The log cabin Democrat., 1922-02-15
SCHOOLS IN STATE VARY AS SELLERS TESTS BY STATE NORMAL Results About Equal 1921 Survey When l60 Schools Undergo
 Standard Tests.

Pupils in 160 public schools of Ar kansas tested in January for their ability in spelling showed wide range of proficiency and slightly im- proved the average compiled from the tests made in 1921 by the extension department of the State Norma! School. Both surveys were under the direction of H. L. McAlister, diree- 1 tor of the department, and c. c. Den ny of the department of education, the results of the tests being compiled and summarized by MT. Denney. Last year the average for only one grade equaled the Ayre's standard. On the present tests, two grades reached this average
 Lists of words to be submitted pu pills were sent by the State Normal to practically all town and village schools in Arkansas and were also sent to county superintendents with the request that ten one-room schools in their respective counties be tested and the results forwarded here. Words given this year were harder than those used in 1921, being taken from the Ayre's scale where the var ious grades were expected to make about 66 per cent as compared with 76 last year. It being considered that the Ayre's standards represent the ability of pu- pills in the various grades at the close of the school year, the Arkansas averages from the second to the eighth grade, the ones to which the tests were given, approximate the standards accepted by the educational world. How much difference woul1 result if the tests were made at the close of the school year, of course can not be determined
 In the circular setting forth results of the tests, being mailed by the No"-
 
 ed, a code number is assigned each school and it's standing given accord 1 ing to number. The results vary widely and reveal distressful condi- tions in some schools. For instance the average for a grade in one of the 1 schools listed is 10 where it should be 1 77 and where the state average is 70. | \ 4l. IL. l Normal bulletin takes the teachers D task in the following statement:
 "The papers from number of schools were graded here at the Nor nal School. These papers afford a. least some data from which to infer the causes of low scores. These data seem to show that inattention or mis- directed effort is the main cause. Knowing the state as the writer does. and knowing that much attention is being given to spelling, he is forced to the conclusion that most low scores are due to poor teaching methods. l The papers would seem to show that the pupils are left without prope~ 1 guidance in the study of spelling. This is shown by the fact that words are spelled in a manner showing pu- pills to be simply guessing. One hun dred and thirty-six pupils mispelledd vacation in 51 different ways.
 Many words presen. certaln peculiar point of difficulties. If at tention and drill were given to this particular point, it is not likely that out of 32 misspellings of coarse 24 would be 'course;' out of 22 misspell- ings of desirable, II would be desire able out of 30 misspellings of 'inde- pendent 16 would be independant, and out of 19 misspellings of 'occas- ion,' 10 would be 'occassion.' The boy who spelled (misspelled) mosquito as 'musketer' is a good spelled with out proper help. He spelled as he had heard the word pronounced. The writer is firmly of the opinion that most low scores are due to poor teach ing methods. If any teacher is in- terested in making study of the prob lem of teaching spelling the writer will be more than glad to give direc- tion as to- books and other materials on the subject"
 For 1921 the spelling scores in per cent, with the Gary and Cleveland school scores given for comparison with Ayre's standard and the Arkan- sas averages, are by grades as fol > lows:
 ? 8 , 6 2 & Cleveland --74 7S 73 75 78 76 8D Gary 51 56 62 51 5S 60 KS