The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-09-05
Why Do SchooIboys
Fear College Exams?
ss9 By THOMAS sT0CkHAM BAKER, Ph.D.
4 Il Deposit
BY THOMAS sT0cKHAM BAKER, Ph.D.
Director the Tome School, Port Deposit Md

supposed. g
The objection would at once be ad-
vanced, If a serious attempt were
made to put into operation such a
plan, that the purpose OF the public
high school is not to prepare boys
and girls for college; that already
the domination OF the colleges is
much greater than 1t should be, and
that II any change were undertaken
IL should be in the direction OF mak-
Ing the breach between the schools
and colleges even wider than it is at
present. 1t is unquestionably true
that the work of the secondary school
should not be done with a view to
getting students into college. Still,
even in the schools which have tho
widest latitude in their COURSES. even
where there 10 great deal OF yoca-
tional training, there must be taught
certain, branches in which the College
Examination Entrance Board sets
tests.
The high schools with the latest
pedagogic novelties must offer three
or four years Of English, some for
eign language. some mathematics be-
yond arithmetic. In such subjects
the pupils might be required to take
the examinations of this board. There
would be no special virtue in having
the tests set by the College Entrance
Examination Board, except that this
institution is already in existence,
and has an admirable organization,
and has already proved its efficiency.
Besides, 1t would be an advantage IL
there were one standard for the
whole country.
Competition in Scholarship Records.
II the College Entrance Examine
ton Board should find itself compel
led to undertake the examination OF
all candidates for graduation from
the American secondary schools, 1t
would have an exceedingly difficult
administrative task. However, 1t is
hardly worth while, for the present
at least, to concern ourselves with
the ways and means of solving this
problem. Public school boards and
school trustees are not likely for a
long time to come to allow the work
OF their teachers to be submitted I'd
such a drastic method of criticism.
The plan that has been suggested re-
mains a pleasant thing to think about
and to talk about. ss n
1t would certainly be startling
innovation AZ some method could be
devised of creating a spirit OF emu
latton between all secondary schools
that would concern itself with their
\ emciency and thoroughness. At pres
Ont one city boasts Of its very mod
erns curriculum-of its experiments
In vocational training, Of It's shops:
another is proud of Its costly high
school building, or its swimming
pools and auditoriums. These adj.
4 vantages should not be decried; but
at the same time it would be an in.
4 teresting novelty If the cities should
boast of the unusual excellence Of the
teaching in their schools. How would
\ 1t sound II people were to say that
the teaching Of mathematics in Pitts.
burg, according to the latest reports
OF the examining board, is ten per
cent better than in Philadelphia, OF
that the standard of modern Language
instruction in Chicago is much high.
ert than in New York?
Some such national competition IN
matters OF scholarship might be pro,
ductiye Of important results. II tn.
school authorities felt that the cite:
which they represented were likely
to become discredited II they were In.
emcient, there would be less danger
OF politics and less temptation to con
ceal bad teaching behind the eccentric
novelties Of the curriculum. After
a time we should hear less of the in.
accuracies Of high school graduates
Of their spelling, of bad English. OF
undeveloped powers Of observation
and attention, IL the boys and girls
knew they would have to face an en-
tirely impartial and impersonal board
OF examiners before they could call
themselves high school graduates.
Premium on Competent Instructors
One of the biggest problems that
would be met IN carrying out such a
Utopian scheme would be the finding
OF teachers who would be able to
prepare their pupils for the serious
tests. 1t would place premium up.
on the really competent instructors
and relegate to the background those
who, did not keep themselves abreast
of the times. It would be discover.
ed, too, that some excellent teachers
would be unable to make a satisfac.
tory showing because Of the faulty
organization of their school. It would
be seen that many classes were much
too large to make 1t possible for
them to get good results. They
would also find. as they find now. that
their pupils do not do enough work
at home to, develop their powers OF
application and attention-that thew
are subject to too many and varied
attractions in their home life.
Further. they would discover tina,
the present methods Of promoting .
certain percentage of pupils from The
lower classes. without considerine
whether they are we'll prepared 81
not, work a great hardship upon
them. They could not be expected
to be successful with their student
II these children had been forced nm.
on them with insufficient prepara.
ton.