proper form, selections may be tabulated as fast as they come in, and but little time will be needed to add up the totals. Upon a specified date not later than the middle of May, the home-room teacher sends to the principal all the pupils' selection of studies blanks, with the tally sheet. [4] 1 m m I ^ w s p^ PQ o^ I ^ en : B^ S O c3 O !^5 ^ O) fl) ^ -^i. *i .. OJ P s 2 a ^5 a 2 s «> O O • M f*^ CO fe.S o 5^ -^^'i^ ^ t 1 S 9; J I o o 3 tj t: o .. a ^ ^ "limits ^. £ 8 '1 ; tXl' . OJ O O d ^„ 4^ ^i'p-B.&.d-a "^ n) ^ ■I I •do; o «© a <^ m MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM j the three lower classes are called to the assembly hall by classes, at which time the courses of study are explained! to them by the principal and by teachers whom he may select for this purpose. This requires from 30 to 451 minutes to a class, and is the only interruption of the school session that is found necessary. Home-room teachers accompany their pupils to the assembly hall to listen to the instructions and explanations, so that later they may assist their pupils intelligently in the selection: of studies for the next year. | At least one week is allowed the pupil for the completion of this task of selecting his next year's subjects, during which time he may get needed advice from his teachers. His home-room teacher finally inspects the blank and approves with his signature the selection made. Often other approving signatures are required; thus, a college pupil is required to get the signature of the college ad- viser for the particular institution which he is preparing to enter. A similar procedure is followed with pupils from the elementary or junior high schools who intend to enter the high school the following September. TABULATION OF SELECTION BLANKS AND -SUMMARY SHEET Upon a tally sheet containing a list of all subjects and years of subjects each home-room teacher furnishes the principal with a tabulation of subjects and years of sub- jects chosen by the pupils in his room. With a tally sheet of proper form, selections may be tabulated as fast as they come in, and but little time will be needed to add up the totals. Upon a specified date not later than the middle of May, the home-room teacher sends to the principal all the pupils' selection of studies blanks, with the tally sheet. [4] 1 1 - M S ii Chemistry Physical Geography Bookkeeping {Typewriting Commercial Geography i 1 1 61) '3 i Household Science and Arts History of Commerce and Industry Salesmanship Total Points Itl rHS< a i 4> ;.9 C8 O ^ ■^ a -^ -9. as. 3 rt ^ > 2 4> Jl! 'i rt S " IS — ^ a •S'o^g ^- > 60 « 5" g H 1^ 85 .g « S ^ o s-2'ai a ■B f 2 « s a c3 o rt"^ w5 - d w -S.s--g.£P« III I 5 ^ PRELIMINARY INFORMATION Jpon a properly arranged summary sheet the data from he tally sheets can be collected by the principal in a very ihort time, and he then has complete returns for the jntire school, showing the number of pupils desiring each lubject, and each year of the subject. By keeping a record from year to year of the returns m the summary sheet and also a record of the number of )upils who enrolled in the various classes each September, :he principal can easily forecast in May the number of jlasses in each subject for the following September. The jercentage of change undei^ uniform conditions from May :o September is very nearly a constant from year to year. Changes of electives in September are allowed only for 50od and sufficient reasons. CLASS SECTIONS The pupils' selection of studies sheets are separated into four classes of the school course (first year, second year, etc.), and each class is again subdivided into equal- sized divisions of from 30 to 40 pupils, known as class sections. Each class section is indicated by an arabic numeral and a letter, the arabic numeral indicatmg the class and the letter the section. Thus 2 h me^ns b section in the second, or sophomore, class, and 4 c means the c section of the fourth, or senior, class. Class sections then are equal-sized class groups of from 30 to 40 pupils each, segregated for general recitation purposes. Since each class section is a different group of pupils, any sections may recite at the same time without program conflict. It will be seen later how this prelimi- nary division into class sections is used to avoid conflicts in pupils' programs, and how the fact that they are equal- sized tends to make recitation sections also of equal size. [5] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM A list of the class sections for the sophomore class of a';| Boston high school will serve as an example of this step CLASS SECTIONS CLASS 2 | 2 a College pupils through Milston 2 h College pupils from Milston through alphabet Normals through Leonardi 2 c Normals from Leonardi through alphabet Generals 2 d Commercials, French, through Canter 2 e Commercials, French, from Canter through De Angelis 2/ Commercials, French, from De Angelis through Gardner 2 g Commercials, French, from Gardner through Hurley 2 h Commercials, French, from Hurley through MacLeod 2 i Commercials, French, from MacLeod through Post 2 j Commercials, French, from Post through Slattery 2 k Commercials, French, from Slattery through alphabet 2 I Commercials, Spanish, through Ferrari 2 m Commercials, Spanish, from Ferrari through Katz 2 n Commercials, Spanish, from Katz through Puccinelh 2 o Commercials, Spanish, from Puccinelli through alphabet 2 p Commercials, Latin or No Language It will be noticed that class sections offer opportunity to segregate pupils of like destination or like program. Thus all college pupils are placed in sections a and 6, normal school pupils in h and c, pupils T:aking a general course in section c, and