The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-05-27
SPELLING BEE
SHOWS new GAIN.
Students Show Improve
ment in Spelling Under
New Tests Made.
ALL SCHOOLS TESTED

The students Of the Kenosha schools
are not falling down in the important
art Of spelling. This is shown by re-
cent tests under the Ayres system
which have been made in the different
schools and which show a notable adj
vance in the spelling since the tests
We're made in the former year. The
tests have been made in both the ele-
mentary and the high schools of the
| city and advancement is shown in
both Of the schools.
This test is used in Kenosha schools
and many others, for testing purposes.
1T is composed of one thousand Of the
commonest words in English writing.
These words are arranged in columns,
all words in each column are of equal
difficulty, and each succeeding column
is one step greater in difficulty than
the one before. On each column. DR..
Ayres has set a standard for each
grade which represents the mark q
child should have if he is an average
speller, according to his grade. These
standards were determined after DR..
Ayres had made studies from seventy
thousand children in eighty-four diff
ferent cities throughout the country.
Spell twenty-five Words.
Last week Twenty-Five words were
selected from this scale, and all chill
dren in city schools from 8B grade
through ga were tested. These words
were step harder in difficulty than
words in test given about this time
last year, in elementary grades. In
last years test, thirteen hundred and
eight children were tested and out of
That number there were two hundred
and eight perfect papers, making
twenty-five per cent Of perfect papers.
In our recent test, seventeen hundred
sixty-o one children were tested in ele-
mentary grades, and there were five
hundred forty-three perfect papers.
making thirty-one per cent of, perfect
papers. Hence, a decided progress is
made over last years record.
Here follow the words given, not
difficult words, but words that occur
very frequently in every day written
English: Eight, afraid, uncle, rather,
comfort, elect, aboard, jail, shed, re-
tire, refuse, district, restrain, royal.
objection, pleasure, navy fourth, prop
er, judge, weather, worth, contain,
figure and sudden.
Score High in Test.
The following rooms had an average
of one hundred for the room: 3A, Miss
Blucher's room, Weiskopf school; 5B
grade, Mrs. Argyless room, Gillett; 5A
grade, Miss Germans room, Durkee;
Miss Busaytis' room, Columbus; Mrs.
Bayler's room, Orchard Knoll; Mrs.
lnenfeldt's room, Deming; Miss Stok-
er's room, Gillett; 6B grade, Miss
Schulte's room, Balm; Miss Germans
room, Durkee; Mrs. Poort's room, Dur
Ike; Miss Schulte's room, Columbus;
Miss Cattau's room, Weiskopf; Mrs.
Fink's room, Deming; Miss Eddys
room, Grant; GA grade, Miss Schalks
room, Columbus; Mrs. Poort's room
and Miss Shreve's room, Durkee; Miss
Cattau's room, Weiskopf; Miss Stoker's
room; Miss Shea's room, Balm; Miss
Betzer's room, Columbus; Mrs. Whites
room, Deming; Mrs. Bayler's room,
Orchard Knoll
High Schools Score
In the Frank Junior High school all
grade sections in 7th and 9Th grades
had an average Of one hundred per
cent except one, IA irregular which
had ninety-six.
In the Lincoln Junior High school
all grade sections in 7th and 9Th
grades had an average 0f one hundred
per cent except one, TAB and an 8A4
which had marks of ninety-six.
Ideals Of proficiency in spelling
have changed somewhat from those
formerly held Good spoilers" ac-
cording to old standards, were those
with q peculiar sort of memory which
enabled them to master unusual, words
like "phthisic," or long ones like
"incomprehensibility." Today, what the
schools aim at is to make the SPELL
ing Of words needed in the vocabulary
of everyday life automatically per-
feet. Kenosha teachers are endeavor-
ing to qualify all, pupils in the Keno
sha schools to spell correctly at least
the Ayres list Of one thousand com
mon words, a brief description Of
which is given above.