Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-11-23
INEQUALITIES IN
School ASSESSMENT
DR.. Wagner OF Opinion This
Method RetardS Progress
of Education
SAYS CHILDREN
ARE BACKW ARD

Special 10 THE EVENING JOURNAL
DOVER, Del. Nov. 23.--Dr Charles
A. Wagner. State commissioner of ed
ucation, IN his advance report which
is TO be submitted to the coming ses.
sion OF the Delaware legislature. gives
some interesting facts and figures as
it relates to the age and progress
record of school children In part
he says:
Every business. mill. factory. bank
or enterprise is judged by results;
II results are satisfactory, the enter
prise deserves announcement; II re-
suits are not satisfactory the enter
prise not only deserves. but receives
condemnation What is 10 be thought
and said of Delawares public schools,
with facts like the following, as its
statement OF results:
"Of white children years OF age,
accelerated (ahead of proper grade),
GO: average acceleratiOn per child,
III years; normal lin proper grade)
~ 1890; retarded tbehlnd proper
grade). 47eo; average retardati0u per
child year.
"Of white children 10 years Of age.
accelerated sea- average accellera-
ton. - years; normal. 1850; retard-
3D. Coo. average retardationi IL
years
"Of white children. "a years OF age:
Accelerated. $50; average accelera-
ton ] years: normal, 1000: retarded,
S6ec: average retardatiOn, 2.5 years
"Of white children 16 years of age:
Accelerated, 10; average accelera-
ton ] year: normal i1Go; retarded,
S1ec; average retardation. 80 years
"Tho four years here set forth the
lust average years. They are neither
the best nor the worst. For those
four years the average retardation is
71co that Is. 71e6 q out OF each 10)
OF the children are behind the grade
I'm which they should be. A complete
summary of the ages 6 to u would
not be any better.
"Of course. every hindor'ng, oppos-
ing cause. helps TO produce this re-
suit: irregular attendance; lack OF
books. Door teach3ing. insufficient
supervision, imperfectly adjusted
courses of study and a dozen others
IN ght be mentioned. But underlying
all of these as clearly and as unm s.
takably as the railroad tie underl'e s
the rail. is our faulty and inequitable
tax system, which makes those con-
tribute most who are least able to
pay and asks those best able to pay,
TO contribute least"
In the same report DIR. Wagner has
prepared some interesting facts show
ing the children's progress In rural
and town schools in this State, as
follows:
Some very interesting and even
startling differences between rural and
Incorporated or town schools. disclose
themselves when a comparison Is
made between them to see which kind
of a school gives every child the bet
fer chance Witness these results:
Number of pupils enrolled, TIA inclu-
sive. rural schools. $50; incorporated
schools. 6147; number pupils ahead Of
their expected grade rural schools,
53S; incorporated schools, 507; per
centage ahead OF grade, rural schools.
6: Incorporated schools, s; number OF
pupils in expected grade, rural schools,
1906: incorporated schools, 20S0; per
centage in expected grade. rural
schools, ZIG: Incorporated schools,
1873; number of pupils behind expect
ed grade, rural schools, 6466; ipcor-
porated schools, 1862; percentage be
hind grade, rural schools, 1873; iDcOr-
porated schools. $40; average time be-
hind grade per pupil. rural schools, 81
years: incorporated schools. 10 years
"The town schools have a larger
percentage ahead of their grades; the
town schools have a larger percentage
in their proper grades; the town
schools have a smaller percentage be
hind their grades: and the town