pupils taking a commercial course in sections d to y. The commercial pupils are subdivided according to the language they take, pupils in section A taking Latin or no language. Such segregations offer opportunity to meet individual needs of pupils. The larger the school, the greater the possibilities of differentia- tion. Thus, if it is desired to separate the abler and the less able pupils of the class, the one group may be assigned to specified sections and the other to other sections. [6] PRELIMINARY INFORMATION REaTATION SECTIONS After the number of pupils for each subject and year of iubject has been ascertained by the principal, and the lumber of recitation sections of each kind has been deter- nined (page 3), these recitation sections are designated n such a way as to avoid conflicts in pupils* programs. First: For all continuous subjects a roman numeral is ised to indicate the year of instruction ; thus French II neans a year's work in second-year French. Note that :he roman numeral does not necessarily indicate the class Tom which come the pupils who take the subject; e.g.. Phonography I means the first year of phonography, but nasmuch as phonography is not offered as an elective mtil the thu-d year of the course, the roman numeral *I" does not indicate pupils from Class 1 — that is, the ■reshmen class. If the subject is not a continuous one, ao roman numeral at all will be used. , Second: Section letters will be used to indicate the slass sections from which the recitation section derives its pupils ; thus French II d means a class in second-year French made up of pupils from section d of the class in which the subject is offered. If there be but one recita- tion section of a kind, the recitation section will be known by the designation of the subject. ; Often a subject may be elected by pupils from more than lone class section. In this case, more than one section ^letter will be used. Thus, Latin III ah means a class in ■third-year Latin made up of pupils from class sections a and h. Choral Practice II adfhk means a large class in the second year of Choral Practice made up of pupils from five different class sections. I Every large school has advanced recitation sections of one kmd or another. For example, college pupils begin [7] I MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM the study of Latin in the first year, but defer beginning French until the second year. Many pupils fail in their first year of French, and elect it again in their second year. Still other pupils, for one reason or another, may not begin the study of French until the third or fourth year. All such advanced sections should be designated by an addi- tional numeral which indicates the class from which the pupils come. Thus French I-2a means a class in first- year French, normally a freshman subject, made up of second-year pupils from class section a; French 1-2 defghky a class in first-year French of second-year pupils who are repeating French I, derived from six class sections. It takes a large number of class sections to furnish a suffi- cient number of pupils to form such a recitation section. It will be seen later (page 14) how such a method of des- ignation avoids conflict in pupils* programs. [8] Ill Making the School Program the block system EVERY high school program should use some kind of block system ; that is, the recitation periods of the week should be divided into a number of different groups or blocks, and in one or the other of these blocks should be scheduled all recitations in the school. If each of the blocks is made up of a different group of periods, it is evident that recitations scheduled in one block cannot conflict with recitations scheduled in any other block. The most commonly used block consists of five periods, one for each day in the week, and the most usual method of selecting periods to form such blocks is to call the first period of each of the five school days in the week "Block 1," the five second periods "Block 2," etc. With such an arrangement, there will be as many blocks as there are school periods in the day. While such a selection may give a more orderly distribu- tion of recitations, it is not in many ways an ideal arrange- ment. It is generally conceded that the quantity of work that can be accomplished with a recitation section that recites always in the first period of the day is considerably greater, and the quality better, than with one that recites , always in the last period of the day. Moreover, the last ^ periods of the day are often needed for field or laboratory , work which may take the pupil outside the building. For these and other reasons, a selection which gives an equal distribution of early and late periods of the day r among the different blocks is preferable to one which fails I to make such a distribution. On page 11 is a distribution of this kind for a six-block 'program. MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM j The block numbers are indicated by the numeral in the upper right-hand corner of the period. Thus Block 1 is made up of Monday, the 1st period, Tuesday, the 5th, Wednesday, the 3d, Thursday, the 2d, and Friday, the 6th period; Block 2 is made up of Monday, the 2d period, Tuesday, the 6th, Wednesday, the 4th, Thursday, the 1st, and Friday, the 5th period, etc. By adding together the numbers which express the periods of the day for each block, it is found that Blocks 1, 3, and 5 total 17, while Blocks 2, 4, and 6 total 18, thus showing a nearly equal distribution of early and late periods of the day in each block. If the block numbers are indicated on the program blank, it is no more difficult to find them, in making a pupil's program, than