Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-21
BOYS LEAD IN TEST
At FRIENDS SCHOOL
Girls Fall Behind as They Grow
older, Students Quiz
Shows
QUESTIONS PRACTIC

QUESTIONS PRACTICAL
Arc girls less interested than boys
in the practical aspects of things?
Does girls interest in the work
aday affairs of life grow less as her
years grow greater?
These questions are suggested by the
records of the annual general informa
ton test given recently TO pupils at
the Germantown Friends School.
The test consists Of 100 questions de-
signed to reveal the practical knowledge
Of students. 1t is given to boys and
girls in all classes in the intermediate
and high schools, from the seventh class.
which corresponds to the fifth year in
public school to the senior class. which
is the graduating class in high school.
In all the classes the boys made the
highest marks, averaging boys and girls
in each class as n whole, though in in
dividual averages n girl led the second
class with an average Of ninety. tying
with boy in the first class for second
place in the entire school.
In the range of class averages, high
est TO lowest. girl scored the lowest
mark in every one of five high school
classes save the fourth class, where n
boy had the low mark.
Average ranges in the intermediate
school. however. showed different rc-
suit. In the fifth class, which is the
top class in tho intermediate school. a
,v,I,
seventh classes. tho low score was held
by boys.
Boys Always In Lead
In general the class averages show
that boys and girls are on a more nearly
equal plane in the lowest classes, Will,
the boys always little ahead. the boys
steadily increasing their lead over the
girls as the classes progress toward high
school and graduation. Thus in the
seventh class, which is the lowest class
taking the test, the average of all the
girls was seventeen that of all the boys
21.3, little more than four points diff
ference. In the fourth class, highest o.
the intermediate classes. the girls aver
age was 31.41 the boys. 445. an ad
vantage Of more than seven points fo
the boys. In the senior class the girl
averaged G4.05, the boys -. .43, NOR,
than twelve points difference.
Stanley X. Iarnall, headmaster of tn,
Germantown Friends School, believes
the divergence in boys and girls aver
ages is perhaps explainable by the boys
increasing companionship as they grow
plIar ,t.,th fbai, Go
growing interest in exclusively feminin,
things.
when we first applied the test. som,
ten years ago said Mr. Yarnall. "th,
same divergence was apparent. W,
thought it was accidental then. But i
has worked out like clockwork. YEA
after year, so that now we have COM
to expect it. This year we have an un
usually bright set of girls in the senio
class and ! had hoped they would GU
down the boys lead. But the old rul
sill holds.
1T looks like an argument agans
woman suffrage. | am in favor of suf
frage. and believe it will come. alway
tell the girls that if they want the vot
they must brace up and know as mucl
about the world as boys"
Test Famous One
The yearly general information
test at the Germantown Friends
School has won much fame in educa
tional circles. Mr.. YarnaIl credits the
old De Lancey School with being the
first scholastic institution in this city
to introduce the idea.
The questions asked in the test would
try the intelligence and general informa
tion of most well-read adults. Yet thrc,
of the pupils in upper classes mad,
ninety or over. Sparta Fritz. Jr.. aver.
aged ninety two; Dale Purves apC
Louise Birch. each had ninety. Mn,
others had eighty or over. In all sixty.
| four boys and girls in the high schoo
made averages of sixty per cent, o,
more.
4 few Of 0he' questions. selected a
random. indicate the scope of the test
The student is asked to name three o
; the peace commissioners from tn,
/ United States. the naval officer com
manding the United States naval force
in the war zone. the attorney genera
of the nited States. the premier O
! Poland. large European country il
which women have voted in genera
election, the political party having
majority in the next Congress.
/ Here are some other questions
What is a dromedary? drome? Wha
is unicorn. hydra: What is
barnacle? a binnacle? Show by draw
ing how the dial Of clock would loo
in a mirror, at 10 minutes of .. !
man has a wife and five children. Ho,
much income tax for 1918 does he pa
if his income is $4,000 Il year."
The answers, of course, developc
some ''howlers. But even many Of til
amusingly incorrect answers indicate
that the pupils had grasped cognat
IDEAS, and were alive to issues an
events of the day.