Honolulu star-bulletin., 1917-03-13
4Misstatement of Fact.' He
Declares, and So Notifies
College Club

| Superintendent Of Public Instruction
/ Henry W. Kinney yesterday made en-
phatic answer TO accusations by Mr.,
Agnes c. Weaver OF the College Club
that amounted TO a charge that the
school superintendent '.jusgled" fig
| ures in his recent re port TO the govern
or-juggied them in order to make a
| better showing for Hawaii's public
schools.
Superintendent Kinney declares that
Mrs. Weaver Is making "misstate-
ments of fact.
you are, as usual" he wrote her IN
answer, arguing on basis OF mis-
| take or a misstatement of fact" and in
separate letter to the College Club
he makes il plain that he holds Mrs.
weaver and not the club responsible
for an attempt to prove theories by
| ments OF fact"
The letters follow:
March 12, 1917.
THE College Club. care of Mrs. Kate
w. Forbes, Honolulu, T. H.
"Mesdames: Referring to a letter
received by this department under
date Of March 7th, beg TO state that,
feeling certain that your organization
would not wish TO prove theories by
misstatement of fact, l prefer to make
my reply TO the author thereof, rather
| than TO address it to a number OF per-
sons who are not responsible therefor.
Il enclose copy OF my letter to
Mrs. p. l.. weaver" -
His letter TO Mrs Weaver Is:
March IL, 1917.
/ Mrs. p. l.. Weaver, Honolulu. T. II.
Dear Madam: beg tosacknowledge
the receipt of your letter of March {,
in which you virtually charge that the /
department has .iuggled' the figures
contained in its recent biennial re-
port. You are, rs usual, arguing on
basis of mistake or a misstatement
OF fact.
"Your first claim is that the eighth |
grade examination figures are incon-
elusive because, you say, the rule for
passing was stricter in 1914 than 1t
was in 1915, and stricter in 1915 than
1t was In 1916.
"While the rule in 1915 was differ
ent from that OF 1914 in that 1t allowed
the passing of candidates who had
over GO per cent In two subjects, pro
vided they had tbtak average of Is
per cent in all subjects, the same year
saw the addition of definite rules In
marking, which would more than equa-
lie the point given aboye.
"The statement Ehats the eighth !
grade rule for l9f5twas different from
that Of 1916 is simply contrary to the,
fact. The rule was the same as the
examination of the appended copies OF
the rules f6sa tRgSe Give years will
show -. 4 ..sAs.StsT =
"The passing average was Is per
cent in all three years.
You state in regard to the use Of
the Russell Sage Foundation test for i
spelling that the Sage Foundation /,
chart lAyres sraie), states the results
for "a cities on the mainland to be |
So, 79, 88, "a, 3Saand 100, while the de.
partment's report gives these at u,
76. 76. rs. rs, 76 Again an abso-
lutte misstatement of fact
The Bureau of Education Of Wash |
ington. states as follows in the City
School Circular; 1s15-16. No. A.;
The general average Of the Ayres
spelling scale is rs per cent for "a
cities
This circular gives in detail exact |
ly the figures given by the department. !
"If you will examine the report OF
, the survey committee of the Cleveland
foundation with which, as the preface
shows, DR.. Ayres Of the Russell Sage
foundation was intimately associated
you win find on table 8, page 81, the
figures for the averages for 81 cities !
given exactly as quoted in the depart
ment's report. -
You have evidently concluded that
the figures given in the chart were the
averages obtained in the tests in the
81 schools. Dr.IAyres' book, "A Meas
uring Scale for Ability in Spelling,
will show you that these are standard
figures worked out through a'systena a
of curves and mathematical calcula-
tions, and that the actual averages OBJ |
tanned are those given in the United
States circular 4 in the Cleveland fonn-
daticn volume referred to and in the
report of the department of public in
structicn Of the territory Of Hawaii.
Rules for Passing
"The requirements In 1914 were as