The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-04-06

A recent written review in Physical |
geography enabled the undersigned |
to make test of spelling ability n |
our graduating class. There are thu
ty seven in the class, but in order %
test the work of our own schools e.
clusively, the test was applied 10
twenty eight who have passed up
through our own grades and have new
er attended school elsewhere. These
pupils had no idea that what they
wrote was to be inspected for spelling
errors. They are never called to &C
count for spelling errors made in these
tests. They wrote hastily. and nene
spelled entirely according to halt.
There were 32507 words used in be
twenty eight papers. A hundred and
six mistakes we're made. The average
number of words in each paper vas
about 1900. -Four. out of the twenty
eight, made iifty-eight of the errors.
Three made no errors at all, and the
average was a little less than four to
the paper With twenty four of tbe
class, the average was two to the pap
er. Taking into account that there
were 1900 words in each paper. this
makes the very fair showing of enc
mistake in SIX hundred chances for
twenty four in the class, and, for the
whole class, one mistake in three hun
dred chances. Many people have
won distinction in this country Who
could no. do so we'll as this even after
years of practice in the more exactiDg
world outside school. The results OF
this test are given publicity in order
that few words may be said about
the hap hazard and harm working
methods OF testing sometimes applied
to school work by patrons who are un
scientific because they under estimate
the force of averages and because
they do not feel the need of investiga-
ton. 1t would be unfair to Judge II
the above case from the work of The
three best iD the class, and it woult
/ be just as unfair to judge from The
four who made more than half Of al
the errors marked And yet parent,
are frequently tempted, because o
some deficiency that disagreeably OBJ
:. trudes itself at home, day after day
possibly In this matter of spelling
and penmanship, to condemn the worl
. of the whole school in these branches
pills made one1third of the mistakes
Parents of these two pupils, Will
, their irritation is natural enough
would certainly be wrong IN conclud
: ing that spelling was not being sue
cessfully taught in our schools Teach
ers are limited by average conditions
Their best practical ideal is the raisin;
of the general average of excellenc
, III any line of school work. System
! and processes in education must hay
! this principle OF averages constant,
: in view; must be controlled by it an
therefore, judged by it. Patrons ar
sometimes tempted to judge result
from the condition Of two or three
I The teacher must conduct his work s.
. that the best average result will com
y to thousand.
As trained engineer estimates tn
efficiency of machine from the plot
S ting of its characteristic curve, wbic
I he gets from an averaging of grea
= number of observations, taken so tina
g each detail Will have its exact weigh
= in forming the conclusion, SO shout
: the teacher estimate the success of
= method or system by the same process
and in the same spirit. Thus ne ma
trace out defects and eliminate then
r Thus he may give greater play to tn
strong part of his SYSTEM by knowing
d In what it consists But if he is stron,
!, enough to be governed by this homes
g and, therefore, scientific method, Ger
i tainly, it is only fair that his sue
e cess should be estimated on the sam
basis. H j. Evans.