The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-25

or imnateriai, does one dollar buy
or produce; or, what is the cost OF
4ax definite unit or number OF units
of anything that the schools are try
Ing 10 produce? How Is each dollar
of expenditure apportioned among the
various things--services, plant. equip
ment. supplies--that are bought?
such questions are these, directed with
discrimination, demand measurements
that penetrate to the very heart OF
administrative efficiency.
The number of significant measure
ments that may he made through the
application of some monetary unit
is almost without limit; and there is
scarcely one of these measurements
that is not as significant pedagogical
IN as 1t is financially. To bring out
this significance, financial and peda-
gogical. comparisons are essential; we
must compare the costs OF similar
achievements under different condi-
ton in different school systems. in diff
! ferent parts Of the same school sys-
! tenn. or in the same school system at
different times and under different
4 conditions.
But we may not rest with COM
I parison alone; these are valuable only
i AS they .lea.1 to critical analysis and
( constr,,ctiy,, study Of the effects of the
1 different conditions under comparl-
son. which result in different unit
costs of production. IT is the merit,
rather than the deiert or these meas
urements and comparisons of costs
Mat they seldom offer at once the
basis for final conclusions. almost in
! variab,y they stimulate further in
! curry. A special school survey that
/ does not result in a continuous survey,
carried on by those regularly in charge
/ OF the school system. fails Of the chief
4 49, a
! Mathematicians repead goodly ben
4 eft from the talk OF Miss Adelaide
| steele BAYLOR, who spoke on TESTS
and Standards for Determining School
/ Achievements in Arithmetic" Follow
I ing is a part Of her talk;
1 Tests and Standards for Determining.
/ achievements in Arithmetic.
The great work of the public schools
I today is 10 eliminate from the curri
\ cuitim. all unnecessary matter and
method. and to make MI instruction
/ count in mere specific terms toward
/ the educational progress Of the pupil,
I The possibility OF applying definite
/ tests and standards to measure Sefinrf
abilities in various subjects taught,
/ is Just beginning TO ind place In pub
I lie school system
Arithmetic, long holding large
( place on the daily program OF the
4 schoo!room, must show a better rea-
i son for it's prominence than the tacit
/ assumption that it is both disciplinary
and practical.
DIR. j. NJ. Rice started the movement
/ in 1902, when he applied uniform
arithmetic tests to over 5000 pupils
| in the elementary schools of seven
cities. with results showing a variation
at from so to rs per cent In averages
4 for schools DIR. Rice concluded from
1 the array OF facts before him that
Il these variations were not due to
1 causes commonly assigned, but arose
4 from the need OF proper standards
4 and tests whereby teachers might as
/ certain from time to time the actual
1 progress of their schools. compared
\ with other schools, or with An average
4 allotment In u numbers of ach0ois
Il IN 1905 nj, Clln W1nAea6 compiled
4 ti.c re9ultx az his nj fk3nxln tests,