Morris tribune., 1918-07-19

learned how to accurately measure
things. The weatherman measures the
velocity of the wind; the munition work
er measures the diameter of his shell;
the physician measures the temperature
of his patient the druggist measures
the weight of his chemicals. An error
might prove fatal. The scientist there
for, does not trust his own personal
opinion; he makes use of accurate units
and scales of measurement. If educa-
tion is to be recognized as science, it,
also, must make use of scientific means
of measuring it's products.
1t would be extremely desirable to
know the intellectual ability of all our
pupils. Our system of grading is based
upon the idea that as pupils grow in
their mental powers they shall be pro-
NOTED from grade to grade. A general
intelligence test would therefore help
very materially in placing pupils in the
grades in which they should go. A
number of pupils have been given such
tests during the year, but as it takes
over an hour to test single pupil it is
a rather slow process. The value of
such tests is shown by the following
illustrations. One of the intermediate
grade teachers reported that one of her
pupils was so slow and backward in
her work that she ought to put in a
lower grade; she could not keep up with
the grade she was in. This girl was
called to the Office and tested. 1t was
found that her general intelligence in
stead of being below was slightly above
normal. That is, she was brighter than
most children of her age and grade.
The trouble was that she was timid and
shy: She was not acquainted with her
classmates, having recently moved to
town. With little friendly encourage
ment she soon did very satisfactory
work in her grade. A serious injustice
would have been done this girl if she
had been put back into a lower grade,
as she undoubtedly would have been if
it had not been for the intelligence test
that was given her.
Excellent scales have been worked
out by educational experts to measure
the proficiency of pupils in various
school subjects, particularly spelling and
arithmetic. The pupils were tested in
these subjects at the beginning of the
year. In arithmetic, it was found that
the pupils were poorly grounded in the
fundamentals of addition, subtraction,
multiplication. and division. Special
drill was therefore given to increase both
speed and accuracy along these lines.
After the pupils had been tested in
spelling, they were redistributed accord
ing to their spelling ability Every
room had spelling at the same time.
All the best spoilers were put into the
eighth grade group, althO some or them
might be in the seventh or even sixth
grade in their other subjects. Every
pupil was put in the group in which he
belonged. Some were promoted and
some were denoted. In one group, for
instance, were third, fourth, fifth, sixth,
seventh and eighth grade pupils, and
the teacher reported that the little third
graders were among the very best spell
ers in the group. AS pupils improved
they were promoted to the next higher
group. This gave them an incentive to
work for, which they had never had be-
fore, and they studied spelling as they
had never done in the past.
1t is hoped that next year more pupils
may be given general intelligence tests,
that the arithmetic and spelling tests
may be repeated and that the pupils
may also be tested in writing, reading,
and language.
PATRIOTIC ACTIVITIES
The principal aim of the school is to
train the boys and girls to become in
telligent and useful citizens. Because
of the national crisis we are in at the
present time it is of primary Importance
that our pupils should be stepped, so
to speak. in a spirit of self-sacrificing
loyalty and patriotic fervor. Greater