Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-13

Leo Schubert, heaQ OF the cneLn"
istry department Of American
University. It was aimed at the
attainments in arithmetic OF stu
dents enrolling for freshman
chemistry.
These statements point to the
greatest problem the schools
have to face-aside from the re-
cruiting of competent teachers
in adequate numbers.
The problem of giving pupils
a solid foundation in arlthmetlc
is tied UP with the teaching OF
the sciences, particularly chem
istry and physics. Mathematics
is the language Of our technolog-
ical civilization. yet the percent
age of students studying high
school mathematics is dropping
and in geometry there has been
an actual decline in numbers.
Would this be SO if the stu
dents received a solid grounding
in arithmetic, coupled with able
instruction in algebra and ge-
ometry?
Shy Away from Sciences.
Reasons are practically i'm
possible to document. The fig
ures, however, show the decline
in the proportions Of students
taking mathematics. There is
testimony by students and
teachers that the students.
either through distrust of their
arithmetic skill or dislike of the
subject, dodge mathematics and
shy away from the sciences
where mathematics is required.
On the question of the ade-
quacy of mathematics in the
schools there is expert testimony
from a distinguished witness. He
is James Bryant Conant. former
president of Harvard, who wrote
in Education in q Divided
World: /
Mathematics, of course, is of
the first importance, and prob
ably more talent is lost to the
sciences pure and applied dn-
Guiding medicine) by the made
Quacies of our schools in this
field than in any other. There
will be those who disagree with
this judgment, but as a former
professor of chemistry and one
who has heard evidence of coll
leagues in the other sciences
concerned with freshmen from
all over the United States, Iven-
ture to be dogmatic on this point
where only a scholarly inquiry
could really give the proper
answer"
There has been a scholarly
inquiry into Americas trained
talent, how large it is, how many
traine.l specialists are needed.
what the potential supply is. 1t
is still to make its report and
whether it will throw some light
on the point DR.. Conant has
raised is still to be disclosed.
Some Schools Do Good Jobs.
The inquiry has been made
over q period of about four
years by the Commission on
Human Resources and Advanced
Training. This commission was
set up by the Conference Board
of Associated Research Councils.
The staff director is DR.. Dael
Wolfe.
In conversation recently DR..
Wolfe made this statement,
THE percentage of high school
studentS-and in some cases the
actual number-getting reason
ably solid courses in mathemat-
les and physics is smaller than
it used to be. It is not true of
all high schools"
There is no doubt that many
students are turned out well
equipped in mathematics and in
chemistry and physics and that
some high schools are doing good
jobs in these subjects.
There are test results showing
that students. from the fourth
through the eleventh grades, had
a better mastery of mathematics
in 1947 than those five years ear
1ier.
In the fields of chemistry and
physics public school graduates
have made higher mean (middle)
scores consistently than private
school graduates in College En-
trance Examination Board ex-
aminations.
It would appear that all is rosy.
But the percentages of those
studying algebra, geometry,
chemistry and physics is drop
ping. Some feel the situation is
downright alarming.
Geometry Unpopular.
Obviously, not all high school
students should advanced mathe-
mates and the exact sciences.
The Harvard Committee report
on General Education in a Free
Society" said that probably few
more than half Of those enrolled
in the ninth grade could profit
from substantial instruction in
algebra or master demonstrative
geometry. This presumably ap-
plies with only a little less force
to pupils in later grades.
The numbers taking algebra
and geometry are far below half,
although in 1900 the per cent of
high school students studying
algebra was Sc while 81 per cent
studied geometry.
Since then new courses have
been introduced. One of them,
general mathematics. was de-
vised for those students for
whom the study of algebra and
mathematics would prove profit
less.
There is little doubt that gen.
eral mathematics provides an