it would be if they came in regular order. It will be noticed that in the distribution given, the periods of Block 1 are always contiguous to Block 2, those of Block 3 to Block 4, and those of Block 5 to Block 6 This arrangement will be found helpful in providing foj double periods for laboratory or industrial work, or foi such subjects as phonography and typewriting. To give necessary flexibility, a pupil's program shoulc have at least one free block. Most high school pupih carry a program of from 20 to 25 recitation periods 8 week, which would occupy four or five blocks, and a six- block program best meets their program requirements. It is very important that the same block system extenc throughout all the years of the school. Under such ai arrangement the pupil with an irregular program wiL always have one or more empty blocks in which to find hu "out-of -course" subjects. DISTRIBUTION OF RECITATION SECTIONS To distribute the recitation sections among the blocks is the most difficult and the most important part of pro- [10] MAKING THE SCHOOL PROGRAM FRI. THUR. WED. TUES. MON. a iO c?» 00 H>A •v m O o Or 1—* Oi )£k. ^ £ s o O >^ rf^ h- 1 o» 00 T3 m 33 O o OO W) to a t^ ■V m 33 o o t© a 00 ►— I Ox tn o o H^ Ox »^ to Oi 2) T3 m 73 O O m 8 [11] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM gram making. Upon its successful accomplishment, more than upon anything else, depends the efficiency of the program. It is affected by so many factors — courses of study, personnel of the teaching force, size and number of rooms, and other conditions of a local nature that have already been referred to — that it is difficult to formulate in detail any course of procedure that could be generally followed. It is possible, however, to set forth certain im- portant principles. (1) Work with one of the four classes at a time in distributing recitation sections among the blocks, since each class presents problems of its own. When the distribution is completed, each block will be made up of four strata of recitation sections, a stratum for each class in the school. High schools with semi-annual promotions will need to distribute their programs by half years, each block being made up of eight strata, one for each half year, instead of four. Such a distribution seriously affects the organiza- tion of a school and decreases the efficiency of the pro- gram. The larger the high school, the greater the possi- bility and opportunity of its program to serve the interests of its pupils. The program of a school of 1000 pupils arranged in 8 classes has little or no greater .flexibility or efficiency than that of a school of 500 in 4 classes ; that of a school of 500 in 8 classes, no greater than that of a school of 250 in 4 classes. (2) In distributing recitation sections of like kind, follow the plan of widest distribution ; that is, never schedule two sections of a kind in a block until every other block has one, never three until every other block has two, etc. Not only does this plan make for flexibility in the pupil's program, but in large high schools it removes the necessity of giving very much attention to the assignment [12] MAKING THE SCHOOL PROGRAM of work to teachers until the entire distribution is com- pleted. (3) When there is but one recitation section of a kind, avoid scheduling two such sections in a block unless they are non-conflicting by nature ; thus, sections in Latin are not likely to conflict with commercial sections, and sections in different years of the same subject are by nature non- conflicting. (4) To help in avoiding conflicts, do not repeat the section letters of a given class in the same block. Below will be found two groups of recitation sections which occur in the same block — one a group of second-year, and the other a group of first-year, recitation sections. By looking through the section letters in each class from which these recitations are recruited, it will be seen that there is no repetition of section letters within the group, except for Physical Training II and for Hygiene. These two subjects are scheduled for but one day in the week in the block, and the subject whose section letter they repeat recites the other four days, and does not there- fore conflict; e.g., in Physical Training II cdkm and French II k, the section letter k is repeated, but the Physical Training II section is scheduled only for Monday, and the French II section only for the other four days of the week. If, then, each section letter represents, as it does, a different group of pupils, and no section letter is repeated in the block, there can be no possible conflict of program. This device for avoiding conflict within the block can be very generally applied in the two or three lower classes in the school, but only with greater difficulty in the junior and senior classes, because in these classes there is in- creasing differentiation in the choice of work, hence im- possibility at times of avoiding repetition of section letters. [13] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM Block 3 Class 2 ; Section Days i Phys. Trg. n Phys. Trg. n English n English n EngHsh n Civics -2 Latin 1-2, 3, 4 French 1-2 French II French 11 Biology I Introd. Science Introd. Science Bookkeeping II Bookkeeping 11 Com'l Geog. Com'l Geog. cdkm bejo f I V a e k io d 9 h n m J M ' Th T W Th F ' M T W F T W Th F M T Th aU all M T W F T W Th F M T W F T W Th F M T W F all all T W Th M T F Block 3 Class 1 Section Days Phys. Trg. I fir W F Hygiene flk T English I a all English I 9 all English I m all English I s - aU French I d all French I V all Spanish I i all Civics h M W F Civics h T W Th Civics n Th Civics t M F Mathematics I c aU Bookkeeping