Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-05-08

afternoon session by Professor Ed
win A. Shaw of Harvard University.
This subject was of especial interest
in view of the proposed Statewide
survey of high school students IN
Maine, which was referred to by
Josiah w. Taylor. State agent for
secondary schools. in introducing DR..
Shaw.
DIR. Shaw declared his belief that
within a few years there will not be
any need for high school mental and
achievement tests. The mental
status of students will have been es-
tablished in the lower grades. There
will be mental test in the second
OF third grade, another in the
seventh or eighth grade, and the last
one in the last year IN Junior high
school. The mental ability of the
students will then have been well de-
termined and the l. Q.'s of the stu
dents will then be passed on to the
colleges.
The speaker said that although he
would not admit a pupil to college
on I. Q.'s Intelligence quotients),
there should be some air tight test
to definitely establish he mental
save him from the possibility of be-
coming stage frightened during col
lege examinations.
The big thing you can find out is
the way to reclassify pupils in high
school so they can be handled. The
real benefit that is looked for is the
ability to secure information to be
put in the hands of the teachers so
they can apportion the lessons to
the pupils to fit their needs. The
speaker referred to the plan of di-
viding classes into sections, accord
ing to the ability of the pupils.
The tester must have technique
and must be sure that the teacher
holds the attention of all and gives
the test according to standard fash
ion. In every school there are two
or three teachers who are natural
testers. The Interpretation should be
done by somebody who thoroughly
understandable work. The scoring
Is also an important factor.
The opinion was expressed by Pro-
lessor Shaw that the achievement
test has not reached the point of de-
velopment in high schools that in
telligence tests have reached. Such
tests are being developed, however.
and one result is the ability to see
if certain pupil will be likely to
succeed in a certain subject.
Answering questions propounded
by principals in attendance. the
speaker pointed out that the pur-
pose of the 1. @. test is to see If
the children are receiving the kind
and amount Of instruction that is
needed. 1t is important to see that
the pupils are properly classified in
the school.
Address by Professor F. w. Johnson
Mr.. Taylor introduced as the next
speaker Professor Franklin w. john
son of Columbia University, form
err Maine man, who spoke on Prob
lens of High School Education"
The point was stressed by DR..
Johnson that the principal is the re-
sponsible leader and coordinator of
all actions in his school. The high
schools are becoming more compli-
Gated than they used to be and the
principal must have a certain pro-
gram. He must have clearly defined
aims which must be understood and.
shared by all of his staff; he must
organize the disciplinary and social
control so it becomes educative; he
must understand the elementary
schools below and the colleges above
as to requirements and methods so
no energy or time will be lost in the
transfer from one to the other.
Further, the principal must be
leader in his community, make the
community intelligent about educa-
tional matters and secure the coop
Grafton of the people. He must keep
!, his superintendent and board of edu-
cation informed about education so
they can further his plans for the
school.
In the discussion that followed, DR..
Johnson gave a more detailed &C
count, answering many questions re-
lating to this important subject, es-
pecidlly concerning faculty meetings
and organization Of the social sys-
tenn.
The remainder Of the afternoon ses-
sion was taken up with group confer
ences. The principals of larger high
schools met with Principal W. E. Sui
livan of Brewer as chairman, assisted
by Professor Johnson of Columbia.
Principals Of the smaller schools held
session in the Senate chamber, Prin-
cipal Hoyt D. Foster Of Orono serving
as chairman. assisted by Mr.. Taylor of
the State school department.
Prof. johnson Speaks In Evening
The evening conference session was
presided over by DR.. Augustus o.
Thomas, State commissioner of educa-
ton.
Expanding the topic "a Forward
Look in Secondary Education" Profess
sor Franklin w. johnson of Columbia
University asserted that the junior
high school is the trying ground of our
most useful research in PSYCHOLOGY
and curriculum making.
Our testing instruments are applied
here most effectively for purposes of
classification and guidance" continued
Prof. Johnson.
ut is here that the so-called psy-
Geological organization of material is
replacing the logical organization of
the separate subjects. Particularly is
this true in texts in mathematics and
the social studies in which the selec-
ton and arrangement of material has
broken down the barriers between al
zebra, geometry. trignometry in the
one subject and in the other Is SINH
larly combining in one treatment the
materials of geography, history, civics,
economics and sociology.
THE study of general science al
ready under way in the four-year high
school has taken it's place in the junior
high school. A similar text in general
language presenting English in connec-
ton with it's numerous relations to
foreign languages, particularly Latin,
is now coming into use in a number of
progressive schools. Much of this ma
terial has been prepared by palms.
taking research and has been used ex-
perimentally in wide range of schools
before publication in it's final form.
In one instance the research has been
conducted at an expense of more than
100000, and the material has not
yet gone beyond the experimental edi-
ton. Never before have text books