Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1919-02-19
MEASURING EFFICIENCY
OF MENTAL PROGRESS
scheme which Detects Smallest
shortcomings I'm School
Work.
UNCOVER STRANGE THINGS
No Feature OF School Can Escape
This Searching
scrutiny.

g,,s.l 10 The world.
'PNORMAN, Okla. Feb. lS-What
',own or city in Oklahoma has the
most efficient school system?
Oplnions of leading Oklahoma
Educators on this question probably
would differ greatly. and at best.
,bey would be only opinions But it
Sill be possible one OF these days
IN determine by scientific methods
the answer 90 the question through
new department at the University
Of oklahoma
This Is the department OF meas
ukemcut in the school OF education.
ia work IL to give educational tcsts.
which will determine to a fine point
,bs efficiency OF any school sysfeIn,
in every line OF work, "a
In A general way "A schoof'ean be
tested 10 show how fast the pupils
are progressing In all their studies
whether the teaching methods arc
correct whether the buildings are
nroperly constructed. and whether
IN, proper financial system is used
Specifically. citizens OF town
can apply the tests to determine
whether the board Of educa ton IL
properly managing the schools, the
hoard can apply the test to tho
superintendent V determine his
rating on administration, the super-
intendent can test the high school
And ward school principal on super
vision and the principals can test
the individual teachers on instruc-
ton
VIII Bring Out Any Defects.
II anything Is wrong anywhere
with the system. such series OF
tests would certainly bring II out.
Or. W. w Phelan, director Of
the school of education. began prep |
Arations for this work in 1918. but
only recently have tests along all |
lines been prepared. A bulletin Ia
being issued by the school describ-
lng tho tests and inviting the schools
OF Oklahoma to apply them TO
themselves.
The University OF Oklahoma in |
establishing such a department. ls
cooperating with other leading
schools Of the country. Two cities.
Kansas city and Los Angeles. have
established city departments and
many other cities hap applied the
tests to themselves. The states OF
Indiana. Illinois. Kansas and Cali
tofnls. are among the leaders in the
movements
This system originated when n
mathematics educator. 8. A. Courts.
worked out standards ror children
studying arithmetic. Thousands OF
pupils were tested TO discover the
average time children IN a certain
grade In school required to do
sum In addition, or sum In multi
plcation or percentage. etc. In the
end standards were prepared for
nj . |
hind OF arithmetic problem.
Applied To Specific Studies.
Then the system was extended by
various educa ationsl experts to read
Ing. spelling. grammar. writing.
geography. algebra, geometry. Latin
and various high school sciences.
More standard tests are being
worked out all the time and they
probably will be extended in the
future TO apply to every subject
taught In the schools and colleges
Of today.
When the test is applied 10 a
school and ~ Is found that chill
dfen Of the fifth grade are deficient
In writing, compared TO the stand
ards, while THOSE OF the third grade
are better than the standard. II Is
apparent that the fifih grade teach
'e Is inefficient or loaflng on the
job.
Some examples OF results accom-
pushed In other states follow;
One NTH grade In a South Da-
kota city was found TO he better in
thought OF getting In silent reading
tnan any sixth grade in the entire
cY and many OF the seventh
Grades
seventh grade in Minnesota
city was found TO be l2 psInts higher
IN speed In writing than the stand
sfd for that grade but six points
over than the standard in general
quality.
One city In Indiana spent 10000
minutes on arithmetic In the grades
uhie another spent only $4,000 yet
,ne pupils In the latter city were
iouhd to work ~ per cent faster
man those in the oxner city and
were equally accurate.
Difference Between Twins.
TWO twins looked and dressed
suSe. Their teachers rated themj
eoual In mental ability. Yet appli-
1uon OF these tests showed them
be mentally very much unlike [
shn ahn ri least 10 per cent apart In
.o% results, educators say, never
evuld .d nave been obtained In any
v.nsr way. II Is believed these sys-
ems Will standardize all the schools
A.. we country, not alone in subjects
nut In results accomplished.
Doctor Phelan was assisted in
snorklng out the tests for Oklahoma
~ Ia Tibbits. n graduate student
~ ,he school OF education. Tibbits
vi some member OF the education
,.sscul'y will be available to apply
aese tests TO schools desiring them
W 'he schools can secure the tests
au the superintendent or other