I i aU Bookkeeping I all Bookkeeping I n all [14] MAKING THE SCHOOL PROGRAM For the two lower classes the device may be 100 per cent efficient; in the senior class, perhaps not more than 75 per cent efficient. There are, then, in a program so arranged, two devices for avoiding conffict : (1) the six or more non-conffictmg blocks, which may be characterized as a horizontal vari- able, and (2) the section letters, which may be called a vertical variable. With two variables of this kind, there will be a very large number of solutions for nearly all pupils* programs that may be submitted, and a consequent high percentage of flexibility and efficiency. ASSIGNMENT OF TEACHERS AND ROOMS TO RECITATION SECTIONS In a large school, assignment of teachers and rooms need not be made until after the recitation sections have been distributed among the blocks. In small high schools one of the local factors that must be considered in making this distribution is the teacher's program. In all high schools, however, if the plan of widest distribution is followed as regards subjects and sections, the problem of assigning teachers and rooms to recitation sections ought not to be a difficult one. The complete application of this plan means an equal, or nearly equal, number of recitation sections in every block, and a consequent uniform distribution of the work throughout the week. The standard number of teaching periods for Boston is 22 a week for women and 24 for men. In a school program of six blocks or more, every teacher will have, therefore, one or more blocks wholly or partly free. This arrangement ought to give sufficient flexibility to insure an easy and efficient arrange- ment of his teaching program, and to provide in addition for study-room assignments and other duties necessary to carry on the work of the school. [ 15 ] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM INDICATION OF BLOCK NUMBERS UPON THE PUPIL*S SELECTION OF STUDIES SHEET Upon the pupil's selection of studies sheet is next indi- cated the number of the block in which each of his various recitation sections occurs. To illustrate : Miss Y is a senior; she is taking a commercial program, and is in Class Section 4 d. She has elected English IV, Phonog- raphy and Typewriting II, Economics, and History IV. The block number of the d section of each of her subjects is as follows : English IV d. Block 5 Phonography and Typewriting II d. Blocks 1, 2 Economics, Block 1 History IV d. Block 6 It will be noticed that two subjects, Economics and Phonography and Typewriting II, have been assigned to Block 1. This means a conflict. As there is but one section of Economics, Block 1 will have to remain against this subject. For Phonography and Typewriting II there is another class in Blocks 3 and 4. Her program as cor- rected, then, will read : English IV, Block 5 Phonography and Typewriting, Blocks 3, 4 Economics, Block 1 History IV, Block 6 No block number is now repeated in this program, and there can therefore be no conflict. A second illustration : Miss Z is in Section 2 6, but has failed in French. Her new subjects are English II, History II, Mathematics II, and Biology I, and she must repeat French I. A conflict might be feared, but the [16] MAKING THE SCHOOL PROGRAM block distribution of the b section in each of these subjects is as follows : English II 6, Block 3 History II b, Block 4 French 1-2, 3, Block 6 Math. II 6, Block 5 Biology I 6, Block 2 There is no repetition of block numbers, therefore there can be no conflict in this program. After one has become familiar with the block distribu- tion for a given section, these block numbers can be in- dicated on the selection of studies blanks with very great rapidity, if there are no conflicts — as rapidly as two or three sheets a minute. TABULATION AND EQUALIZATION OF RECITATION SECTIONS After the block numbers have been indicated upon the pupils* selection sheets, the assignments upon all the selection sheets of the school are tabulated to make sure that recitation sections are of the same size. Recitation sections with but one letter assigned to them will be of about the same size, because they are made up of pupils from one class section only, and all class sections are of the same size. But recitation sections with two or more section letters may be of unequal size. To illustrate: In this year's sophomore class there are 14 class sections, lettered from c to p, inclusive, in which the pupils must choose a science, either Biology or Introductory Science. A suflScient number of pupils chose Biology to form 5 sections, and enough chose Introductory Science to form 9 sections. It takes, then, 14 class sections to supply a sufficient number of pupils to form 5 recitation sections in Biology I, or between 2 and 3 class sections to [ 17 ] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM form one recitation section. Since 5 does not divide a whole number of times into 14, it is evident that three J section letters will have to be assigned to four of these classes, and two to the fifth. These same 14 class sec- ! tions yielded 9 Introductory Science divisions, and, again, | two of the class-section letters will have to be assigned to five of those recitation sections, and but one to the other four. For this, and for other reasons, inequalities will always exist which require adjustments. Such adjustments are made by changing the block number of the larger class to that of the smaller, and if the latter conflicts with some other subject in the block by scheduling this subject in some unused block. After the tabulation of all recitation sections is com- pleted, a glance will show what adjustments are neces- sary, and