New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-13
IMPROVEMENT PRIZES.
Pupils an Schools To Be Rezcarded
for AdUance in Standing.

The Lincoln Improvement prizes will be award
ed as follows: S prize TO the boy and s. prize
10 the girl who shall respectively report to c, s
f1art"eII No. z3 Madison-st-, Brooklyn the best
record for Improvement III general average stand
ing made between June 1902 and June 1903 in
any public high school in greater New-Yorx A
third prize OF will be awarded TO any boy or girl
OUTSIDE OF New-York City who presents the best
record gained for Improvement in standing in
some named public high school in the same period.
The record may be sent a postal card to Mr
HartWel in this form: Full name Of pupil name
and place OF school. with name Ct principal
average percentage, respectively. for half years
ending June, 1902; January, 1893 and June 1893
These records or Improvement must be received
by Mr.. HartweH by January l, 1904. and the best
viii be sent by him 10 the principal of the school
Tor Verlncation. The award will be announced in
The Tribune soon after January !
Mr.. HartWeII said yesterday that the Lincoln
Improvement prizes had been awarded for several
years In all sixty-six persons had received cash
prizes, and seventy-seven honorable mention. It
was an unusual method Of award The usual
method was simply to pick out the pupil who got
the highest marks and give him prize but often
a pupil who has bad start and improves steadily
and greatly is really more deserving Of recogni-
ton than one who was superior from the start
Mr.. Hartweu does not oppose prizes for highest
standing, but wishes to supplement them by prizes
for Improvement The history Of these prizes
shows that among the winners were some who
not only have greatly improved, but have finally
attained the highest honors.
Mr.. Hartweu added:
The true STANDARD of success for public high
school is what it accompishes for the poorer
10 be taken for granted that in any large school
few pupils viii be conspicuously successful, how
power Is shown in the number of pupils encour-
aged TO make better use OF their opportunities:
and not IN the number crowded out Of the school
or grade Statistics show that about One-thiTd Of
faH behind Any decrease effected in this per-
centage Of mortality gives lHstTe to school:
worth 10 his parents 500 q term. His failure to
keep up with his class Is serious mater 70 nm
and 70 them. In a school as evenly graded as are
our NeW-York high schools II IS bad com
have in his classes pupils continuing month after
month with a standing Of less than % per cent
provernent over a pupils own record, and so no
distinction is made between those VINO advance
10 high average and those who advance from a
been low but onlv bv inference those may feel
condemned who remain low or deteriorate in their
general averages. Those who MAKE marked i'm
provement have the widest outlook for future
success In the lists vaedictorians and some
OF the leaders in many different lines OF school
II is the duty Of teachers to take pupils as they
are and help them 10 make ri s he dona one
by q sympathetic attitude theories ana STANDARDS
which DO not ut youthful human nature are OF
little value II cases of steady Improvement In
general scholarship were sought ouI IN an ous
nose olheT puplISss 3lt exen when only known
bv those who might thus be ENCOURAGED
We hear too much about the survival OF the
etfes+ and too little about becoming NJ TO survive.
~ he rI e ~ nniIs dTop out of the courses in our
schools and turn 10 other pursuits. are We sure
n is always for their good to give up the struggle
for an education2 Do they go ag9lnst our protest
or through disbursement when we nave not
w. interest the lazy encourage the dull or wisely
guide the weak. we not doing genuine service
% bese 5rizes Of e each are scarcely large enough
as evidence Of appreciation Of progressive self
mastery.