, 1923-06-14

VI bIdueS "IIHli the Same SCHool
system;
60 70 compare individual pupils
in the same group of grace;
90 To check up on our progress
from year to year:
60 They serve as a check on the
accuracy of teachers marks.
Observation-Disclosures Andcrson's
report gives the result of Standard
tests given in the Monroe Silent
reading; Ayers Spelling Test: Ayers
Penmanship Test; Courts Arithme-
tic Test; Stone Arithmetic Reasoning
Test; Gregory Spencer Geography
Test; Monroe Silent Reading Test;
Stromquist Algebra Test; Illinois
Standardized Algebra test: Henmon's
Latin Test: Ayers Spelling Test for
Eighth Grade given to High School;
and Ayers penmanship Test was Civ
en- to High SCHOOL,.
In some instances in these tests.
the grades were not raised this year,
and in n very few instances, some
ground was lost. but on the whole
these tests show that considerable
progress has been made during the
last two or three years. 1t would
be well to study these table and
scores carefully, as they Indicate
pretty well the subjects I'm which we
are low. and to what extent. and
they also show the degrys OF pro-
gress made. Such a statement n Z
more to be relied upon than the
mere statement hat il is hoped
progress has been made.
The one thing that stands out
most prominently in all these tosts
is the fact that our pupils as a whole
work too rapidly and inaccurateiy.
They rank high in speed and low In
accuracy. This is a serious defect
which must be overcome. In all
our teaching we must emphasize the
fact that it is more important to get
things right than it is to cover a
great deal of ground and get the
wrong results. II is better to work
TWO or three problems II get them
right than 1T is to work nine or ten
and get them wrong.
The use of visual instruction as an
aid to teaching will help In some
OF the subjects. We have u Balop-
ticon which can be used for u great
deal OF this work. 1t Is adapted to
projecting almost anything except
llms. Some of the teachers have
used this instrument with consider
able success in geography, history,
science, etc. AS educational films
become more easily accessible. and
as the various subjects are thorough
- covered Tor visual instruction, un-
doubleday school-work In the near
future will be greatly aided by the
uer 1i projecting machines.
Returning to the subject of stand
ard tests. we find hat some people
feel that such tests are "A panacea
for ell educational Ills. Nothing
could be farther from the truth.
T.'y ago valuable chiefly for dia-
gnOtt.c purposes and as such they
have % distinct value. II Is a mis-
take to Ignore them entirely. and IL
is lkeNisc "a mistake to classify.
promote. denote. etc, solely on the
results OF such tests. They must be
used with Judgment. and the i'm
portance Of The results obtained must
not be oycr-emphaslZed.
g. Individual Differences among
School children.
one OF the biggest problems that
every school system has to face j.
the fact OF Individual difference
among children. II b. Impossible IN
practice to get groups Of children 20
Eether in the same grade all OF WHOM
have the same ability. There n.s
age differences and mental gl...r-
cnecs, some are rapid and some a-n
slow, some are bright and o.Egrl
ara dun. In order 20 deal lui]alllErut-
ly with these children % o. necessary
That We know and recognize these
differences.
Doctor Vernon kellogg; former
ly professor OF biology at Leland
Stanford University. aud a rccogalz-
cd authority on the subject. has tho
fNttpUuNn. - Hw. -. a. -
ual differences OF children. tho
quotation being from an article OF
his In tho Atlantic Monthly" for
November. 1929:
Inherited differences In mental
81 nlcity arc by no means limited 10
dlifcrcuctH OF race, Go into any
school IN this country. Pay attrr.
Ion only TO those pupils OF similar
race Not only Is there an sru.I
opportunity Tor education before
th'm. bu' the teachers are trying TO
compel cylry pupil to accept the op.
~pogtunity. Some ob~Btrntaiy rcfus.
% do so. hat mot Of them, thru
inclination or coercion. try to learn
LHo'r l'faunf. But do all de equal.
ly wcllf co~nsplcuousiy not. What
arc tho rcsgon1 for this ynrlanc.7
one VIII b. admitted by all teach
cri TO be tho principal one II is
tho G.ffcrcnt Inherent capacity OF tho
pupllt' Some try and can: some try
n cannot. They arc naturally dir
ferent In mental capacity aud char
aotora born tha, way. that way by
%horedity."
Perhaps tho principal fault with
out present system of education t4
that II takes too little into o
those Inh.fIfaI IifF...- 49, l.aa