then the block numbers can be changed upon a sufficient number of the pupils' selection sheets to produce equality of divisions. DETERMINATION OF HOME ROOMS AND STUDY ROOMS There is not necessarily any connection between class sections and home rooms. One or more sections may be assigned to a home room, or sections may be scattered through several home rooms. College pupils, for instance, may be widely distributed over home rooms, to prevent anything like educational aristocracy in the school. Many high schools leave the determination of study- room assignments until the school assembles in September. It is one of the advantages of the method of program making here described that the number of pupils each hour in study rooms can be closely approximated in June. Nearly all recitation sections are of the same size; if, from the total number of sections in a class, you subtract the recitation sections which are scheduled for any period, [18] P MAKING THE SCHOOL PROGRAM the difference will be approximately the number of sec- tions which have no recitations during that period and for which study rooms must be provided. SCHEDULE OF RECITATION AND STUDY ROOMS A schedule of recitations must be furnished teachers be- fore they can make out pupils' programs. This schedule is arranged by subjects, and it gives the block, section letters, days of the week, and room for every recitation section in the school. It does not contain the names of the teachers; for many reasons it is undesirable that these be put upon the recitation schedule. Below will be found for illustrative purposes a schedule of all recitations in Latin. Block Subject Section Room o Q i 5 i 2 Latin I a 104 2 6 4 1 5 5 Latin I b 104 5 3 1 6 2 1 Latin 1-2, 3, 4 414 1 5 3 2 6 3 Latin 11 a 304 3 1 5 4 4 6 Latin IT be 204 6 4 2 5 1 1 Latin III 401 1 5 3 2 6 4 Latin IV 306 4 2 6 3 3 In like manner a schedule of study rooms to take care of the sections which are known to be free can be made for each period in the week. MAKING OUT OF PUPILS* PROGRAMS BY TEACHERS To make out the pupils' programs the home-room teacher needs the following material : (a) The list of class sections (pages 5, 6) and home- room assignments (page 18) [19] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM (b) The schedule of recitation sections (page 19) (c) The schedule of study rooms (page 18) (d) The pupils' selection of studies sheets, with the assignment of recitations indicated upon them (pages 16, 17) (e) Daily program blanks (page 10) With this material every teacher ought to be able not alone to make out the programs of the pupils who have already filled out the selection of studies blanks, but also to make out new programs for new pupils and to make new assignments of work for such changes in electives as may be necessary in September. For a new pupil, the teacher would first determine his class section and then assign him to such recitation sections as contained his class sec- tion letter. Complete programs for all pupils expected in September should be filed in the office of the principal before the close of school in June. On the opening day in September, these programs are distributed to pupils. A part of the opening day will be needed for registration and for indi- vidual program adjustments. During the last part of this day, however, the school should go through its regular program on a shortened time schedule. This does not mean that some pupils go to some recitations, but that all pupils go to all recitations. The school should be able on the second day of the term to start full time upon a complete program. teachers' schedules of work In large high schools it ought not to be necessary to make out any teacher's schedule until the entire program is completed. In small high schools, with a large number of single classes, as has already been pointed out, the teacher's [20] MAKING THE SCHOOL PROGRAM schedule will have to be considered in the distribution of recitation sections among the blocks. To each teacher should be assigned, if possible, at least one recitation section composed of pupils who sit in his home room. The home-room teacher is the pupils' adviser, and he can more intelligently discharge the duties of this office if he knows his pupils intimately, which is more likely to be the case when they are in one of his recitation sections. Teachers' schedules should be made out and given to teachers before the close of the school year. The teacher is then ready to take up his work on the opemng day ot school, and if he is assigned new work he has the summer vacation in which to prepare for it. At the end of the book will be found a complete program of the Girls' High School of Boston, a study of which may make clear some details which have not been adequately illustrated in the text. [81] IV Summary SOME of the advantages of a program of the type described in the preceding pages may be briefly summarized. EFFICIENCY It is highly eflBcient. In all large high schools there exists a very great variety of demands which the pro- gram must satisfy. The number of recitations assigned to different subjects varies from one to ten a week. Pro- vision must be made for large classes in such subjects as Physical Training and Choral Practice, numbering from 100 to 300 pupils each. Great freedom of election is allowed, and subjects scheduled in any year of the course may be elected by pupils in any subsequent year of the course ; for instance, seniors often elect first-year subjects. Promotion is by subjects, and provision must be made to allow pupils failing in a subject to repeat it in succeeding years. A program of this type ought to satisfy more than 99 per cent of these demands. In