The daily sentinel., 1912-08-31
NEW METHOD OF
GRADING To Be
|NAUGURATED
SupI. Allen Tells Of Plans For
Tightening Teachers LabOrS
In the High School.

In a statement issued today, Supt.
]. Henry Allen announced that new
method of grading in examinations
in the local high school would be in
stituted this year. Following a con-
ference with Richard f. Tope, prin
cipal of the high school. Superintend-
ent Allen decided to act up upon
suggestion he received at the Chica-
go convention of the National Edu-
cational association early in the sum
mer. The statement follows and
clearly explains the point:
The Introduction of the business
course into the Freshmen year of our
high school affords a wider range
of electives than ever before. This
gives chance to every student to
make good. No young person who
has finished his work in the eighth
grade need longer fear to enter the
high school because he has net the
natural ability to take up Latin or
any other foreign language.
The business course is n thorough
practical, four years course 1t is
complete in mathematics, English
and history, and gives special prepa-
ration in the branches taught in the
DeSt business colleges.
The scientific and the Latin scien-
tilic courses will be continued as In
former years, fitting students thor
oughly to enter college or uniyer-
sity.
In the National Education associ-
alton, held in Chicago this summer,
there was much discussion in regard
to the large number of high school
Gtnfantg who n Lot, no
course. Special attention was given
to the appalling numbers that leave
school during the freshman year. fail
ing in the work and utterly discour-
aged, because they cannot accomplish
it, Various reasons were assigned,
such as too much amusement, the
lack OF home study, the lack of eff
cient and inspiring teachers, the use
of the cigarette, and in certain in
stances, the standard of grading too
high and too rigid for the natural
ability of the boys and girls.
With view TO improving this
condition and retaining more OF our
students in the school the following
method of grading, which we be-
lieve is Just to all, will be adopted
when school opens. We believe it
is fair to every one and especially fair
TO the student who has been born
short" in any given subject, such
as geometry or German, for example
This method of grading was decided
upon by Superintendent Allen and is
heartily endorsed by Richard e.
Tope, the principal Of the high
school.
No student will be required to
make an average above 75 per cent
to pass and receive a credit in any
given subject. The high school stud
les will be taken in groups as former
ly, and general average of rs per
cent will be necessary to pass
group of studies, with the condition
that no student can fall below sixty
per cent in any given subject If he
falls below seventy-fiye in any sub
ject he must have correspondingly
high grade in some other subject so
that the general average of his group
shall be seventy-five per cent. If any
student should fail to make his av-
erage of seventy-five per cent in his
group of studies, he will still receive
full credit in any subject in which he
makes an average of seventy-five per
cent.
This year. as last year, the daily
recitation grades will count two
thirds and the final examination one
third in making up the students
yearly average.