Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1921-05-13
INTELLIGENCE TESTS

Some interesting intelligence tests
have been given during the past month.
1t is generally conceded that the great
est contribution made tc education in
the last ten years is the application
of scientific measurement to school
products.
The process of development Of the
child mind is more than often stunted
by a failure to recognize his mental
capacity. Thus stunting process re
suits in his being sent out into the
world as a misfit unable to find a
place where he is able to become a
prosperous citizen.
The bad boy' in school is usually
one who is not properly classified as
to mental measurement. Eth ,r he Is
put into classes inferior to mis- men
tai capacity or he is given work which
he has no mature power to grasp.
Each teacher has a different stand
ard of grading. For instance 85 per
cent cannot mean the same standard
to one teacher that IT does to another;
what it ,t..hds for is tbsnlu ~ M
known. The grade depends on the
judgment and taste of the individual,
this we call a subjective test.
When we say the length of certain
rod is twenty-five feet, there is no
room for dispute since such measure
ments are outside the range of per =
sonal opinion. We call them objective
because it is a measure to whose mean =.
ing all those competent to Judge would
be likely to agree. When the subject
i've scale alone is used we have, there
fore. no scientific basis for compari-
son. When we have objective scales
with which to compare the subjective
measure then no injustice can be done
to the pupil.
Another advantage of a measuring
scale is that a teacher soon finds out
whether her pupils are failing in work
because OF inability to grasp the sub
ject or from pure laziness and indif-
ference. In case the last is true, in
some way she is falling 10 make the
proper appeal. A bright pupil resents
that which is a bore; he must be in
terested.
Students Of the objective scales for
measurement of mental capacity reg
ular development of a normal child i
very marked from the ages of six to
sixteen. Each year shows a steady in
crease of mental power. These are the
years no child can afford TO waste
The good teacher will search until he
finds the appeal needed for gwen
mental capacity. He is assisted by an
objective scale for measuring; this
scale practically weighs the mentality.
We read of instances where unusual
progress has been made by individual
students. In most cases we find that
each year the mind has been pushed
to its real power of comprehension.
This has been done without conscious
effort on the part of the child, since
interest has led him to show a real
craftsmanship in studies, s in games.
After the age of sixteen, the progress
in mental growth is not so markoed.
This does not mean that people over
sixteen connot acquire more knowledge,
but that the mental capacity for ac-
quiring does not increase so to such q
marked degree after sixteen. There
fore is it not the responsibility of the
secondary schools to train for the de-
of all the power the indi-
vidual pupil has, rather than to per-
nit him to fritter away his time and
stunt native ability by mental stag
nation?
Tests in our own school have shown
that some of our pupils possess keener
than their classification de-
mands. Other pupils are attempting
work beyond their ability as shown III
their intelligence tests. The highest
rank in each class is shown as follows
n order of their ranking:
Seniors-Elaine Clover, Alice Alexan-
Ter.
Juniors-Richard McCollum, Ami
Clements.
Sophomores-George Haddock, Leona
Ritter.
Treshmen-Florence Millsaps, William
Beckett.
F. L. Mills.