small high schools this percentage ought not to fall below 95. A program of this type tends to become permanent from year to year. Variations in the size of classes will require corresponding changes in the number of class sections, and the addition or subtraction of letters that designate such sections; but unless there are radical changes in the curriculum itself, the distribution of sections indicated by the earlier letters of the alphabet will not be affected by such variations. This distribu- tion may be perfected from year to year until it becomes nearly permanent. For the three upper classes, accurate forecasts of the number of recitation sections can be [2S] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM made as early as the middle of the preceding year. Un- expected increases or decreases in the freshman class will distribute themselves over all the sections of that class, changing slightly the number of pupils to a class, but not necessarily requiring the formation of new classes in September. The initial formation of equal-sized class sections tends to produce equal-sized recitation sections. The partici- pation of all teachers in the school in making the program means general intelligence in its administration. THE PROGRAM IN RELATION TO EXPENSES These are days of mounting expenses and increasing taxes for educational purposes. In the city of Boston school expenditures have increased from six million dollars in 1910 to more than twelve million for 1920, without anything like a proportionate increase in school popula- tion. Such an increase in expenditures emphasizes the need of maximum efficiency in school programs. In 1916 the city of Boston faced an apparent deficit of several hundred thousand dollars in its school budget, and retrenchment all along the line was necessary. When the high schools were asked to assume some forty thou- sand dollars of this retrenchment, a committee of head- masters was appointed to study the situation and see whether or not this money could be saved without reducing teachers' salaries or decreasing the efficiency of the schools. There are fifteen high schools in the city — ten general high schools, two Latin, or college-fitting, schools, one for boys and one for girls, a high school of commerce for boys, a mechanic arts high school for boys, and a high school of practical arts for girls. So far as cost of instruction is concerned, all but the last two may be put into the same class. [24] SUMMARY These schools varied in size from about 600 pupils to 2300 pupils. The per capita cost of instruction varied from about $55 to $105 per pupil. This difference of $50 per jcapita in cost of instruction, if applied to the smallest high school, amounted to $30,000 ; if applied to the three largest schools, it amounted to more than $100,000 each. The committee of headmasters studied in detail the organization and programs of these fifteen high schools. They found that classes varied in size from less than 10 to more than 50 pupils, and the pupil-hour load of teachers from less than 500 to more than 1000. They found that the lower-cost schools were more efficiently organized than the higher. In the ten general high schools, 80 points were required for a diploma, 20 points a year for each of the four years. They found that pupils* programs varied in different schools from an average of 22 points a year to 25 points. The seriousness of this variation will be appreciated if it is understood that the schools with the 25-point average were giving 15 per cent more instruction to meet the same diploma requirements than the schools with the 22-point average, and were meeting them ap- parently with no greater degree of efficiency. These con- ditions can probably be duplicated in every large city in the United States. Changes in organization were recommended which amply provided for the retrenchment desired, without decreasing the educational efficiency of the schools. Even more striking is the increased cost of construction of school buildings. In 1910, in Boston, this cost was about $7000 a room. In 1920 it was $21,000. This cost also can be much reduced by means of a good school program. One has but to tabulate the recitation rooms Qot in use for each hour in the week in a high school to ascertain this fact. The poorly arranged program utilizes [25] MAKING A HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM all the rooms some of the hours in the week, but has many- unused rooms during other hours; the well-arranged program utilizes all the rooms all the time. Added expense may come from delay in completing the organization of the school at the beginning of the school year. In large high schools the cost of maintenance runs from $500 to $1000 a day. A week lost in organization means added cost of instruction. With a good program, the school should be fully at work on the first or second day of school. THE PROGRAM IN RELATION TO THE INTERESTS OF THE PUPILS More important than all is the degree to which the program serves the interests of its pupils. High school pupils are constantly changing their objectives after they enter the high school. The pupil who starts upon a commercial course becomes ambitious to go to college. The pupil who starts upon a college course often finds it necessary to change to commercial work. Pupils become interested in special lines of work which they desire to pursue intensively, but which produce irregularities in their course. Too often such ambitions are thwarted because of the inflexibility of the school program. A good school program should possess sufficient flexibility to satisfy all such demands without causing undue loss of time to the