Milford chronicle., 1955-12-09
University News


DR.. John A. Perkins, president
Of the University Of Delaware, an
nOunced today that the name Of the
Schccf Of Education's Reading Clin-
ic in Alison Han had been changed
to the Reading-Study Center.
The Reading Clinic was opened
in 1850 under the guidance Of DR..
William o. PenrOse, dean Of the
school OF education. DR.. Russell q.
Stauffer is its director. The pro-
gram Of the Reading-Study Center
consists of clinical work, courses /
in reading, research, cOnsultant
services to neighbOring schools,
and conferences for both parents
and teachers.
There are a number of inn
pOrtant reasons for making this
change, although the function Of
center will not be substantially al
tered" DR.. Perkins explained. ''The
work Of the Center has expanded
far beyond the purely clinical. Dur
ing the year we test about 800 read
ers at all levels Of instruction and
we offer teaching assistance to
about IS elementary children, so
high school students, and 100 Of
college age Our Annual Reading
Conference. for Parents attracts up
wards Of 300 and our Teachers
Conference serves over 700 educa-
tors. Pre-service and in-service
training courses reach another 300
E 400 teachers"
I'VE also have found. that many
parents and some Of our college age
students have placed a negative
cOnnOtatiOn on the word clinic"
DR.. Perkins continued. "They have
felt that study in the clinic labOra-
tory was limited TO retarded or de-
fcient readers. This assumption, of
course, is not true. The Reading
Study Center is increasingly con-
cerned with the development Of
good readers as well as corrective
research and instruction"
Other people, the president dis
closed, had confused the Reading
Clinic with the medical clinics Of
some communities which offer free
treatment, while still others be-
lieved that the clinics only activi-
ties were its two annual conferen-
ces-nOt realizing that the program
was a mulu-phased, year round
effort involving a staff of six people.
1--WE believe" DR. Perkins con-
cluded," that the title Reading
Study Center will better exDlain to
tn pubic the many services we
offer. in view Of the vast quantities
Of printed matter with which we
are confronted today, regardless Of
what our vocation may be, it is
important that we comprehend
what we read and improve the
sDeed with which we read it. For
this reason, we want our reading
study program to be thoroughly
understood"
Why do University Of Delaware
undergraduates sncceed in college?
Why do they fail? Are their high
school backgrounds significant in
evaluating their progress or rela-
lively unimpOrtant?
The answers to these questions
and other revealing facts pertinent
to the success or failure of Del
aware students comprise the Third
Annual Report to the President on
the Academic Performance Of Uni
versity of Delaware Undergradu-
afes" by Dr. Wilfred a. Pemberton
assistant dean Of students
DR.. PembertOn's report. now be-
ing completed, is a study of many
different factors which may have
a bearing upon the success Of the
student. It deals with the reasons
for the failure of those students
dropped by the University's Faculty
Committee on UNDERGRADUATE Schol-
arship, and also highlights reasons
for the success Of superior students
In this years survey. DR.. Pember-
ton has contrasted falling students
with an equal number Of students
at the top Of the academic ladder
One of the. most interesting re-
suits Of the three-year study is the
comparative success of graduates
from different high schools.
ct IS almost impossible to say
that any one high school is doina
the best job Of preparing its grad
yates for college" DR.. PembertoI
declared, "for the difference in th'
numbers Of students from the vari
Gus schools attending the univer
sity tends to make the averaging
process invalid. We do know tina
entering students at the Universit.