pupil. GENERAL IMPORTANCE OF THE PROGRAM In conclusion it may be said that there is no single element which has a more important influence upon the economic management and the educational efficiency of a high school than its program. It is to the school what a time-table is to a railroad. It is the business of a railroad [26] SUMMARY to run trains. The first essential for the proper running of trains is a time-table that will prevent collision and that will serve properly the interests of its patrons. It is the business of a school to offer instruction. The first essential for such instruction is a program that will avoid conflicts between classes and that will serve properly the interests of pupils. [27] 1 . _ - GTRTS* HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 1920-21 BU)C.1-M1 T6,W3.TH..F6 BukeS-MS T6. W4. ThI. F6 Bu,c,3-M3.T1. W6. TH4, F4 Bixjc. 4-M4, T2. W6. TB3. F3 II 5— Mil, T3, Wl, ThO. F2 II Bu.™ « -M6. T4. W2, Tb6. Fl 8ubJ.o< 8«.. D.V. Hn, Tchr. Subject Sect. Days Rm. Tchr. Subject Sect. Days Rm. Tchr. Subject Sect, Dw. Ra.. Tchr. 1 Subject Sec Day. -I--I .Subject sect. Day. Rm. Tchr. IV T Hall Dr Phys Trg W Th Gym Se Phys. Trg. IV ilrh T Gym. .Se K?v'^- ,;,*,■ F Gym. Se 1' Phys. Trg. IV acfg M Gym. Se English IV b MTWF 317 1)1 (lish IV flish IV / M W Th P M W Th F 317 Re Gr English IV l M'TWF i r.] So English IV MWThF M W Th F 306 Gf Rl * MTWTh 317 English IV Civics-» TThF S07 Pm ii.,t„ry IV ;: MTWF 307 Pin T WF 307 .Sf History IV h MTWF ' ,S07' Sf History IV d MWThF 307 Sf Latin IV all 306 Kv French IV h T W Th F ^panish IV rch.U \\h\ Drawing 1-4 MTW-F 413 Om Chera. I h MWThF-|-F3 4 Br Chem. 1 c M T W Th+T I 4 Br Coral Law <-Sgi MTTh a rilScrv. W^ll ff.U ? TWF ^ MTh all aU aU 304 414 403 409 C'l Ch Hi Mm Dc Phon. 11 Phon. 11 hi d aU all all aU 414 411 406 40S Ch Mm Dc Com'l Law Ciril Serv. Bkkpg. IV Phon 11 T. W. II T. W. I-t de f TThF •T Th F MW ^ all all all 314 'Z] 414 ' 403 411 CI MM ^! Kav Bkkpg. IV T. W 11 Phon. II Phon. 1-4 dr J 9 MTWTh all nil all 411 414 407 '■' jl Bkkpg. IV Mm " I'h.m. 11 Mg ITWH Dc 1 Kav ■■h WF all all 414 Ap 1 403 Ch 411 Ht Bkkpg. IV T. W. II ■hon. II h ,al 414 all 411 all 403 Ap WF T M Th all iill all G\Tn. Hall 108 108 418 101) 114 5 Se il' Se Tn So Chs Gr Phys. Trg. 1 Cho. Prac. I Hygiene English I Engli.sh I English I p».„,.l. I 1 h k 1 T liall Dr Th 108 Se all 418 Rl all 114 (hs all 5 t;r all 104 Tw ll'l' P "'« Latin 1 ,^' 1 |lSi Cirfcs 9 all all all 109 7 S^ Bn Mh Spanish I { all all 108 416 7 Kk Kf^l' French I all aU all 109 7 Cf Sv Cs LaUnI all all all 104 Hg 1 French I h all all all 416 Cf 109 Bn 7 SI h M W F T W Til Th Ml- 107 100 Pill Pm Sml " M W Th W 111 V .„ MT'F { 107 100 107 •=) Pm Sml Pm Sml Cs History A I Civics civics Civics P M T W TThF •M W MTTh 1 107 108 •106 106 •405 1 41S Cs Pm Sml Ck Ck CiviM Civics Civics Civics Math. I MWF ThF TTh all 100 107 106 41 S Wn Sml Ck Wr CiN-ics Civic. Civics Civic CiWcs M T W T W ■Hi Th M F 1011 107 100 107 Wn Ck Wn (;hics civ-lra CiN-ica ^^•ies ! MThF M W F •M'W TTh 107 Wn 106 Ck 108 Sf 106 Ck 107 Wn 415 Wr t 1 ; all 101 Kav Bkkpg I f all ^ Ml Bkkpg. I t all ^ 104' Ap Bkkpg. II Math. I all all all 1 „ Bkkpg. I 9 aU 101 (1 Ha Bkkpg. I all 101 all 101 m f 1 " all 8 Bb Bkkpg. I ' all Hi Bkkpg. I 1 8 Ob Bkkpg. I Bkkpg. I 1(14 :!Dc JBkkiig. I aU " Especially designed for use in high schools | (Also usable as low as Grade 6 and as high as first year in college) | TERMAN GROUP TEST of I MENTAL ABILITY I By Lewis M. Term an | Professor of Educational Psychology, Stanford University; joint author i of the National Intelligence Tests and of the army mental tests; § author of the Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon Scale, and 5 of a number ot books on the measurement of intelligence i This test is unique in many respects. Each of its 886 | items was measured against a composite outside | criterion. A try-out resulted in a reduction to 370 | items, each helping to differentiate bright pupils from | dull ones. The items retained are more highly se- | lected than will be found in any other group mental I test. I The Terman Test is an eleven-page booklet. The | pupil does no writing. The backs of the Scoring Keys I contain the scoring rules. Only 30 to 35 minutes will | be required to test a group with it. The procedure has been so simplified that it can be mastered by any teacher in a few minutes. The size of the booklets makes their use without desks easy. Examination: Form A. Price per package of 25 booklets, f including Scoring Key and Manual of Directions, $1.60 net. f Examination: Form B. Price per package of 25 booklets, | including Scoring Key and Manual of Directions, $1.60 net. I Specimen Set. Price 15 cents postpaid. | WORLD BOOK COMPANY ^ Yon KERS-ON -Hudson, New York 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago iiiiiiiiiuiiiHnwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiHuiuiiiiiiimiuuuiiiiiiiiuuimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiiiiniiinnniii^ iininnmimnnimniiminnnmr nm nii n iiiii iH nnnninnimmmrmpnnninnnm nH iiii n iiiiiii i i mnM iri niiu innnnnmnmnmitmniimnnntMnnninnra WILKINS PROGNOSIS TEST | IN MODERN LANGUAGES | By Lawrence A. Wilkins | Director of Modern Languages in the High Schools = of New Tori Citj I "DEYOND question many students cannot, with profit, undertake | ■^ the study of a modern language. The Wilkins Test presents a scale | for determining probable fitness of high school or college students for | study in any foreign language. It also provides a basis for classification f and for the elimination of students who cannot profitably undertake | I such work, I I Provision is made for allowing students who fail in the preliminary test | I to enter a class doing slower work and then give the second or elimi- i I nation test at the end of a month to determine their ability at that time. | I The use of the tests will help to eliminate much effort which is now | I wasted in teaching modern languages. The experience of the author | I with the tests in the New York City schools indicates that their use | I will result in a vast saving of time on both the part of teacher and pupil. | 1 The tests are as follows : 1 i A. Collective Tests | I I. Visual-Motor (Seeing and Writing^ 1 1 II. Aural-Motor (Hearing and Writing) f = III. Memory i i IV. Grammar Concepts = 1 B. Individual Tests 1 I V. Visual-Oral (Seeing and Speaking) in English i 1 VI. Aural Oral (Hearing and Speaking) = - I I T-ESTS. 8 pages. Price per package of 2J tf. S. ieonar^. Chairman of the Mod- = I examination booklets with one Manual ern Language Department of the | 5 , Curtis High School says : "Not one = I of Directions p.bo net. pupjj ^Jjq jid poorly in the prede- | i STnci^KiiSi!.T. An envelope containing termination test lias showiiweU in the = = _ , ,. , , „ language, and all who did creditable = I I Test and I Manual of Directions. ^^^k in the tests have done well in | I Price lo cents postpaid. the class work," i I The booklet containing the tests contains spaces for answers. The | 1 Manual of Directions gives complete instructions for giving and scoring f I the tests, | I WORLD BOOK COMPANY | i YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, New YoRK | I 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago I iiinHiuniriiiuiiiufliirimnmuuimuiiuiiuuinuituiuiuiiuimiiiuuuimuuuiiiiiniuminiMinniinnn ^uiuiuuinuiiiiinuiiiuiiimiiiiiuiiuiinuiuuuuuiiiiiiui FUNDAMENTALS OF HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS An Epoch- ?naking Textbook Designed to Follow Arithmetic By Harold O. Rugg and John R. Clark THE authors have assembled ia this ninth-grade course the most important mathematical tools and notions which all children should know. The excessive manipulation of symbolisms of formal algebra has been replaced by material which is, both from the mathematical and social point of view, of far greater value. Specific- ally, graphs, methods of direct and indirect measurement, the properties of the right triangle, and a comprehensive treatment of the concept of relationship betiveen changing quantities (i. e., functionality) have replaced the elaborate treatment of factoring, fractions, and operations with long polynomials. The selection of material for this course is quite In agree- ment with the recommendations of the National Commit- tee on Mathematics Requirements. The authors have sensed fully the best thought of the day in the reorgani- zation of first-year high school mathematics courses. Among the unique Impressions made upon the reviewer, the following stand out most prominently: 1 The careful explanations and development of | new processes; j 2 The wholesome omission of formal material; j 3 The excellent presentation of word-problems; | 4 The unique organization of special products | and factoring; | 5 The "timed practice exercises" for developing | skill in essential tool processes; and | 6 The emphasis upon the notion of relationship | between variable quantities. | Cloth. xv+j68 pages. Price $i.8o | Answer Book. 24. pages. Price 16 cents | WORLD BOOK COMPANY | YONKERS-ON-HUDSON, NeW YoRK 2126 Prairie Avenue, Chicago nmiiiiiiiiiiii i i n ii [ iirniii n inii i iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinii i ii iin nnnniniiinniiniiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiinminiiinnnnniiB I NEW-WORLD I I SCIENCE SERIES | I Edited hy JOHN W. RITCHIE | I 'T^HE publication of books that "apply the world's I I X knowledge to the world's needs" is the ideal of this | I house and it is intended that the different volumes of this | I series shall express this ideal in a very conrcete way. | I Completed \ = Human Physiology. By John W. Ritchie, Professor of Biology, = I College of William and Mary. A text on physiology, hygiene, | I and sanitation for upper grammar or junior high schools. $i.6o. i I Laboratory Manual for Human Physiology. By Carl Hartman, = I University of Texas. A manual to accompany Ritchie's Human = I Physiology. Bound in paper and cloth. 60 cents and $1.00, | I Science for Begiimers. By Delos Fall, Albion College, Michigan. | I A beginning text in general science for intermediate schools and | I junior high schools. $1.68. | I Exercise and Review Book in Biology. By /. G. Blaisdell, Yonkers, I I N. Y., High School. A combined laboratory guide, notebook and i I review book for students' use. Written from the standpoint of i I efficiency and furnishing material for a year's work and to ac- = I company any one of several high-school texts in general biology. = = Bound in strong paper. $1.20. | i Trees, Stars, and Birds, By E. L. Moseley, Ohio State Normal | = College, Bowling Green. A book of outdoor science for junior high | I schools and the upper grammar grades. $1.80. I I Personal Hygiene and Home Nursing. By Louisa C. Lippitt, I = University of Wisconsin. A practical text for use with classes = I of young women in vocational and industrial high schools, colleges, = I and normal schools. $1.68. | i Science of Plant Life. By E. N. Transeau, Ohio Sjtate University. i I A scientific and very practical text for high schools. $1.88. | I Zo51ogy. By T. D. A. CockereU, University of Colorodo. A text for I I college use. $3.60. = I Experimental Organic Chemistry. By A. P. West. University of the I S Philippines. A text for college use. $3.20. | I Comnxpn Science. By Carleton W. 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